After my epic training trip the weekend before last, I have been a little lax with the training. The problem is I know I am fit enough to attempt the JOGLE now, so its just a case of trying to keep that up. Yesterday I was planning to go for a ride but by the time it gets to 9pm you really just want to spend some time with your long-suffering-wife rather than head out into the darkness. So I resolved to head out early this morning. Now, normally those intentions disappear into the folds of a warm duvet, but on this occasion I was up and out of bed by 6.30, getting the bike ready. I loaded a route onto the iPhone and set off. Turned out to be a good fast average of 17+ mph, which is good going for a ride of this length. Oh and here is a little shout of support to a friend who is training for a half marathon: go Shelley!
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JOGLE poster and route update
I finally had the time at the weekend to create the poster for this JOGLE ride, which you are all welcome to download, print off, and stick up wherever you can! It prints best on a laser printer because of the large amounts of colour: JOGLE poster! There is also a form should you want to collect cash from people instead of just directing them to the website where they can donate: JOGLE form.
I have also been working on the route in more detail (well overdue). A friend pointed me to this GREAT website called www.bikehike.co.uk which ties up google maps and OS maps and also gives elevation data! You can draw the route, download it, upload it, and the file formats are understood by Everytrail, so I wont have to use their create-map function again!
Big changes to the route are avoiding the A9 stretch from John O’Groats and instead going west to the Kyle of Tongue then south. This should be much better, although longer. Also, we have made a major decision to not go through Wales and instead go through more of the West Country as this is where we both grew up, so it will be good to visit friends and family on the way.
The whole route length is likely to increase by around 50 miles as a result, but I am definitely still aiming for the 12 day mark.
A squealing pig, a wedding and a wet nappy…
Ok so I didnt actually PLAN to take the week off, but the ride I had planned on Thursday was scuppered by a 5 hour (very productive) meeting that ran until about 8pm!
Today, my good wife wanted to go to Blagdon to see a friends wedding, as her sister was bridesmaid, and I dont have much time this weekend so figured I would make it part of my ride. First problem was finding one of my cycling gloves. Mini crisis over and second problem was trying to make up the time by cycling fast on a full stomach. Third problem was being dressed in a fluorescent jacket watching over the churchyard wall. I probably should have thought that one through…
There was no way I was going to be able to shoot for a long ride today but on the flip side it just didn’t seem right to do just the 24 miles to Blagdon and back so I headed to the Harptrees. Slightly surreal moment where I passed a remote garden where the two owners were carrying a huge squealing pig down a path. And then it started to rain. A lot. The nappy in my Lycra leggings (i.e. the padding thing) got soaked, which is never nice.
Still, managed to make it back just fine after what was a very short ride of 35 ish miles. Oh and I just wanted to say a huge thanks to the anonymous person who made a very generous donation today. It means a lot, thanks.
The big weekend – sunday – 121 miles
Last night I was falling asleep in Browns by about 9.30pm, although I think that was more due to an extremely long Friday than the 103 miles on Saturday. Bed was a welcome sight and this morning I woke up not quite feeling ready to do it all again. Its not good lying there with aching legs and no desire to cycle all day, but I have experienced this a few times now and know that the solution is a shower, breakfast and a good cup of tea. The worst thing was having a dodgy stomach, presumably from the copious amounts of Tangfastics and chocolate bars the day before, but after a fair bit of faffing I got back on the bike and headed off. The first thing I noticed was that my behind knew it had done 100+ miles the day before, and wasn’t too keen to do another 100, but not having much choice it soon settled down. My legs were surprisingly OK.
Tasha really liked Marlborough so we decided to meet up there again today. The route plan was much the same as yesterday but in reverse, and with a few additions and changes to make it a little longer and more enjoyable. The first cock up was getting to Wytham and realising the road I was going to take was private (perhaps I could have got away with it). I had to backtrack a little and ended up taking a detour through Botley. Many pretty villages later I got to Aldborne and decided to take a safer route than the track I went for yesterday. The result was a few more hills, but it was good not to have to push the bike through a field.
