Feeling OK today, bikes washed, breakfast eaten, stairs avoided. It looks like we've got over £1500 raised now.
More updates later.
South Downs Way 100
Monday 23 July 2012
We got there, phew...
After all that rain for weeks, the trails were dry and the weather was hot. We made it to Beachy Head at about 7.30pm last night. It was a long day made easier by the fantastic support crew, being cheered into each checkpoint and fed and watered. Lemon cakes and tea at the end too smashing. According the GPS widget top speed was 35mph and 8399 calories used and 98.2 100 miles exactly ;-)
Feeling OK today, bikes washed, breakfast eaten, stairs avoided. It looks like we've got over £1500 raised now.
More updates later.
Feeling OK today, bikes washed, breakfast eaten, stairs avoided. It looks like we've got over £1500 raised now.
More updates later.
Sunday 22 July 2012
Saturday 21 July 2012
Nothing left but setting the alarm.
Well we've had dinner so now to mix up some energy drink and go to bed. May have overloaded on the kids left overs.
Monday 16 July 2012
1 week left, gulp
Looks like the weather won't be too bad. No time for the ground to dry out though.
I've washed my bike, greased and lubed. Changed tyres, written lists of tools for my bag, tools for the car, spares for the car. Bought so much energy food, Napoleon could have made it to Moscow. I think we are nearly ready, trying to eat well, go to bed early and not let work get to me this week.
I'll be using a cool little tracker application on the day, so you should be able to see how far we've got by clicking on this; http://www.greenalp.com/RealtimeTracker At the moment it has us in the Atlantic, but I'm hoping it wont be that wet!
Been working on some approximate timings for where we'll be and when, I reserve the right for this to be utterly wrong though.
Come and say hi if you're in the area, meet us at the end for a cheeky shandy at Beachy Head or just bung some money on the site. By the way we've raised £1000 which is good, but i'm sure there's a bit more down the back of the sofa, under the driver's seat or in the biscuit tin.
https://www.justgiving.com/teams/SDW100D2D
Monday 9 July 2012
Three updates in one...
Firstly, well done to Nik getting the 50 miler...
Two weeks ago, I attendeed a skills course up at sherwood pines run by Jonathan...http://www.themountainbikerockschool.co.uk/
Had a whole day learning how to stay on bike, brake properly and turn corners. Sounds fundamental, but after years of riding, thought it a good idea to see how to do stuff properly. My legs ached alot, so I guess it was new stuff. Need to practice my new skills now.....just need to do a decent length bike ride.....ahhhh.
One week ago. Set out early sunday morning to get a 40 miler in. Only had four hours to fit in, so needed to go for it. Added extra loops in, concentrating on the hills. Got to 42, in four and a half. 3000 feet of climbing. Felt ok afterwards too. Taking extra nutrition at 20 miles is, I think the key.
Yesterday, another early start, this time aiming for 50 miles. Was going to miss out any flat fun bits, and literally loop round the hills. OK? No. I completely forgot about the 'Months rain a day' we had on Friday. Trails were completely unrideable. The mud at several points jammed up the whole bike. Along with the old 'front wheel dissappearing in a hole trick' and going shoulder first into the ground, I followed Mr Glover's advice, and kept off the moors and stuck to the roads.
A pathetic 24 miles. Dropped off home again, hosed off bike & ate some food. Will get some sort of ride in the week if possible, but i think thats it for biggies, as it takes me days to recover.
J
Two weeks ago, I attendeed a skills course up at sherwood pines run by Jonathan...http://www.themountainbikerockschool.co.uk/
Had a whole day learning how to stay on bike, brake properly and turn corners. Sounds fundamental, but after years of riding, thought it a good idea to see how to do stuff properly. My legs ached alot, so I guess it was new stuff. Need to practice my new skills now.....just need to do a decent length bike ride.....ahhhh.
