At least, I would have had my knees been OK , more of which later...
The lighter nights now mean that we can squeeze in rides after work. On Friday, I went round our local 10 mile "hilly" loop at a steady average of just over 16 mph.
On Saturday, we planned to do another "50", this time over a new route, looping north past Wokingham then south to Hook and Aldershot before heading north again. To mirror what we are planning to do on the ride itself, we planned to stop at 25 miles to fill up bottles and eat.
The ride went well, with no major problems other than my inability to ride Beacon Hill (past Farnham) at anything other than a crawl. but I DID ride it, without stopping. The same goes for the following climb up to Aldershot.
The ride, including stops, took us around 3 hrs 50 minutes with a rough average speed of 15mph.
Initially we planned to repeat this on Sunday, but on Saturday evening I had problems with my knees leading to fitful sleep and a decision to reduce today's ride to our smaller 26 mile loop (see the Check Test Ride post from the 19th March). The weather was glorious and the ride was good , despite my knees, and the two hills went even better than on the 19th again.
Total for the weekend for me 86miles, for Phil 76 miles (though he will get more riding in this week, more than making up any difference).
Feeling a little tired and stiff, but I'm happy with where we are at the moment and I have "a plan" of where we need to be each month as we get closer to the ride itself.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Charity Announcement
It's taken just a little longer to sort things than I hinted at the other week, but as you will no doubt see from the changes to the site, we are proud to announce that we are doing the ride in aid of:
Some of you may remember seeing these guys on Top Gear last year running a rally car for, and maintained by, disabled servicemen. At this time Phil and I were starting to discuss the idea of doing a ride like this and this organisation seemed to be the perfect fit.
Money raised will go towards supporting the Reskill Academy project, setting up a purpose built site where injured service personnel could learn useful skills maintaining and adapting off-road vehicles, as part of their structured rehabilitation programme.
The vehicles can then be used for Project Overland : providing fully tailored off-road safaris for those injured or disabled.
Project Mobility's third stream is the plan to enter a fully disabled rally team in the gruelling Dakar rally (Project staff and vehicles have recently supported rally car builder Bowler in the Tuareg Rally in North Africa)
To find our more about Project Mobility click here
If you wish make a donation in support of us on the ride and help a very deserving cause. please use the button on the right or go to our CharityGiving page and give what you can.
All monies donated are eligable for gift aid (for UK taxpayers) and will go to the charity
We are funding the logistics of the ride ourselves, along with the wonderfully generous offer of a Project support vehicle and drivers to back us up on the ride.
Thank you.
Money raised will go towards supporting the Reskill Academy project, setting up a purpose built site where injured service personnel could learn useful skills maintaining and adapting off-road vehicles, as part of their structured rehabilitation programme.
The vehicles can then be used for Project Overland : providing fully tailored off-road safaris for those injured or disabled.
Project Mobility's third stream is the plan to enter a fully disabled rally team in the gruelling Dakar rally (Project staff and vehicles have recently supported rally car builder Bowler in the Tuareg Rally in North Africa)
To find our more about Project Mobility click here
If you wish make a donation in support of us on the ride and help a very deserving cause. please use the button on the right or go to our CharityGiving page and give what you can.
All monies donated are eligable for gift aid (for UK taxpayers) and will go to the charity
We are funding the logistics of the ride ourselves, along with the wonderfully generous offer of a Project support vehicle and drivers to back us up on the ride.
Thank you.
Tuesday, 20 March 2012
Route Planning
Tonight we sat down and went through the basic skeleton route I'd created , finding the actual splits and making decisions on which of the "options" I'd hit that we would take. This brings us to the following outline route (mileage figures are approximate and rounded for now):
Day 1 - Lands End to Okehampton (A30) 100 miles
Day 2 - Okehampton to Alveston (A30 to Exeter - A38) 114 miles
Day 3 - Alveston to Whitchurch (A38 - A417 - A49) 122 miles
Day 4 - Whitchurch to Kendal (A49 - A6) 107 miles
Day 5 - Kendal to Abington (A6 - B7076) 103 miles
Day 6 - Abington to Pitlochry (A73 - A706 - A9) 108 miles
Day 7 - Pitlochry to Dingwall (A9) 100 miles
Day 8 - Dingwall to John O'Groats (A9-A99) 107 miles
Giving a rough total of 861 miles
There are some "interesting" profile details (I'm liking the 20 mile, flat , sea level stretch on Day 2 myself)
This means that P can book the accomodation over his easter break.
Day 1 - Lands End to Okehampton (A30) 100 miles
Day 2 - Okehampton to Alveston (A30 to Exeter - A38) 114 miles
Day 3 - Alveston to Whitchurch (A38 - A417 - A49) 122 miles
Day 4 - Whitchurch to Kendal (A49 - A6) 107 miles
Day 5 - Kendal to Abington (A6 - B7076) 103 miles
Day 6 - Abington to Pitlochry (A73 - A706 - A9) 108 miles
Day 7 - Pitlochry to Dingwall (A9) 100 miles
Day 8 - Dingwall to John O'Groats (A9-A99) 107 miles
Giving a rough total of 861 miles
There are some "interesting" profile details (I'm liking the 20 mile, flat , sea level stretch on Day 2 myself)
This means that P can book the accomodation over his easter break.
