Gone are the days when we have a lay in! How can I possible do that when the sun is up and shining, I have new shoes to break in, and it just feels so darn good to be alive!
I know it has taken me a while to write up this blog, but yesterday was my other sisters birthday party, so I couldn't write it up as I was having a brill time with her and the rest of the motley crew!
We were only going to do a short ride today, as the weather forecasters did promise rain in the afternoon, but even a 18-20 miler is just too good to miss while the sun is out!. We had a route in mind, but on the way down the A21 the Old Boy changed his mind, "Lets go up though the lanes". We are going to go to Down Village!, I think he must be enjoying being out. I was too, but that weather up there does look at little threatening. Mind you, if we listen all the time to weather forecasters then we wouldn't even bother getting out of bed!
The new route was up the A21 to turn to go to Halstead. And then after that to go though the lanes via Shoreham. I was flagging a bit getting to the roundabout at Halstead, and I coudn't understand why! But the I remember, I had just been getting over a nasty little tummy bug!! Thats was bound to be supping energy from me!
I am hoping that these shoes will help with a few little problems, numbness, cramping in my feet and riding technique! Hopefully the riding technique will then improve my speed! Which in turn will please the OB, and maybe he will stop calling our rides out together 'plod abouts'
Anyway, enough of my new shoes, although they are pretty nice, with pink in them as well, and also if I get really into my cycling I can get some cleats on them! We had already changed our route again, we were not going to Shoreham, we were going up up and up some more to Biggin Hill, then down down down to Keson and through to Hayes for a coffee and toast.
I took it easier on the next bit from Halstead, after remembering my recent bout of illness, I thought it would be better that way! Well that was my excuse. This route is quite popular with cyclist, I think they must come up from Cudham north Lane and then down the way we had come up. Lots of riders in their lycra and club colours!
I kept on 'plodding on' though up Grays Road, and looking forward to the down hill section from Biggin Hill and a nice cup of coffee and toast. Oh and by the way, my new shoes, I am sure the technique was a slight improvement, maybe, or maybe I should ask someone in the know about a the efficient way of spinning!
The cafe that is at Hayes is a favourite with cyclists. There is always ....hmmmm, what do you call a bunch of cyclist? A gaggle, herd, club? But there is usually at least 10 to 20 of them having tea, coffee and some even have the full english!
Oh and by the way, I still had numbness in my feet, could that be because they are new shoes!
Geeky stats for you, and these are from the Old Boy Garmin as I had forgotten mine again, but he was behind me all the way!
Get the cleats. It will take a little while to get used to and there will be a couple of minor falls at low speed as you get used to getting out of the clips BUT with the clips/cleats you get power on the upstroke with your leg - e.g. you can pull and push. That will also take awhile to get used to and you'll use some muscles you're not used to using. But once you get it all going, you'll find that you can go a bit quicker for the same relative effort.
ReplyDeleteI am seriously considering getting the cleats or clips, but I know I am just such a woose, I hate pain! And falling off does hurt :-) Maybe I should wrap up in bubble wrap and go practice on the fields near me first :-)
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