Ran yesterday lunch - along due to a lack of Herbs and Newmanators - 5 miles (with a Garmin that stopped after 3.8m) at something around 7:30 pace overall but the canal bit was probably nearer 7:20 - which felt ok generally.
Then today I had promised myself faithfully that I'd bike to work and back, so I was a touch concerned when paul the squeaky weatherman warned of high winds and squally showers - sounded more like the shipping forecast than north yorkshire. The second stage of the Tour of Britain had been cancelled due to the winds. However the promise, even if only to myself, had been made, so 7am saw me up with Maisie, "getting my shit together" and I was out of the door in an outfit I really wasn't sure about by 7:30.
The ride along Shires Lane felt tough, and by the time we were climbing up Cross Bank my legs were already feeling how they used to feel back in early 2009 when I started this cycling and running nonsense - when I always seemed to train tired.
Herb kindly dragged me down to Cross Hills where the wind started to come from a friendlier direction, and we arrived at work after a 47min ride in - a long way slower than the old days when we did it in under 40 quite often, but this was a proper windy day and an average of 18mph isn't bad given the conditions.
We were expecting it to have eased off by sometime, but it was still a stiff breeze and it had now decided to rain as well. Again Herb played the strong man and I was happy to take very short turns on the front and increasingly long ones sat in his slipstream. Home was about 48 minutes, so respectable at 17mph for a windier, wetter and more uphill ride.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Lumpy club run
There were no ride leaders for the Ilkley club run today - disappointing that in a club of about 400 members we can't rustle up three or four people each weekend who can commit to turning up, but hey ho. So, with a slight hangover I felt I'd better go and lead a B ride.
Vic and l'Herb showed up at 7:45 too, so I thought I'd better go. Fortunately I'd kept up my water consumption last night as my beer intake continued, so the hangover wasn't too bad and had pretty much cleared by the time we got to the old bridge. The original plan was another plod up to Kettlewell and back, but I decided that we could do something slightly more interesting and go up to Greenhow via West End and come home via Grassington.
So it was that ten of us set off towards Askwith, at a fairly healthy pace. It seems that every time I lead a ride I get a load of pseudo-A Groupers out for an "easy day", and so it was again. I was the last up to the top of the moor road climb, and was pretty much hanging on most of the way to Greenhow.
We turned into the wind, and the usual blast along to Grassington turned out to be pretty tough, so I was grateful to have some strong lads to sit behind. At Grassington we turned south and the going was easier through Burnsall and Appletreewick.
The last bit up from Bolton Abbey was hard though, as we were back into the wind again, but we were soon home with 48 miles on the clock and lunchtime still an hour away. Nice day.
Vic and l'Herb showed up at 7:45 too, so I thought I'd better go. Fortunately I'd kept up my water consumption last night as my beer intake continued, so the hangover wasn't too bad and had pretty much cleared by the time we got to the old bridge. The original plan was another plod up to Kettlewell and back, but I decided that we could do something slightly more interesting and go up to Greenhow via West End and come home via Grassington.
So it was that ten of us set off towards Askwith, at a fairly healthy pace. It seems that every time I lead a ride I get a load of pseudo-A Groupers out for an "easy day", and so it was again. I was the last up to the top of the moor road climb, and was pretty much hanging on most of the way to Greenhow.
We turned into the wind, and the usual blast along to Grassington turned out to be pretty tough, so I was grateful to have some strong lads to sit behind. At Grassington we turned south and the going was easier through Burnsall and Appletreewick.
The last bit up from Bolton Abbey was hard though, as we were back into the wind again, but we were soon home with 48 miles on the clock and lunchtime still an hour away. Nice day.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
A couple of runs and a bit of speed
Just a bit mind...
Trying very hard to get my exercise organised, but it's proving difficult - although after this weekend I'm going to be more disciplined about food and exercise. Yes really...
Anyway - this week passed quickly again, and before I knew it it was Thursday and I'd done nothing. To be fair the weather's been shite so biking in would have been a trial, plus my bottom bracket was sounding horribly graunchy after last weekend.
Anyway - Thursday and it was out for a lunchtime steady one with Herb and Newmanator - just 4 miles, just under 8 min pace and for me at least it felt pretty comfortable. Herb was gasping like a rapist...
Then Friday's plan was for a slightly longer one (for "longer" read "about 6 miles") with Newman, but his weedy hockey legs let him down so he dipped out. Shame really, as it was a perfect cycling day, but I was running so run I did.
A mile up to the canal, then a bit of an effort for two miles - which pleasingly came out at just under 6:40 pace, which whilst that was planned marathon pace a few months ago is still a great deal quicker than I have been running. So - more of the same required, methinks.
Trying very hard to get my exercise organised, but it's proving difficult - although after this weekend I'm going to be more disciplined about food and exercise. Yes really...
Anyway - this week passed quickly again, and before I knew it it was Thursday and I'd done nothing. To be fair the weather's been shite so biking in would have been a trial, plus my bottom bracket was sounding horribly graunchy after last weekend.
Anyway - Thursday and it was out for a lunchtime steady one with Herb and Newmanator - just 4 miles, just under 8 min pace and for me at least it felt pretty comfortable. Herb was gasping like a rapist...
Then Friday's plan was for a slightly longer one (for "longer" read "about 6 miles") with Newman, but his weedy hockey legs let him down so he dipped out. Shame really, as it was a perfect cycling day, but I was running so run I did.
A mile up to the canal, then a bit of an effort for two miles - which pleasingly came out at just under 6:40 pace, which whilst that was planned marathon pace a few months ago is still a great deal quicker than I have been running. So - more of the same required, methinks.
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Bog all running but a bit of biking
Blimey - three weeks since last post - and I was in Italy and riding to San Jimmy!
Been back a couple of weeks now, and whilst I've done a bit of running it's all been a bit hit and miss. I can report, however, that I am hideously unfit, and probably very fat indeed (the latter I've been too scared to confirm but I feel lardy in the extreme).
My replacement Garmin 610 had been delivered whilst we were away, so my runs are recorded at Garmin Connect, but they total about 15 miles a week at an embarrassingly slow pace. Whatever - I've probably done slightly more running this August than last, and I managed a 3:11 marathon this spring. Ber.
More worrying is my bike form - I'd kind of kidded myself that because I managed the 130 miles up to Newcastle easily, and I've been getting a 50+ miler in most weekends then I'd be the picture of fitness when the road headed uphill. Well, no...
I did the Ilkley club run up to the Buckden triangle, finishing over Halton Heights, which went ok, but I did find the climb hard after 60 miles or so. Doesn't bode well...
Then last weekend me, Bob and The Herb headed over to the Forest of Bowland for some tourist avoidance. We did a fairly lumpy 65 miles over to Settle, then a windy climb up Cross o' Greet then back over from Keasden. By the end I was feeling thigh burn the likes of which I don't think I've had since last year's EduD - eek.
Still - a nice day out:
Then after another week of failing to cycle to work today was the Evans Skipton Sportive. I'd entered the long 100 mile ride, but thoughts of riding over Buttertubs then back over Oxnop to Askrigg put me off, so Herb and I went for the shorter route, which also allowed me to get home in time to watch Wiggo lose the Jersey in the Vuelta.
A stiff climb up the Raikes and a tortuous route on back roads popped us out on the Rylstone road, then more daft routing dropped us into Airton via the long way round. Into Malham for our major climb up the Cove Road - harder than I remember it, but lots of rest sections and just enough walkers to make us feel good about ourselves.
The road to Arncliffe has a beast of a steep section, but again Herb and I managed to pass a few folk and not get passed ourselves. Job done, we thought, as we were turning for home after the feed stop at Kettlewell.
Virtually everyone else at the stop were doing the honourable thing and doing the 100 miler, but the route had been changed after Fleet Moss so Buttertubs was no longer on the agenda - even so the call of an easy(ish) day proved too strong for me and Herb and we headed back down the valley.
The blast to Burnsall and garden was quickly dispensed, but I found the last section of the climb up from Burnsall hard, and felt it as we climbed back over Barden Moor. At the top there was a "5 miles to go" sign, and it felt odd riding through Embsay and back into Skipton to hand back our dibbers, eat a bowl of pasta and get home for about 12:45, with an average speed of just under 15mph.
Respectable, but more work needed, fatty.
Been back a couple of weeks now, and whilst I've done a bit of running it's all been a bit hit and miss. I can report, however, that I am hideously unfit, and probably very fat indeed (the latter I've been too scared to confirm but I feel lardy in the extreme).
My replacement Garmin 610 had been delivered whilst we were away, so my runs are recorded at Garmin Connect, but they total about 15 miles a week at an embarrassingly slow pace. Whatever - I've probably done slightly more running this August than last, and I managed a 3:11 marathon this spring. Ber.
More worrying is my bike form - I'd kind of kidded myself that because I managed the 130 miles up to Newcastle easily, and I've been getting a 50+ miler in most weekends then I'd be the picture of fitness when the road headed uphill. Well, no...
I did the Ilkley club run up to the Buckden triangle, finishing over Halton Heights, which went ok, but I did find the climb hard after 60 miles or so. Doesn't bode well...
Then last weekend me, Bob and The Herb headed over to the Forest of Bowland for some tourist avoidance. We did a fairly lumpy 65 miles over to Settle, then a windy climb up Cross o' Greet then back over from Keasden. By the end I was feeling thigh burn the likes of which I don't think I've had since last year's EduD - eek.
Still - a nice day out:
Then after another week of failing to cycle to work today was the Evans Skipton Sportive. I'd entered the long 100 mile ride, but thoughts of riding over Buttertubs then back over Oxnop to Askrigg put me off, so Herb and I went for the shorter route, which also allowed me to get home in time to watch Wiggo lose the Jersey in the Vuelta.
A stiff climb up the Raikes and a tortuous route on back roads popped us out on the Rylstone road, then more daft routing dropped us into Airton via the long way round. Into Malham for our major climb up the Cove Road - harder than I remember it, but lots of rest sections and just enough walkers to make us feel good about ourselves.
The road to Arncliffe has a beast of a steep section, but again Herb and I managed to pass a few folk and not get passed ourselves. Job done, we thought, as we were turning for home after the feed stop at Kettlewell.
Virtually everyone else at the stop were doing the honourable thing and doing the 100 miler, but the route had been changed after Fleet Moss so Buttertubs was no longer on the agenda - even so the call of an easy(ish) day proved too strong for me and Herb and we headed back down the valley.
The blast to Burnsall and garden was quickly dispensed, but I found the last section of the climb up from Burnsall hard, and felt it as we climbed back over Barden Moor. At the top there was a "5 miles to go" sign, and it felt odd riding through Embsay and back into Skipton to hand back our dibbers, eat a bowl of pasta and get home for about 12:45, with an average speed of just under 15mph.
Respectable, but more work needed, fatty.
Saturday, 13 August 2011
San Gimignano
Made it! Gave up on the stored rides in my Garmin, as it doesn't seem to like following a previously mapped out route - it's a headstrong little bugger. So the idea today was to simply go from village to village on a pre-determined route. Certaldo (know my way there), San Gimi, then back via Ulignano and Barberino.
The climb up from oir house was tough again, but at least this time I knew what was coming, and I was soon on the long descent into Certaldo. This time I knew that I had to keep going into the centre to get across both the railway and the river.
From this point I set the Garmin to find San Gimi, but I also followed road signs when Garmin tried to take me up dirt tracks. There are unclassified roads here in Tuscany that would just be tracks at home, but the Garmin seems to think they're ideal for cycling on - I'm sure they are if you're on 32mm tyres and a touring chainset, but on 53-39 and 23mm tyres they're a no-no.
In the end the main road was fab - perfect road surface, about five miles of steady climbing and stupendous views. Near the top I was passed by three lads with San Gimignano tops on, so I hitched a ride to the roundabout just below the village. I didn't see a convenient caff, so I turned for home straight away after a couple of pictures.
The descent down to Ulignano was stunning, and necessitated several photo stops looking back up to San Gimi.
Back down in the valley they're building a new trunk road from Empoli down to Siena, so the road looks nothing like the map, with new roundabouts and bridges, but eventually I was on the right road. A stiff climb (particularly on 39-26) up to the little village of Vito, then an undulating ride to Barnerino and I was back on home territory.
A final bump down the track to home saw 32 miles on the clock and about 3,100' of climbing - but apart from the track up from home and the graunch into Vito it was nearly all in a continental style, so generally easy angled and great road surfaces. Cracking holiday cycling.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The climb up from oir house was tough again, but at least this time I knew what was coming, and I was soon on the long descent into Certaldo. This time I knew that I had to keep going into the centre to get across both the railway and the river.
From this point I set the Garmin to find San Gimi, but I also followed road signs when Garmin tried to take me up dirt tracks. There are unclassified roads here in Tuscany that would just be tracks at home, but the Garmin seems to think they're ideal for cycling on - I'm sure they are if you're on 32mm tyres and a touring chainset, but on 53-39 and 23mm tyres they're a no-no.
In the end the main road was fab - perfect road surface, about five miles of steady climbing and stupendous views. Near the top I was passed by three lads with San Gimignano tops on, so I hitched a ride to the roundabout just below the village. I didn't see a convenient caff, so I turned for home straight away after a couple of pictures.
The descent down to Ulignano was stunning, and necessitated several photo stops looking back up to San Gimi.
Back down in the valley they're building a new trunk road from Empoli down to Siena, so the road looks nothing like the map, with new roundabouts and bridges, but eventually I was on the right road. A stiff climb (particularly on 39-26) up to the little village of Vito, then an undulating ride to Barnerino and I was back on home territory.
A final bump down the track to home saw 32 miles on the clock and about 3,100' of climbing - but apart from the track up from home and the graunch into Vito it was nearly all in a continental style, so generally easy angled and great road surfaces. Cracking holiday cycling.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Tuscany ride number 1
Arrived in Tuscany after the smoothest journey imaginable on Tuesday. The place we're staying is fab - quiet, scenic and lots of room. And wifi! With three ipod touches, two keen facebookers and me in the family it's becoming the next "must have", along with dishwasher, pool, and convenient bike hire.
