Not quite as planned...

I've been exchanging e-mails with Tim about planned rides this weekend. Tim is not planning on doing a big ride on Saturday and is spending time with Josh at football. I'd suggested meeting in Saffron Walden about 10:30am (after Josh's football) to meet up for a ride, but as I set off at 7:30am I'm not totally sure Tim has agreed to meet up!

I head off south to Harlow, and along the A414 to Ware by 8:30am. On my way out of Ware the battery on my trip computer gives up and I have no idea of the speed I'm going or the distance I've travelled! Up the old A10, a good climb out of Wadesmill, and onto the A10 at Standon.

I feel more at home cycling on faster straighter roads than I do on the quieter B-roads, I think this is better preparation for the actual ride anyway! The miles seem to go by faster and the hills don't seem to be as steep!

At Buntingford I leave the A-roads behind and head off cross-country to Saffron Walden. I get a text from Tim saying he's not going to be able to meet up at 10:30 and that we should do our own thing. I decide to carry on with the route as planned and arrive in Saffron Walden bang on 10:30 having done about 45-50 miles in the 3 hours I've been out.

I was hoping to have Tim's local knowledge at this point and my map isn't detailed enough to get me out of Saffron walden on the right road. After a couple of miles going in the wrong direction I find a road that cuts across to the road I am supposed to be on! Out towards Radwinter, The Sampfords and Finchingfield, where I stop at the post office for more water. It's been a beautiful morning, but it's getting quite hot now as it approaches midday!

The Post Office doesn't take Switch cards so I have to leave the sandwich behind and make do with energy bars - they do get a bit sickly on long rides, I need proper food!

After a 20 min rest I head off to Great Dunmow with the stiffer breeze into my face than I had been expecting! Its a bit of a slog at this stage, but the villages I cycle through are lovely! From Dunmow I head home through Takeley, stopping to call Clare and tell her I'll be home in about half an hour...

Back home in time for lunch and an afternoon with the family after nearly 80 miles. Not a bad ride, but when I get stripped off for a shower I realise that the lower part of my legs and my face are bright pink, with lovely helmet strap line across my cheeks!

It's strange, but I didn't even think about suncream when I got up at 7am! Must remember to apply before going out now the weather is getting better and we must remember to take some in the van for the actual event!

I can't go out on a ride tomorrow becasue of a ballet show rehearsal, so I decide to take my bike to the bike shop for a much needed service! I'm really getting fed up of some of the annoying squeaks! I won't have the bike back till Thursday so my training will be limited till then!

Cycle to school...

I decided to cycle with the kids to school this morning before going out on a warm up ride for Saturday. It's not the most children friendly route to school, lots of roads to cross, narrow pavements, busy traffic. But the kids enjoy it! Clare sees the kids in to school (she had been following behind with Amy), as I head off towards Ware.

It's a nice morning, bright and calm, good cycling conditions. My scab is at that flaky, nice to pick bits off stage, so it's less painfull today. A good 37 mile ride at just under 17mph before I spend the rest of the day working from home.

Out again...

Finally I'm back out on the bike. A short 20 mile circuit to see how things feel. A couple of hacking cough episodes and the scab on my knee splits open while I ride, so not the most pleasant of rides. I think I'll give it another couple of days off...

In bed...

After a couple of days limping around and sniffling I finally give in! I spend Thursday and Friday in bed aching with the flu and have to call Iain to let him know I won't be able to make the team ride at the weekend. It's disappointing, but there is really no way I can cycle feeling this rough!

Sheffield...

I've taken the day off work today and had planned to cycle to Sheffield. However I'm aching and my cut knee is sore. I take it easy in the morning, but eventually get out on the bike for a short 22 mile loop. From Burntwood, through Heath Hayes, past the end of my Nan's road, on to Hednesford, down to Rugely, right along the A51 to Lichfield and then back to Burntwood.

