I know I know, ages since the last post.
This morning on my ride to work, the first warm spring day on which I've had the pleasure to do so, I found lots of other riders to chase. One such chap joined my rode a few hundred meters ahead of me and rode furiously. I dropped lower (it was a bit blowy) and spun up to gain on him. After Runnymede roundabout I went all out to catch him, confident that I could swing by and maintain a good pace to stay ahead after. I then noticed that he was on a single speed bike. There was no honour any more in me beating him even though I hadn't changed gears as its so flat round there so I did the gentlemanly thing and allowed him to draft me into Windsor. He looked a bit less composed at that point which did wonders for my sense of not having lost too much phys.
Two ladies in small cars undertook me at inappropriate places today. Odd.
Amazing to be out in the sunshine though. Run last night, more cycling tomorrow. Woohoo.
Wednesday 8 April 2015
Tuesday 17 March 2015
Stoop and rebuild
Illnesses gone, sleep per night increasing, time to get back in the saddle. Waistline is creeping back up so definitely time to sort myself out.
Much of the effort in getting out and training is in the prep and this morning was pretty shocking. Bike was still on turbo trainer, my warm kit was located in a variety of unexpected places, I never did find my front light and trying to remember what clothing I already had at work perplexed me. I had gotten into a great routine previously:
0630 up, shove some food and water down throat, put on lycra, assemble kit, visit bathroom
0700 wake up C, say hello to family, any last minute dramas
0730 leave
0815-0830 arrive depending on traffic and route
Shower
Work
Today ended up being a faff fest as I bimbled around cursing my lack of preparedness.
There was some effort in the ride, I took it relatively easy but can tell I'm out of practice. I have been here before, I know it just takes hours of sweat and toil to get back to where I want to be. But I can do that.
A new chap at my Air Cadets Squadron is a keen cyclist so I need to restore some semblance of fitness to go for a ride with him. Now Iaim is beyond his physical peak it will be good to have someone challenging to go riding with. Once finances settle themselves down a bit I want to have a look at gym membership again for swimming and weights and some of the classes. I have to get back running again too. With all those combined I will be a happy snowman.
Much of the effort in getting out and training is in the prep and this morning was pretty shocking. Bike was still on turbo trainer, my warm kit was located in a variety of unexpected places, I never did find my front light and trying to remember what clothing I already had at work perplexed me. I had gotten into a great routine previously:
0630 up, shove some food and water down throat, put on lycra, assemble kit, visit bathroom
0700 wake up C, say hello to family, any last minute dramas
0730 leave
0815-0830 arrive depending on traffic and route
Shower
Work
Today ended up being a faff fest as I bimbled around cursing my lack of preparedness.
There was some effort in the ride, I took it relatively easy but can tell I'm out of practice. I have been here before, I know it just takes hours of sweat and toil to get back to where I want to be. But I can do that.
A new chap at my Air Cadets Squadron is a keen cyclist so I need to restore some semblance of fitness to go for a ride with him. Now Iaim is beyond his physical peak it will be good to have someone challenging to go riding with. Once finances settle themselves down a bit I want to have a look at gym membership again for swimming and weights and some of the classes. I have to get back running again too. With all those combined I will be a happy snowman.
Saturday 28 February 2015
Wednesday 4 February 2015
AAAAAARGGG!!!!!
Good news:
I have new shoes. I went for a muddy run recently and slid all over the place in my trainers so got hold of some bargain basement size 13 trail shoes. Not easy to get. Haven't run in them yet. They are red and black and rock a cool lacing system.
Bad news:
Illness son has had for a week has been added to by pneumonia, I have some sort of illness and chest bug that makes me feel like I'm moveing through treacle, breathing Victorian London smog, wearing ladies underwear and much more tired than usual. I'm reduced to being a normal person.
Good news:
My daughter is awesome. She had some jabs today. The nurse told me there are 2 types of children, those who scream and shout and resist and those who go quiet and sullenly pissed off (I misquote). C calmly took a needle in each arm and we all looked at her to see which trouser leg of type she would enter but instead she just looked back us us expectantly. "How was that?" Asks I.
