I like hills.... who knew?

Yesterday we went on a little adventure.  Since my Rediscovery and as I live in Cornwall people have often asked me if I have done the Camel Trail.  I hadn't as it always seemed a tad far away (a 90 mile round trip).   Anyway as we have had a few days holiday this week we decided we would finally give it a go.

For those that don't know it, it's a traffic free trail that follows an old disused railway along an estuary.  It covers about 18 miles each way, taking you through the the pretty towns of Padstow and Wadebridge.  The plan was to complete it all.  I know it was ambitious as it would be just shy of 40miles - something I have never done, but what could go wrong? It was virtually flat all the way.

So we packed up the car.  As we knew the trail was likely to be gravelly we decided that the road bikes wouldn't be the best choice but MTB's would be over-kill so out came trusty Ted. I was excited to be riding him as it has been a while since he has taken me on any adventures.

Sadly the weather wasn't the best.  There was a dense fog from the onset of our car journey - getting denser as we got nearer.  At some points we could barely see the car in front.  I had my fingers crossed that it would clear up the nearer we got - I wasn't convinced though considering we were heading towards the Moors of Bodmin.  

We parked in Bodmin and set off.  The fog had half lifted.  We could see where we were going but could see very little of the landscape/scenery.

For the first few miles I could think of nothing other than finding somewhere to pee.  I was busting after the long drive, but the Trail was pretty populated with many a cyclist and dog walker.  About a mile in - we found a cafe. No! It looked very shut!  Thankfully the very nice owner saw us lurking and asked if we needed assistance.  I explained and she kindly let us use the cafe facilities.  Phew. Now I could enjoy the rest of the ride.

On returning back to the trails, we met with a lady on a touring bike.  Despite our cheery hellos she just muttered before accelerating off. Pah! How rude. We stuck 10-30 metres behind her for the next few miles. She kept accelerating off and then looking back in the hope that she dropped us.  After about 5 miles I was starting to tire of following her.  It was boring and I was missing out on the scenery being so determined not to let her go.

Once in Wadebridge there was a little bit of road to negotiate but I was pleased to see that it seemed to be a very cycle orientated place with clear bike lanes and lots of bikes around.

The next section was quite pretty and included going through a slate quarry and then over a industrial looking girder bridge.  I just wish we could have had clearer skies to appreciate all the varying  scenes more.

Padstow was even more bike orientated with hundreds of bicycle racks and even a secure bike park to leave your bikes at the end of the trail. However, not ones for walking we continued by bike into the town centre.  I wish we had left them somewhere, it was hell negotiating all the one-way streets and avoiding oblivious slow moving pedestrians.  My average speed dropped over 2mph from our short time in the centre. It was hell.  I dread to think how awful it is on sunnier days!

Although we didn't go to Rick Stiens cafe as he fries his fish in beef dripping (Yuk!) we did find another chippy and have the obligatory Fish and Chips whilst sat on the sea front.

Then we set off back home.  Ooops.  Now we seemed to have a bitterly cold headwind.  It wasn't a strong wind but there was just no shelter/respite.  I then also started to notice my legs were hurting.  Ouch... as was my saddle.  I then realised that as we had been riding on the flat we had been pedaling constantly. There was no opportunity to free-wheel as there were no down hills and there was no need to climb anywhere and get out of the saddle. Ooooww!  The wind and the discomfort started to get to me - I was struggling now. Grrr! I was no longer enjoying this.  I was just glad that we were parked where we were - we hadn't parked at the very end of the trail so we didn't actually have all of the trail to do.  The plan had been to do it all, but there was no way I could.

With two miles left before getting to the car I was at breaking point.  My thigh muscles felt like they were shearing away from my legs.  My intimate area was excruciating.  With only a mile left to get to the car I was almost crying.

We got back to the car. I wasn't prepared to carry on any further. Sod the rest of the ride - with only 24.5 miles on the clock I felt more spent than I ever had before!