Once out on the bike my legs don't feel too bad, though there isn't much power there and hills sap the energy very quickly! I get a sharp stabbing pain in my shoulder heading down into Rugely, a bit like I've been stung by a wasp or theres a thorn stuck in my top. Can't find the reason, but it continues to irritate me for the rest of the ride!

Once back in Burntwood we take the opportunity to visit my Aunt Yvonne and Uncle Graham. Yvonne's just had an operation to drill out some dead bone in her hip and is hobbling around on crutches, but she looked very well and was as chatty as ever :-) They agree to sponsor me which is great! And I've mentally booked Yvonne's 60th Birthday Party into the diary.

Dad and I drive up to John and Jo's in Sheffield (it was a bit quicker than cycling, but nice to revisit the route I cycled in reverse!). We have a cup of tea and read stories with Megan and Ellie before heading off to Hillsborough with John. I've asked my Dad to come up to Hillsborough a number of times, but this is his first visit to the stadium.

As we walk to the ground there is a distinct lack of programmes, I wanted to find out if I had managed to get something about the event into the programme, but apparently the publishers failed to deliver the programmes on time! They are now going to be given away free with the Norwich programme on the last game of the season - I'll have to get John to get me a copy!

The match itself didn't start well, with Plymouth taking the lead in the first minute through a wickedly deflected shot from just outside the box. Wednesday spend most of the next 80 minutes trying to break Plymouth down, but Plymouth are a much stronger and more physical side the the Owls and never really looked threatened until Wednesday grab an equaliser inside the last 10 minutes. Its a frantic end to the game, but despite a few chances to nick a result, 1-1 was probably a fair reflection on the game and lifts the Owls out of the bottom three.

We return home about midnight and need to be up early in the morning for the 721 train to London...

A hole in one!

Sunday morning came and I had a fantastic night's sleep! Rising about 9am we get a fantastic breakfast - bacon and sausage sandwiches :-) Legs and knees are still aching and I am a bit apprehensive about doing 70 odd miles on my own today!

Tim has the luxury of a train ride to Peterborough before he cycles 60ish miles back to Saffron Walden. After a few last minute tweaks to the route (I was happy to do a few extra miles to avoid the Peak District!), we set off about the same time, about 10:45am (considerably later than we will be starting each morning on the event itself!).

I head out of Doncaster down the hill to Sheffield, under the Tinsley viaduct, and out towards Chesterfield via the Sheffield ring road. As Sheffield is built on seven hills, the only way out of Sheffield is up hill. Up hill for a long time!

The ring road takes me via Manor Top, no pizes for guessing why it get's its name! The hill just goes on and on. With tired legs I try to keep my speed as close to 10mph as I can, but there are some steep bits where I just can't go faster than 5mph!

The top is marked by the tram station, I look back over the city I where went to University and met my wife, Clare, with great memories! I pulled away from the traffic lights and without really thinking crossed the tram tracks. My front wheel gets stuck in the tram tracks, the wheel jolts right and throws me off the bike in the opposite direction.

Luckily no trams or cars about, so I drag the bike to the side of the road and do a quick inspection! A few scratches, but the wheel isn't buckled, which is very fortunate. Sadly, my bib tights were not so lucky - ripped open exposing a gash to my knee. My arm is covered in mud but no serious damage. The lights change from red to green a few times and eventually I get back on the bike and set off again.


I've still got about 65 miles to go, its cold, wet and my knee hurts! But at least its down hill and I think its a tail-wind. The A61 into Chesterfield is all dual carriageway and its down hill for what feels like 4-5 miles - a long fast down hill, 35mph feels great.

I stop in Chesterfield to check the route and let my Mom and Dad know my progress. They are planning on meeting me between Ashbourne and Belper for some support practise. Coming out of Chesterfield its a long gentle rise, I get passed by another couple of cyclists as I struggle to clip in to my pedals at a roundabout! I follow them as they slowly head off into the distance in front of me!

