'B' is for........?

What is B for?...

Hello Blog Lovers.

Well I decided as I have a free day I would just pedal my Specialized in a loop around my area. No really huge hills, and the traffic is not that bad, I have been in worse! But when I woke up this morning there was the wet stuff falling from the sky!  Darn it.  How am I supposed to 'try out' the changes on my bike if the wet stuff comes down?

Only one thing to do and that's fall back to sleep and dream of winning a prestigious award for some sort of cycling event!  But as you can probably tell, I did eventually go out for a ride. Only after doing the house top to bottom.  And only because my son eventually came out of his hibernation and started to make a mess again! Agghh, I think I would rather cycle around in the rain than to watch the eating machine leave a trail of devastation in every room that he goes in!

The sky had cleared and it even felt rather warm, but that could be due to my manic house cleaning.  I had my 'running' Garmin with me, mainly because I'm not quite sure how to attached the Old Boys 'bike' Garmin to my bike so I shall just have to remember to turn it off once I reached my 'Lets have a nice cool cola" stop.

I was looking forward to this ride. It's just me, nobody else, I don't have an agenda, I don't need to be back at a certain time and I am not meeting up with anybody on route! It felt quite liberating really.  Sometimes solo cycling and running is even better than rest days!  The route is one of mine and the Old Boys short routes.  I didn't want to go far, even though I had all of the afternoon to do as much as I wanted. I didn't want to include any hills either, major hills that is.  I need to 'ease' into my Spesh, try out the changes etc slowly and gently. I think that could be the answer.

I was really enjoying my ride again, but what I didn't count on was the ache in my arm! If it's not one thing its the other!  My hand still felt a little week, especially when I pulled on the brakes, but the discomfort now is in my left arm at the top!  I kind of slept on it during my holidays recently, whilst stretched out on a sun lounger enjoying the peace and tranquillity of Kefalonia!  Since then I have had this slight pain and discomfort  at the top of my arm, and it's all just a tad blooming annoying.

The last bike ride I had was on my Giant, and all though I felt some slight discomfort, it wasn't as bad as what I was having on this occasion.  I was glad I was only going on a very short 10 miler, including a stop for a cola.   I kept on shifting positions, changing my hand positions etc.  I also really concentrated on my core. Trying not to lean on the handlebars, and only use my arms for steering.  I would really love to be able to do what most of, but not all, other cyclists can do and that's to cycle with no hands! Then I can walk in to that café/bar up in London with a smile on my face!

I used to think that they all did that to show off, to look clever, but I have now realised that its because they have perfect balance and their core is doing its job, where as mine has only just started to realise what it is there for! I guess I should start to learn to get the balance thing going on! I just wish I could be attached to a rope and pulley in case I fall over! How on earth do you learn to do that?!

Back to the ride. It really was a very easy paced ride for me. I didn't want to put any pressure on my self to go super speedy (as if that is ever going to happen!) and also just to tray and relax and begin to enjoy my bike again.  I must admit, when I was just poodling along she did feel great! Such a nice smooth ride!  I almost smiled, until I had to shift again because of the ache in my arm!


I arrived at The George in Hayes, and remembered I had forgotten to bring along a lock! Oh dam and blast.  So I parked my bike just by the entrance of the pub, and did this 'crab like' walk into the pub, one eye on my bike and the other on the look out for the bar staff.  Fortunately for me I didn't have to wait long.  My cola ordered and I even treated myself to a packet of crisps, I  went back outside to enjoy my drink. 

As I was sitting there just taking in the whole solitude of my ride today, the rain started to ever so gently fall.  At first it was hardly noticeable and I thought I must have been imagining it.  I was looking at the sky, putting my hand out, looking at the table to see any signs, and I thought I would probably be ok.  But then it came down just a little more.  Just ever so gentle, like the early morning dew touching your face, (Yes, I have actually been up that early to feel early morning dew!) That made me decide to go home, rather than go a little further up the road, to Keston.

I went through Normans park and just enjoyed the traffic free riding for a short while. The rain still falling as heavy mist, making me feel quite 'sticky', is the only way that I can describe it.  I kept looking at the sky and hoped that it wouldn't actually pour down until I got home.  As it happened, the heavy mist rain fall was as bad as it got! Maybe I should have pushed out just a little bit more!

