Wet wet bleeping wet

Lovely morning: sunny, dry and no wind so what reason could I find not to go out for a ride.....er none. So, off for a 24 mile ride to Church Eaton and back along the very muddy and flooded Staffordshire lanes.

For a change and to see if losing two stone actually has a positive benefit, I went up Hyde Lea Bank.... I normally try to avoid the climb as it comes too soon after starting out for me to be warm....that and the fact that its a 110 foot climb at 5%. Never been a climber, never will be! However, despite doing it using a 39/28 set up, I managed my fastest ever time....although I think I am still in the bottom 10 in Strava (who cares what much younger and fitter people can do: it was my best effort and that's what matters to me.....so I keep telling myself!)

There were at least four places on the ride where storm water covered the lane completely including one which was so deep that it went over my bottom bracket! Thankfully, most car drivers were taking care today so I didn't get covered in spray again.

A nice ride and a "blimey" to the bloke in the Stafford RC top who was at the top of Hyde Lea Bank with a trailer and child in tow.... I struggle to get myself up there without dragging up another person!

Then...as soon as I got home, the skies opened and we had an almighty hailstorm! Don't you just love it when you miss rain

Going backwards...

Well not quite but I don't seem to be improving as I had hoped.

Take yesterdays swim for instance.... only 800m which commenced with a 9m 13s first 200m...yes I know that's slow but for me, that's quite good. Now normally I would expect to do the next few 200m sections in sub 9m45 times. Nope, not yesterday! Instead, I recorded three 10m+ times (10.10, 10.14 and 10.44)! I suppose I can blame the pool for being busy but come on, that is crap!

Then, off upstairs to the gym to do some cycling.... I did 5km at an average wattage of 150w. Not bad but I know I can do better than that! So, apart from some weight loss: down to 121.2kg this morning, my fitness is taking some time!

The splits for the cycling are as follows:

1km 3.13
2km 3.07 6.20
3km 2.51 9.11
4km 3.07 12.18
5km 3.15 15.33

Finally, I think I need to see the doc as the low BP crash I have after exercising is getting quite nasty!

Tried Richey my new CX bike out today.... ouch!

Can't say I found the bike easy to use due in part to bad toeoverlap on the front and the draggy nature of the MTB style tyres: I am used to slicks so anything with a tread is going to cause drag.

A miserable 2.4 miles later I arrived back to a really bad low blood pressure attack: according to my blood pressure checker my BP was 110/70.... blimey how do people live with BP that low. Oh and my average speed was less than 9mph which is the same as walking!

While I brought the CX bike to use off road, with those tyres it's not usable on road :-(

Weekly round up and a new bike

Morning, hope it finds you well and not iced up as here! So my week in exercise then......Well it didn't really start well with a lazy Monday. I guess I was a little tired after the trip to the gym on Sunday (well at least that's what I am saying eh!) Tuesday I had to go down t'south on business so rather than taking the car to the station, I set off to walk the 1.6 miles at 6.10am. A nice walk at that time but a word for "cyclists" out there (more likely POBSO...persons on bike shaped objects) GET SOME FUNKING LIGHTS and get off the pavement!!!! So irritates me that. Come on people, the roads of Stafford are not busy at 6.10am and lights cost almost nothing now days. Grrr. Anyway, in total I walked 3.5miles all day including getting very wet walking from the station to the bureau due to a hail storm! Wednesday and Thursday were also lazy days: well I was tired from the trip down south. However, come Friday I was ready to go and off to the pool I went for a 1250m swim. Pleased but rather sore with that. My time for the distance at 1hr 2mins won’t set the world alight but hey ho, at least I proved to myself that I can swim over 1km during a lunchtime session. Saturday saw me out on Boris for the first time in ages and what’s more, rather than heading out in the car to Haughton, I cycled out from the front door! I think I had lost my mojo about cycling for a bit but 20.7 miles in 1 hour 48 including 5, yes FIVE top three Strava PB’s for me (okay 4 third places and one second place) shows losing weight and doing some exercise does help. Talking about losing weight, according to the scales I am down to 121.4kg this morning….. lets see if the reading stays in the same area as if it does, then that’s nearly 2lb off this week (since Wednesday) already. Ah the new bike….finally brought myself a CX bike: a Ridley XBow. Well it was nearly half price in the Wiggle sale and has 105 bits on it. Nice it is although I worry it might be slightly too long for me. Nevermind eh, I can always get a new stem if it is. Right, me over. Laters.

To Tri or not to Tri

My first attempt at a "Tri" at the gym today.... well I am aiming to do one in real life on the 10th August. The following shows just how far I have to go to get fit enough to "compete...." 200m swim in 9.20: 1Km cycle: 3.43 2km 3.00 3km 3.05 4km 3.04 5km 2.52 Total to this time: 25.06 1km "run" 13.56 2km12.48 2.5km 6.30 Total 58:21 As you will note, I didn't make the 10km cycle as planned due to a sore ankle. I need to work on the speed in my swimming.... and my cycling.... and my running. Sigh. At least however, I have something to build from.

Ouch

Bit of a reaction from yesterdays gym session this morning in that my left ankle is quite sore, as are my knees..... never ride a bike (or exercise bike) unless you are certain it fits or this will be the result. Nevermind eh. On a more positive note, my weight continues to drop as I have lost 0.7kg since Wednesday and now stand at only..... only that's a laugh....122.0kg (or 19 stone 3 for those who like it in old money). That means I have lost 9.9kg since I started dieting back in October....or 21lb. Pleased about that. One more push and I will be under 19 stone. So my plans for today...well off to the gym but not for a session but to see about this free membership thingy and then off to shout at the estate agent. Is it just me or are they ALL rubbush? Enjoy your day and careful out there eh.