After about 10 miles the hail returns, ripping in to my face. The two cyclists who passed me are sensibly taking shelter in a bus stop and having a snack! I just keep going, and turn off the A61 towards Belper. A quiet, beautiful road, looking out over the hills.

I remember that roads that cut corners of main A-roads usually involve lots of ups and downs. This is no exception (a look at the map later and I see those chevrons that indicate steep hills), my knees are killing me and its tough work! I check my map at the next main junction and take a main road that adds a couple of miles, but it has a railway running parallel to it so I rightly assume its a bit flatter!

Into the centre of Belper, then turning right on to the Ashbourne road. Up another tough hill, I eventually pass my Mom and Ddad going in the opposite direction! The support team arrive with lunch and first aid kit :-) Much appreciated! But no water :-(

After a good break I head off towards what my Dad informs me is a 1 in 10 climb about a mile long. What fun! The support team pass me at the top and head off in the search of water! They stop off in Ashborne and I go past some time later.

After about 10 miles I start to wonder where they have got to! I call my Dad and they were back in Ashbourne having turned back not thinking I would have got as far as I had!
I continue to Sudbury where the support team eventually catch up and I stop for another break, 56 miles done - 20 miles left.

After the final 20 miles I arrive at my parents house about 5pm! A few photos of my knee and a lovely bath (Radox Muscle Soak :-).

Sally pops round for tea - the first time just the four of us have had a meal together in ages! An evening watching the golf with my feet up. I don't think I'll cycle to Sheffield tomorrow - but I will do a few miles!

Water Hazard...

It's the US Masters this weekend, and for some reason my postings have strange titles.

Today I wake nervous! I am planning to cycle from Saffron Walden to Rotherham, about 150 miles. Something most people would think twice about doing in a car, but I'm doing it on a bike!

Why Rotherham? Well, its about 150 miles away for a start, and Tim's brother lives in Rotherham. Tim's been looking for an excuse to go and seen his brother for a while, and when we originally picked this weekend it seemed like a long way off!

Mid April was well into the training plan! Time is now ticking by very fast and the weeks are going by very quickly!

As mentioned yesterday I've got some new kit, a hydration back-pack , and I'm carrying more food than usual as I'm planning on riding for the three days. I get up about 5:10am and I get to Tim's just after 6am. By 6:30am I am laden down with stuff and we are off on our adventure!

We head off north, on mostly local roads towards Papworth before heading up to Huntingdon. The roads are far from busy and there are a few hills on first 20 miles or so.

After about 10 miles, I grab my drinks tube, pull with my teeth as per instructions and GUSH! WATER+ZYM everywhere! I grab the tube and stop the bike, gloves and tights are now soaked and it isn't warm yet! I stuff the end back on the tube to stop the flow and after wringing out my gloves we carry on. I manage to resist tugging on my tube for a good number of miles before giving it another go. GUSH! More WATER+ZYM all over me, just as my gloves had dried out! I give up and decide this requires more practice and revert to bottles!

Past Huntingdon we follow the old A1, parallel to the noisy new A1 - Tim didn't tell me to bring ear defenders! We practise chaining with just the two of us and the miles fly by! By 9:00am we are resting just south of Peterborough and have done 43 miles, a good start.


I check my phone and realise that some organisation of football tickets is required! After a few calls to John Helm, my Dad and Clare, John has agreed to get me and my Dad tickets for Sheffield Wednesday against Plymouth on Monday night. I'm hoping to have something in the programme about our event, and am planning to cycle up on Monday from Lichfield.

Back to the road after about 25 mins rest, the roads start to get busier as we head north of Peterborough, busy, noisy dual carriageways, but flat and very fast! The next 15 miles fly by!

The A15 dual carriageway eventually peters out into a single carriageway road heading towards Sleaford. Though there are big red DANGER signs! Obviously a popular biker route as were are informed of the number of road deaths in the last two years. Another short rest after 75 miles and we agree to get past 100 miles before stopping for lunch.

