The Thornbury effect

Now that's what you call a half marathon time, 65 minutes, and he was sent the wrong way. Not only is this guy an optician but he also hails from lens country, Thornbury. The home of Essilor, obviously has something going for it apart from quality optics . And who do we know from that neck of the woods? There must be something in the water around there. Bring a bottle of it with you to Sweden Darren.

Fixing the knee for good

As readers of this blog will know I am very attached to my fixed bike. I commute on it all year round but sadly it will be having a rest for a few weeks as I try and shake of a niggling problem with my left knee.

I saw the physio this morning and she gave me some more exercises to do, confirmed that my knee is 'OK' and that any doctor would simply say don't run. These things take time, she said, in a 'man up' kind of way.
I said I wanted to get well enough to run and she didn't laugh so I think I'm on the way. She was happy for me to keep cycling but to use some gears! Spoilsport.


Not all is lost as my old Pearson is still going strong and for a bike with gears it has a bit of character too. I've fixed the chain since this photo was taken.

Swimming is hard

A short swim on Sunday morning convinced me that the method above has got to be the way to go.
My slightly dodgy kneee, having not swum since the Crawley triathlon last Autumn and my bolier having broken convinced me that I should go along to the pool with Son #2 for a swim on Sunday morning. I thought it would give my legs a safe workout, I'd get a bit of an upper body exercise and I could also get a hot shower.
The dangers were many. First of all the boy is a pretty good swimmer so was bound to want to humiliate the old man and second the pool has just re opened so was bound to be busy.
What I wasn't expecting was swimming to be so difficult. 20 lengths in I was bushed and by 30 my shoulders were aching. Luckily the boy was feeling the pressure too and that, along with a dodgy pair of goggles saved my bacon.

I think I will press on with swimming as the year progresses but I am grateful that my main event is firmly on two wheel and ( hopefully) dry.

Let the mind games begin

It's springtime, especially in Spain where some sneaky early sunshine was enjoyed by the SBR team management.
There are plenty of sportives on the horizon. Spring Onion on March 13, An Evans Ride on May 1, The SBR Brighton Rock in April, Pearsons Cycles Sutton/ Brighton/Sutton in Mid may, the Little Lumpy also in May. Everyone is holding back but what have they really been upto reading between the lines?
Like pre-O level kidology at school the SBR team are psyching each other out the for ' El Grande' in Sweden this June.
Reports of the early Spanish ride vary. Some say the group was overtaken by a one-legged mountain biker, twice. I bet hopping pedro spent a little longer in the Tapas bar that night with the pesetas palmed for that one. Others say Paul Maxwell (the dark horse) feigned weakness in the hills to keep the others guessing just as Lance Armstrong did to Jan Ullrich on Alpe d'Huez in 2002 Tour.
Proven endurance expert and cycling ninja, Mark had a 'business meeting' so couldn't ride, or, perhaps, be seen on the bike for fear of revealing his strength?
Luca ( rides down an Alp before breakfast and is going coast to coast this summer) is as self-depricating as ever.Perpetuating the myth of the sedentary northerner with the picture below.

Who does he think he's fooling. That rug is simply a veil for those bulging quads.
Sue (I'm taking on Everest this year) hasn't been out on the bike this year but what's this? She foolishly let slip she has had the bike harnessed to a turbo trainer all winter. No doubt the output could have powered half of Sussex.
Where will it all end?

Cannock Chase on a mountain bike

Just because I have decided riding a bike around a forest might be a good idea the Government has decided to sell them off. In the meantime below is a video of the adidas Evil Eye Halfrim Pro ride.

Turboman

I've never been a massive fan of indoor training, the gym is still a mystery to me. The only time I have ever used a treadmill was when I went to buy a pair of trainers.
So just how I managed to be in a turbo trainer cycle-off with my son I can't imagine. Needless to say after a bit of banter I decided to challenge him to a " who can cycle 10 miles( on the turbo trainer) fastest".

As I can beat him on the road I thought nothing of it and climbed aboard. The first piece of advice he offered me was, " you won't need that jacket on and...oh, I'd get yourself some water if I was you.' I should have smelled a rat.

He had claimed to have done the 10 miles in 26 minutes so I naturally assumed he was lying and had done closer to 36. I decided to go for the neat 30 minutes. After 10 minutes of holding 20mph I was dying of heat exhaustion and my heart was thumping like a drum. As the sweat poured off me I took it up to 30mph but there was no way I could keep it there. I finally did my 10 in 30 minutes but I was knackered.

Then on climbed junior and off he went, straight up to 26mph with the turbo whirring like a banshee. I wondered off to recover and I heard the whine fall and assumed he was flagging .But no, off he went again, and again. He finally called me in to show off his time. 26 minutes for the 10 miles.

I think I may have to adopt a different strategy when the return match arrives or admit that with me at 48 and him at 16 ( next month) the balance of nature has tipped too far in his favour.