Monday: Work. Left at five for Barbara,s 6 o’clock spinning class and ended up being late for it as Runcorn bridge had traffic queueing. Ended up 10 minutes late so only burnt 470 calories with a max of 173 bpm so I did put something into it. The woman next to me was giving 110% as she had to have a break on some parts and yes she was putting the effort in. As I still had a bit left in me it was up to the gym for a set of weights.
This wasn’t enough and I didn’t feel like doing two sets so I waited for a treadmill to become available and then ran the proverbial mile (1.6Km) initially at 9.2 km/hr but I felt I was getting no where so upped it to 10.2 km/hr and took just over 10 minutes for it.
I’ve bought a new toy off Ebay, a classic. A Colnago Carbitubo to replace the broken one that I haven’t got around to sorting. I’m going to upset a whole new bunch of people by putting Shimano on it. It’s going to be a sunny day or event bike.
Flame away when I kit it out in Sora.
It’ll get a post of it’s own once it arrives. Google Analytics shows me people search for the bike and end up here.
Tuesday: Work. No classes tonight but the mile I ran did wake me up to the fact that it’s the quickest way to do cardio workouts, that or go out with the Northend.
City Select (upgrade) arrived, pity it requires a full version to upgrade. No exercise.
Wednesday: Ride day. Could be another trip out with the Northend.
Rode out to the Eureka for Frank,s breakfast and went out with the NorthEnd to Cefn-Y-Bedd. We ended up at the Cabin Cafe and I struggle to get something to eat at this place. I ended up having beans on toast. It’s the sort of place the overweight go knowing they can get what put them there in the first place. Full English breakfasts and the like abound. The trip out was along the Dee with the wind behind us, an easy 20 mph on a smooth cyclepath. I’ll post a link to a Google Earth map of the ride. Trip was 58.5 miles for me. A couple of pictures around Kinnerton. Not a bad day. Rode back via Denhall Lane and Parkgate and it was still light.
Got back just in time before the rain came. Booked a spinning class at West Kirby.
The squash court was locked so I chated to two of the women waiting for one it was her second class and she had lost her voice too. Next minute Margaret turns up to take the class. Now most of the class are in shock as they are not expecting Margaret to turn up.
I, along with a few others had the pleasure of Margarets class the other week. It is totally different and I told the girl next to me about it. She can give me a run for my money on Barbara,s classes. I mentioned that Margaret does a really good stretching routine. It is twice as long as any other and about five times longer than Barbara,s. There is a stretch she taught us on the first class that most won’t see the difference in, but it these small things that when you are shown the proper way really can make a difference even when you do them in another class.
The rest of the class is in shock for most of it, totally silent when asked what they wanted to do. The thing is they don’t know what is coming next and it can be a bit concerting.
Margarets class does a session of intervals that is not in many of the other classes and they ramp up. If you haven’t done then in a class before it can totally throw you.
This is a good thing for the likes of me and for the rest of the class as you have to pay attention.
Now to the data, it may sound like an easy class but it wasn’t. I did 600 calories in this class which is comparable to taking it easy on Barbara,s class. In this class I was conscious of being at a high sustained level but not being at a balls out level. Once I know the routine there are times that I can get ahead of it. That’s why classes like these are so refreshing. Good stretching routine after the class, shower, home.
Thursday: Work, rostered day, I’d rather be out on my bike in the high wind and rain than do this. Only light at the end of the tunnel is the possibility of a class after it.
Booked in at West Kirby as Europa Pools classes were full. Barbara had moved house hence Margaret taking Wednesdays class. Turned out to be a good class, Barbara was on the bike and I ended up burning 630 calories but did spend 15 minutes warming up. 630 calories was exactly what was in the Tesco,s Finest pizza that I had for dinner. Pity they put the price back up to £2.99 I quite liked them at two for £5, every penny helps as they say.
Friday: Nothing planned spinning class and the gym are the best bet. Hopefully the new bike will turn up. A mans got to have a dream.
Dream got a bit tarnished by DHL who didn’t deliver and returned it back to the seller.
Spinning class at Europa Pools. Logged on the Garmin Forerunner 50 once I got the right strap paired with it. New music for tonights class and there is no second guessing Sheila. First off everyones position on the bike was checked so you don’t end up riding in the wrong position. Structure was a bit different and there was a fair bit of sprinting out of the saddle. At the end there was five minutes on the mat doing abbs. Like I have said previously once you have been shown how to do them once they are very effective. This is the first time for the guy opposite who is a fairly regular spinner and he feels it just like I did the first time. Shower, home.
Saturday: Ride day. Rode out to the Eureka for their Saturday ride. Turned out to be a good day. The rain held off and I was blown down the Chester High Road for my breakfast. It starts filling up with Northenders and come ride time I opt to go with Tempo,s group to what turned out to be the Plogh Inn at Waverton.
The motoring public doesn’t have a very good opinion of the NorthEnd riding in pairs as throughout the ride we get horns sounded at us.
The first one was a couple of hundred yards from the Eureka another on the A5117 and yet another going towards Backford. That’s the problem with riding on A roads you attract all the wrong sort of attention. I know why it’s done, 20mph in formation gets you further than 15 mph without.
Once past Hoole we are off the main roads and back on the lanes. What looked to be a trip to the Ice Cream Farm wasn’t as we sailed past the end of the lane. The ride skirted Tattenhall and then headed towards Burwardsley which I haven’t been through before. Here I take a turn on the front with Tempo and this lasts until it gets hilly. A left turn is called out and the chap on the Pinarello says it isn’t for him and we had lost two more on the climb.
We head down this lane that then becomes a track but the best part is to come. There is a descent down a bumpy sandstone trail that reminds me that I need to change the brake pads on the rear of the Iceni. It’s also covered with fallen leaves.
We end up with two fallers on this stretch and I end up scooting down with one foot.
At the bottom we had hoped to meet the other two riders as we were under the impression they were ahead of us.
Next up was a call in at the Ice Cream Farm to see if they were there but no such luck. It was only then I found out the destination was The Plough at Waverton.
Another 2 riders thought it wasn’t for them.
The Plough is in Christmas Dinner mode and there are no bar meals. Mind you the last piece of cake I had here cost me £4.50 it was a work of art but still a piece of cake.
A couple of pints later we emerge we me aquiring the nickname of BlackAdder. Probably because I’ve been in Aldi Winter Cycling kit or 2007 Discovery Channel kit.
This is even before I’ve joined the club.
Dave and Peter turn up to a round of applause for the final round. The return to the Eureka is a round of sprints for roadsigns for the points jersey contenders followed by a water bottle fight that nearly caused a crash for those in the bunch. Back at the Eureka it appears to be breakfasts all round for the Northend.
Then Anne tells us of what sentence Mel Vasey,s killer got. Lost his license for 6 months, a retest and a £400 fine. This is on the day that speeders are going to get a 6 month ban for two speeding offences. Cyclists lives are equal to 2 speeding offences. There is much discussion at the Eureka when we hear how lenient the sentence is.
Ride home via Puddington, Denhall Lane and Parkgate. 60 miles
Link to Map of Ride
Sunday: Work, no rides today. It’s been a good week. 4558 miles or so according to the TrainingCentre, 189,847 ft of climbing the figures are mind blowing. this is a guy that didn’t do hills of anysort if he could help it.