6 Days Later

I have been off the bike a day or so

19:00 is the plan to get out on the bike, for 30 miles or something, probably going to do the ride I didn’t complete the other day. To be fair, I went back to alcohol to sleep and ended up looking and feeling a lot better because I got sleep, but these aren’t great things.

I think just getting out on the bike and completing a couple of hours will be good, need a drink when I get back though probably to sleep, or I will just play the repetitive song “I know a song that will get on your nerves!"

I am probably needing some food, think I will get fish and chips in a moment, its a bit much before a ride but cannot be bothered to cook, very tired still. The bags under my eyes have gone, but tired feeling are still there along with a headache.

I have not completed that many miles this week and it annoys me, not feeling positive about things and need to keep going, I think I am not eating enough and getting bored in my spare time, it is distracting.

The Flat Tyre

Recovery and Maintenance

I have a parcel coming today, it comes with all sort of new kit and repair things which will enable me to complete a ride today. I am excited about it, comes with new shorts, gloves, tyre and all sorts of repair things for my tyres.

I am not fitting the new back tyre today, I am taking the old one out as it has only done 120 miles before this puncture happened, not too worried about it failing, I have some extra repair kit type things that will get me home or allow me to continue the ride, plus I want to test this repair stuff I have already put in the back tyre, it seems to have stayed up, all good things come to an end though. It should not stop me from completing the ride and is all a good learning curve, it will save me loads of repair times in the future if I get it right.

A tyre normally lasts about 6000 miles and to say this thing has only lasted 120 is a bit bad to be fair, going to try and squeeze as much out of it as possible whilst learning about the products to use for punctures, I have been lucky in the past and have not really suffered these types of setbacks.

So the plan today is to go out and cover about 3hrs worth of riding, I really wanted to crack 50-75 miles but thinks it is best just to aim for the 40-50 in 3hrs, should be do-able, got Saturday and Sunday planned as well, need to stick in a good zone though. I am thinking zone 4, bring those heart rates down and push the speed up, I know I need good recovery from these things though.

It's all a learning/reminder of how to get the most out of myself, things are fine, need to check my zones on Garmin Connect to find optimum heart rate for zone 4, it's going to be epic.

Today is Not Yesterday

Blinded by The Lights

Yesterday was awful, today could be much better, still a risk though, could get stranded, prepared to wreck a back tyre over it.

I have a 35 mile journey planned today, just cooking myself some fuel for the ride, good old steak and chips. Going out to Newark, big loop, its the biggest ride I have done for a while, really happy. I have a couple of things lined up in case it all goes wrong.

I ride Tubulars at the moment and can't get a new back tyre on Thursday/Friday time, these are expensive tyres, about as much as your average car tyre. They are on offer at the moment for £25, but ordering day is Thursday, along with a load of other kit.

Cannot wait to crack on with this ride and get it out of the way. I had a problem at 1:30am and had to cut my ride short and pedal home. The tyre fixed on the way home(due to the liquid in the tyre), I have pumped the tyre up and it has stayed good all night.

I am going to miss traffic hours on the way out I think, not too much of a problem there aren't many miles of them on the way out, on the way back it should be about 7pm.

Check This Out For Bad Luck

 Back Tyre

Had things planned and it all failed on me, this is bad, still got 4-5 miles in, got a plan for tomorrow and need to get gas cannisters.

These things are not great to be battling with at the moment but experience says I might be able to accomplish this weeks training if the back tyre hold up over night like planned. Desperate to get this side of the training done.

Anyway, shower and possibly sleep time. What a waste of time today was, nice to get out and spin the legs.

The Plan Today

Fitness and Confidence

Whilst I am not going into this for competitive behaviour, I am doing it for fitness. 

Just got back from an epically disappointing ride and things just aren’t good, got a puncture and unfortunately had to ride back home. I had planned to be out for 2hrs and tomorrow is a 40 mile ride, hope the tyre holds till I can fix it, it is tubular, not easy to sort actually, got to take it off, strip it down and use it as a spare after buying a new one, know it was going to happen at some point but Tufo S3 are awesome for not getting these problems.

Really unlucky I am now sitting at home, having completed only 2 miles today, not happy wanted to be sitting at home today anyway (tired needed to sleep) 6hrs only having done 25 yesterday, dragged my back side out having not slept when I needed to, I have eaten well though.

Still up for a 40 mile ride tomorrow, I am fuming, do not know how I am going to do, never mind hey, things happen, it's unlikely to slow me down too much with progress, just a little ticked off that I am not out enjoying the rain at 19:30 till 21:30.

The Second Ride

 Amazing

I have done a second ride today. This is amazing I haven't ridden in years properly, I feel much better and I could not be happier.

17.5 miles at a slow speed but things are going to get better within the next 2-3 weeks love it, cannot wait. Do not know whether I am training tomorrow or not, this I will have to play by ear.

I reckon I will be doing some awesome things in a couple of weeks, this is going to be good, good for me and everything I am working for.

Return Back To Cycling

Boredom and Unfortunate Journeys

I have had some downfalls lately, that in this blog I do not want to talk about, it is in some other blogs, but in my recovery period, I am using the bike as a from of fitness.

I have done a fitness ride today to gauge where I am at with it, it was only about 30 minutes and things are getting to be much better actually than I originally thought they would be. Need to do a second ride to improve for the day, also need to remember my heart rate monitor and try and make the ride last for 1 hr.

This time is 15:46, so I do not have much time to rest before it gets dark. I may write something after the ride, things used to be this way.