Ouch

Ouch ouch ouch and what's more Ouch.

Am I in pain....what ever gives you that (ouch) idea??? Could it be (ouch) the fact I am sitting here with a cold compress on my kn (ouch) ee or (ouch) have I given you some sort of (ouch) verbal (ouch) clue?

Yes, you are right, I am in pain with my left knee. For some reason, it is hurting like buggery... might have something to do with the 23 mile ride I did at lunchtime.

The ride...well to be honest, I was going to try to climb some hills but bottled out of it at the end of the road and instead of turning left, turned right towards the flatter lands of Penkridge.... and then discovered how windy it is out there (current average speed 15mph). To be honest, I felt like giving up as it was like riding through something sticky. Anyway, I got to the turn and somehow found some energy and picked up the speed on the way back, so much so I was worried about getting caught by a mobile speed camera (as if! It was parked on the side of the last climb into Stafford.... I went past it doing 11mph although I climbed the hill without problems).

So in the end I am sort of pleased I went out, although sore....ouch

The route: http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24827

Done: 23.04 Total: 211.52 To do 38.48

Height climbed 505 Total: 5632

Average speed 12.6

Tracker....

Need to enter data into this but this might help reach my targets

Anothe ride/Stafford Road Club

Well after doing next to nothing on the road this month, I went out this morning for the third morning running...and don't my knees know it!!!! The ride itself was okay if a little flat both in hills and in power: I doubt I averaged 12mph (forgot to check!). I did give up after about 10 miles as the sun was so low in the sky I couldnt really see where I was going and the road I was using was really muddy! (At least, I think it was mud).

The highlight of my ride however was bumping into the Stafford Road Club. A friendly bunch they seem and were more than happy for me to join in on their ride to RAF Cosford. However, they tend to do between 40 and 50 miles a ride (with an hours cafe break at the half way stage). Whilst I could manage the 12mph they say they average, I doubt I could do a 50 mile ride without much more practice! They do have a slow group which seems better tailored to me, so I left my number and hopefully they will get back to me.

The ride: www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24656

Done: 19.31 (not going to make my average distance target this month) Total 188.29 To do 61.71 (3 days until the end of the month....don't think I am going to make 250 miles)

Height climbed: 470 feet. Total 5118

Jordan after a good servicing......

Well, she has had all her nuts tighted (blimey, the brakes are SHARP!) and the gears looked at so she was ready to cycle home this morning from Wolverhampton.

So, off I went noticing first of all how the taxi drivers in Wolverhampton don't seem to understand road markings...twat... and how bumpy cobbles are when you are doing down hill....almost made me wish I had an MTB.....hahahahahahahaha..... NOT! Anyway, a few quick peddle turns find me in the middle of Showell Road: or Shithole Road as the current wife calls it. Why am I mentioning it??? Well, some chav in a M reg BMW decided to shout at me as they overtook....shame for them that their car was so shit that I was able to stay behind them for the next few miles....wish I had had a D-Lock with me!!!!

I was surprised how quickly I made it to Cat & Kitten Lane and then on to the Stafford Road....confession here... I wimped out and used the cycle path rather than the main road...well its a duel carriage way witha 70mph speed limit! The surprised continued as I made it to Gailey (10 miles) in 44 minutes.

I past the hour at 13.0 miles....a good average that.

Well, one final climb into Stafford to face so I can try out the newly re-alined gears but quess what.... I made it up the hill (it used to KILL ME) using the middle ring at the front and 4th gear at the back.... most impressive for me!

My time home was 1.22minutes peddling with 1.28 being the overall time. I stopped only once for a drink at Gailey.

So the route: http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24539

Done: 17.11 Total 168.98 Todo: 81.02

Height climbed: 338 (yes, its flat!) Total 4648

Average speed....12.8mph

Servicing Jordan....

There must be a joke there somewhere..... Anyway, whilst I let your dirty mind work that one out, I rode to Wolverhampton this morning to have my new bike serviced.

Hummmm.... did I enjoy the ride? Well, not really... I struggled up Hyde Lea Bank as once again I could not get into my lowest gear... I did managed to get almost to the top in 3rd from bottom which is reasonably impressive. The rest of the ride to Penkridge was okay: I haven't been that way in a bit. Then I took the back road to Water Eaton which is single track and muddy most of the way. Interestingly, I never saw another car its whole 3 miles lenght. There were cars on the short bit of A5 I used. Thankfully they were friendly and no one tried to run me off the road.