I know I always moan and grumble about the hills around here but now I have experienced the pain of constant pedaling on the flat I have a new found appreciation of hills for the getting out of the saddle more and the joy of free-wheeling.

Who knew how much I would learn to love hills. ;-)

Abstinence .... 2012

Yay! Just like last year I have successfully managed another month without ANY chocolate!

This year I decided I would go one better and cut out other sweet treats, cake and biscuits etc, but sadly this lasted only a few days.  So then I told myself I could just have treats at weekend..... still no chocolate of any shape or form but just a little treat or two, plain cakes or biscuits.  Again this didn't work! Work was just too stressful and my will power was non-existent!  Flapjacks and biscuits were consumed more than I would have liked.  There was plenty of times I nearly caved but instead I substituted my sweet cravings for anything other than chocolate.

Despite proving to myself that this chocoholic doesn't need chocolate it was a pretty pointless exercise as I didn't shed any significant weight or lose anything off my hips or waist.  On a positive note it does show how determined/stubborn I can be. =)

February Round-Up

After a couple of really shameful months I have finally managed to achieve a half decent mileage.

With the weather improving in mid Feb and that first [for a while] enjoyable ride on the 19th, things started to improve.  The subsequent ride was again an enjoyable one. The one after that was OK - not great, but not too painful either.  The following one was thankfully another enjoyable one; it was pretty tough with some mighty winds but non-the-less I quite enjoyed it.

Then yesterday I pulled another good ride out of the bag with a pretty decent mileage; taking a jaunt over to the seaside town of Mousehole. The weather was lovely, in fact it was so fine that the 3/4 length tights came out instead of the winter tights.  We sat on the sandy beach in Mousehole in the sunshine, sharing a veg pasty before riding home. It was so warm that shockingly I had to remove some layers on the way back as I started overheating. Yay! Hopefully this means Spring is here and that I can get back out on my bike more.

Anyway, here's the important bit. My monthly total was a respectable 112.5 miles. All of which were done on my winter bike outside - with no turbo sessions needed.

I start March feeling positive again, so watch this space.

A quick update

I've been neglecting this blog somewhat, as I have been too ashamed.  I was too mortified at my lame totals to doing a monthly roundup as January was a really measly month.  I let the weather get to me.  I let my sore knees and general unfitness kill my motivation.  And finally I let the huge amount of weight I have put get me down as it made riding that much more harder.

So after an abysmal January,  I decided to do something about it.  I needed to do something and the weather, or should I say the vile winds just weren't letting up, so something else had to give.  Due to a few weeks of DIY in the dining room, there was nowhere to set up the trainer, so that was out of the question.  The only thing I could control and do something about was my diet.

So, just like last year, I decided to set myself another "No Chocolate for a Month" challenge.  Things started well and I was adamant I would refrain from any other sweet treats too - just on weekdays (weekends I would allow myself a sweet-non-chocolaty-treat).  However a horrific few weeks at work put a spanner in the works and I found myself eating rubbish again. No chocolate, but lots of plain biscuits and even some cakey treats.  Like last year, I'm just substituting the chocolate for something equally as bad for me.

So yet again, things haven't changed much. For the most part of this month I have done 2 small rides a week.  However they have all been quite painful and the wind has made things hellishly hard work. I haven't enjoyed them at all - I have just forced myself out, knowing that getting myself back to fitness will be hard work; but even harder if I don't do something about it soon.

Thankfully today bought the first enjoyable ride for a long time.  My knees were in excruciating pain and the wind was brutal but I actually enjoyed it.  I pushed myself just that little bit further - managing to a respectable 17.5 miles.  I also managed to ride that little bit harder - on the last few laps, knowing I was nearly done, I kept giving myself a little push.  Without warning Mikey I just suddenly jumped hard on the pedals and sprinted off.  I know I should have told him, as racing someone who doesn't know they are being raced is a pathetic, but it gave me more of a incentive if I thought I was winning.  Most of the times he could, obviously, catch me easily but after the third or fourth explosion I think he gave up chasing me as when I turned he was at least 30metres back. He said he wasn't trying.... LOL.... I think I was just too quick.

