My first OFFICIAL fall...........

Sorry........

I've been a bit lax in posting recently, but that doesn’t mean I have been sitting around doing nothing!! Far from it.

I’ve had my first official fall. Hurrah!!!! Yes I know, why celebrate a fall, and what makes it official? Well, apparently (according to Dr Grant Phillips) you can’t call yourself a cyclist until you’ve had 3 falls and an official fall is a) done at speed & b) you loose skin. And I did both! I also banged my right tit, which is also what I felt too as I quickly leapt up from the ground checking to see if anyone had witnessed it and listening for sniggers behind garden walls!!! I had a humdinger of a bruise appear as well, but that’s all gone now. So no harm done there.

The weather has been a little against me over the last couple of weeks. It’s been bloody awful in fact. However I did manage to get out last week between downpours, whilst we were on holiday from work. I clocked up 94 miles!! In fact on Saturday I did my furthest distance so far, 45 miles!

On Monday I went round Draycote Water three times which is 15 miles total. Got dive bombed by the ‘golden plovers’ (impressed that I know my ornithology eh?) that seemed to think I was some sort of threat!! I went out on Martin’s MTB as it had been so wet and I wasn’t sure what the road surface would be like there. It was really nice actually. Do you know, I’ve lived round here, give or take 10 years, all my life and this was my first visit there!!

On Weds, I did 34 miles; it was a gorgeous day so I went out in the morning, early ’ish’, well I was on holiday! I went to Dunchurch/Southam/Priors Marston/Hellidon/Staverton/Badby. I had a really scary experience going down Braunston Hill though. I was overtaken by a speeding lorry, which was so close I could have touched it and it almost sucked me underneath it! I must admit after I had gesticulated furiously at the driver (I’ll bet he wasn’t even looking), I had a little weep it frightened me that much! Anyway during the ride, I was passed by a couple of fellow cyclist. They came by me going up a hill like I was standing still!!! They shouted ‘Morning’; I simply opened & closed my mouth! I wimped out on Priors Marston Hill though! Got halfway up and thought, sod it! I’ve since spoken to my dear friend Bex who’s recently started going out on her MTB with her husband Neil and they got all the way up that same hill on Saturday. I’m now utterly ashamed of myself. However, in my defence there are not so many gears on ‘The Beast’ so it is harder work!

So on Saturday it was longer distance ride day. I’d set my sights at cracking 40 miles, especially as Em had done 46 the other week. We’re very competitive you know. In fact we’ll probably be fighting on the approach to the Eiffel Tower to see who crosses the line first! Remember Em, ‘AGE BEFORE BEAUTY’!!! Anyway, I digress; I went to Dunchurch/ Princethorpe/Leamington/Southam/Staverton/Home. 45 miles in 3 ¼ hours. Bloody hell, I was knackered!! 3 horrible hills, but on the whole not a bad ride. I really don’t like this loneliness though. When I got home, because I hadn’t been talking, but I had been breathing so hard my voice had cracked!! Martin thought it was great! But it soon came back with lubrication!

Anyway this week amongst other things I’m taking part in the 50 mile ride at Rugby for Leukemia. Em & Grant MAY be coming but I doubt it somehow especially as it’s Emily belated birthday BBQ on Sat!!

Ah well, me on my lonesome again……………………

It just gets better & better!!

Well last night I decided that it was about time I stepped up to the mark and try to go a little further. So armed with Martin's 'Specialized' much lighter weight mountain bike I set off.

Badby - Staverton. At the Staverton roundabout my boss John Hunter, who is also doing a sponsored cycle ride next weekend came past me and shouted 'come on, keep up!!' I think I said 'Go away' or words to that effect.


From Staverton I went to Flecknoe bad choice, too many hills along that road! / Sawbridge / Grandborough / Woolscott / Willoughby / Braunston (yes up the hill) / Daventry / Badby - 17.5 miles in 1 hour 20 mins!! Chuffed or what!! I'd like to thank the 2 gentlemen on the tandem who spurred me on to go up Braunston Hill in one!!! Got to the top and shouted Woo Hoo!!


I got home feeling very pleased with myself, but also a little cold coz firstly I forgot my gloves, bad move!! my poor little mitts were frozen, and my feet had got cold through the web material on my shoes. Spoke to Grant (Em's lovely fella) and he's suggested that I put an old pair of thick sports sock over my shoes! Good move. I'm going to try that tonight. Yes, I'm going for it again..you can't keep a good woman down!

I'm getting into the swing of this

So, if Emily (http://emilyeldershawlondon2paris.blogspot.com/) thinks she looks bad in Lycra, she ain't seen nothing yet!! I look horrendous, like a large Michelin tyre!

We went out for our first joint training ride last Weds, it was OK!. Got a severe attack of the palpitations, but they didn't last long. Had a swig of water a minutes rest and away we went again. We did eight miles, and then did the same again on Thurs, I went out on my own Fri and again Sun. I think I've finally got motivated.

I used Martin's mountain bike on Sunday and it makes mine seem like a ton weight, I was also dreading using his 'thin' saddle, but to be perfectly honest, it was even better than my big wide gel one. I got a new pair of cycling shoes too. They were fantastic!

Just gotta start stepping up the distance now. Probably up to 15-17 next, then 20 +, and so on. Gradual increase, nothing mad.