MONDAY 15th June - 5 weeks to go
Miles last week 70 (70 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1352 (-895)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 0.0lbs (-0.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
So, after the marathon that was Highclere not cycling during the week.... but out for a quite 20 miles and then out with Rupert for 50 miles around Hampshire on Sunday. Great ride, beautiful weather and feeling better on the hills. Psychological its great to see that we can pop out on a Sunday and do 50 miles at 16.5 mph without much trouble.
Heading down to Mallorca next Friday so some good riding over three days, with a bit of luck this will be very helpful.
Bike still squeaking and looking not very well looked after... going in for a service this week, going to feel ashamed when they see it and I expect a fairly large bill....
Sunday 14 June 2009
Tuesday 9 June 2009
MONDAY 8th June - 6 weeks to go
Miles last week 165 (165 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1282 (-925)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 0.0lbs (-1.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Well this was the week we did the Highclere Magnificat.... absolutely brilliant 130 miles with 2500m climbing. Six of us started, Me, Rupert, Ben, Ben's brother Dom, Steve and Steve's neighbour, Paul. I learnt one lesson I already knew - on a ride like this you must be in a group. I was in a very fast group of Marines going along the Test Valley until we hit a hill and I was shelled out the back... thereafter it was an 80 mile TT for me. Very lonely, windy and slow. It should be much easier in the Etape to grab onto a group, but never never head out on your own, much better to wait for a group. Somethink we all learned last year on the ToI.
After exactly 100 miles the route went past Rupert's front door! I realised I was about half an hour behind him but still intended to call in and see Marie on my way past, but when I got there who was standing by the gate waiting for me but Rupert. Anyway, nothing for it but to have a cup of tea and some cake and join Marie for a spot of sunbathing by the pool.... it was great of him to wait for me as the final 30 miles would have been fairly miserable on my own. We stayed longer than we should have but it meant we missed the downpour that caught many of the other riders near the end. After Mari's cake felt fairly good on last bit until three miles from finish we both got a puncture.... so all in all only time for two very quick beers before heading home for a plate of Lasagne and a bottle of Borolo.
Miles last week 165 (165 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1282 (-925)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 0.0lbs (-1.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Well this was the week we did the Highclere Magnificat.... absolutely brilliant 130 miles with 2500m climbing. Six of us started, Me, Rupert, Ben, Ben's brother Dom, Steve and Steve's neighbour, Paul. I learnt one lesson I already knew - on a ride like this you must be in a group. I was in a very fast group of Marines going along the Test Valley until we hit a hill and I was shelled out the back... thereafter it was an 80 mile TT for me. Very lonely, windy and slow. It should be much easier in the Etape to grab onto a group, but never never head out on your own, much better to wait for a group. Somethink we all learned last year on the ToI.
After exactly 100 miles the route went past Rupert's front door! I realised I was about half an hour behind him but still intended to call in and see Marie on my way past, but when I got there who was standing by the gate waiting for me but Rupert. Anyway, nothing for it but to have a cup of tea and some cake and join Marie for a spot of sunbathing by the pool.... it was great of him to wait for me as the final 30 miles would have been fairly miserable on my own. We stayed longer than we should have but it meant we missed the downpour that caught many of the other riders near the end. After Mari's cake felt fairly good on last bit until three miles from finish we both got a puncture.... so all in all only time for two very quick beers before heading home for a plate of Lasagne and a bottle of Borolo.
MONDAY 1st June - 7 weeks to go
Miles last week 55 (55 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1117 (-985)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (0.0 lbs, +10lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Couple of rides this week but one of them around the surrey hills with Paul. Five hills including Box and Leith plus a new one going up to Peaslake. Great ride in lovely sunshine, hills slow but getting up them. Disappointing 9:55 for Box Hill which puts me firmly last on the Bikeradar Box Hill challenge.
Weight still being stuborn... something to do with all those busness lunches I have to have ;-))
Miles last week 55 (55 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1117 (-985)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (0.0 lbs, +10lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Couple of rides this week but one of them around the surrey hills with Paul. Five hills including Box and Leith plus a new one going up to Peaslake. Great ride in lovely sunshine, hills slow but getting up them. Disappointing 9:55 for Box Hill which puts me firmly last on the Bikeradar Box Hill challenge.
Weight still being stuborn... something to do with all those busness lunches I have to have ;-))
Monday 25 May 2009
MONDAY 25th May - 8 weeks to go
Miles last week 107 (107 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1062 (-850)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (0.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
That's better, only 8 weeks to go so a bit of effort called for. A cycle with Neil Mc in Richmond park on Wednesday evening, an outing with Steve H in the surrey hills on Friday and a usual outing with Rupert on Sunday added up to a better week than usual. 9.30 up Box Hill which is on a par with this time last year, hills feeling reasonably OK but a long way off Ventoux. The Highclere Magnificat in a couple of weeks is going to be a good indicator of how I am doing... 126 miles and 3000m of climbing, going to be tough.
Then off for three days in Mallorca with the boys so a couple of good days there should be helpful.
Bike making an appawling squeaky noise from around the cranks... god knows what that is, need to plan a service.
Miles last week 107 (107 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 1062 (-850)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (0.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
That's better, only 8 weeks to go so a bit of effort called for. A cycle with Neil Mc in Richmond park on Wednesday evening, an outing with Steve H in the surrey hills on Friday and a usual outing with Rupert on Sunday added up to a better week than usual. 9.30 up Box Hill which is on a par with this time last year, hills feeling reasonably OK but a long way off Ventoux. The Highclere Magnificat in a couple of weeks is going to be a good indicator of how I am doing... 126 miles and 3000m of climbing, going to be tough.
Then off for three days in Mallorca with the boys so a couple of good days there should be helpful.
Bike making an appawling squeaky noise from around the cranks... god knows what that is, need to plan a service.
Monday 11 May 2009
MONDAY 11th May - 10 weeks to go
Miles last week 110 (110 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 935 (-775)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (-1.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Only 10 weeks to go and more training and weight loss needed. Hampshire Hilly Hundred with Pete and Rupert this weekend. Fantastic course and beautiful weather, Hampshire looking at its best. Very hilly course, though nothing very serious so did not have to get off and push at any time. We had signed up for the full 100 mile course but the muppets organising the route decided to close this as it w
as getting late so simply took the sign down that showed where it diverted from the shorter 77 mile course. Totally confused us but by the time we found out we were too demorialised (having had two other detours) to re-trace our steps and do the full one - pity as we missed out watership down which is meant to be a challenging climb.
Got round in a fairly swift time and got up all the hills, however, on that performance not encouraged by the etape.... running out of training time, my only hope is to loose and stone and hope that does the trick.
Good old London Irish, great win over Harlyquins in the semi final of the premiership... next week the final.
Miles last week 110 (110 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 935 (-775)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 1.0lbs (-1.0 lbs, +9lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Only 10 weeks to go and more training and weight loss needed. Hampshire Hilly Hundred with Pete and Rupert this weekend. Fantastic course and beautiful weather, Hampshire looking at its best. Very hilly course, though nothing very serious so did not have to get off and push at any time. We had signed up for the full 100 mile course but the muppets organising the route decided to close this as it w
as getting late so simply took the sign down that showed where it diverted from the shorter 77 mile course. Totally confused us but by the time we found out we were too demorialised (having had two other detours) to re-trace our steps and do the full one - pity as we missed out watership down which is meant to be a challenging climb.Got round in a fairly swift time and got up all the hills, however, on that performance not encouraged by the etape.... running out of training time, my only hope is to loose and stone and hope that does the trick.
Good old London Irish, great win over Harlyquins in the semi final of the premiership... next week the final.
Sunday 3 May 2009
MONDAY 4th May - 11 weeks to go
Miles last week 90 (90 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 825 (-513)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 2.0lbs (+0.0 lbs, +7lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Well, where did those 6 weeks go? No blog entries for a long time. Too embarrassed, very little cycling and weight going up and up... this is not looking good. However, weight slowly coming back down again and we did the White Horse Challenge last weekend, so encouraged to start blogging again, and more importantly loosing weight and cycling some miles.
