Saluki
World class procrastinator
- Location
- ...Norwich over the water.
I will see what I can do, next weekSounds great Saluki...though I really think we need to see 'Zombie on a bike' and get you to ride back from work!
I will see what I can do, next weekSounds great Saluki...though I really think we need to see 'Zombie on a bike' and get you to ride back from work!
Having done just a couple of minutes on the turbo trainer last night, I got on it again this evening to give it that test and ... found that the rear tyre on the bike was flat! Thinking about it, I hadn't ridden that bike for months and the tyre was soft before I put the bike on the TT so it must have had a slow puncture from the last road ride on it. I'd pumped it up last night, but the air had leaked back out overnight.It's a grotty wet afternoon here so I think I will give the turbo trainer a proper test when I get back from a trip to the shops.
I cannot keep my arms down.
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
Get on and do it Guy.Well done, great stuff, you've inspired me to join the half century challenge. I know Oct is a bit late, but hopefully it will be good preparation for next year's challenge.
I cannot keep my arms down.
It is an expression we have in Denmark when someone is pleased with themselves and that is me at the me at the moment.
I am 58 years old and got interested in cycling when I came to Denmark 15 years ago. I have never been a racing type, but like to get out in the fresh air and ride through the woods or along the coast road. I ride alone or with my partner, Jannie. By doing that I can stop and start when I want and keep at my own pace.
At that time I was commuting to work, by choice, one or two days a week. My commute is a 40km round trip and to me that was like completing 2 Transcontinental races. It was cycling to the end of the earth. But I bit the bullet and decided to take up the 50km month Challenge.
My first 50km was in January and it was minus 8 degrees or about minus 12 with windchill. I had no water after 10 minutes as my water bottle turned into a brick of ice. Now at this point I do not think I would have been blamed if I had thought Sod this for a game of soldiers. But I actually enjoyed it. It was the first real challenge I had come across since leaving the military, many years earlier.
The February 50km was a bit colder but I realised that those two were probably two of the worst out of the way. As the months went on I did more than the one 50km ride a month, in fact I did several. I started to ride to work every day as well as riding at weekends.
In April,, something weird happened. I found I had something in common with Robin Williams, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson. I suffered a bout of stress and depression and was off work for four months. For a month I could not leave the house or garden. But then my doctor insisted I got out on my bike and that was the route to recovery.
From the end of May I was out on my bike every day and it was the start of my recovery. As the weeks went on my confidence in riding a bike began to rise. Not the confidence in not falling off, but the confidence that I can ride this bike some distance and not die.
Then a friend sent me a military challenge to do 22 press ups for 22 days. I cant do press ups as I have a dodgy shoulder and so I offered to ride 1km for each push up. That is 484km in 22 days. I finished the challenge in 9 days.
In the meantime I had bought myself a carbon road bike with Di2. Now that makes a big difference. My 20km ride to work was almost not worth getting my bike out for. 50km was a doddle. My next progression was to get into the 60, 70, 80km fields and bit by bit I have done that and learnt a lot on the way.
Yesterday I rode 100km. Its not a huge distance in the scheme of things and it was not fast with an average of 21kph but it was so easy. It was cold, foggy and wet. I was wrapped up in winter gear. But it was still easy and I could do it all again this morning, I have no aches or pains and slept really well.
I have big plans for next year, which will involve longer distances. I want to be able to ride 250km back to back and beyond. That may be a big ask but I hope to get close and even if I dont I will enjoy trying. The only thing stopping me is hours in the day.
The most important thing I have learnt is that if you want to be able to ride events like TCR or LEL is to get out on your bike even when it is raining, foggy, blowing a gale. You have to ride long distances. It is the only way to do it. There is no substitute.
I learn something every time I ride. My legs like to ride at 20kph, It helps if I can change my base layer top at halfway. Judging what to wear in winter is a science I know nothing about.
I am now going to spend the winter sorting my bike out for long distance lightweight touring. I have started with an Apidura rack pack which is brilliant.
Just as an added bonus, I have lost 6kg in the last 2 months. Its a lot cheaper than trying to save an extra gram on a 500 quid set of wheels.
I am nearly 60 and I am talking about ultra lightweight touring on a bike. That is as ridiculous as finding a winter 100km ride easy, I think.
Here is my track from yesterday
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1411475396
Nice read @steveindenmark this challenge certainly changes your riding habits
Welcome to the challenge @GuyBoden nice time to warm up for next years challenge
Be careful on the roads around Jodrell Bank, it's where the youngsters from British Cycling do their motor paced speed sessions!Enjoyed another nice 50 mile ride, this time to Swettenham Nature Reserve and back, weather was very good, no real wind, all on my favourite flat Cheshire roads. I'm trying to do some 50 mile rides while the weather is dry.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/osmaps/route/894324/50miles-Arley-Plumley-Goostrey-Swettenham