"Good"
"Does it hurt?"
"It hurts a little bit, the nurse has two superman stickers on her walls"
And that was that.
Over so quickly we snuck in a trip to generic coffee shop before heading home.
Nurse will now have to tell people there are three types of people. type 1, type 2 and new type 3: Hursts.
Bad news:
I have had no time for prep for the race on Saturday, still feel a bit rubbish, guilty (about many evenings on sofa, mornings not beasting & lunchtimes worked through) and quite sleep deprived and don't think I'm going to have much chance of last minute cramming. I'll do OK and can't wait really but won't be smashing out a PB.
I need a grown up.
I have new shoes. I went for a muddy run recently and slid all over the place in my trainers so got hold of some bargain basement size 13 trail shoes. Not easy to get. Haven't run in them yet. They are red and black and rock a cool lacing system.
Bad news:
Illness son has had for a week has been added to by pneumonia, I have some sort of illness and chest bug that makes me feel like I'm moveing through treacle, breathing Victorian London smog, wearing ladies underwear and much more tired than usual. I'm reduced to being a normal person.
Good news:
My daughter is awesome. She had some jabs today. The nurse told me there are 2 types of children, those who scream and shout and resist and those who go quiet and sullenly pissed off (I misquote). C calmly took a needle in each arm and we all looked at her to see which trouser leg of type she would enter but instead she just looked back us us expectantly. "How was that?" Asks I.
"Good"
"Does it hurt?"
"It hurts a little bit, the nurse has two superman stickers on her walls"
And that was that.
Over so quickly we snuck in a trip to generic coffee shop before heading home.
Nurse will now have to tell people there are three types of people. type 1, type 2 and new type 3: Hursts.
Bad news:
I have had no time for prep for the race on Saturday, still feel a bit rubbish, guilty (about many evenings on sofa, mornings not beasting & lunchtimes worked through) and quite sleep deprived and don't think I'm going to have much chance of last minute cramming. I'll do OK and can't wait really but won't be smashing out a PB.
I need a grown up.
Tuesday 27 January 2015
Go team
Gathering others around me to keep motivated in beasting efforts is fun. I may have started a monthly running team in the office that I plan to extend to include more members. Who knows we might be able to start doing running ops meetings?
46 minutes to the Copper Horse and back at a civilized pace was a nice way to spend time with colleagues. Next time less civility, more speed.
46 minutes to the Copper Horse and back at a civilized pace was a nice way to spend time with colleagues. Next time less civility, more speed.
Wonder Woman
I went for a run recently. "Just popping out for a short run" I cried, leaving my wife building a fort out of her receipts needed for her tax return. She was also fortified with some prosecco so I didn't feel too guilty but I was conscious of needing to get back.
In a ritualistic, reverential, rapture only piqued with a pinch of procrastination, I pulled on various buffs, outer layers and gadgets before going out my front door. “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to".
My turn off for the planned circuit was promptly passed as I felt a sense of energy in my legs geed on by a part of my brain reassuring myself that N didn't really need me around. I'd only get in the way. I dont know much about tax returns anyway. Probably wants me to go for a longer run. I was swept off in Brooklands direction and completed hill sprints until my legs decided that actually those receipts had looked a bit complicated and N could possibly do with some support, moral or otherwise.
On my return glass two and month six were well under way. I performed some exercises with weights then was about to disappear briefly for a shower when an interesting proposition was put my way. The Wonder Woman Workout as seen on Pinterest. Other super hero workouts are available.
N suggested that she would be interested in doing this set of 10 exercises, all with some Wonder Woman related pose or specific body sculpting benefit but it would help if I went through it first to test it.
I think the lunges were my undoing. I cramped up a couple of exercises on from them and knew that I was no Wonder Woman. However if I persevere I'll go from this:
To this in no time:
Man did I ache the next day and the day after that. Wonderful.
