Am I getting any fitter?

I have a problem. I'm not a big fan of running or cycling the same routes so I am constantly faced with the prospect of trying to gauge my performance over different terrains. The following was Sunday's ride over a familiar course but not actually the same as anything else I have done. Man it was hard, as Lance might say, but a little under 30km/h average speed is it fast enough?

....boo..boo.de...doop

A great night was had by all at the Optician Awards. You can find out who the winners are and see pictures of the night.

Wet, wet, wet

I don't think my dislike of swimming has ever been a secret but with an ironman on the horizon there's no getting away from it. I'm going to have to do some swim training.

I am quite lucky working in the media as my employer lays on a bus to go to the local swimming baths every Tues and Thursday lunchtime. Usually there's no way I can spare the time but bizarrely the arrival of Optrafair and the Optician Awards has cleared my diary.

I found myself struggling for the (whole) half hour. Not with my won swimming but going slow enough not to be crashing into people. I must be getting faster or my work colleagues are tragically slow. Sadly it's the latter.

The giving starts here

The Optician Ironman Team is officially in training and is seeking support from the profession and the industry.
Vision Aid Overseas is the recipient of the money the team raises and money can now be pledged at:
www.justgiving.com/opticianironman09

Ouch -- Mr Bump on a fixed

It's great being able to get back on the bike and to enjoy commuting to work now that the weather has cheered up. My route has always been determined by traffic and road surfaces so I was a bit shocked yesterday to find my favoured route had become the subject of traffic calming.
You might have thought cyclists would like traffic calming, it's supposed to slow cars down after all, but no.

Mums on their mobile phones in the BMW X5 aren't any more likely to slow down for a speed bump than they are for a cyclist. They don't.
Hitting a speed table that's still under contrauction on a fixed a 25mph is a shock. Bump --Ouch.

Time for a new route.

The sun is shining

Decided to do some stress training over the weekend. After a stint demolishing sheds and gardening on saturday I was looking forward to a leisurely evening.
It all started well. John Williams guitar recital for son No 2 in Guildford. On arrival home at 11 it all kicked off. No1 had gone out to a 'party' but by 11.15 was on his way, unconscious, to hospital in an ambulance.
After drips and much poking about they finally let him out at 3.00am. I had promised son No2 a cycle so we set off up Leith Hill at 07.30 back over Ranmore.

As I was feeling good Idecided to add a tiredness run on and did a hot 10km. Not bad but wow, I felt it.

The sun is shining