On reflection

I'm not giving up, in fact the only thing I'm giving up is drinking, at least until the works xmas do on Dec 17th....

Last night of alcohol tonight, tomorrow night is into the cellar and onto the turbo trainer as it looks like it will be icey as hell tomorrow, so same strategy as last year, not going out on a bike in ice and snow, todays fall onto my hip was a painful reminder.

2011 has got to be a better year than 2010, its not all in my control, but the little that is needs to be under control, health, fitness and attitude.

Giving up

its been a while

my back is no better

my legs can do the riding thing

my back hurts after a few hours or if I have to push hard on the pedals

and now I have a cold/flu....

apart from commuting bike riding is done for this year

quite fed up really

K100 was fantasticical

I didn't ride the race but still had an ace and very tiring time...

back up two weeks

I rode a couple of longish rides, culminating with an attempt on Salter Fell, sounds more glamourous than it is, I wanted to ride from the caravan in Pilling off road to Lancaster, then up the bike path to Caton and then uphill to Salter Fell, its a ride I've been map staring at for a number of years now but never got around to it. Well this time I had a reason to try it, a final try out for my back in anticipation of K100.

Set off in sunshine along the road until I could access the Lancashire coastal path, then along this quite cheeky trail to Glasson dock, its a real shame that this isn't open to bikes, its interesting that this should be restricted to walkers as it would/is perfect for cycling along, and no detriment to anyone. Anyway, all going smoothly, no back issues so far, got up through Lancaster and then to Caton and popped off the bike trail and up.

Ands this is where it started, pushing on the pedals hurt like hell, even spinning a low gear was difficult, after 4 miles or so I stopped and tried to gert off my bike, my back spasmed and I almost fell off !, stretching helped but this was a clear message. I made a few calls, left messages, decision made, I'd be going but not riding.



Looking down to the sea I could see how much I'd climbed, a mere fraction of what K100 had in store, I was relieved with my decision to be honest.

So, the weekend arrives, Friday night was spent helping to register the riders, standing in the same spot for some 6 hours was not the brightest idea in hindsight, but two pints later and I'm fast asleep, up again at 5 and this time ready with camera in hand helping out Joolze cover the event, 100 miles ia lot of ground for just two photogs and an extra pair of hands is useful, see here for results, some of them are actually in focus !



Race finished, my job done, just watching the state of the late finishers (of which I would have been one of) again confirmed my decision, I don't think I can face another DNF again.

Sunday and again up early to take Biff to Ullswater for his triatholon attempt (this after having completed K100), he set off on he swim and I felt quite humbled, hats off cock :-).

With time to kill I decided to go and ride a trail that I last rode over 15 years ago, across from Patterdale and up the bridleway with the lake to my left, it was wonderful old school mountainbiking, lots of pushing, a few dodgy moments where I scared myself and had to remember I was on my own here, no one else about at this early hour. The pushing took it out of my back and decided to cut the ride short at Howtown and then remembered that the steam ferry stops here.



£7.20 got me and my bike a ride on the boat back to Patterdale, here I bumped into Dean and handed responsibilty for Biff over, my weekend done, home for 4 and an early bed.

Cross... bikes

Last week was a good week, 210 miles on the cross bike, mix of on road and off road, however the longest ride was only 65 miles, I needed a century and today was going to be that day.

Epic fail, 74 miles only, my legs were fine but my back was hurting like hell after only 35 miles, bearing in mind that it had been relatively flat, only 3 hills of any consequence, I got to the cafe, coffee and a ham sandwich, a gel and off again, the Delamere perimeter trail is always good, on a cross bike with poor brakes it was even better.




Heading back home and constantly having to stand and stretch now, decided to stop at another cafe, pot of tea and the best flapjack ever meant my legs were still strong despite the ever present headwind. I got to within 5 miles of home and was confident of the 100 ( I'd planned to head up the trans penine trail to Reddish to complete the ton) as far as my legs were concerned but my back was hurting a lot now so decided to bin it and get home and take a hot bath.

Pretty fed up really, I've done some work, well enough to get me round the K100 this year, I've taken care not to injure myself, but my body is telling me something that I don't want to hear, luckily one of the failings of my body is an ever creeping deafness so I'm not listening.

One more big ride and I'll be as ready as I ever will, K100 I'll be there :-)

so, where were we ?

SSUK came and went, it was rather a good weekend, everyone relaxed and enjoying the Welsh countryside, someone won, someone threw their dummy, most everyone else enjoyed SSUK for what it is.

Best thing ?, well seeing friends from all over the country, I so nearly bailed due to not feeling at all well on the Friday, so glad I went, and disproved the myth in the Outcast :-)

What else ?, well Biff has convinced me to do K100, I've been plagued by self doubt due to physical issues and was on the verge of calling it, but he obviously saw through that and we shall at least start together and aim to finish together.

With K100 in mind I've set too this week to try and prove my back, a 30 miler on Monday and all well, a few twinges and stiffness in the morning so rested Tuesday, Wednesday and set out to do a metric century, half on and half off road, mission accomplished with nothing other than usual aches and pains.

I had thoughts of going for a proper century today, just to prove to myself that I can still ride a 100 miles, my legs were heavy from yesterday but essentially fine, my back was stiff again but loosened up with movement, so I set off full of hope, only to be swiftly brought to earth. I'd picked up a saddle boil from yesterday, damn those "one ride left in em" De Marchi bibs. The pad had come unstitched and obvioulsy found a tender spot to rub.

Back home and a very liberal dose of arse lard and I set off to duplicate yesterdays ride, only with more off road content this time, 65 miles later and I'm done, tired, dehydrated (2 bottles is just not enough) but happy, 70% off road, one bacon and egg butty, coffee and a few stops to rearrange things down there, rest day tomorrow, more again at the weekend.



and finally, today was a Cancer sucks sorta day, I wore my best socks

3 road rides

3 reasonable rides done, each time my back lasted a bit longer, and sat here now after 30 mins of stretching its not hurting at all, fingers crossed !

First ride last Sunday and we headed straight up Cragg Vale, the longest continuos ascent in England, and apart from some heavy breathing my lags felt fine all the way up, however once at the top I hit a pot hole unsighted, hard enough to buckle the back wheel and jarr my back, that was effectively my ride over, just 20 miles but some reasonable climbs, happy.

Tuesday and straight out after work, despite the rain, heading into the back lanes, sprinting up my old hillrep hill and all okay, 30 mins later and some pangs from my back so common sense kicked in and turned back, 30 miles.

Thursday and again straight out after work, I'd spent all day reading various cycling mags (as my laptop was being swapped for a newer version so I had nowt to do all day) and was up for it, first 15 miles was into the wind and I was keeping an average of 18mph and thinking that this could be a 20mph 30 miler, however, once again after an hour my back was starting so I headed back soft pedalling, still ended up with an average of just over 18. happy again.

So, there's still some zip in my legs, my back is getting slowly better, all knee pain had gone (although worryingly my right hip is aching a bit even in this warmth) and next weekend I'll be at SSUK to test my body, the SS IF has been retrieved from the cellar and fettled, hopefully get out for a few hours tonight, and then Delamere tomorrow for a blast through the trees.

3 weeks till Keilder 100, camp site booked, still undecided on bike, obviously gears, 3 weeks for my back to repair....

nowt to say

knee

back

patience

all just about worn out