Anyway, geeky stats for you



 

Oh and just one thing more,  this a friend of mine, a great champion of cycling, enthusiastic and most considerate.  Put it this way, I had to stop once, on one of my bike rides, I had cramp.  I pulled up and got of my bike, the next minute this chap came out of his house to see if he could help, he thought I had a puncture, and lo and behold, it was Spencer!  Now that is a very considerate and caring cyclists.  Vote for him ....... pleasee!

http://www.goskyride.com/GetIntoCycling/ShowArticle/Spencer-Harradine-coach-organiser--advocate

Do I not Like Hills!

Hello blog lovers.

This evening it was bike riding time! I have to try and get my cycle legs back, get them strong, get them toned again.  I have been a bit lazy since the marathon, but I am picking up again with my running, and now I am picking up again with my cycling!

This evenings route is going through Shoreham and Eynsford. From there it can be two ways, we will just have to wait and see when we get to Eynsford.  But first of all its that A21 to get up, and then the climb up to Halstead!  It's the route we have done many times now, but my cycling legs have shied away for the moment.  I am going to keep on trying to push as hard as I can.  This route is a hilly route, and I have in mind not to walk on any of the hills! 

But this Old Girl is feeling tired.  Maybe the 5 miler yesterday is still in my legs (even though it took me 1:00:58 to get around the course!) or maybe its the great holiday I had just had (the podgy belly is stretching my cycling pants and top!) who knows, but I was plodding along very slowly, I felt. When we got to the right turn to head towards Halstead there was no stopping for a sneaky rest as there was no traffic to wait for. Straight to the middle and then straight over. No stopping for a breath, I have to get to the top, the round about. That is where I have decided to take a break for a minute or two, and maybe even grab the Old Boys drink!

Very slowly going up towards the roundabout, my legs are beginning to get that 'jelly feeling', but I still have no plans to stop.  At the top, by the bus stop, that's where I will take my feet of the pedals. It seemed a long, slow plod up there, the Old Boy was behind me, encouraging me to push my legs more, to knock up a gear, but I just couldn't do it. The hill felt like it was going on forever!

Finally though, we did get to the top! And I stopped, even though the Old Boy tried to encourage me to keep on going.  I needed a drink!  It was thirsty work! But it really was just a quick pit stop, and then we were on our way again, to Shoreham and beyond.

Shoreham is a very pretty village, with at least 4 pubs that I can recall! And we didn't stop at one of them.  Mind you, my new regime is no alcohol until Friday and the weekend, if there is a function of some sort. Sunday through to Thursdays is alcohol free days.  I have also limited myself to just 3 cups of teas a day, instead of the usual earnfull!  I really need to lose a good few pounds!

We sped through Shorehamm, when I say sped, of course there is a hill to climb out of the village, so we went as fast as I usually do up hills, and the we went to Eynsford. More hills, but I think I did these ones a tad quicker than the ones I have just done.  I keep trying to go as fast as I can. 

We did stop though...once we were at Eynsford though, we did have a stop! We both opted for cola! Yup, a new regime indeed! As soon as we finished that we decided that we are going up 'Foo Kin Hill' as Nagging sister called it once, and it's stayed as that. but the really name is Crockenhill Lane! Even that sounds awful, it has the word 'hill' in it!  But again I was determined not to walk up any of them, even though by now I was feeling very tired.  I wasn't even answering the Old Boy, he was still sounding 'chipper' and like he is out for a morning stroll around the garden! 

There was mention of heading up to Crittals Corner, I really was looking forward to that hill. It's a long hill, on a very busy road, totally uninspiring hill, but then the Old Boy said "So which hill do you want, Knole Rise or Poverest?" I opted for Poverest.  I don't know why, but it is the first hill that we reach, more or less, that leads home.  There is of course Leesons Hill, but that is just way to horrid!

I pushed up this hill, it almost felt like 'a Hill to far' but I managed even that today! So not too bad for a potbellied Old Bird, who does have a fantastic tan though!

Me in Kefelonia! Just to show off really!

Geeky stats from the Old Boys Garmin and he was behind me for 98% of the time!

Early Start!

Hello blog lovers

It was only 8 in the morning, on a Saturday, and the Old Boy was waking me up to go and get ready to for a bike ride.  It is only going to be a short one, about 20 miles, but I was going to take my White Giant bike.  My hand is getting better as time passes, and the weeks holiday I just had seems to have really helped things even more. 

