Up for It

Training, training, training…………Over the past couple of weeks I’ve managed to complete a couple of 50 miler’s which has been extremely satisfying to say the least. I’m averaging about 110 miles a week now. I’m feeling pretty good about the whole thing. In fact I can’t wait!! Also had some contact with some of the other riders and it seems that we're all 'Up for It'

Also, touch wood; I’ve had no falls lately either. I seem to have the unclipping of the feet and the balance just right now. I do get a bit of a panic on sometimes when I’m careering down hills at a rate of knots, especially as many of the road surfaces leave an awful lot to be desired!! My top speed to date is 58.9 km/hr which is 36.5 mph. I know it doesn’t sound fast but when you’ve got the wind whistling in your ears and your flesh exposed to bugs flying the opposite direction at a similar speed, believe me, it’s fast!!! Have you’ve seen what happens to them when they hit your windscreen? Bloody hell they really leave a welt on your skin!. And don’t even get me started on ‘thunder flies’ they’re bad enough when you are just walking along, but on a bike, you feel like you’re covered with them!!

I must admit that I’ve been very inspired by the Tour de France these last couple of weeks! In fact Martin called me ‘AN ANORAK’? How dare he when he watches rugby and athletics whenever it’s on. At least the Tour is only a once a year thing! In fact, Martin has told me I can’t do anymore challenges after this one because everything is going to pot!! The housework, (I do all the washing, ironing, dusting & cleaning), the garden, (I dug it all over, planted it apart from the greenhouse, weed it & water it), the dogs, (don't get me started on them),and the cooking!!! This is all because last Wednesday I went out for a ride and ended up going a little further than I’d planned too. However, everything was in hand for dinner. We were having Cottage Pie. I put the mince in the oven with some veg, gravy etc to cook whilst I was out and all I had to do was boil & mash the spuds, assemble it and grill the cheese top off. Well, as I said I went a bit further than anticipated and ended up doing 26 miles. I got home at 6.40pm and Martin arrives home at 7.05 pm. It was like the mad chase scene that used to play at the end of the Benny Hill Show (I’ll bet you’re humming the tune now!). The spuds cooked, the mince was ready, but I didn’t have enough time to assemble it into a Cottage Pie, so we had mince, potatoes & beans. Martin said it was ‘Crap’. That’s nice isn’t it? I would like to have thrown it all over him, but restrained myself!! Anyway, that’s the reason I can’t do anymore challenges!! NOT!! I’ve found something I really enjoy doing, that really doesn’t take up too much time, and it's good for me at the end of the day. He has his birds & his Rugby. I have The Beast!!