its been along time

I don't think im cut out to be a blogger as I keep forgetting to update. Samuel Pepys I am not! Well what have I been upto. All was going well in October and upto December when after my 60th birthday I was struck down in the lurgy again. It wasnt COVID but it wasnt great, sore throat, cold, cough etc. Nearly 3 weeks of no training went by and I still had cough and sore throat. Phone call to the Dr's and anti biotics were perscribed and that shifted it. On the 13/1/2023 I rode my bike on Zwift for the first time. I am currently upto riding 2 hours outside, I know I can do more but i dont want to rush it. Mid week im doing approx 2-3 sessions on Zwift as well I believe the ride could still be on and a likley date will be August to give me plenty of time to get to the distance required. Only time will tell my next target is to ride my first Audax in Oundel on the 30th April. There maybe a ride before that but we shall see it all depends on my fitness

Another longish ride

So after the hilly up and downness of Cycle 4 Cynthia. I spent the next week completing the Zwift Academy. Whcih after 6 workouts and two test sessions that front and backended the workout apprently im a sprinter. Im not convinced baout that I think im more of a diesal engine. Only giving out when my backside gives out, but apprently not. After the academy I did a 44 mile ride out and back to Chelveston it also was a bit up and down with 2000ft of climbing and it was very windy but the ride was done. The only issue I encountereed was that I was pretty much good for nothing Sunday afternoon, which is a bit worrying or maybe im just getting old

It was a bit up and down

Cycle4Cynthia More ride training

 

So yesterday I rode the Cycle4Cynthia the yearly sponsored bike ride, around the lanes of Northamptonshire in training for The Ride. I have rideen it previoulsy but id forgotten how hilly it was. At the end I had completed 3340 feet of climbing which for a largely flattish county is mental.

The Route Version 2

This is the proposed route. Its titled V2 but there is a strong possibility there will be other versions until I decide on the final route 

The things you do when you get old

 So in 3 months time I'm going to be 60. This I'm struggling to believe however as the song sort of goes "you cant turn back time". Pre Covid I did want to go on a long holiday to the States but that isnt probably going to happen now. 

I then thought of riding some more sportives but ive done 100's ive done metric 100's so that really didn't float my boat, that is until I stated following cyclists on YouTube that rode from place to place unsupported, and then the idea came to me. 

What about riding from my house in Northampton to Manchester in one day. I did a quick check on the distance and the miles seemed reasonable first pass at a route was 140 miles, however this would mean I would have to ride through the Peak District National Park and that would mean one thing ....hills and at worth about 30miles to go not a great idea. 

So I re planned the route again avoiding the Peak District and I managed to get the miles down to 120 which seemed even more achievable- to a man sat at a desk planning a route online!

That was when the idea was formed. No over the years since I tried to start this blog lost of rides have taken place lots of ambitions have been shattered and injuries have occurred, so who knows where this will end up however at some point in 2023 im hoping to do this ride.

First thing is start with a list

1. Route, sort of but will need to check each stage of it on street view 
2. Train, probably the first one really, I can currently ride 40 miles reasonably comfortably. 
3. Plan my training, probably number 2   
4. Sort out my blog. well i have to record it 
5. Nutrition this will involved working out a strategy for the ride 
6. To be sponsored or not to be sponsored, this will involve telling people about what I'm planning 
7. Equipment making sure the bikes right and buying anything that I  will need for the ride e.g. maybe a frame bag. 
8. Planning what date im going to do it on, need a long range weather forecast and also need to factor in long enough time to train 

  

Finding my feet

Yesterday New Years day not only did I enter the Duston Tri I also did a 45min session on my Turbo, This was more about finding my feet and seeing how bad my condition is. After doing nothing since the 8/12 I'm not in great shape. This next couple of days is all about seeing how bad things are then the training starts proper on Monday 6/1.

2/1 Just got back from a swim at the local pool. swam 800 metres, not great but ive got to start somewhere. Its a 25 metre pool and I can just about do two lengths non stop!!!  I also alternated my stroke each length between breaststroke my best and crawl which I will have to swim at the event...thank god ive got 4 months!