Miles last week 90 (90 road, 0 indoors)
Total miles this year (delta last year): 825 (-513)
Weight (delta week, delta year) : 15st 2.0lbs (+0.0 lbs, +7lbs)
Body fat : 26% (+0%)
Tantia body type 2 (obese)
Well, where did those 6 weeks go? No blog entries for a long time. Too embarrassed, very little cycling and weight going up and up... this is not looking good. However, weight slowly coming back down again and we did the White Horse Challenge last weekend, so encouraged to start blogging again, and more importantly loosing weight and cycling some miles.
Living in London a bit more these days during the week is really taking its toll on training. Where it used to be just Thursday night, its now usually Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Effectively means no mid week cycles. Last year used to get our or use my indoor trainer during the week.
But the numbers do not lie... 800 miles so far this year, 500 down on last year!! That's going to be tricky to catch up... and half a stone heavier.... hmmm. Just looked again at cycling video of course, its really much more difficult than last year, especially for non climbers like me so weight is going to be a determining factor.
But the numbers do not lie... 800 miles so far this year, 500 down on last year!! That's going to be tricky to catch up... and half a stone heavier.... hmmm. Just looked again at cycling video of course, its really much more difficult than last year, especially for non climbers like me so weight is going to be a determining factor.
Great ride last weekend though, WHC... me, Rupert, Paul, Ben and Alan plus saw Steve at the finish. Last starters at 9.30 we shot off at a very fast pace, soon into a well organised chain gang.. after a while saw lone figure in the distance but for some reason not gaining on him as fast as I thought we would. Reason soon became aparent when we did catch him and nip into his slipstream - he was going bloody fast. By this stage we really had been signing those cheques that may have been difficult to cash later and all agreed to slip back and bring the pace down a bit... first 20 miles in just over 20mph average... phew. Fantastic country after that, never knew there were so many white horses in Wiltshire. Did know about Averbury rings though, the thinking man's Stone Henge. If you get a chance go and walk around them, we settled for riding through the middle of them...
First very steep hill, can't remember the name.. on the approach very windy and to his disgrace I saw Rupert hiding in the slipstream of a very fat girl. Looking around I saw a very skinny girl I had overtaken hanging in my slipstream so fair's fair I guess. When the hill kicked up to 17% I had had anough and was off and walking.... chapeau to those that cycled past me.
On and on we went knowing that the last hill was steep... as we turned right into it we could see all the way up.... Rupert struggling in front had to get off... I cycled past him. Somehow I knew this would spur him on and sure enough as I had to get off who should pass me but Rupert. There was then a very steep section round a blind corner, I pushed the bike around that and re-mounted to do the rest, feeling very pleased with managing it. My sussipisions were confirmed later when Rupert confesed to going past me and dis-mounting round the blind bend! The run in from the top was rolling but fast and fun..... met Steve at the finish and off for a beer at one of the murkyist pubs I have ever been in (and that's saying a lot).
Great bank holiday from the family eating out bit - Smiths of Smithfield for a bit of steak, Bentleys for the obligatory oysters and Sheekeys for a fishy grub up... but not so good for cycling zero miles.
First very steep hill, can't remember the name.. on the approach very windy and to his disgrace I saw Rupert hiding in the slipstream of a very fat girl. Looking around I saw a very skinny girl I had overtaken hanging in my slipstream so fair's fair I guess. When the hill kicked up to 17% I had had anough and was off and walking.... chapeau to those that cycled past me.
On and on we went knowing that the last hill was steep... as we turned right into it we could see all the way up.... Rupert struggling in front had to get off... I cycled past him. Somehow I knew this would spur him on and sure enough as I had to get off who should pass me but Rupert. There was then a very steep section round a blind corner, I pushed the bike around that and re-mounted to do the rest, feeling very pleased with managing it. My sussipisions were confirmed later when Rupert confesed to going past me and dis-mounting round the blind bend! The run in from the top was rolling but fast and fun..... met Steve at the finish and off for a beer at one of the murkyist pubs I have ever been in (and that's saying a lot).
Great bank holiday from the family eating out bit - Smiths of Smithfield for a bit of steak, Bentleys for the obligatory oysters and Sheekeys for a fishy grub up... but not so good for cycling zero miles.
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