The Weather Girls....

It's raining.....men just rain!


I headed out today aiming for 15 miles, my weekly target having gone up to 100miles per week now, and also decided to change my route. I've got some great little routes to choose from, but am getting very good at picking flatter routes and avoiding the inevitable hills, so I decided it was time to FACE MY FEAR!


Thinking it would be a slightly more forgiving option, I headed for Watlington via Benson.....OMG!!! You just do not get a sense of the level of "unduldation" in the road in a car! 


It was tough going, but I am delighted to report that I made it up (and down!) all hills without stopping (SPDs are a great motivator for that!). I had a mid-ride break to get my breath back and didn't quite make 15 miles (12.8 miles), but given the number of climbs and the completely horrendous wet and windy weather, I still feel like I've achieved something - hurray!


:-)

Spice Girls this time....

....GIRL POWER!!


Had a good week's training, managing to exceed my targets each day. Went out today in the drizzle (which become grotty rain) and about 7 miles in....PUNCTURE! BAH! My girly instinct kicked in and I phoned my OH saying "I think its best if you come out to help me - you're quicker at fixing these things". Silly Chappers! Should have had more faith!


Anyway, I started changing the inner tube while I waited for him and by the time he arrived, I'd done it! YAY! Sent him home and carried on. I managed 26 miles (aiming for 20), so came out wet but happy!

In the words of Nina Simone.....

I'm feeling good! 
(at least I think it was Nina Simone!) ;-)
I had a terrible night's sleep with a bad tummy and was thinking about having a day off the bike. However, having had a day with no exercise yesterday, I needed to do something.


The sun was shining, and I just decided to head out and see how I felt. I am sooo glad that I did! Managed to hit my target of 20 miles, but the best thing was that I didn't feel dead on my feet when I got back. I actually felt like I could have kept going a bit further. I decided not to, as I'd like to get out again tomorrow.


No falls off the pedals despite failing to engage first time on a few occasions, and managed to climb a hill all the way to the top without stopping - that's something of an achievement for me as I still have physical and psychological issues with hills - I HATE them!!!


Even made it back in time for the rugby - Yay! 
:-)

Wow!

So today was my first proper training day with SPDs. I intended to do the usual mid-week target of 10 miles, but something went slightly awry with my route! In my attempt to avoid a nasty hill out of the village, I managed to hit just about every other hill in the area!! 


So, net result:

• distance covered - 18 miles! YAY!
• hills climbed - felt like LOTS! (some walking was involved!)
• falls off bike due to not unclipping/getting clipped in on time - 1 - not bad for the first go!

Feeling completely shattered but quite proud!

I'm so excited!

OK, so I am still pretty new to all this biking stuff, but I went shopping this morning! Like any self respecting girl, I bought some new shoes!! Got some fab Northwave shoes and some shiny new Shimano pedals to with them - yay! And because I'm on a "things go in threes" thing at the moment, I decided to buy a new helmet (well it matched the shoes!).


I am particularly pleased as I managed to fit the pedals this afternoon and learn how to use them. Went up and down the road outside my house for a practice and didn't fall off, although I'm sure my time will come!!!


Can't wait to do a proper training ride in them now - also have a fab new rucksack on the way (courtesy of my brother who bought it me for Christmas).

Do they come in threes?

I'm talking about PUNCTURES!!! 


I am now convinced that they're like bad luck. I had one on the front tyre a while back and enlisted the help of my beloved long suffering other half to get it all fixed. Then, literally leaving the back garden for a ride and that familiar "hiss" sound is heard and the back tyre is flat as a pancake. 


Back to the house and decided to do a complete overhaul - brand new tyres (they were just about due for a replacement anyway) complete with brand new inner tubes (found a great offer online!).


Replaced back and front and went out earlier this week - well, I felt like Lewis Hamilton they were so quick! Hurray!


Had to go and collect the car from the garage today, so decided to tie it in with getting out on the bike.....half a mile down the road and that "hisssssss" was back again. So, about half an hour, one car and a £500 bill later, I'm walking back down the road to the house with another flat tyre.


But that's three - am I done now?


Good news is, all this practice at puncture repairs is paying off and I no longer need my OH to rescue me. Good job really since he's in Canada at the moment!

Oooppppssss!!!!

*Shameful face on*

I can't believe it was before Christmas since my last post! That is truly embarressing! Even worse, it's been far too long since I've been out on the bike. Between snow, ice, ski trips and a tax return deadline (and lots of tax returns to submit!), the bike somehow got left in the shed for the last 2 months. EEKKK!!

However, being more positive about it, I finally went out this morning, such a beautiful sunny day, seemed a crying shame to waste it. I'm delighted to report that, having aimed for a flat 10 miles, I managed just over 13 miles with a little bit of a hill in the middle! HURRAY!! It seems that my somewhat depleted fitness regime actually did some good and I'm not quite as desperately unfit as I expected!

Just need to keep up the momentum now!