Speaking of which, a nice man called Paulo turned up yesterday with a carbon Trek US Postal bicycle yesterday - full Ultegra groupset, Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels - perfect, apart from the full size chainset...
Now our rural idyll is down a km of track - alternates dirt and tarmac, with some steep bits - so the first section of today's ride was death on a stick. With 28 degree temperatures and baking sun, anything steep was going to be hard work.
Fortunately after the gnarly introduction I had about 10km of downhill. I had planned a route to San Gimignano, going via Certaldo, but unfortunately I've not got the hang of getting a route into my Edge 800 without it changing the route to one it prefers - so on the outskirts of Certaldo it ordered me to turn left up an unsurfaced road. Bog off, thought I, and carried on, reckoning I knew where to go. In Certaldo the Edge got very confused, so I decided to follow my nose and see where that got me.
Nowhere, was the answer... After setting the GPS to take me to San G, after another 5k or so I realised that instead of my planned 30 miler it was going to be nearer 40, so another change of plan saw me heading back towards Barberino val di Elsa, which I knew was on the way home.
Despite the navigational challenges, the scenery was classic Tuscany, with rolling roads, olive groves and vineyards everywhere. The climbs, whilst tough in parts didn't feel that long, although having checked afterwards I was going generally uphill for about 10 miles coming back.
A flick through the local "big city" of Tavarnelle and I was soon heading back down the rough road to our house, with 20 miles on the clock and a far better idea of where to go next time!
San Gimignano or bust, I reckon...
Speaking of which, a nice man called Paulo turned up yesterday with a carbon Trek US Postal bicycle yesterday - full Ultegra groupset, Fulcrum Racing 5 wheels - perfect, apart from the full size chainset...
Now our rural idyll is down a km of track - alternates dirt and tarmac, with some steep bits - so the first section of today's ride was death on a stick. With 28 degree temperatures and baking sun, anything steep was going to be hard work.
Fortunately after the gnarly introduction I had about 10km of downhill. I had planned a route to San Gimignano, going via Certaldo, but unfortunately I've not got the hang of getting a route into my Edge 800 without it changing the route to one it prefers - so on the outskirts of Certaldo it ordered me to turn left up an unsurfaced road. Bog off, thought I, and carried on, reckoning I knew where to go. In Certaldo the Edge got very confused, so I decided to follow my nose and see where that got me.
Nowhere, was the answer... After setting the GPS to take me to San G, after another 5k or so I realised that instead of my planned 30 miler it was going to be nearer 40, so another change of plan saw me heading back towards Barberino val di Elsa, which I knew was on the way home.
Despite the navigational challenges, the scenery was classic Tuscany, with rolling roads, olive groves and vineyards everywhere. The climbs, whilst tough in parts didn't feel that long, although having checked afterwards I was going generally uphill for about 10 miles coming back.
A flick through the local "big city" of Tavarnelle and I was soon heading back down the rough road to our house, with 20 miles on the clock and a far better idea of where to go next time!
San Gimignano or bust, I reckon...
Monday, 8 August 2011
Pre-holiday week - but at least there's some running!
Bike to work: fail
Bike with the club: fail
Four runs during the week: fail
Never mind - this last week was the last one before holidays, so there was lots to do at work. Managed a 4 miler up to Halton East, with the legs at least feeling human, then a nearly-6 miler up in Gossie midweek. Then I did nothing til saturday when young Lils decided she wanted to resurrect her Parkrun career, so despite an afternoon in the Scarboro Taps on Friday we were off to Bradford at 8:15 Saturday.
Lily worked dead hard, and was rewarded with a new PB of 26:00, so I reckon before long she'll be averaging 8 min miles if she puts some training in.
Off to Tuscany tomorrow morning, with a bike organised and four 30-40 mile routes in the Garmin. If I can manage those plus a couple of runs that'll be probably the most exercise I've done in weeks!
Ciao!
Bike with the club: fail
Four runs during the week: fail
Never mind - this last week was the last one before holidays, so there was lots to do at work. Managed a 4 miler up to Halton East, with the legs at least feeling human, then a nearly-6 miler up in Gossie midweek. Then I did nothing til saturday when young Lils decided she wanted to resurrect her Parkrun career, so despite an afternoon in the Scarboro Taps on Friday we were off to Bradford at 8:15 Saturday.
Lily worked dead hard, and was rewarded with a new PB of 26:00, so I reckon before long she'll be averaging 8 min miles if she puts some training in.
Off to Tuscany tomorrow morning, with a bike organised and four 30-40 mile routes in the Garmin. If I can manage those plus a couple of runs that'll be probably the most exercise I've done in weeks!
Ciao!
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