Target practice!

It has been a different week for me this past week. For once the cycling has not been the main focus of my efforts, instead it has been on the fund raising and along the way I have met some great people. The start of the week saw our grand raffle at work being drawn by Maisie, she is a wonderfully brave little girl who has survived Leukaemia and is so full of life. We raised over £600 in the raffle and also got some excellent column inches in the local paper "The Braintree and Witham Times"  have a look via the link: http://www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co.uk/news/10410115.Braintree__Maisie_draws_winning_ticket_at_raffle/?ref=mr

 |The best news of all was the fact that I have now passed my required target for the ride to Paris. All of the riders in the event were charged with raising a £1,000 minimum and this was probably as daunting to me as was all the training. However now I have reached it with four weeks to go I want more and feel that another £400 is not beyond the realms of possibility, so please keep on donating. To support this new challenge we are currently organising a quiz night and through Maisie's grandparents we now have a hall, thank you Mike and also to Jacquie who deals with bookings at The Great Notley church, your enthusiasm to the cause was great and we are looking forward to the church being represented at the quiz. It should be a great night as Angela has been working hard on the questions and I will do my best as quiz master, the problem will be that the stage will go to my head and I am sure the bad jokes will flow, why do all men think there funny on stage. I did ride this week, a good 53 miles on Tuesday at a pace of 16 mph, it was generally uneventful and I felt good afterwards, that was till the next day when I was a bit fatigued and in need of rest. So a few days off have followed, finished off by my wedding anniversary this weekend (23 years) with a bit too much excess if I'm honest. So it will be back to the bike this week and with only four weeks till the ride everything has become large on the horizon and Paris seems so close, so keep on supporting and follow me on my journey, "Roll on Paris".

D day landing...soon!

 It has been a long journey that I have embarked on since last September, after completing the London bikathon for LLR on my once trusty mountain bike, the notion that I would be even contemplating London Paris would have made me crack up. However I had purchased my road bike by the end of September and when announced at the start of November I jumped straight in with both feet without a care in the world, London Paris became a reality. Back then I was over seventeen stone, been riding for only six months and partaking in a diet that may have contained 5 a week rather than 5 a day. Moving forward six months and the month of April has just passed, so how does the progress look and do the figures stack up. Well the tail of the tape is as follows: My weight is now 14 stone 11 pounds, that's another half a stone lost in April, 507 miles cycled in the calender month and a fund raising total at £800. Wow how everything has moved on, after all the bad weather and limited occasions to get out the miles have now flowed, the weight keeps coming off and above all else we are getting closer to the £1,000 target for charity. I have to thank my wife at this point as Angela has been my driving force in fund raising as well as chief motivator during the dark days of winter. So if she comes calling during the next few weeks please give generously. This week I kept up with the increased mileage with another 136 miles done over four rides. Tuesday saw me complete 57 miles in bright sunshine, a long loop taking in Danbury, Hatfield Peveral, Ingatestone and Billericay. The legs felt good and the hills came and went with relative ease, the one incident came at Buttsbury wash. The ford over the road there had run wild during the winter months and the foot bridge had been the order of the day, with the turn in the weather and the river levels dropping today the ford looked ready for the taking. A cautious approach saw me beyond the point of no return, all looked fine to start, it became apparent very quickly though how deceptive the depth is and soon water flowed freely over my feet. Clever that but at least it was warm and I appreciated the shoe design with drainage wholes in the sole, so drying out did not take long. Friday and Saturday saw me commute to work by bike, at twenty eight miles I did the journey one way each day, leaving the car there overnight, it still makes me chuckle the reaction you get from work colleagues when you turn up fully kitted out in Lycra. At least it gives them something to laugh about. So to today and a ride with a difference, I had a busy schedule and limited time so I went for something new for me a real speed ride. My normal comfortable speed is around 15 mph, which I can manage over fifty miles. Today I didn't have a target but set out hard and drove through the peddles the whole twenty miles of my planned route, returning home and with thighs burning I was over joyed at the 18.1 mph shown on my trip computer, what a great end to the week. So June 6th is my own personal D day and now less than five weeks away, how quick have the last six months gone and how far I have already travelled. While I put the finishing touches to my training and fitness please take a moment, stop and think................ Cancer touches everyone's life at some point and with continued research Leukaemia and Lymphoma can be beaten. So If I have inspired you at all with my own personal efforts please just give a little via my link opposite. In return I will tackle my personal challenge and keep on cycling, "Roll on Paris"

That was the week that was!

