Brrrrrr-illiant!

This week has been pretty miserable - weatherwise - and despite my new winter wardrobe there have been days that it has been just too cold to ride. Yes, I know that it's colder back home in Mcr, but even by Cornish standards its blinkin' freezin'. Just can't imagine what it would have been without my new winter wardrobe. Brrrr! 

On Wednesday it was so awful that we had to cut a ride short as the torrential sleet and hail was just too painful so I had to complete the ride indoors on Ted in the dining room. (Hehehe! He is now fixed to the trainer and will remain there during the winter months. Which is really just an excuse to keep him indoors and stop him from getting damp and rusty in the garage - shhhh... don't tell Mikey!)

My paste-y white knees and Ted staying warm & dry.

Anyway, despite the miserable weather I've somehow managed to ride just over 40miles this week. Which I'm pretty chuffed about as it has taken me over my 2000th mile this year. I'm so chuffed! This time last year I could only dream that I would have achieved so much in this time.

Not content with hitting 2000miles I have now set myself a challenge to make it to 2200miles before the years out - which would be a whole 1000miles over my original target.

(Keep your fingers crossed for me as last time I set myself an extra little challenge like this I was close to failing and it took its toll on my motivation.   I'll just have to keep reminding myself of how great it will feel to achieve it!  And please...  if I start to flag, just remind me that the VeloCake cyclogs team needs me. ROFL!)

Bicycling Birthday Bonanza

After a sleepless night due to noisy neighbours, I was not really in the mood to celebrate my birthday today, but after a cuppa and a bowl of Cheerios I started to feel human again and things began to look brighter as I started to open my pressies.

Mikey has extremely spoilt me this year and presented me with an array of amazing gifts, including a super pair of winter cycling boots which I have been desperate for since the summer turned to autumn/winter.  In his generosity he bought me some Shimano GoreTex boots.  I've been after winter shoes for a while now, but there doesn't seem to be much of a market for them in Cornwall... there's some school of thought here that overshoes are much better.  Anyway, after wearing the new boots on a cycling jaunt for cake at the beach this afternoon I definitely disagree.  They are the future for Cornish riders. I was warm and toasty despite the cold sea breeze.

Not content with spoiling me once I was amazed to also receive a set of much needed bicycle lights.  Not just any old lights though, he treated me to a set of rechargeable Exposure Flash and Flare lights.  So, after an early(ish) evening meal at our fave local Indian we decided to wrap up in our thermals and take our 2nd ride for the day to take the new lights for a test ride. It was the perfect ending to a super day.  Despite the cold temp it was still and the moon was bright. Living in such a rural area there are few streetlights so it gave them a good road-test.  They may look small but looks are deceptive.... they give out a huge amount of light and made me highly visible from a long distance. I'd highly recommend them.

Other fantastic pressies included a new waterproof jacket from my Mum and some super toasty Merino arm warmers from my Auntie and also some other merino goodies and tonnes of chocolate.

I can't believe how lucky and spoilt I have been and what an ace birthday I've had. Everything has been perfect, possibly the best birthday EVER. (Apart from one awful moment when a small bird flew straight into my head as I raced down a narrow hill, managing to get itself stuck momentarily in my helmet. Thankfully it didn't come to any harm, I think we were both a little shell shocked)

Another unispired week

Yet again I have lacked the motivation to get out on my bike much in the last few weeks.

I am hoping that I will get out of this slump soon... i'm just so uninspired by the miserable weather.

Cornwall is pretty wet at the moment.

Unfortunately, my cycling wardrobe is still quite limited. Some of the winter clothes that I had last year (ie, 3/4 shorts and full length tights) are too big now, so are pretty uncomfortable. (Hehehe, not that I am complaining abut loosing weight!) Also my shoes are summer shoes so within moments my feet are like very soggy icicles. I just hope that the birthday and Christmas fairy will hear my plea... and whilst they're at it, I need a new waterproof jacket too. ;-)

The darker evenings are also taking their toll on my mileage as I do not have any adequate lights so I can no longer ride into Penzance to meet Mikey from work - without which I loose 20miles from my goal.


If all that wasn't enough to zap my motivation, the lack of a cycling buddy is really getting me down. With the darker evenings (& lack of lights) meaning I can't ride with Mikey and the cross season in full swing which encroaches on the only day off we share, I am forced to make any ride I do alone. :-( I can't even drag my Mum out for a pootle as she is still unwell. Any one got any ideas of how I can find me a biking buddy?


Ah well, hopefully my birthday this weekend will see me in a brighter mood and hopefully make better prepared for the nasty weather/darker evenings and help me get out of this slump. Even better still we have both got the weekend off so we can spend some time on our bikes together.

A very lazy week

For only the second time this year it looks like I've failed my weekly target and unfortunately this time it isn't due to illness but pure unadulterated lazy-itis. 

It's pretty shocking really as it is the first time since my bicycle rediscovery that I've been unable to muster up any motivation. Until now, I have been itching to ride most days and even on those days that I couldn't due to illness or family commitments etc, I soon started climbing the walls in desperation.

Can't really pinpoint what has subdued my enthusiasm, but its probably a culmination of stuff.  Firstly there was Cheshire rides. As my last post said, the 1st one was fun but the 2nd was rubbish and I had to force myself to continue even though I wasn't enjoying it.  It was such a shame really as I had been looking forward to them for so long and then was really disappointed.  Sadly the even rubbisher local ride on our return left me even more empty and uninspired.

So I treated myself to a few days off. I intended to get back on my bike within a few days but it never seemed to happen.  Basically I couldn't be bothered; I was tired and exhausted. Work has been rather stressful recently with the boss cutting my hours down to 3days a week, but leaving me to do the same work load.   (Thankfully at the beginning of the week I was informed that my hours could go back to 5days a week as they realised that I was too valuable! Phewph!)  Then there's the worry about my Mum, she tells me not to as she says she is OK, but its hard not to worry when we still don't know whats causing her to frequently collapse/faint. 

As if all that wasn't enough to unmotivate me, there's also the nasty weather and darker evenings playing their role in stopping me from riding - I can no longer ride into Penzance to meet Michael from work as I don't have any adequate lights yet.

As a result, I have done very little mileage this week, apart from when I forced myself to put Ted onto the Turbo and did 13 miles. We also planned to do a nice little off-road ride today, but now I'm unsure if that is going to happen as Mikey appears to have been kidnapped by one of the locals and is currently off building his new bike.

Watch this space to see if I failed to do my meager 25mile weekly target....