Past Sleaford and now heading west towards Newark, I realise I'm feeling a bit light headed and running out of water. We've done 92 miles and we stop for a few minutes, eat an energy bar and back to it. Into the wind and up a long slow climb that feels like it is going on for ever! The sun has gone - replaced by thick black clouds in the distance. The rain is coming...

We cycle past an RAF base with warning signs to keep well away, its exposed now and as we near the top the hail pelts us! There appears to be nowhere around to shelter or stop for lunch, so we plough on, down the hill, pedalling hard to get any speed up! Stinging eyes, barely open as the hail tears into my face.

A pub sign- next right, 102 miles done, that spells lunch! We park the bikes and venture into the quiet local pub, order orange juice with water for me, with Lemonade for Tim. The Yorkshire Puddings with Sausage and Onions gravy jump out at us and after a short while we are tucking into a hearty lunch! After our food and a second pint of juice we were ready to get back on the bikes for the remaining 50 miles.

The landlord was very helpful, re-filled our bottles with water for us and wished us luck!

There was a guy outside who asked us where we were going, when we said Rotherham, he initially looked at us like we were barmy and then muttered something about Rotherham being a dump and his sister living there!

As I've only ever been to Rotherham a couple of times I'll defer a verdict on the state of the town until we cycle through it later!

We leave the pub to find that Tim has a flat tyre. In a way this is fortunate as it starts to hail again - we shelter undercover, outside the pub to replace the tube.

Tim's tyres are incredibly hard to get off - a very tight fit! Tube is eventually replaced and tyre leved back into place before I think to ask if Tim checked the tyre. A few expletives followed and we struggled to get the tyre off again, found a piece of glass in the tyre, pulled it out and again struggled to put the tyre back on.

Of we set after about an hour and a half rest (maybe more?). Feeling fresh, the sun is back out and we are heading towards Newark.

Heading out of Newark the roads are a lot quieter and hillier! The knees start to take a pounding and the avereage speed has really taken a tumble. We knock of another 25 miles and stop at Sherwood Forest. 25 miles to go and it's looking like it'll be around 7pm before we get to Tim's brother's house.

More hills as we get closer and closer to Rotherham, the knees are really starting to feel sore. Speed is certainly not a factor anymore - the only thing that now matters is getting there! With 12 miles to go we stop again, exhaused! Call Tim's brother, more energy bars, and off again. We take a bit of a detour through Rotherham, because we needed the extra 2 miles! Up the hill out of Rotherham Tim leaves me behind, I just about keep him in sight and follow him through the streets to our destination!

152 miles is a long way! After a shower and change he have a fantastic meal and an enjoyable evening before ritiring to bed!

Preparation for the weekend!

This week I've managed to get out on the bike twice, Tuesday doing 25 miles and Wednesday 22 miles - with a stop for another puncture. Both rides were done at a good pace about 17mph, and both were before work, though getting up very early was not an issue this week as I was working from home so I didn't have to factor in travel time...

Today I had a lovely lunch with my wife, something we haven't done for a while - which was fun!

I am aslo trying to sort out the rides this weekend. I am taking the day off on Monday, so I have three days of cycling ahead of me! Tomorrow I am cycling to Rotherham from Saffron Walden! With Tim. Sunday I am cycling to my parents in Staffordshire and Monday I am cycling to Sheffield - all culminating in a game at Hillsborough where Sheffield Wednesday are playing Plymouth.

I've been promised a piece in the programme, but not seen any confirmation of this yet!

I have a new back-pack hydration thingy, in which I can just about squeeze a pair of jeans and a t-shirt! No room for shoes though!! I've got some new energy bars to add to the malt loaf experience, and some new energy drink to complement the Zym. I think its worth trying these things out way in advance of the actual ride!

