Mansfield Park 'n' ride

Paul Maxwell and Jon Walford takled the Nottingham Evan's Ride It event last weekend. One their own as it turns out.
Well Nottingham came and went, actually it ended up being Mansfield, and although we signed up to 60 miles, when we arrived it was actually 69 miles.
So Jon (Iron Man) Walford and I headed out. All looked good, overtaking lots of riders and onto open road! However after about 10 miles and no signs, we realised that we had gone the wrong way.
After meeting up with the local riding club and showing them our map, they sent us on our way, in a round-about route back to the course. By the first rest stop 20 miles on the route, we had completed 44 miles, great! Cramp set in, which for me was a new experience. Clearly I pushed too fast too soon and ran out of energy in the leg muscles!
I continued to follow Jon as we duly got lost again finishing the course after 90 miles! All in all 5.15 hrs of riding and 30mins of stopping so I could keep trying to stretch out my cramp! What a nightmare.
But it was a useful lesson learned, 300k is a long way, take it slowly and take in lots of energy fuel.
The 2.5 hrs drive home gave me plenty of time for legs to cramp (difficult to push pedals and not advisable according to our Health & Safety bods) and the bottom hurt even on the soft car seat! After a hot bath on Sunday,Monday dawned less painful and I could start to walk again. By Tuesday I was back up and running -- thank goodness.

Let's try it Luca Conte-Style

There is a god.
An invitation arrived in the Optician office this week. It was to the launch of the new Adidas Evil Eye Halfrim mountain biking sunglass. In a break with the tradition of launching optical product to the press by post, or in an anonymous hotel somewhere in London, Adidas has decided to do someting sensible.
To celebrate the launch of the Evil Eye Halfrim Adidas, or its PR outfit, Dust, is getting out on the mountain bikes the eyewear was designed to work with and inviting the press to Cannock Chase in Staffordshire to try out the frame in the field ( or should that be forest).
There seemed little enthusiasm for the trip from my younger colleagues so it has been left to the old guy to get out there and hopefully not break anything.
I shall be asking Luca Conte of Transitions for MB tips.
All I have to do now is convince the rest of my office to change the date of the Christmas party.
I am officially excited -- hope it doesn't rain.

Bike in the wars

Fresh from my broken chain and the endless adjustment of the replacement chain and cassette I have managed a new problem.
A broken spoke --arrrgghh.
It's amazing how a humble piece of wire can cause so many problems. First you have got to limp home on the bike, then you have to go to the bike shop and buy a new spoke. Then you have to go back to the bike shop having remembered to take the old spoke in with you. Then you have to figure out how to carry a spoke on a bike. Sellotape it to the crossbar is my tip. Then you have to fit it and true the wheel. then all you have to do is worry about all of the pinging noises coming from the newly-tweaked wheel.
Rant over.
It won't be like this in Sweden

A new challenge has been set

I almost called this blog.. On the raod to Sweden.. but thought the big bike theme might be easier to find.

Followers of this blog will know that I rode the Halvvattern with a team from transitions this summer.
This 150km ride is the little sister of the Vatternrundan, a 300km ride around lake Vattern in Motala, Sewden.
This year an optical team lead by Transitions will ride the Vatternrundan. The Optician team has also been looking for a new challnge is 2011 and it has been decided that the vatternrundan will be that challenge.
Over the coming weeks and months this blog will chart the training of the two teams On the road to Sweden.

Wow it's cold out there

Winter has arrived with a bang.
The first job of the week was hunting down a bale of straw after seeing the weather forecast and panicking. I hadn't given the weather much thought so ended up having to buy one from the local kid's farm.
The damage was £7 for a single bale, unbelieveable, but supply and demand and all that. I also didn't want to lose my banana trees and tree fern to a nasty frost which we duly had.....
which brings me on to the cycle into work for the last few days.
It's amazing how quickly you forget what feeling cold means. Monday was cold, Wednesday was freezing and Thursday aching fingers and toes time. It could be worse of course. Tuesday I had to go up to London on the train for a frame launch. The train was over half an hour late...I know which mode of transport I prefer.

Vatternrundan is beginning to shape up

Just a few weeks ago the idea of competing in any kind of event for 2011 seemed little more than a 50-50 chance. After the Monaco half Ironman in 2007, the UK half IM in 2008, The full IM in 2009 and the Alpe d'Huez triathlon in 2010 these old bones ( especially my left knee) were aching.
A few emails and a meal with the team later and it's all systems go.
Next year the plan is for an Optician team to ride the Vatternrundan in Sweden. The 300km ride around lake Vattern is known to some after the coverage of this summer's halvvattern (150km) in the Magazine and on the website.
The Vatternrundan is the big brother of the 'Halv' and at 300km is not to be sneezed at.
The big question now is how fast will we ride it?
Last year I tagged onto a Bianchi team very much like the one above. This stands out as one of the cycling highlights of my life. For the best part of a hour I felt like an elite cyclist, cruising past an amateur field of riders at an impressive pace. My average speed leapt from around 15mph to close on 30mph -- for a few exhillarating miles at least. I didn't take my turn on the front but I kept out of their way on changes and made sure I thanked the chaps afterwards.
So far for 2011 Fiona, Lyndon and Nigel have thrown their hats into the ring. Will anyone else join us?

Swede charity

There is a bit of momentum gathering for the 2011 Optician challenge. After an Ironman and the Alpe d'Huez tri where do you go?
Sweden of course for the 300km Vatternrundan. This is arguably the biggest participation cycling event in the world and will see lots of people cycle 300km around lake Vattern in Motala. The team is being built as we speak so any opticians out there with a bike and a leather undercarriage put your hands up for consideration.