Wow what a week it ended up being, a week off from work that included mountains, mountain bikes, upgrades to the road bike and a combination of rides over 142 miles, am I sure it was only a week. It was but the start of the week seems a long time ago now, I wrote last weeks blog from the back of a car on the way to Snowdonia national park, I was part of a large group of work colleagues set to walk mount Snowdon and raise over £8,000 in the process. We woke on the Monday morning to a cool but sunny start to the day, the forecast however was for rain and low cloud, it didn't seem that way at 6am, maybe they had got it wrong? Maybe not. The early going was all good the weather was calm and it was comfortable in just a fleece, as we progressed we could see the cloud low over the mountain and thought we new what lay ahead. We were mainly novices on a mountain including myself and were not quite prepared for what was to follow.

Once we entered the cloud the wind picked up and the rain began, the transformation from the calmness of the lower slopes was extreme, gusts of 50mph combined with the driving rain made this walk a true challenge and all bar none realised that we were going to earn those sponsors. By now I was feeling the cold and the horizontal rain was finding the weaknesses in my gear, I may have looked like Scott of the Antarctic but in reality with most of my kit from high street stores I was more like Mr Bean. We made the top and feeling a bit lightheaded I needed to eat, having removed my gloves I now faced my biggest issue, not being the best design and apparently only being shower proof, once off and almost inside out they were not going back on again. So with photo taken through gritted teeth that mimicked smiles I had the unenviable task of two hours walking down a mountain with no gloves and hands that already resembled icebergs. At times I could not feel the walking poles in my hands but with concentration taken up with not being blown off the mountain and finding the right place to put my feet, I picked my way down and the team congregated in the car park battered but not beaten. A true sense of achievement reigned and with a knowing nod and shacking of hands and plenty of back slapping we rejoiced in our success.

So with mountains left behind me it was back to the bike and what I have began to call my thing. It was the day after Snowdon and I was feeling it a bit so I had choices. Do I hit the road as normal and end up doing too much through over eagerness or be more pragmatic and start with an easier ride and make sure that the after effects of the previous day don't ruin the whole week. Well the sensible me won and out came the mountain bike along with the sun, time, speed and effort were not even considered,  a short loop staying near home was in order doing what ever the legs wanted and enjoying it along the way. That's exactly how it turned out, I ended up doing two circuits and 16 miles real slow, it was bliss. Turned out to be the right decision as well, you see come Wednesday my thighs were tight and aching so a well deserved rest day ensued. A rest from cycling but not the bike that is, the plans for today included upgrades to the Chariot. With an extension piece fitted to the handlebars for a more comfortable ride and new Continental tyres with an anti puncture belt fitted, time to say goodbye to multiple punctures and roadside repairs. Why am I so trusting, will I never learn? Thursday and Friday were set to be my next back to back rides of any significance, eager to get out and feel the improvement to the ride comfort I payed little attention to my new tyres. This was until the unthinkable happened only four miles from home, O yes you got it!!

                                                                         

A puncture *^+'/x@, so much for anti puncture, I was fuming and started thinking back to the sales splurge from the up till now trusted bike shop. "These tyres will cut out 95% of punctures allowing for trouble free cycling" O and "The one draw back is they are harder to change due to them being more ridged" great that is all I need now. Well on removal it was apparent that the Tyre had not failed, it was either a faulty inner tube or the fact that they are harder to put on, I can vouch for that, and that a careless tyre iron from the shop mechanic had pinched the tube. I managed fine and with a little less confidence in my new purchases set off once again, this time completing the 48 miles without incident and for once in warm sunshine. Friday saw a new route for me, one that took in the Dengie peninsular and Bradwell on sea as my destination, I waited till the afternoon as the morning was wet and with the wind now coming from the NW it was a bit more chilly than yesterday. It was a good ride over more undulating terrain, I did however still catch a shower before returning to the sun that I started the ride in. I enjoyed the ride topping 55 miles and best of all I was still feeling great afterwards. Saturday was another rest day punctuated with some social media work promoting the blog and justgiving page, resulting in us now only £7 short of £800. The target is looming large so please help us get there if you can, every little really does help. My week finished with a gentle ride with one of last years riding partners from my early charity events. While I have been out in all weathers, Nigel's bike has been hibernating during the winter months and he has resigned himself to walking the dog, so finally persuading him to get back in the saddle was quite an achievement. Twenty three miles of social riding, chatting on route and working to someone Else's pace eased my week to a cosy close. With many tougher miles ahead this time in six weeks I will hopefully be sitting in Paris with a glass raised in hand and many a tail to tell of great hill climbs and newly gained friends. Till next time "Roll on Paris"