Slowly slowly

Well, so far this year I have managed the grand total of three rides. The first was with Mikey and it was really grim weather and pretty uneventful.  Just over 10 miles were done before I called it a day.

The next ride was a lone pootle last Saturday.  I was really determined to get my weekly target last week so I set off on a little adventure. It was mild out but the wind was strong and even on the downhills I could barely manage much more than 10mph due to horrendous headwinds.  I took it really easy, knowing that I wanted to ride the following day with Mikey.  Another 10 miles completed with a shockingly low average speed of 10mph - 2mph under what I was doing a few months back - Ah well, its not like I'd tried too hard. Phewph!

The following day I was mortified to discover my legs were actually empty!  Despite taking it easy the day before, every pedal stroke was taking a huge effort today.  Grrr... how quickly I have become unfit again?  I had hoped to do a 15+ mile ride today but my broken legs and the nasty weather had other ideas.  No matter which was we turned we were hitting the wind at full force. It was awful, it must have been over 30mph. I kept trying to tuck in behind Mikey but it was impossible to stay there safely as he was sucking me along much faster than he was going.  On top of that on each hill we had to climb I was noticeably slower than usual. I just hope it was more due to the violent headwinds, more than my unfitness! Only 10 miles added to my total, meaning I was still short on my weekly total, but at least I was heading in the right direction.

I had planned to ride again sometime this week, but I just haven't found the motivation to do so which means yet again I will fall short on my target.  I am feeling really disheartened by my shock discovery of being back to square one.  I just hope that the weather starts to dramatically improve (or at least that the winds drop considerably) so I can get back on track before I find myself back where I was 2 years ago - overweight and very unfit!

Eeek! I am really hoping that it wont take too long to get me back to my previous fitness levels and beyond, I just need to find some motivation somewhere. Anyone got any to spare?

Happy New Year

Hi all.  Just wanted to wish everyone a happy New Year and all the best for 2012.

I guess it's also that time to do a monthly roundup, but I'm too scared - I've done practically nothing this month; life and ill health have just got in the way.

Eek! Do I have to? *sighs and wanders of to look at ride log*

Oh no, I knew it was bad.... but its worse than I expected.... Decembers grand total comes... drumroll please....

51.5miles. *Hangs head in shame*

Looking on the bright side things can only get better right? This damn infection that started at the beginning of the month surely will go soon.  Not content with making me have a week off the bike when I had the initial full blown cold, it then manifested itself into a nasty sore throat and cough, which has made breathing difficult to say the least. For the first time in a long time I am finding myself breathless at the top of the stairs. :-(

Anyway, today is the start of a New Year. If this year had been more successful I would have increased my target again but as things stand (and still not up to full health) I will make the sensible choice of leaving things as they are.

One thing all this ill health does show is just how much the cycling was keeping my asthma at bay. No sooner as I slowed down my body started to struggle with its fight against all those pesky germs I meet on a daily basis.

Ah well, with the New Year comes new hope (and at least I managed a more than I did last year - just) ;-)

Briefly back on the bike for Christmas

Hi all.  Thank you for your continued support and encouragement.  I hope that you all had a super Christmas.

Amazingly, despite not getting one bike related pressie (for the first time since my "Rediscovery") and regardless of the bitterly cold winds I actually managed to get my backside back onto the saddle for our annual Christmas day ride. We didn't get too far and sadly didn't make it down to the beach as we usually do, but we did manage a leisurely 6.5 miles. It was hard (due to the cold air in my lungs) but I was still smiling at the end and definitely ready for my Christmas dinner.

It was too cold for me to take my hands out of my gloves for a pic, but here is a Christmassy bike related pic.

Hope that you are all having a wonderful festive season and that you got everything you wanted.