Then it happened.... I got to the top of the hill on the Old Stafford Road only to discover I had lost my bike computer!!!! Sigh...so I doubled back on myself looking for it..... did I find it.... well actually I did which was lucky! So, I retraced my steps and soon (well not that soon) found myself on the outskirts of Wolverhampton.

Well, if you look at the map below you will note that its uphill most of the way into town...and cobbled for a bit which shook me up a bit.

So, Jordan is now having her nuts tighten (doesnt quite work that joke does it!). I got the bus home (the bus price has gone up 20% since I last used it about 8 months ago). I am collecting her all shinny and working perfect tomorrow morning.

Route: www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=24423

Distance: 20.48 Total 151.87 To do: 98.13

Height climbed: 743 feet. Total for the month: 4310

Average speed..... (a bit shameful)...11.1mph.

The shame.....

Sigh.... I said during my last post that I needed to get my finger out as I still had 118 miles to go to meet this months targets....so, how far did I do on the road this week.....18 miles...28 miles....50 miles....???????????????????????? Nope, sigh...none. Yes, that's right, the shame. I didn't do any miles on the road this week.

So, why was that then apart from the fat that I am a fat useless lump who couldn't get his arse into gear. Well, that's quite a good place to start but the weather and work had something to do with it. As did the fact that I brough a multigym and had great fun... I mean great fun putting it together. I mean the instructions said it would take about an hour... nearer to 5 hours all in all! Afterall, there were 303 pieces to fit together. The overall effect when done... interesting althogh even 5kg at the moment is quite hard in some exercises. I will see how well I get on. I do hope it increases my upper body toning which, to be honest, is very poor.

So, did I use Jordan at all? Well yes but on my rollers.

My first ride (Monday) was really rather disappointing as I wimped out after only 2miles. I mean, 2 miles!!! I could do that with my eyes closed and my arms tied behind my back.

On Tuesday I managed a longer ride but still not impressive: 6 miles in 34 mins. For some reason, my legs just didnt seem to want to work.

Sigh, bit depressed on Thursday with the lack of effort during the week so I thought.... (have they got a thinking icon..... nope, can't see one...sigh), why not see how far you can do in one day. So, at lunchtime I thought lets try a 45 minutes ride... achieved 7.4 miles at an average of 12.8 mph... not that impressive as I managed 6.8 miles in 30 mins last week but at start. Then before tea I did another 45 mins achieving 7.72 miles at 13.1mph. Finally, just before Corrie I nocked out a quick 5 miles making 20.52 miles for the day. I was a little sore at the end but pleased with the effort.

So...Saturday came... and went. Sigh. It rained on and off and sadly the boss found sufficient work for me to do to mean I didnt get a chance to go out on the bike. I did however do some time in the gym which was useful exercise.

Sunday then...come on, shirley (don't call me shirley)... I would get out for a ride today....er, nope. This time I blame the boss for wanting me to go for a dog walk so that I could act as security. After that, it was gardening time and general cleaning. Oh, and once again it rained. I really do need to MTFU and learn to ride in the rain.

Instead, it was back on the rollers after a gym session for another 45 min ride. This time I managed a reasonably more impressive 8.11 miles at 13.4mph.

So... that's 36.63 miles on the rollers this week. So in total thats 87.04 miles on the rollers.

A quick post script... got to go out for a ride tomorrow as I have to take Jordan to the bike shop for a service.

Sunday cycle/Cold

Yes, it was both cold (2c) and I had a cold (or that sort of thing....felt tired and under the weather all day) so I really didnt feel like going out for a ride today (Sunday) but hey ho, I needed to as my weight loss seems to have stopped and without riding, I never lose anything.

So, off I went and yes, there is no power in the legs. So, answer me this then...how comes I did 30 miles in a little over 2 hours 45 mins at an average of 12.1mph???? Can't work that one out.

The ride: http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=23733

The traffic was light and behaved itself until the last but one corner when some twat decided he had to cut in front of me.... its beyond me to work out why he needed to do so and then pull up and get out 100 yards further on. Come on, if you had waited for me to pull out first you would have been delayed by what, a whole 2 seconds. Anyway, I did question whether he had a driving licence when I freewheeled by. Twat.

So: 30.46 miles. Total 131.39 To do 118.61 (better get my finger out...12 days before the end of the month!)

Height climbed: 703 feet. Total 3657

Average speed 12.1mph.