In a ritualistic, reverential, rapture only piqued with a pinch of procrastination, I pulled on various buffs, outer layers and gadgets before going out my front door. “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to".
My turn off for the planned circuit was promptly passed as I felt a sense of energy in my legs geed on by a part of my brain reassuring myself that N didn't really need me around. I'd only get in the way. I dont know much about tax returns anyway. Probably wants me to go for a longer run. I was swept off in Brooklands direction and completed hill sprints until my legs decided that actually those receipts had looked a bit complicated and N could possibly do with some support, moral or otherwise.
On my return glass two and month six were well under way. I performed some exercises with weights then was about to disappear briefly for a shower when an interesting proposition was put my way. The Wonder Woman Workout as seen on Pinterest. Other super hero workouts are available.
N suggested that she would be interested in doing this set of 10 exercises, all with some Wonder Woman related pose or specific body sculpting benefit but it would help if I went through it first to test it.
I think the lunges were my undoing. I cramped up a couple of exercises on from them and knew that I was no Wonder Woman. However if I persevere I'll go from this:
To this in no time:
Man did I ache the next day and the day after that. Wonderful.
Wednesday 7 January 2015
Iceman
My gran (Nannan) kindly gave me some money for Christmas and I'm pleased to say that it is going towards phys! Specifically I have entered Iceman Duathlon on 7th Feb. Not even sure what it entails other than i need to get practicing on mountain bike. Wonder if I should dress as Frozen character..?
On ride home tonight I was crossing the M3 on bridge shortly after Thorpe park and heard a cracking noise. The headwind was right in my teeth and strong with the occasional gust from the side took some concentration so the rear wheel kicking out slightly didn't trouble me though i wasn't sure if it was a puncture or something more serious. A few more meters and i felt like she would get me over the bridge and into safety of Chertsey, no thanks to the cars squeezing by me at high speed, eager to join back of traffic queue at roundabout I presume. A 4x4 was one of these and a lady screamed out of it at me as it swerved slightly in my path after going by me. Couldn't hear what she said but i presume it was along the lines of get off the road. I worried that she might have been trying to tell me that my light had fallen off or some catastrophic (but unapparent to me) drama had happened to the back of my bike.
When i go to the bottom of the hill i pulled into the left hand lane. I could feel an odd wobble in my rear wheel and a decision to pull over combined with a gust of wind and manoeuvre caused me to overcook into the curb. I am pleased, on reflection, that I remained calm and aimed my fall at a green patch and away from road and metal objects, tucking in nicely and even managing to get a foot loose. Ended up in a laughing heap. no one stopped.
Nothing hurt but my pride. a spoke is gone but i got home OK. the wheel feels extremely wobbly so it can look forward to trip to bike company Windsor. i trust them and Iaim with her!
On ride home tonight I was crossing the M3 on bridge shortly after Thorpe park and heard a cracking noise. The headwind was right in my teeth and strong with the occasional gust from the side took some concentration so the rear wheel kicking out slightly didn't trouble me though i wasn't sure if it was a puncture or something more serious. A few more meters and i felt like she would get me over the bridge and into safety of Chertsey, no thanks to the cars squeezing by me at high speed, eager to join back of traffic queue at roundabout I presume. A 4x4 was one of these and a lady screamed out of it at me as it swerved slightly in my path after going by me. Couldn't hear what she said but i presume it was along the lines of get off the road. I worried that she might have been trying to tell me that my light had fallen off or some catastrophic (but unapparent to me) drama had happened to the back of my bike.
When i go to the bottom of the hill i pulled into the left hand lane. I could feel an odd wobble in my rear wheel and a decision to pull over combined with a gust of wind and manoeuvre caused me to overcook into the curb. I am pleased, on reflection, that I remained calm and aimed my fall at a green patch and away from road and metal objects, tucking in nicely and even managing to get a foot loose. Ended up in a laughing heap. no one stopped.
Nothing hurt but my pride. a spoke is gone but i got home OK. the wheel feels extremely wobbly so it can look forward to trip to bike company Windsor. i trust them and Iaim with her!
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