Found another great cafe in Marlborough and hatched a plan to meet up at Bradford on Avon. Because it was such a nice day I had figured it would be a great opportunity to add more miles to the route, so this seemed to make sense. I’ve discovered that the first 1-2 hours after lunch is the most difficult, with general sluggishness, a very dry mouth (lots of water needed) and slightly dodgy stomachs. However, eventually you punch through and its all good again. Met Tasha at a canal path we knew and had a break involving some chocolate brownies and a smoothie. Very enjoyable. I decided I would head to Frome, then perhaps to Bruton and back, to increase the length.
Headed in Frome direction, and was feeling good at this stage – a few too many main A roads but at least the miles got covered quickly. Once past Frome I headed south to Bruton, which was when things got difficult. At spot on mile 100 I started getting an attack of exercise induced asthma, and remembering how bad it was last time immediately took a break in a field looking over some fantastic views. A gentle start again and lots of careful breathing seemed to eventually fix the problem, but then i hit a mini-wall and had to scoff an army of Tangfastics, a tracker and some fig rolls to keep on going (Tangfastics are a life saver). It was a tough half hour, though going through Bruton and (stupidly you might say) I had decided to aim for 120 miles which meant going on to Castle Cary then up to Shepton, rather than going to Shepton from Bruton. I soldiered on and gradually the energy from the binge took effect and by the time I was cycling through Everycreech junction I was back on form again. Shepton came along with its hills, and I checked the mileage as I rolled towards the Oakhill turning – 118 miles. That just wasn’t good enough 🙂 so I turned right towards Stoke St Michael and went a mile or so along that road, and turned back again, finishing with a mileage of 121 miles. Average was just under 16mph.
Total weekend milage was 224 miles, average just over 16mph. Pretty pleased and I reckon I could do another 100 tomorrow if I needed to. So I think it bodes well for the JOGLE when there shouldnt be any days more than 90.
Oh and I finally found out its possible to get sunburn through your helmet, making a teenage ninja mutant turtle style pattern on my bald head. Impressive. That’ll be fun at work tomorrow.
Here is the (epic) route:
The big weekend – saturday – 103 miles
So this weekend is the big test – two full days back to back with the intention of covering 90 miles each day. I sorted the route earlier in the week – the plan was to make a 90 mile route to Oxford then back the next day, as we know someone we can stay with there. Off I set this morning, in all honestly probably not 100% given the stressful week I’ve had with chip tapeouts and the like. The morning leg was to Marlborough – which turned out to be pretty straightforward. I’ve discovered that perversely, if you cycle further from the edge of the road then the cars give you a wider berth. Its a weird one, but always works. Marlborough itself is a very pretty town – shame it rained hard just as I rode into it, so doing the quick change in the car (Tasha was already there) was a bit of a mess. Had lunch in a little sandwich shop – its great to have an excuse to eat all the chocolate cakes in sight – gotta pile on the calories!
Set off again towards Oxford and it all went a little pear shaped… I took what Google said was a road, but it soon deteriorated into a gravel track, then to a bridleway then to a field (see photo on route). Not ideal when you have 23mm tyres. Still, I managed to emerge eventually through some farm or other and accelerated away before anyone noticed (true ReubiMax style).
I had decided at lunch that I would attempt to break through 100 miles instead of 90 as it was going well so far. This was also fueled by Tasha wanting to spend longer in Bicester shopping village (!)… So I extended the trip beyond Oxford and up to Bicester, a total of 103 miles – my longest ever ride. Amazingly I still felt I could have added another 15 – 20 miles, but we had already planned to head to a restaurant at a certain time and anyway I didn’t want to push it when I had another 90+ miles to ride tomorrow.