For the time being I will use my Specialsed on shorter more relaxed rides of 20 miles and under.  And work up to more longer challenging rides each time.  I am trying to get this old body of my to learn to ride in the new position on my bike. I think maybe jumping straight from one style of riding and into another style of riding and doing it over longer distances, was maybe a contributing factor to why my hands went all weird!  At least its one notation I'm thinking about!

So todays bike ride was going to be a minimum of 20 mile, which means we could end up doing a little more, depending on how we feel, or more than likely, how I feel!  The week away has left me with just a bit of lazyitus and maybe a tad feeling of bloatedness! (ok very bloatedness!) So I wasn't expecting miracles, or indeed anything resembling speed!  It was all about getting back out there and doing it.

A climb up to Halstead left me in no doubt about how many miles I am going to be doing today!  20 miles, and that's it!  So from Halstead we made a steady (slow) climb to Cudham North/South Lane and then carried on climbing up to the Shampan!

I was really feeling it, I didn't really want to push out any further, or any harder, as I have a race to run tomorrow morning! A 5 miler! Nothing like giving myself a challenge for when I have a fantastic week on a beautiful Greek island, Cephelonia!

Altogether I think we rode about 23 miles, as we went to Hayes from Biggin Hill, to indulge in a coffee and bacon butty!  An average of about 10 miles an hour I'm guessing.

Testing The Changes!

Hello blog lovers,

Today the weather was a lot cooler than it has been for some time, so a good day to test out the changes that have been made to my bike.  Hopefully I will feel a lot more confident on it, I can apply the brakes when needed and hopefully help to sit in the right position for a darn good cycle ride today.

We left in the afternoon, I was wondering whether to take lights on or not, but I thought we would be back in plenty of time before they were needed.  (I should have realised that it was me that was riding, and not Chris Froome) It was going to be a very hilly ride as well, its one of the Old Boys, 'Get fitter' routes, and one that he does after he has left me on a Tuesday, around 6:30 ish, and then meets Pettswood in time to join me for a social drink with the PWR's around 9 ish in the evening.

I was still feeling a tad apprehensive about todays ride, yes I wanted to test the bike, and yes it needed to be a fairly challenging route, but I alo didn't want it do affect my hands too much if the bike and route was just too much for my already suffering hands.

I had a lot to concentrate on, my riding position, my cleats, hands to make sure I change positions, the roads and traffic of course, and  obviously to try and keep the speed going to make it as enjoyable for the Old Boy as I can..

The first test for me was going to be on Fox Hill! Going down hill has been a bit of a worry for me, with the whole applying of the brakes issue, I know I like to go fast, but I also like to know that I can slow down and stop when needed. I started down the hill, and kept the brakes going on and off, testing my hands, slowing the bike down and speeding up.  I didn't feel totally comfortable, but I was glad that I could slow the bike down when I wanted to.

That hill done and now its the up hill part.  The bit I need to relax on, not grip tight on the bars, relax in my saddle, keep a bend in my arms and try and get my whole core working together to make for a better, safer more efficient ride.  It's a lot to remember for this Old Girl. And not only that, but also the climb up Botley Hill to do!

I think I did pretty well. Put it this way, I didn't get off and walk!  It was  tough climb but the Old Boy told me there is yet another nasty little blighter yet to come.  It's a hill that I haven't managed to cycle up, a bit like Ditchling Beacon. A total challenge for me, one that I have failed on several occasions!  I gave it a damn good go though.  but I'm afraid it beat me. I was totally furious with myself, I felt like a complete fraud in my Lycra, cleated shoes and 'racing bi-atch bike'.  I am afraid the Old Boy got the full force of my total failure frustration!  Lucky he loves me!  It took about 2 or 3 stops to get up to the top, by this time, the Old Boy was in front of me.  I tried and tried to keep up, but I just plodded along about -2 miles an hour!  There is a pub at the top of this hill, and that is where the Old Boy was waiting for me!

He went in and the came out with....2 packets of crisps!  "What, no beer?" I said "They are having problems with the electrics" he said to me! "NOOOOOOOO!" I cried out.  I looked at my orange juice sitting in my bike rack, I was just too tired to move to get it out.  But just then the lovely young lady bought out our beer!

From there we went on to do a tad more hill climbing.  Until we got to the most scenic scene, over looking a body of water called Bough Beach, I took a picture of it, look.

 I didn't think I could do another hill, but I managed it. In fact from there on, there was not one hill that I didn't manage to get up in one on the way home!  We went through Goathurst Common to Besuls Green down into Riverhead, Dunton Green and Shoreham. Shoreham was where we stopped for another refreshmet.

I knew where I was from here, 9 and half miles or so from home IF we went up towards Halstead!  But I thought I need a ton more training and decided to go to Eynsford and up Foo Kin Hill!  I think I must have been delirious by this time!,  but really, there is only hills in the way of my home!  No matter which way I went.

It took me forever to do this route, a route that normally takes the Old Boy 2 and half, but with me on board it took nigh on six hours but we did have three stops for refreshment, and to pick up a dinner, as it was getting fairly late, and I for one didn't fancy cooking!

I did take a picture of the lavender fields up near Eysnford, the smell is just gorgeous as we cycled passed the fields.

oh and he is the geeky stats, from the Old Boys garmin, he was mostly behind me, even when we reached the giddying speed of 33 miles an hour, in a 30 mile hour zone!

Taming of the Spe-shrew-lised!

Hello blog lovers.

Only a short blog today, just to update about the bi-atch.  Last week I had a word with the nice young man at the bike shop where I bought my bike, and he suggested I bring my bike in so he can see me on it.

Well today was that day, as the shop is open later on Thursday so after work, a bit of rest up it was on to the shop.  The chap was there, and was quick to see me on my bike.  My bike was 'plumbed' into the turbo trainer, (a great gizmo actually, might have to ask Santa for one) as he watched as I peddled along I felt very conscious! .  The first thing he said, was that my saddle could be raised a tad! I thought maybe I had done that bit right at least, and then the stem was changed to a shorter one. 

I also told him about my brakes, and the fact that I do have a bit of trouble pulling them on!  He had a go on them and agreed with me that they were a bit hard to pull on.  It turned out that my brake cable had become rotten inside, a white powdery stuff was on them. So the cable was quickly changed and the brakes did feel a lot easier to pull on.  I am just hoping that I haven't done any permanent damage to my mitts and that every that my LBS (that's Local Bike Shop, by the way) young man has done will sort out all the issues I have with my hands.

Small changes, nothing to drastic so lets just see how it goes now.  "Ride it about a bit" said the nice young man.  So that is what I am going to do.  But today, we just went to treat ourselves to a shared kilo of mussels and frites.

So, lets hope that this is going to solve the issues of the pins and needles hands, and numbness!  (by the way, did you see what I did the the sub title there?)

My bike, before the slight changes, and new pedals

 

Who Goes Out In This Heat!?

Hello blog lovers.

Why do I do it? Why don't I just sit in doors, with the fan on eating ice cream an drinking beer!? Why?  I tell you why, cos I love exercise! Even going up Cudham North lane in the furnace type temperatures.  I need to get back my cycling legs, and I need to work on getting my Specialized bike set up properly for me.  Well, that particular thing is going to happen on Thursday, I had a word with the shop that I bought the bike from and they are going to 'look at me on the bike'  Put me on the turbo trainer and see what can be done! But in the mean time, my cycle legs need work on.

So today, as it I just so hot, we are going on a shorter ride, but one with a bit of hard work thrown in.  Cudham North Lane!  I can't remember the last time I got up this hill, or even thought about getting up this hill.  Normally we just fly past it heading for Halstead. But today, the most very hottest evening so far, I think, we decided to tackle it! 

But I also decided that on this particular evening I will stop for a pint as well! After all, I am cycling in a furnace!  I took my white Giant today, as I wanted to save my hands getting too numb and pins and needles.  But I think the damage has been done, as even on my giant today I felt some pins and needles in my hands!  The sooner I get my bikes sorted the better, I'm thinking!

The hill was soon there. No stopping for a rest, just straight up it.  There was mention of the pub on this road, the Blacksmiths Arms, but unfortunately that was all it was!!  Our route was going to go straight up to Grays Road, then down the hill through Biggin Hill and on for a stop at Keston, the Greyhound. But then he said something about going through to Knockholt, back down to the A21 and then going on to Orpington to attempt my nemesis, Knoll Rise! But I talked him out of that.  I like to have a route in my mind, and I am prepared for it, but chucking in last minute changes, while cycling up Cudham North Lane, well....that had no chance of even get thought about!

I did stop at the pub though, but not for a pint, just to take a drink from my bottle of orange squash that I bought along!  My mouth was just so dry!  It was a very warm evening.  In fact it was so warm, that the ice cubes had long since melted, and my squash was already warming up! But at least that was the only stop I took until we got to the Shampan. 

On the way to the Shampan the Old Boy asked me if I fancied a pint at the Queens Head, in Downe, instead of at Keston. Well, by this time, I was just about over the ordeal of Cudham, so I said "Yes, ok, so how do we get there?"  After I had said yes, I started to remember the 'how' and started to think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea.  Anyway, we got to the top, by the curry house, and there sat on the road side were a few cyclists.  We were going to take the road that went passed the restaurant instead of the one that goes to Biggin Hill.  We said good evening to these cyclists, well, cyclists are very nice people, and we started riding along the road.

There were a good few other cyclists heading towards the group of cyclist, I can only guess they were going to meeting their buddies by the Shampan.  Each one that we passed said good evening!  I told you they are a great bunch!  It was all down hill from there, but I knew there was a very cheeky hill coming up, the one that takes us to Jail Lane.  It's quite a steep hill but it doesn't go on for very long.  I kept in my mind the end of it, the  top of the hill, Jail Lane.  I stayed focused and the concentrated on getting to the top!  I did it, without getting off and walking!

There was another cyclist coming our way, but I just didn't have the breath to say hi to him!  Downe village was just at the end of this road!  We stopped off for a pint,  I went in to buy it and I came out to see another chap chatting to the Old Boy about his bike!  You wait till my pink bike gets sorted out, see everyone coo over her!!!

Anyway, geeky stats from the Old Boys Garmin.  I have decided that I am not going to take my Garmin anyone, because I keep forgetting to switch it on and off again.!

Out On The Special One!

Hello blog lovers.

A lovely day deserves a lovely evening ride.  It was only going to be around 20 miles today, and also we are going to be doing our old route of Halstead then Biggin Hill.  Well, I just had to get out on my Specialised, she has been sat the for ages now, quietly waiting for the time when I take her out.  This evening was that time.

I have been so excited about getting my bike, and then when I bought it, I had all the training for the marathon to do, so she got neglected a bit. But then when I eventually went for a couple of long rides all sorts of problems arose.  I am not sure what the problem is, and I am getting very anxious about it. 

I had some slight problem with my hand before I went on my last FNRttC, and I have come to realise that it was probably made worse.  The whole pins and needles things in the hand, and then on that particular ride, I had the total failure of my left hand to work the gears!  It just didn't have the strength there.

After todays little ride I find my hands again pins and needles.  I have changed the stem turned the other way, the handle bars bought up, the handle bars bought down. Not only that, but pulling on the brakes to stop at traffic lights, it seemed, took all my strength to do, something I really need to be as easy as making a fist!

Anyway, it was a good ride, I even had myself a race on! After being over taken by all the Lycra clad guys, shooshing pass me in what seemed a very leisurely fashion, as we were going up the hill towards Cudham south Lane, I saw a cyclist, not wearing Lycra, just in shorts and a polo shirt. but he was cycling well. I thought I would beat him to the top. But do you think I could.  I think he heard me as I changed gear and he pushed a little harder.

He beat me to the top! I was hoping he was going to turn right, and that would be the end of the race. But he turned left and then right! The exact way we were going!  I still have a race on. I tried and tried to catch him, I tired a little on the hills, but gained on him with downhill sections.  It was like this nearly all the way.

I pushed a little harder, and I really started to gain on him, I was just about half a bike away, and then I slowed down. I wasn't going to overtake him, I just wanted to catch up to him.  I knew for sure that I wouldn't be able to keep up in front of him, and there is nothing worse than being overtaken by the person you flew past!

But just as I was thinking "That's it, I done it, the Old Boy started pushing me up behind him. We were pretty close to him, so I couldn't actually say "I wasn't going to over take him" But that's exactly what I did, helped by the Old Boy of course.   

It did feel good, but I knew that any moment now he will fly past me, there is one last hill to get up, and I know I will be slow to climb that, my 'race' seemed quite fast on the up hill section, in spite of him being 73 (he wasn't, he was just joking when I went past him )  and fly pass me he did.  I thanked him for our race, I think he enjoyed it too.

So although I really enjoyed being out riding on my new bike, I think she still is punishing me! So any cyclists out there who have heard of this problem before or anyone suffered the same and has over come the problem, would just love to hear from you.

Anyway geeky stats this evening from the Old Boys Garmin, I forgot to start my as usual! But the Old Boy was behind for most of the way, with just a little blast up to the Shampan to beat the guy I was 'racing'.