ANOTHER DOUBLE.

I was back out training again yesterday. I completed another double of the team training loop.
I have noticed since starting the drug therapy that my energy levels are very low- it's almost as if the drugs just sap all my energy and leave me really listless.
Riding the loop has always been a good test of performance but this year I am finding it twice as difficult alhough I am determined to overcome all the difficulties.
More than ever before it is vital that I get my nutrition just right in order to fuel my rides properly.
I have started using ZipVit nutrition products this year. I find that they taste good and they do seem to make a big difference to my energy levels whilst riding -which for me at the moment is really important. You can find more information about their product range at www.zipvit.co.uk and then click on Sports Nutrition in the side bar.

DOUBLE THE PAIN.

Today I had arranged to meet JD (that's the handsome looking cyclist in the photo) for a ride around our usual training loop.
This was the first time that JD and I have ridden together since the ACCR last June.This was also the first time this year that I have ridden my touring machine in fact it was only eighteen days ago that I got back on a bike after five months medical layoff.
It was a bright but cold start to the day and in parts of the route that don't see any sun there was a fair bit of ice around. Not wanting to repeat the falling off the bike routine that I managed last year I found that I didn't have JDs courage on the downhill sections. Seeing the ice around I rode with caution down these parts of the route and soon passed JD again on the uphill sections.
After doing the loop once JD suggested doing it all again. So we ended up doing the 'HOD' twice and the 'slope of cardiac arrest' (JDs name for it) twice.In a nutshell what we experienced was double the pain! But it was worth it-we had a good few hours ride and I managed to do the longest single ride since my diagnosis. At 45 miles this is not a huge distance but for me it was a major step forward and in line with my training programme. My weight loss plan is still going well and I feel that it is a major factor in giving me the edge on the uphill sections.

OUT ON THE BIKE AGAIN.

Today I was back out on the bike again. I decided that I would ride over to Swanage on my LEJOG Dahon folding hybrid. My route was by way of the 'hill of death' .(As known to Team 219) This was the first time that I have tackled this hill since before the ACCR and my subsequent crash last June. I was pleased to negotiate this killer hill with out any problems and on a fairly heavy bike as well. On arrival at Swanage I took a rest for ten minutes watching the very choppy sea before heading back home. Another nice but cold day.

GETTING OUT ON THE BIKE.

These past few days I have been managing to get out on the bike every day.

Today I thought that I would take a ride down to the Studland ferry slipway. What a good day it was too. Not too cold - dry under the wheels and a nice bright sun- I even rode with my sunglasses on. I chose not to take the ferry across to Studland but continued back in a big loop. Whilst I was down at the slipway both the Britanny Ferry went past and the Studland Ferry came in full of vehicles saving themselves the 25 mile return road route to and from Swanage and Corfe. Sometime within the next couple of weeks I might manage to get out on a ride with some of the team members across the Purbecks. The Studland Ferry is the quickest way for me to leave the urban environs of Bournemouth and Poole behind as once across you are cycling out in the country. If I cycle north-west or east I have between 8 and 12 miles of urban -vehicle infested roads to travel on before I get out into a country environment.

I won't bore you with download details from the Garmin at this stage- suffice it to say that the figures I am managing seem quite good considering the hospital treatment that I am on and the 5 month cycling layoff that I have had to endure.

A SPECIAL DAY.

The last time that I rode a bike out on the road was 21st September last year. That is five months ago. Regular visitors to this blog will know the reasons why I have been confined to an indoor trainer for all this time-well last week I had the go ahead from the hospital to get back on a bike out on the open road. All is not perfect yet as I still have 8 to 12 weeks of radiotherapy to get through but having said that- today was a special day.

I woke up this morning to bright sunshine and decided that today would be my first outing on a bike for five months. I must admit that I was a little nervous after such a long lay-off and the plan was to only venture out on my hybrid as it is probably the easiest of my bikes to ride.

The ride seemed to go well. Not a great distance for this first trip (15miles) and I kept my speed down to an average of just 13.75mph and a top speed of just 23mph as I was paranoid about potholes and wasn't disappointed as they seemed to be everywhere. The local roads have really deteriorated since last summer. As it was a pothole that caused my crash at the end of the ACCR last June I had no wish to repeat the experience hence the paranoia.

I tackled a couple of the local hills and was pleasantly suprised that I managed them in a smaller rear cog than I managed last year-must be all those hours spent on the trainer plus my reducing weight. About mid December last year I had a wake up call on my weight. All those weeks of sitting around following the crash and subsequent medical problems had caused my weight to increase to 15 stone-the highest it has ever been. I embarked on a strict weight loss programme of my own devising and have been losing a steady 2 pounds a week since then. By 31st March I will have hit my first target of 12 stone 7 pounds and by the Duncton Sportive on 5th May I will be 11 stone 11 pounds which is my final target weight.

So there you have it- I have 11 weeks to continue to get fit enough -light enough and confident enough on the bike in order to beat last years bronze banding at Duncton at the same time as starting the treatment on a 5 days a week basis. But hey- I can only function if I have a challenge.

AT LAST- THE END OF THE BEACONS WAY.

From Bottom to Top-

Llyn y Fan Fawr (Lake of the Big Hill)

Two views of Bannau Sir Gaer.

And Finally---

Roadside village sign at the end of the walk.(No need for backpackers to look for a stable...........!!)

THE BEACONS WAY CONTINUES.................

Pictures from bottom to top:-

1) The standing stone called Maen Madoc on the side of Sarn Helen. This stone was moved in 1940 from it's original position some 25 paces to the west of it's present location. Prior to 1940 it stood directly beside Sarn Helen which is a Roman road.

2) Another of my pitches- this time in a field belonging to a public house.

3)Some small falls on the stream called Nant Tawe Fechan. I had a very pleasant lunch break by the side of these falls. The escarpment of Fan Hir (Long Peak) can be seen in the background.

4) Another shot of Fan Hir. At the foot of Fan Hir a curious ridge can be seen. This has been interpreted in different ways, but it is believed to have been formed by a small glacier. In all this escarpment stretches for 4.3 miles-as far as Llyn y Fan Fach.