Monday, 19 March 2012
Check Test Ride
On Friday night we took my bike to our trusty Local Bike Shop (thanks again Dave at Cyclezone) and did a proper setup check to try and address the "contact patch" issues I'd been having.
Changed and checked saddle angle, fore and aft position and a new stem (20mm shorter) all done and felt good on the turbo.
Rode out yesterday (solo as P had a mechanical just before we were leaving) on a 27 mile loop that we've used before. looping out past Bramshill, down to Fleet, round Farnborough and back via Frimley and Camberley. There are 2 notable hills, from Eversley the road rises gently towards Heckfield Heath with the last km ramping up consistenly, with the last 50 or so metres up to the junction being rather steep. then the road drops for 500m then another 1km climb.
The last time we rode this way I struggled on both, yesterday I managed both without stopping (quick breather after the first ramp) and specifically the longer one went well (it also ramps up in the last 200m)
On the whole, the ride went well, not fast, it was never supposed to be, but steady and a LOT more comfortable than I have been.
I'm also improving my pedal stroke, clearly evidenced by the fact that my quads are a little achy today. Out of the saddle climbing is starting to feel a little more natural again too (remember that I used to ride a LOT 20 years and several stone ago. though I'm now nearly 2 stone lighter than when I started road riding again last May). I also felt really good at the end despite a lack of sleep (late night and an early F1 GP), and really ropey nutrition on the Saturday (I really didn't eat enough at all for a number of reasons).
More chat with the charity and we appear to have arranged support drivers and a vehicle (this is a surprise as we had planned to use our trusty Freelander) and a couple of "training days" with them.
I am hoping to sit down on Tuseday/Wednesday and put together the announcement proper. I'm also going to start firming up the actual route this week.
5 months to go...
Changed and checked saddle angle, fore and aft position and a new stem (20mm shorter) all done and felt good on the turbo.
Rode out yesterday (solo as P had a mechanical just before we were leaving) on a 27 mile loop that we've used before. looping out past Bramshill, down to Fleet, round Farnborough and back via Frimley and Camberley. There are 2 notable hills, from Eversley the road rises gently towards Heckfield Heath with the last km ramping up consistenly, with the last 50 or so metres up to the junction being rather steep. then the road drops for 500m then another 1km climb.
The last time we rode this way I struggled on both, yesterday I managed both without stopping (quick breather after the first ramp) and specifically the longer one went well (it also ramps up in the last 200m)
On the whole, the ride went well, not fast, it was never supposed to be, but steady and a LOT more comfortable than I have been.
I'm also improving my pedal stroke, clearly evidenced by the fact that my quads are a little achy today. Out of the saddle climbing is starting to feel a little more natural again too (remember that I used to ride a LOT 20 years and several stone ago. though I'm now nearly 2 stone lighter than when I started road riding again last May). I also felt really good at the end despite a lack of sleep (late night and an early F1 GP), and really ropey nutrition on the Saturday (I really didn't eat enough at all for a number of reasons).
More chat with the charity and we appear to have arranged support drivers and a vehicle (this is a surprise as we had planned to use our trusty Freelander) and a couple of "training days" with them.
I am hoping to sit down on Tuseday/Wednesday and put together the announcement proper. I'm also going to start firming up the actual route this week.
5 months to go...
Monday, 20 February 2012
Benchmark Training Ride - the first "50"
On Sunday we did our first 50 mile ride.
The route was planned to go along the A30 towards Virginia Water and then drop off to Chertsey, Sunbury and Kingston so that we could pop into the Specialized Concept Store and Sigma Sport.
The profile was interesting, the first couple of miles took us to the highest point and from then it was mostly rolling up and down with a down bias until we reached Chertesy. The route from there to Kingston and back is , basically , flat.
Interesting trip out, linked up with a couple of riders around Shepperton and then I went a little hard on the front for several miles (mental note - don't do this on distance training rides, you idiot). A little shopping (overshoes, rain capes) and a nibble later and we headed back.
The wind (now a cross/head) had got up a bit and kept the temperature and speed down.
Climbing up through Virginia Water back to the A30 was pretty easy, but then the return to the highest point (just outside Camberley) was basically 10 miles of "up"...was just about managing until the climb out of Bagshot, where I had to climb off for a few mintues and some energy chews before tackling the last ramp to Camberley.
Having got over that, I got back into some rythym and the last 3 miles home were fine.
P managed fine the whole way round, I am the weak link when the road goes up.
This is being compounded with "contact patch" issues on my behalf.. not sure which of Saddle angle, bike setup, clothing, position etc are to blame, but OWWWW... the constant shifting to support this was tiring me out, with that and the last 16 or so miles basically being uphill, I found I was no longer responding with the bike and any bumps were catching me out and bouncing me into the saddle.
This is the main reason that my shoulders and neck hurt today as I was so tense trying NOT to get bounced. So...yeah...made 51 miles intact (mostly)..this was, for us, a benchmarking test as it's the longest we've ridden together and also the first real ride on the Roubaix (a.k.a "Michelle") and the Synapse (a.k.a "not named yet", but sworn "at" a bit)..
On the whole, we think the ride was a success and gives us a marker of where we are with 6 months to go.. much to work on..but ....well....if it was easy...etc....
The route was planned to go along the A30 towards Virginia Water and then drop off to Chertsey, Sunbury and Kingston so that we could pop into the Specialized Concept Store and Sigma Sport.
The profile was interesting, the first couple of miles took us to the highest point and from then it was mostly rolling up and down with a down bias until we reached Chertesy. The route from there to Kingston and back is , basically , flat.
Interesting trip out, linked up with a couple of riders around Shepperton and then I went a little hard on the front for several miles (mental note - don't do this on distance training rides, you idiot). A little shopping (overshoes, rain capes) and a nibble later and we headed back.
The wind (now a cross/head) had got up a bit and kept the temperature and speed down.
Climbing up through Virginia Water back to the A30 was pretty easy, but then the return to the highest point (just outside Camberley) was basically 10 miles of "up"...was just about managing until the climb out of Bagshot, where I had to climb off for a few mintues and some energy chews before tackling the last ramp to Camberley.
Having got over that, I got back into some rythym and the last 3 miles home were fine.
P managed fine the whole way round, I am the weak link when the road goes up.
This is being compounded with "contact patch" issues on my behalf.. not sure which of Saddle angle, bike setup, clothing, position etc are to blame, but OWWWW... the constant shifting to support this was tiring me out, with that and the last 16 or so miles basically being uphill, I found I was no longer responding with the bike and any bumps were catching me out and bouncing me into the saddle.
This is the main reason that my shoulders and neck hurt today as I was so tense trying NOT to get bounced. So...yeah...made 51 miles intact (mostly)..this was, for us, a benchmarking test as it's the longest we've ridden together and also the first real ride on the Roubaix (a.k.a "Michelle") and the Synapse (a.k.a "not named yet", but sworn "at" a bit)..
On the whole, we think the ride was a success and gives us a marker of where we are with 6 months to go.. much to work on..but ....well....if it was easy...etc....
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Bike Update
Things are a little quiet on the discussions and planning with the charity front at the moment. so..
We now have both bikes and they have been serviced by our trusty local bike shop (thanks to Dave @ Cyclezone in Crowthorne).
Currently I've only had a brief (10 miles at 0 to -1 degree temperatures) check ride on mine plus a couple of turbo sessions. P has an additional road test under his belt and they are feeling good.
Mine - 2011 Cannondale Synapse 5 Carbon -105..
Sweet looking, light , nimble and comfortable (SAVE micro suspension)..really liking the direct response when I push the pedals harder.
P - 2008 Specialized S-Works Roubaix - DuraAce
Second hand find. Ridiculously light and nimble, and as close to a pro team race bike as we are gonna get (saying this, I know Liquigas have used the Synapse in Paris-Roubaix rather than their normal SuperSix). It really is a nice bike.
Hoping for a longer ride out this Sunday.
No doubt pics will follow at some point..
Oh. and my 2011 Ridley EOS is now up on Ebay...if anyone is interested in a good 58cm sportive/winter bike...have a look http://tinyurl.com/7lgls9m
We now have both bikes and they have been serviced by our trusty local bike shop (thanks to Dave @ Cyclezone in Crowthorne).
Currently I've only had a brief (10 miles at 0 to -1 degree temperatures) check ride on mine plus a couple of turbo sessions. P has an additional road test under his belt and they are feeling good.
Mine - 2011 Cannondale Synapse 5 Carbon -105..
Sweet looking, light , nimble and comfortable (SAVE micro suspension)..really liking the direct response when I push the pedals harder.
P - 2008 Specialized S-Works Roubaix - DuraAce
Second hand find. Ridiculously light and nimble, and as close to a pro team race bike as we are gonna get (saying this, I know Liquigas have used the Synapse in Paris-Roubaix rather than their normal SuperSix). It really is a nice bike.
Hoping for a longer ride out this Sunday.
No doubt pics will follow at some point..
Oh. and my 2011 Ridley EOS is now up on Ebay...if anyone is interested in a good 58cm sportive/winter bike...have a look http://tinyurl.com/7lgls9m
Edit - the Ridley has now been sold - Edit
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Good News
Today is a good day on the project..
Last night I collected and assembled my "ride" bike - a 2011 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 and this morning I've had an email from the charity with which we hope to work which looks like it sorts our biggest worry in planning this...more info to follow when we announce the charity etc in the coming months.
Should be picking up P's "ride" bike on Saturday too....
Last night I collected and assembled my "ride" bike - a 2011 Cannondale Synapse Carbon 105 and this morning I've had an email from the charity with which we hope to work which looks like it sorts our biggest worry in planning this...more info to follow when we announce the charity etc in the coming months.
Should be picking up P's "ride" bike on Saturday too....
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