What I don't have is any recovery drink! So I am not sure how my legs will feel on Sunday when I get back on the bike!!

Oh well - wish me luck as I embark on 300 miles in 3 days :-)

Oh - And good luck to Stuart with the London marathon!!

And finally! I'm in the paper again!

All things new!

Clare and the kids turned up with my clothes about half an hour after Iain and Paul had left. Kate's new place is fantastic - a lovely first home! We get a guided tour and a cup of tea before we set off on the 10 minute walk to Libby's house to see Emily and the new baby.

When we get there Emily and the baby aren't there, but they will be round later. Clive and Teresa (Granny and Grandad) have turned up with lunch, and Clare's Grandmother Alma, who is living with Libby, is also there.

We get a superb lunch and spend time chatting before heading off to the beach with Kate, Colin, Maddy, Martha and Grandad! Faces are made in the sand and holes dug, Amy even decided it was warm enough to be in her swimming costume!

On the way back Isobel and Joseph have their pictures taken with some stone lions!













On our return to Libby's house, Emily and baby are there (but not Jon), cake and bubbly are served to toast the newborn!


A lovely day, after a brief stop at Kate's we go back to Granny and Grandad's for some sleep!

Up early!

After a few hours sleep, Iain and I are up, having breakfast at 6am, getting ready for a ride with Paul at 6:30am to Worthing! I must be mad going out so soon - but I guess it's good practise! Iain's lube sorted out my clunking crank :-) and my tyres are now nicely pumped up again - I must get a track pump.

We are on our way just after 6:30am - not quite light yet. Much colder than yesterday - but not too bad. We take the same route out of Guildford that we came back on from Chichester back in February, so we knew there we a good number of big hills on route!

The first ten miles flew by and the legs felt ok, then the hills started! Super-fit Paul was away, closely followed by Iain and I lagged behind! I take comfort in the fact that I did 86 miles yesterday and they have fresh legs.

While I remember the hills from the Chichester ride, I'd forgotten how many of them there were. The worst being the one with the temporary traffic lights on red at the foot of the hill. No momentum (something I usually have a lot of coming down hills ;-), a standing start, a long hill.

We stop at a little village just outside Chichester for second breakfast and a chat with the local bakery delivery man! Before heading off up to Glorious Goodwood, and the never ending downhill towards the A27.

Turning right onto the A27, 17 miles to Worthing :-) The road is good and not too busy. A good speed gets our average speed up to nearer 16mph than 15mph. As we arrive in Worthing, Paul gets a rear puncture just before we get to Kate's new house. After a short delay, we arrive at Kate's - number 3 (a, b, or c?)... Paul and Iain say hello - make use of the toilet (leaving the seat up), before getting on their way back to Guildford as I wait for Clare and the kids to turn up!

Iain with Kate...

Iain on his way...

Fish and Chips!

I had an e-mail from Julie yesterday saying it would be lovely to see me tomorrow night and would Fish and Chips be ok for tea! I love Fish and Chips! So the motivation is there. I just have a small matter of a training course to give at one of our client's this morning!

The course goes well with some good interaction with the people attending the course, which always helps! I leave Basildon at 12:30pm and get home just before 1:3pm. I had hoped to be home a little earlier and be on the road by 2pm, but I didn't organise everything last night - so I still have lunch to eat (beans on toast), route to plan and maps to print, before I can get going!

Clare and the kids have left for the weekend - they should be at Granny's already by now! They are staying over tonight before heading off to Worthing on Saturday morning to see Kate and her new house, and Emily and her new baby! I am intending on meeting them on Saturday morning at Kate's.

I set off about 2:20pm with back pockets full to the brim with spares, pump, food, keys, phone, clothes. More stuff than I'm used to carrying and quite heavy! I head off towards Much Hadham past my old golf club (I just don't get the time any more!), and then along the back roads to Ware.