One week ago. Set out early sunday morning to get a 40 miler in. Only had four hours to fit in, so needed to go for it. Added extra loops in, concentrating on the hills. Got to 42, in four and a half. 3000 feet of climbing. Felt ok afterwards too. Taking extra nutrition at 20 miles is, I think the key.
Yesterday, another early start, this time aiming for 50 miles. Was going to miss out any flat fun bits, and literally loop round the hills. OK? No. I completely forgot about the 'Months rain a day' we had on Friday. Trails were completely unrideable. The mud at several points jammed up the whole bike. Along with the old 'front wheel dissappearing in a hole trick' and going shoulder first into the ground, I followed Mr Glover's advice, and kept off the moors and stuck to the roads.
A pathetic 24 miles. Dropped off home again, hosed off bike & ate some food. Will get some sort of ride in the week if possible, but i think thats it for biggies, as it takes me days to recover.
J
July - Suncream and Gore-tex?!
Did the magic 50miles yesterday, half the distance in under 7 hours, went out along the Downs as far as Alfriston and then came back along the wet weather route. Was burning from the sun on the way out, and got caught in a couple of downpours on the way home.
Best bit was up on top on Firle Beacon with 360' panoramic views across the Weald, the English Channel, the Newhaven Incinerator (OK not that pretty) with my legs feeling pretty strong. Picture below looking back towards Lewes.
The worst bit was having 'bonked' or 'hit the wall' at 42 miles sat on the verge considering the nutritional and energy value of daisies, inner tubes when the rain started. Managed to get going and hurrah for the Half Moon at Plumpton, Coke and peanuts not perfect but better than foraging in the verges without Ray Mears handy.
Forgot the suncream so have a rather red-neck (yee har) today, but was very pleased to have gore-tex on my feet. Dry socks considering the rather large puddles around some of the gates on the Way (for puddle read pond/small lakes) are a good thing, a runner was very impressed to see me ride up to the gate, open the gate, ride through and latch the gate again without putting my foot down, in a 4-6" puddle, he would have been less impressed earlier on, but that time there were no witnesses! After he'd climbed over further along to avoid the wetness.
So 2 weeks left, all the miles that can reasonably be got in, have been, now for some quality tapering, at least that's what they call it. Sounds a bit flash to me, but basically it means early nights, eating sensibly, light exercise to arrive on the day in tippity-top condition. Have you even seen me!?!
Oh yeah and I'm going to look again at the wet alternative route, too much slogging along the side of a-roads at the moment, from the bits i've tested over the last couple of weeks.
ttfn
Best bit was up on top on Firle Beacon with 360' panoramic views across the Weald, the English Channel, the Newhaven Incinerator (OK not that pretty) with my legs feeling pretty strong. Picture below looking back towards Lewes.
The worst bit was having 'bonked' or 'hit the wall' at 42 miles sat on the verge considering the nutritional and energy value of daisies, inner tubes when the rain started. Managed to get going and hurrah for the Half Moon at Plumpton, Coke and peanuts not perfect but better than foraging in the verges without Ray Mears handy.
Forgot the suncream so have a rather red-neck (yee har) today, but was very pleased to have gore-tex on my feet. Dry socks considering the rather large puddles around some of the gates on the Way (for puddle read pond/small lakes) are a good thing, a runner was very impressed to see me ride up to the gate, open the gate, ride through and latch the gate again without putting my foot down, in a 4-6" puddle, he would have been less impressed earlier on, but that time there were no witnesses! After he'd climbed over further along to avoid the wetness.
So 2 weeks left, all the miles that can reasonably be got in, have been, now for some quality tapering, at least that's what they call it. Sounds a bit flash to me, but basically it means early nights, eating sensibly, light exercise to arrive on the day in tippity-top condition. Have you even seen me!?!
Oh yeah and I'm going to look again at the wet alternative route, too much slogging along the side of a-roads at the moment, from the bits i've tested over the last couple of weeks.
ttfn
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