winter grit

On Sunday went out with Stephen, over the north downs, lots of snow from the day before, even though it was a warmer day, nice and sunny, still icy in places though.
Did my normal route, Woldingham,Crowhurst,Edenbridge, Hever, Toys hill, Idle Hill, Westerham, Pilgrams lane,Sundridge, Knockholt, Cudlam Downe and back via corkscrew hill.Encountered lots of ice and snow on Sundridge Lane even though we only encountered that part of the ride in the afternoon, looked like deep snow drifts from the day before, stays shady all day.
My legs felt tired but when it came to climbing the really steep climbs I went up in a gear higher than normal, all while seated, so the power is there.
Feel good, but do notice I have a patch at about 2.5- 3 hours when I feel crap, once through I am fine. Maybe because I try not to stop and am always pedalling, even the down hills.
One thing is for sure though, when all the ice melts and riding on farm tracks can get very dirty as the pics I took once home will testify. Not nice hearing your chain grinding away at the cassette etc as it is caked in grit.
Gave my bike a good wash and clean after while it was still sunny, used my chain cleaner device to get the grit out from between the chain links, bike looks like new again.
Was thinking I could get a gentle spin in today, being Monday before it started raining, but I was so tired I only got up at 10am.
So that went out the window, went to the cinema instead and watched Yes man with Jim Carey, thought it was OK.
Need to get out on my mountain bike this week before the race on Sunday, just to dial into the slight position change with hand placement etc.



Still have this cough from new years lingering on, only has an effect once I start to exercise, so just let it be.

Back to it.

Been awhile, and after seeing that London Cycle sport has used some of my blog for the Dengie marshes race I better start updating what I have been up to.
So far since I had such a crap year last year race wise. I hardly rode my bike from september through to November. Once I got my riding head on and had my back seen to by Michael Lanning of Gonstead clinics, long running issue, although I don't help myself as it was July when I crashed at Guildford that tweaked my back. I just eased off the riding so it would not flare up again, although once I felt like I was walking sideways and had upped the milage, the pain caused was to great to ignore, so off I trundled to see the good Doctor, one almighty crack and we were back in shape again.
So far gone had my riding became, that I had to start by increasing my weekly commute distance, which I did by adding half an hour to an hour to my normal 30 minutes each way. After a few weeks I then felt tired but more at ease with riding, saddle time I guess, that I started adding in a hilly 2 hour ride on the sunday, and depending on work get to Richmond park to do 3-4 laps at my one gentle pace on a saturday.
So slowly been building it up again to a point that I am know comfortable doing 4 hours in the very cold weather we have now. Managed back to back rides over the Xmas break, 2,4,4 and a 3 hour rides, 2 days off then 3 and a 2.5 hours on mountain bike as I had destroyed the bearings in my rear hub and Bottom bracket on my road bike all at the same time, to busy to service my own bike with the time I had before Xmas, did have new chain, cassette, inner chainring and jockey wheels on but that was easy to do. So much muddy, wet riding in the last year.
New Years messed things up a bit, but my legs had had enough in that time, so getting drunk at a club was quite nice in itself, just caught another bloody cold instead.
So easy last week, started a 4 hour ride sunday but knew it was not wise so headed home to do 2 instead, slept the rest of day, took monday off riding, handy that it is also my day off work anyway. Just done 2 easy rides of an hour after work the last two days. Still have a slight cough that takes chunks out of me.
Aiming to start racing early this year on the road. 1st race though will be the Gorrick spring series of mountain biking on the 18th of Jan. Be interesting as it has been two years since my last off road excursion.
Have plenty of new events planned this year, so should be good, not all racing though, More events like the Tour of Flanders sportive, Etape de Tour etc.