Detour to Snowdon

My update today comes direct from the car that is carrying the intrepid explorers, heading to north Wales, where we shall meet with our fellow adventurers. The challenge will be to get 17 inexperianced and slightly worried managers of Wickes up mount Snowdon. I know this is a digretion from my normal cycling blog but worth the time to blog about as in the process we will be raising over £7,000 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma research. Hopefull also returning with everyone we left with, wish us luck we may need it. In the world of cycling I did complete my back to back rides last weekend, see last weeks blog. On Monday I bit the bullet and did the third day running, problem was I was at work, so the ride became my commute, 28 miles each way with an 8 hour day in the middle. It was tough and when I arrived home Monday evening with 156 miles covered in three days I did feel it and took a couple of well deserved days off to recover. So with thoughts turning to tomorrow and the road signs turning to Welsh i'll sign off for now and report back in with new experiances and tails of heroic acts during the week. "Roll on Snowdon then Paris"

Green green glass go home!

This weeks instalment starts at the end, a bit like an episode of the classic Columbo where you know how it finishes right at the start. You see today was an eventful ride and one I was determined to finish, this weekend was set to be my first proper back to back rides of any significance and it seemed doomed from the start. The day before I had completed a fifty mile ride without much incident, it was warmer than it had been all year and I felt great cruising along at a solid 15 mph. I had a scheduled stop at mums to help cousin Paul install her new oven, he is the skilled electrician, I was just the humper and dumper. Mums was at three quarter distance and with a circuit of Hangingfield reservoir I was home from there in an hour, however I have digressed.

 

Back to today and my ride that was blighted by glass. I have found in my relatively short time cycling that cycle paths around Southend are not always the best place to be to avoid punctures and today was no exception. I was about twelve miles in and having traversed the seafront I was in Gunners park when there doing its best impression of pavement, blending into its surroundings was what once was a bottle of beer. However now it was a million shards laughing at me ready to pounce, I did my best having seen it at the last moment, swerving for all I was worth. It was not immediate and I'm sure the stealth glass was just waiting hoping that I had been lulled into thinking I had somehow missed it. No, a mile up the road and my back tyre gave in and with a drop of rain in the air I was starting to think the worst. Well it did not get any better, the rain did abate never to return but the same tyre gave way only two miles up the road. Was the glass still embedded, I can't see how, I had checked that tyre with a fine tooth comb before putting it back together. What ever it was I will never know and a second repair with my last spare inner tube ensured I was once again on my way. This is when I could not believe my luck you see all this time and with my concerns fixed on my back wheel the unthinkable happened the front tyre gave in to the final shard that had lay dormant for four miles. In the space of three miles I had three punctures and now faced the dilemma, with only one CO2 canister left and no spare tube I would have to attempt a puncture repair on the roadside for the first time. Finding the hole was the challenge but one I was up to and after a short while why the glue went off I was fixed and ready to go. Now I was flying by the seat of my pants, with no CO2 left any further deflation's and I would have been calling an end to the ride and summoning my support driver, Ben my son, for a lift home. Well after all the trials and tribulations the repairs held firm, I was a bit preoccupied for the next few miles checking tyres but in the end I was able to relax and enjoy the warmth of the sun for the rest of the ride. So as you can see my end to the week was very eventful but overall very rewarding. I have completed three rides of around fifty miles including back to back rides of over three hours, tomorrow I am also set to cycle to and from work for the first time a total of fifty six miles. A step up in training that has left me satisfied and looking forward to the challenges ahead, more back to backs and upping the time to four hours plus. Please come back and let me share my efforts again next week, the training may take a few days off as I.m climbing a mountain with a group of colleagues a week Monday so the content may differ, a change is as good as a rest I suppose. "Roll on Paris".

Summertime (and the cycling is breezy)!

My week has been an unusual one with Easter being a busy time at work and the weather still trying to defy what is considered normal for this time of year. We had a good weekend at work and alongside the normal once a year Easter DIY'ers we had some fun and raised almost £200 for Leukaemia with our grand raffle and guess the number of mini eggs in the jar. To top it off I met Maisey (Leukaemia survivor from my previous blogs) and her parents, they were all an inspiration and have agreed to come and draw our raffle on the 6th May, what more encouragement does one need to know that all your donations make a difference to peoples lives.