It's very warm, but I'm dressed up for winter - having seen the weather forecast for the weekend - I wanted to make sure I had the right clothes, and the easiest way to carry them was to wear them! I can really seen the value of having a support team to carry all our stuff! I unzip my two shirts which helps and make my way from Ware to Hertford.

From Hertford I take the A414 dual carriageway to Hatfield, a busy road, but good for the average speed! Though the wind appears to be coming from the west into my face rather than from the north as I expected.

At Hatfield (I'm now at the start of my map for the journey after 25 miles!), I carefully avoid going onto the motorway and take the road that parallels it. I know I have to turn right somewhere to head towards St Albans.

I take a wrong turning and realise pretty quickly, go right round a roundabout and back to the route. However on the roundabout I hit a huge pot hole! No puncture, but my front light flies into the air, land in the middle of the road and falls apart into a number of pieces. Passing cars thankfully miss the debris and when the traffic calms down I run out into the road to pick up the bits. With the exception of one dented battery, all the bits look intact. Luckily I am carrying spare batteries! Put the light back together and it all seems to work ok, put it back on the bike and off again!

On to St Albans, through the rush hour traffic - it's great fun passing a load of stationary cars! Down the hill out of St. Albans and onto the A4147 (the old A414) to Hemel Hempstead.

At Hemel, I take the second exit off the magic roundabout (six mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle - mad road layout!), and up to the A41. I was expecting there to be a road going straight on, but there wasn't so I joined the A41. Very fast dual carriageway and it feels like I'm going the wrong way! I get off at the first junction, and realised where my mistake was (should have taken the third exit at the magic roundabout!). Anyway I find a road that takes me back to my route without too much of additional mileage.

Up the hill to Bovingdon - long slow climb, but a good challenge, and down a very steep hill into Chesham. 45 miles done, time for tea! Find a petrol station who kindly let me leave my bike inside while I use the facilities, re-laod with water/Zym, grab a sandwich - and after texting progress to Clare and Iain, I'm off on my way again.

The remainder of the route is pretty much due south, through Amersham, Beaconsfield (huge straight hill leaving the town, rising into the sky!), Farnham Green, Farnham Royal, Slough, Windosr - the great park in Windsor is very exposed and the wind has picked up! Then the last stretch from Windsor, past Ascot racecourse to Bagshot and then on to Guildford.

It's now dark and Friday night busy at about 8:30pm. I get to Iain's after doing 86 miles. Iain kindly runs me a bath and pops out to get tea. Just after 9pm I'm sat on Iain's sofa, in a borrowed t-shirt eating Fish and Chips! Yum!

Quick dash...

I have a meeting in London at 9:30 this morning, so I on;y have time for a quick 19 mile dash this morning! It was a lovely clear, still and not too cold morning - something I haven't experienced for a while - all rides have either been warm and wet or cold and dry or dry and very windy. To get warm and dry and still is a bit of a shock to the system!

Enjoyed the ride - just under 17mph average speed, and back home about 7:30am - time for a shower, breakfast, and off out to work. I get to the office at 9:30am on the dot - to find the person I am meeting missed his train and the meeting gets delayed to 10:15am. I could have done an extra few miles!!

I now have a plan for the weekend - to Guildford on Friday afternoon/evening, stay with e and Jules and then on to Worthing on Saturday to see Kate's new house and Emily/John's new baby girl! e is going to ride with me down to Worthing which will be fun!

It's dark again!

Up at 5:50am this morning for an early 20 mile ride. I need my lights this morning as its dark due to the clock going forward. It's still breezy, but not as bad as at the weekend. I manage to go about half a mile before I realise I've left my water/Zym outside the front door!

I do a slightly different 20 mile route this morning, The Hadhams, Green Tye, Spellbrook, Sawbridgeworth, Hatfield Heath and back to Stortford. No major events today - which is a nice change. Back home for breakfast with the kids and then a shower before heading off to work.