Maltloaf's Cycling Journal

[maltloaf]

Gorgeous day out there so felt like I had to get out even though I was properly tired.

It felt like it took me ages to get going. It felt laboured and lethargic and after a couple of miles I would have been happy with a 16.x average.

The data told a different story and actually it was a really nicely balanced ride. After mile 4 almost every mile is over 18mph.

Really happy with that and delighted with my 18.4 average

[Goldberg]

Up early, nice out so I though I would put a 15km in so I can enjoy the weekend. Next run prob Sun/Mon

[maltloaf]

I'm off with the family to explore some cornish coastline from tomorrow so this is the last ride until next weekend.

Nice out there today but there was a much stiffer breeze than I was expecting, which was in my face for the second half of the ride.

I was in two minds when I set out wether to do a quick 20 or a steady 30 and I never really decided between the two. I headed out too quickly for a 30 and after 13 miles my average was hovering around 19.

I knew I had the wind to come so I tried to relax a bit as I wound my way down to Cam, turned into the wind there and my averages immediately started to drop off.

Worked my way over to King's Stanley and turned up the hill into Stonehouse. It's slightly up hill all the way through Stonehouse and for a good mile or more the other side so by the time I had got to Standish, my average was down to 18.2

I pushed fairly hard to try and keep it above 18 and managed to squeak home with it on 18.1

Not bad really and means every ride this week was above 18 average.

[Goldberg]

21.1km (half marathon) around the Olympic park this morning.

Stunning day, decent time/pace considering the tough route.

[CallmeGoose]

you lot must be fucking statues of Adonis, 21km runs here, 30km bike rides there.... fuck that

max i've ever done is 16 miles on the bike, and that was to take photos so i wasnt (and didnt want to) push myself.

fucking fit bastards makes me sick ;-)

[Goldberg]

I do it so I can abuse my body with food and booze!

[{{909}}]

you lot must be fucking statues of Adonis, 21km runs here, 30km bike rides there.... fuck that

max i've ever done is 16 miles on the bike, and that was to take photos so i wasnt (and didnt want to) push myself.

fucking fit bastards makes me sick ;-)

You seem to have missed my post when I mentioned my 100km trip....

I'm still fat though, its not like cycling is actually helping me lose weight.

[CallmeGoose]

the only way you would get me to travel 100km in any sort of speed would be to fire me out of a fuckin cannon. haha

[Goldberg]

Quick 14km this morning. Was tougher that the 21km at the weekend! Quick though

[Goldberg]

16km this morning to run off the shite I eat yesterday. To be honest the shite was pretty much sugar/sweet stuff and I felt terrible this morning.
Best way to deal with it is to punish your body and teach it a lesson

[maltloaf]

Goldberg, I think you have a problem posting your garmin links, they are coming up as errors. Do you have them set as private or something ?

As per my last post I've had a week away from home wandering around cornish beaches and coves with my wonderful family. Whilst away I looked jealously at other cyclists pounding the roads and I really missed my bike.

Got back on it today with every intention of a good length ride, so aiming for about 30 miles, may be a bit more.

I set off out on my normal first six mile loop and at the end of it, instead of turning south, I turned back home with the plan of then turning south once I'd reached the A38 from the other direction. I puffed my way up the second of two little bumps in the road and hit my max heart rate ! Normally I can comfortably get up there pushing quite hard but around 20bpm lower. This was to be the theme for the whole ride. I was always around 10-15bpm higher than I would expect to be. A week of cornish pasties, fish and chips and cornish ice cream will do that I suppose.



I kept looping my way south and adding little bits on and a couple of times I spotted cyclists in the distance which would make me change my route to get after them, so as you can see on the map, today's ride was completely random.



I set out thinking anything over about 16.5mph would do nicely. The wind was heading south so it helped me for a good while but I had it in my face for much of the second half. My average after about 12 miles was 18.2 but I knew it would drop once I'd turned North. Sure enough, as I got through Cam and turned back towards the A38 it was fairly relentlessly in my face. I carried on and spent as much time on the drops as I could and still looped here and turned there and got back up towards Gloucester having done about 32 miles, so I re-did my 6 mile loop but in the opposite direction and then added on a couple of miles back up the bypass to take it over 40.

I didn't realise at the time but the longest ride recorded on Garmin connect was 40.2 miles so I exceeded that and carried on to 41.

I'm delighted that having had a week off (which cost me half a stone in added weight) that I managed a decent distance and at 17.6mph average.

Just been out shopping with the missus mind you and the legs feel like jelly, which I haven't experienced in a while, so I may pay the price tomorrow, as I have to work a night tonight.

[Goldberg]

It wasn't but the upgraded app did some strange stuff.

Will check it out later.

[Goldberg]

14km this morning, long drive Friday up Norf and even longer drive yesterday afternoon back..

So a bit fatigued but good to get it out of the way.
Some big runs this week as might have to run to work because of the Tube Strikes

[Goldberg]

Couple to update on.

Firstly Wednesday did an 18+km run to work in order to avoid the Tube Strike



Then today it is the first Friday of the month and therefore it is Free Full English Friday! So another 18.5+km so I can have a couple more slices of fried bread!

[maltloaf]

The missus returned to work this week after maternity leave so time has been really tight. Generally I have been getting home from my night shift and looking after Mia until the missus got home around 11am, then sleeping until around 5pm and spending the evening with my family. Sadly this is my first ride since last Sunday, but I'm hoping that will improve either this week or next week.

I felt decidedly rough getting on the bike. I didn't feel up for it at all and thought I would struggle to do even 10 miles. Sure enough I had a hard time in the initial stages of my ride but I kept going, determined ot get some much needed miles on the board.

I was worried I might get passed all the time and kept looking behind me. I don't get passed all that often and it's rare for me to even care but it's a good indicator of where my head was at.

Somewhere around 18 miles it was like someone flicked a switch on and I suddenly felt much better and stronger. I felt like I could drive on again and push hard in sections. I felt like a cyclist again.

The average steadily increased from then (at which point it was about 16.7) and I got home with it on 17.8mph which considering how I felt at the start is amazing.

[maltloaf]

just a short ride today but delighted to be out two days in a row. Just did my 'old' 17 miler with the wind against for the first half. Pushed pretty hard towards the end and just managed to squeak in at 18mph average.

[Goldberg]

15km yesterday. Nice day for the run

[Goldberg]

Tough 15km this morning but enjoyed it at the end

[Goldberg]

16km this morning. Was awake since 3 with the Boy... Nearly cancelled but went for it in any case.
Very windy.. The times reflect this..

[maltloaf]

My BBC weather app told me there was a 24mph wind out there when I woke up this morning. Looking out of the window at the swaying trees seemed to confirm it. Normally this would leave me with a decision as to wether to brave it or not but since I hadn't had time all week again for a ride, I had to go out.

Sure enough it was very hard going when heading south and particularly south west. Gusts during the exposed sections such as motorway bridges were pretty dodgy !

Anyway, I wound my way as far south as I currently go and actually my average didn't suffer as badly as I thought it might, making the turn back north at around 18 miles showing 15.8mph

I headed towards home, enjoying the wind behind me going through 25 miles and realised this would put me on about 30 at home. I got within a few miles of home and decided to re-do the first loop again, including the extra bit which makes it 9 miles.

I got around that and realised I was now only a few miles short of my longest ride since I got back into cycling (which stood at 41 miles) so I turned away from home again, through the lanes and rejoined the bypass, which I then rode all the way back home. 44 miles on the Garmin, feeling great but tired and out of drink.