Some of the villages through Oxfordshire are truly amazing. Those houses must cost a fortune!
So here is the route – 103 miles and 16 mph average:
Double overtakes
Quite why there were so many cars intent on double overtaking me I have no idea! By that I mean a car overtaking me while another car overtakes it. Happened three times. Shocker. I never liked that stretch of the A361…
This was the first long route I did all those months ago on my MTB, and then on Steve’s racer. I remember doing this ride and having to go to the pub with my wife and inlaws right afterwards and feeling decidedly knackered. Its a good indication of my increased fitness that I can now do the 40 miles without any trouble at all, and with a good average speed too (17mph without the break!). Here is the route:
The burn
I didn’t get a chance to ride at the weekend or last Friday so I knew I really needed to get out today. Unfortunately, what with tapeout deadlines at Uni and other attempts to take over the world, I began to think it would be another day tied to the desk but then Tasker’s email came commenting on the lack of training to the tune of “You’ll get fat if your not careful you lazy …” and suddenly my priorities got rearranged 🙂 I finally got out at about 9.20pm for a super fast hour’s ride averaging over 18mph even with reasonable elevation, one closed road (just road through it) poor surfaces and three wrong turnings. I do think that its good to train in a variety of ways – both long endurance rides and short sprints. The reasoning (that I have entirely made up and is probably completely wrong) could be that the sprints strengthen your muscles, and develop the tolerance of your tendons and tissues to strain, then the endurance rides concentrate on your stamina. When I actually do the JOGLE I won’t be getting anywhere near the strains I have put on my joints and tendons and stuff during the sprint training rides, so the thought is that they should survive better than if I had just done easy but long training rides all the time…? Who knows. Well I will I guess, in four weeks time! Arggggg!! Really should sort out the route and accommodation and posters and publicity!! Here is the route:
The aliens have landed.
Thursday has come to mean a long ride, and a long ride it was – 72 miles in fact. Highlights were the fantastic houses around Compton Pouncefoot and South Cadbury and a bright green dot that followed me along the road in Street. I was a bit perplexed at first until I realised it must be a kid playing with a laser pointer from his room. Had to admire his commitment as it followed me for a good few 100 meters! Another strange moment was a guy pulling alongside me, winding his window down and saying “That’s a bloody bright light you have there son” then driving off. And quite right he was! Reached the pub to meet the Shipham MTB guys and had a quick drink then headed back. The cycle across the top (Mendip Motorway) was a little knackering – I think not only was it a long ride but I also should have got more fuel in me earlier on, as I was running low by the end of it. Here is the route:
Another short sprint – 24 miles
The trouble right now is simply having the time to train. I have a big deadline on at work which takes up all my working day and more and then anything left over is being used for the business which has some interesting developments going on. Fitting in training right now is very tricky, but its very important to do, so I keep making sure I ride, even if they are short rides. In fact I have come to realise that short rides at speed are probably just as useful as long rides at endurance pace. I think the two work well together as one builds strength and one builds stamina. The most important thing is not to damage your body when you train at speed, and after chatting to another JOGLEr I have been stretching a LOT more before and after rides and also doing some kettle bell swings to try and build up the muscle around my knees.
So, today was another fast sprint, albeit with the wind in my face from Nunney onwards! Still, a fast average and a very fast descent just before Shepton (around 50mph!).
On another note, I’ve noticed that donations are starting to be made which is great for the motivation, so many thanks for those (you know who you are, Tasker ;-))!
Here was the route:
Quick sprint in the evening sun
I didn’t have time to go for a long ride this weekend as I’ve been working hard on some new business projects, but I couldn’t let it slip past without any miles in the saddle. Hence the quick 20 mile sprint to Leigh on Mendip, Mells, Kilmerston, Chilcompton and back. I really did go for it given that it was such a short ride, and the average was pretty high as a result. Unfortunately there was a nasty head wind travelling West which was pretty frustrating. Here is the route: