Cycling

[Champ]

Day 5 out the way. 85 miles. Should have only been 80 but had to divert in to Ludlow to buy a new saddle. Cross the border back in to England tomorrow from Shropshire to Acton Bridge in Cheshire. Hoping to make it in time to watch the reds.

What did you do with the old saddle, Mick?

[Dougie Do'ins]

What did you do with the old saddle, Mick?

Left it in the shop. Fucked if i was adding any more weight to my things.

[Champ]

Left it in the shop. Fucked if i was adding any more weight to my things.

I just wondered if it had maybe met a more violent end

[manwiththestick]

Day 5 out the way. 85 miles. Should have only been 80 but had to divert in to Ludlow to buy a new saddle. Cross the border back in to England tomorrow from Shropshire to Acton Bridge in Cheshire. Hoping to make it in time to watch the reds.

I often ride around Acton Bridge, nice roads around there.

[lifetime fan]

Fucking hell Mick, that's some effort.

 

Are you doing it as part of a group or for a charity.

 

You definitely deserve a few quid if you're raising money.

[Champ]

Fucking hell Mick, that's some effort.

 

Are you doing it as part of a group or for a charity.

 

You definitely deserve a few quid if you're raising money.

Talk about hiding your light under a bushel, eh

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Three invertebrates under the eyelids later, and I now realise the importance of cycling sunglasses.

 

Went for 8 miles in rough enough terrain today and it felt good. Going to try the commute on Monday from a park and ride 5 miles out to start getting in the routine, packing clothes, cycling with a backpack, finding the shower facilities etc. Then push it further out.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Fucking hell Mick, that's some effort.

 

Are you doing it as part of a group or for a charity.

 

You definitely deserve a few quid if you're raising money.

No mate. Im doing it on my own. This is my holiday and I didn't want the hassle and responsibility of sponsorship. If for any reason I don't complete this, the only person I'll have let down is myself.

 

Got day 6 out of the way yesterday. 69 miles and also passed the half way point. Best day yet. New saddle is much more comfortable.

 

Day 7 today and off to Clitheroe.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Another day done. Out of Cheshire and in to the hills of the Lancashire Pennines. Some bloody hard climbs but another 67 miles ticked off.

 

Got my sums wrong today. I pass the half way point tomorrow en route to Ravenstonedale in Cumbria.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Just my luck. First day I planned to cycle and I'm sick. Swollen throat so hoping its not my bi-annual bout of tonsillitis.

[lifetime fan]

No mate. Im doing it on my own. This is my holiday and I didn't want the hassle and responsibility of sponsorship. If for any reason I don't complete this, the only person I'll have let down is myself.

 

Got day 6 out of the way yesterday. 69 miles and also passed the half way point. Best day yet. New saddle is much more comfortable.

 

Day 7 today and off to Clitheroe.

 

 

A fucking holiday???

[Champ]

Another day done. Out of Cheshire and in to the hills of the Lancashire Pennines. Some bloody hard climbs but another 67 miles ticked off.

 

Got my sums wrong today. I pass the half way point tomorrow en route to Ravenstonedale in Cumbria.

Another hilly one by the sounds of it.

 

What are you eating?

[Dougie Do'ins]

Another hilly one by the sounds of it.

 

What are you eating?

It wasn't hilly in that sense but there were 2 big climbs in it. I'm mainly eating pub grub as all the accommodations to that kind of stuff. Had a Chinese last night.

 

Nowhere near as bad as today though. This was only 54 miles but it was climb after climb. By far the hardest day yet. And i did cross the half way point today.

 

If all goes well tomorrow, I cross the border in to Scotland to Ecclefechan.

[Dougie Do'ins]

A fucking holiday???

Feels like it Col as im the one doing all the work.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Just did a wee 5 mile circuit as I'm still sick. Going to push the distances up once I'm feeling better. Really excited about building up to the full commute. I've never been excited about cardio. Ever. It was raining tonight too, and I just had a compression layer on, and it was great!

[Dougie Do'ins]

Day 9. The border crossed and another 76 out the way. big day tomorrow. 84 miles to Motherwell.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Went out for a wee 8 mile circuit tonight, and my polar wearlink+ says my average heart rate was 176bpm, with a max of 214bpm. Surely that's not right? I mean, I was absolutely hammering it, didn't coast down hills, and was fucked the whole ride, but even still.