As for riding this week I have managed three trips out and what a contrast, Thursday saw my first opportunity of the week and it was a day that I wished the forecasters had got it horribly wrong, but no of all days they had to be right for once. We had snow, we had a biting Easterly wind and we had rain mixed in, making a truly miserable combination for riding a bike. Undeterred and with all my winter gear on I was determined to rack up forty miles, at the start with little snow in the air this seemed fine. In reality as the miles rolled by and the snow set in it became quite unpleasant but in a sadistic kind of way enjoyable too, enjoyable as the challenges thrown up by the weather made it different to any ride I had done before. The last four miles the snow had become real heavy and was starting to settle, not just on the road but on me as well. I was glad to be home and very satisfied with my efforts. My second ride was a first for this year and the product of British summer time, an evening ride after work, just a blast of an hour but welcome extra miles in the legs. Rounding the week off today with the weather set fair if a bit chilly, was blue sky and sunshine. I geared up minus the winter jacket and with the fingerless gloves in my pocket for when and if the temperature climbed, hopeful I know but lets face it there has been little to get excited about with the weather so far this year. I had with all the best intentions intended to do fifty miles, how the best laid plans of mice and men crumble. Interrupted by my phone and the news that my colleague had had an accident going to work led to a bit of managerial organisation from the road side. Tony was fine if a bit shaken and with the relevant phone calls made it was set that I would be needed at work by the afternoon, the ride would continue but unfortunately curtailed. It was great in the sun and it did warm up enough for those fingerless gloves, I was in my element and thirty two miles was all to short. The one striking thing about the ride today was the amount of cyclists and the contrasting clothing. You see there were cyclists everywhere, how the sun brings them out, some I recognised from my many winter rides and others were obviously out for the first time this year. This is where the contrast became apparent, those of us that had been hardy and out in all weathers were wearing shirts while the newbies were in heavy duty coats snoods and balaclavas and ski gloves to finish the look, god knows what they would have worn in winter or even last Thursday. So with eight five miles in the bank this week and plans a foot to raise the bar in the coming weeks, I look forward to better days with excitement rather than in trepidation, under two months to D day 6th of June and I won't be stopping at the beaches, "Roll on Paris".

Eggstreme at Easter, Brrrrrrr!

 Happy Easter to all my blog followers, I hope you managed to spend a bit of quality time with your families. It's tough for me working in DIY retail but I did spend a few hours today having dinner with my mum, brother and family. Today also See's the start of British summer time Ha Ha Ha Ha, and April fools is not till tomorrow. Joking aside another training ride this morning and again I was greeted with sub zero temperatures and frost on the ground, I must sound like a stuck record but how long before this winter ends, boring, tedious and abominable don't go far enough in describing the severity of the weather this year. With the cold weather ritual well rehearsed, snood on, layers of clothes duly applied and the gloves coming straight off the radiator on to my hands just before leaving. The cold of a frosty morning burns the back of your nostrils with those first deep breaths and as my speed picked up on that down hill stretch my cheeks felt the bite of the wind, by now my finger tips were loosing sensation and I started to question my sanity. It was 9am on Easter Sunday and apart from a handful of cars and the odd dog walker the only other people I saw were other daft cyclists, a rare breed or completely bonkers? It wasn't until about eight miles in that my core temperature rose and the feeling started to return to my fingers, it's at this point that I start to enjoy the ride as my focus is not on keeping warm but on performance, speed and the now beautiful countryside I was riding through. Twenty five miles was the order of the day as the before mentioned dinner date with mum beckoned, I could have done much more despite the cold but longer rides lay ahead.

So the end of another month means June 6th is just that little closer. What did March bring, apart from more cold horrible weather, well on the weight loss front I slowed up, I have lost another four pounds taking me to 15 stone 4 pounds. Total weight loss since the start of January is now 1 stone 12 pounds, Incredibly proud. Cycling wise despite the cold snow and ice I managed 190 miles in the month, I'm happy with that and with lighter evenings in April more miles will be the order of the day, watch this space. The final part of my March round up and the the most important is the reason I am putting all this effort in and that is fund raising for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. With a target of £1,000 I have reached £560 so far, thank you to all that have contributed. The best bit of news for me on this front is that LLR have included my blog within their official web page, please take a look at http://leukaemialymphomaresearch.org.uk/campaign/trevor-jackson. This great news has given my an immense sense of pride and spurned me on even more, so roll on April, roll on sunshine, roll on sponsors and most of all "Roll on Paris".