Holiday training

Off on holiday to North Wales so I'll be taking the bike and doing some training in the 'hills'!!! that will be a shock to my system when use to the flats of Norfolk!

Not been out since the ride on Monday which is not good but hopefully make up for it over the next week with the fitness regime at my parents house and the very healthy diet of cooked breakfast with Black pudding every morning!! just what every budding 'Tour de France' entrant needs!!

Monday training

I know it is a day later, but went for a solo training ride on Monday morning at 5.45am and boy did I suffer, felt crap when I woke up and had to force myself out of bed!, then went out and the sun was rising beautifully only for a nice black rain cloud to follow me around for the whole ride. I could not get warm and my whole body felt like lead.....so I only managed 10 miles then did half hour of gym work. Off to sunny Wales thursday so I will take the bike up there to do some proper mountain training!!

 

Beautiful Day

Beautiful morning, and I was out at 5.30am doing 17.6 miles. It was a good ride, and I felt ok, wore the helmet as per norm, just in case I bumped into Jim again from football!

I tried a video part of the ride again on my phone and was sure I pressed 'record' this time, but NO!! and I did a running commentary for about half a mile and got home to find nothing recorded......so I am not using the mobile again and will use our camera next time!!!

Football Head ache

I am still on the mend from a bit of a blow in the Monday night Loddon football.......quite literally! Apparently I scored a great header (not my words! Honest), but I also felt my friend, Jim's attempted 'punch out'of the ball, whereby he used the side of my head instead.

It was not intentional, so Jim tells me!.......he just did not expect me to approach and attack the ball so quick and rise so high like a salmon!!! So a little trip to A & E on monday night thanks to the assistance of Simon. I was in a bit of pain, and felt really groggy, I don't think I'll ever make it as a boxer thats for sure. Oh well the goal was worth it......I think?! The hospital gave me a leaflet on 'Head Injuries' , a quick check and on our way home. I have contacted Jim to see how his hand is doing and he said it is fine and on the mend!

I am hoping to feel well enough for a training ride etc on Thursday morning with Christian, and then hope to have a long training ride on Saturday morning with Stefan and Christian.

Home-time trial

On the way back home was hard going, I was travelling into a head wind which made the 17+ miles home take nearly 1hr 25mins!!!! I took this picture and also thought I had recorded a mini video for your entertainment, but it turns out I had not pressed the record button!! Dippy!

Anyway a good 35 miles ride today.

Time Trial

'Cycle Time Trial' to work this morning, the distance is 17.2 miles and the normal time is roughly 1 hour 18 mins with an average speed of about 13 mph! but this morning I decided to see if I could do this quicker. And the answer is yes, in 1 hour 10 mins and the average speed a touch under 15mph.

This gives me a goal now to see if I can beat that time in another month or so!! You never know I may try to get it down to an hour!! hehehe! NOW then I'd be chuffed.

And Christian my good man......I actually only wore the cycling shorts this morning, without wearing football shorts over the top!!!!!!!!! On the way back home, I will attempt to record a part of the ride. Watch this space.

 

Yipppeeeee, early morning, wakey wakey rise and shine

Awake at 4.30am, up and getting ready at 5.20am, bit of brekky then on the bike to meet Christian for 6am start, we covered 16 miles and then I went into my garage for a bit of gym work.
We discussed getting us on video during a ride one morning so we will see what we can do.

Felt better today than I did on Monday thats for sure, so I am so pleased to be getting back into the rhythm.

Back to it!

Well I have had a rubbish week with 'Man Flu'! and been a brave soldier by being in work all week. Had a fairly chilled Easter Break, seeing friends and family.......but decided I wanted to get on the bike Easter Monday, bright and early Monday morning Christian met me for just over a 10 mile jaunt ............ boy! did I suffer, I still have the remnants of the cold and I have never known so much green matter to eject out of one persons nostril orifice!!! (NO Pics don't worry!!)
Despite the hardship of the ride, it was great to get back in the saddle, and I felt better for doing the ride after the event!

I ordered some mini business type cards with the brief contact details and the challenge written on the rear, so I can hand out to people, these were received over the weekend and they look great......also started emailing companies for some form of assistance in the challenge....nothing like planning ahead.
Bye for now.

Monday feeling

Back to work after a top weekend on Nick Barrett's Stag weekend, but I am now full of 'man' cold and I have also decided that I should really get the pain checked out you know where!!!!!!! down below.
So training is currently on hold, hopefully just a minor set back.

Bottled it! and news on the challenge next year

Ok......so I only managed to do 16 miles this morning, and half an hour of gym work !!, I have got an aching nad!! so give me a break.

This would be a good point to say that the challenge next year I hope to be accompanied by my brother - Raymond who is getting 'Fat for Fifty'......sorry 'Fit for Fifty'...in 50 years young in May......(they do say that fat men have good legs and leg muscles, but that must be to carry the body mass.....the legs in constant training....hehehe....sorry bro, only joking). But Raymond will hopefully be the support driver, checking up on me during the day. My nephew Tom is hoping to join me on the cycling part, and despite a fear of mountains I am hoping that he will try and accompany me up the Peaks, he'll be in safe hands with such a competent mountaineer such as myself!!! hehehe.....don't panic Tom, I'll take a compass and a 'Sea king' helicopter! But the competent mountaineer in the family, my other nephew Jim, I hope will be joining us. He can help us pick the right mountain, never mind route ........those who know me well, know about my exploits on mountains!! Jim is currently in China and has been for the past 9 mths ish with his wife Jo, who is studying Mandarin for her degree. So I am trying to plan the challenge/fundraising trip for 2010 when Jim has finished his finals at University in Manchester, and when my brother will be on holiday from teaching, and when Tom is not winning the Tour de France with his cycle racing!

I have had an interest from Stefan who I play football with, about joining me on the challenge.....so go on Stef, are you coming too??!!!

Here is a picture of the Russell crew.............................Yes we got Tom up at mountain in Snowdonia. And the paramedics were on standby for my brother at the top too!

PS.

Just had another £50 donated tonight via a 'Sponsor Form' handed round some of my friends at 'the Lodge'..........Great news!

how many miles????

Well, Tuesday morning, alarm goes just before 5.30am, then off on the bike and meet Christian.......(he is now joining me for the Norwich 100 mile Cycle Ride in June!! Good man!) We go for a 10 mile ish ride, as a warm up!! as yer do!.....then I pop home, clean my teeth, and off I go on the bike to work. I was not sure how far it was going to be, because the route I was taking was off the main roads....... mainly. 17.2 miles later I arrived at the office feeling pretty good and quite fresh considering. Although I then had 8 hours to recover and think about the ride home. Surprisingly I was quicker (only slightly) coming home ...... but I think it was the thought of having a well deserved beer! So a good day for training, with 45 miles covered. Here is a picture of me arriving home looking for that beer!

Same sort of mileage hopefully thursday.