 

Anyone have any experience with HRMs?

[Dougie Do'ins]

I don't bother with any of that. All I take any notice of is miles, route and average speed.

[Champ]

It wasn't hilly in that sense but there were 2 big climbs in it. I'm mainly eating pub grub as all the accommodations to that kind of stuff. Had a Chinese last night.

 

Nowhere near as bad as today though. This was only 54 miles but it was climb after climb. By far the hardest day yet. And i did cross the half way point today.

 

If all goes well tomorrow, I cross the border in to Scotland to Ecclefechan.

Nah, I meant during the day, while you're riding

[Jose Jones]

Champ, on 14 Sept 2016 - 12:04 PM, said:

 

Nah, I meant during the day, while you're riding

I imagine he is eating EVERYTHING.

 

Feel a bit lame talking about my ride on the weekend in the presence of Dougie really. I made a rather massive cock up by forgetting to pack my bike shoes and only realising at 10.30pm the night before. Would have been a 4 hour return trip to go home and get them. Fortunately they had a few stalls at the "event village" and I managed to buy the last pair of shoes going an hour before the start, unfortunately they cost $400. Hopefully will be able to sell them at a small loss...

 

Managed to do the 120km in 4hrs 15 mins, one scheduled stop half way for some food, one unscheduled stop with 20km to go for my mate Mick to have a piss. The overall winner knocked it off in 3 hrs 3 mins. The female 60+ winner and male 70+ winner were both faster than me as well, and I'd imagine they had more stops for their mates to have a piss.

Had no problems with the hills, probably could have gone a bit faster up them really, although it was raining a fair bit on the way up both (not called a rain forest for nothing I suppose). The sun was out for the last 30km along the Great Ocean Road though which was nice. Here's a picture of your correspondent managing to overtake at least one old timer.

 

[Champ]

120k in 4h15? With stops? That is seriously impressive, JJ.

 

Now, tell me, is that a massive tatt on your right leg or did you also forget to make that waxing appointment?

[Jose Jones]

Champ, on 14 Sept 2016 - 12:54 PM, said:

 

120k in 4h15? With stops? That is seriously impressive, JJ.

 

Now, tell me, is that a massive tatt on your right leg or did you also forget to make that waxing appointment?

No tatts for me, so it's probably hair or dirt.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Feel a bit lame talking about my ride on the weekend in the presence of Dougie really.

 

Wouldn't worry about it, I'm posting about 8 mile circuits.

 

I haven't done cardio in years so it'll take a bit of building up to get my distances built up. I look relatively fit as I am reasonably muscular from weight training, but I have the cardio of a fat 40 year old (or maybe it just seems that extreme as I'm comparing my biking times, distances and average speed to people who have been cycling for years).

 

I might try my commute, at the very least the in-journey, on Sunday and get the bus home if needs be. Just to see what kind of time I would be looking at, and break the mental barrier.

 

I think I have been bitten by the bug. I am already trying to plan each day so I can squeeze a cycle in somewhere. I am excited about it in a way I heard others talk about running, but which never affected me when I ran.

 

Also your time is ridiculous. Well done.

[Jose Jones]

Wouldn't worry about it, I'm posting about 8 mile circuits.

 

I haven't done cardio in years so it'll take a bit of building up to get my distances built up. I look relatively fit as I am reasonably muscular from weight training, but I have the cardio of a fat 40 year old (or maybe it just seems that extreme as I'm comparing my biking times, distances and average speed to people who have been cycling for years).

 

I might try my commute, at the very least the in-journey, on Sunday and get the bus home if needs be. Just to see what kind of time I would be looking at, and break the mental barrier.

 

I think I have been bitten by the bug. I am already trying to plan each day so I can squeeze a cycle in somewhere. I am excited about it in a way I heard others talk about running, but which never affected me when I ran.

 

Also your time is ridiculous. Well done.

Haha, I am a (not that fat) 40 year old. Anyway I started just commuting 7km to work every day before getting suckered in to longer distances.

You'll be on a 1000km trip across Europe with Dougie before you know it.

[Champ]

Day 9. The border crossed and another 76 out the way. big day tomorrow. 84 miles to Motherwell.

*awaits text blaming me for the weather here today*