Back to Autumn

Bike ride with Husband, M and A today - did the Ellisfield loop we've done a few times which is always enjoyable - loads of off road, varied terrain. 19.8km done in 1:32 of riding time, ascent of 410m and apparently burned 901 calories. I love having a forerunner again! Husband was sliding around on his tyres - and came off, landing on his arm which is still painful. So tomorrow's planned Peak District ride is off.
Over 2 hours of weeding & digging in the alloment this afternoon.
My eating is still at holiday mega levels - must try & get back on the Big D tomorrow....

Lefaks - Friday (Last Day)

Had our final sail in the morning - Husband & I took a funboat out - wider and more stable than the dinghies but not exactly moueverable! Husband did tiller, I did the sail. I think if we do more sailing, we're both happier sharing a boat than being solo. R was hoping to come out but she hurt her back at Yoga in the morning (Iyenga - she normally does Hatha) so just had a brief sail with Husband later on.

Final bike ride in the afternoon - just a gentle road ride to a church on the headland opposite Nidri. We did get a tiny bit of off road on the path down to the church at the end. Good views from the church across to Nidri and also of Skorpos and Skorpini. It was about 25K.

Final swim on the beach - for longer than expected as our flight was delayed. Very grateful that Crystal chose to let us stay on the beach for longer rather than sending us to the airport for a long wait!

Good holiday!

Lefkas - Thursday

Up for Sunrise Yoga - saluted the sun even though it only deigned to come out from behind the clouds after we'd finished.
Boat trip in the morning to go snorkelling south of the resort at a point only accessible by boat. We started off going through a canyon, looking down on the chasm below. Then we went into a cave with bats roosting in the roof. One highlight was going from the dark into the light & seeing the sea colour switch fromnavy to bright turquoise.
Vegetated on the beach inthe afternoon watching the regatta - very entertaining watching collisions and chaos ensue!
When it got cooler, I went to the gym & did a quick but very sweaty 5K on the treadmill. Then over to the yoga hut for a stretch class - good to do it after running, but I felt a bit self conscious as I wsa literally dripping with sweat!

Lefkas - Wednesday

Our booked Gulet Cruise was cancelled as a storm was forecast so we hired a car instead to explore the island with R and T. Little bits of walking but more than outweighed by an excellent lunch at a little taverna in Athani where more & more food just kept on coming! Owner's sister's spinach pie , perfectly cooked fresh sea bream and decadent tasting greek yoghurt with herby honey to finish.

The storm arrived in the evening - torrential rain with thunder & lightning.

Lefkas - Tuesday

We set off with 4 others today for a ride inland - 32K but with total ascent of 985m. We took our time due to the gradient and the heat. Really enjoyed the ride - views, a bit of independence and really good company. J and T do triathlons - J has done the London Marathon but is now focussing on triathlons - and is from Torquay! M is a downhill mountain biker and C is just starting to get into cycling. Lunch in Karya - leafy, pleasant square. We got lost - probably as I was navigating - but ended up on a spectacular lane coming back down fromthe interior to the coast - quiet, many hairpins and the herby scent of the vegetation.

Jumped in the sea when we got back to cool off.

Lefkas - Monday

Having not really sussed this sail thing on Saturday, Husband and I both signed up for Dinghy 1 for a second time this morning. So much better! No spillages & we both felt we were tacking better and had more control of our respective dinghies.

Went out with Mum-ish and Dad-ish on the kayaks - didn't go as far as on Sunday as we stuck to what R & T felt confident doing. They were really good - very co-ordinated - but R got a blister on her hand.

Lazy afternoon with some snorkelling from the little beach.

I had 2 classes at 5 - Abs and Stretching - both areas I tend to neglect so it was good to get some new ideas. Both were in the very picturesque Yoga Hut with views of the bay.

Then did a very very slow run- just 20 mins on the main road.

Lefkas - Sunday

Kayaking in the morning - south from the resort to a little cafe. Husband & I have some work to do on our new inflatable kayak as our teamwork was sadly lacking! The kayak was also lacking a skeg & rudder - which also didn't help - but I think it was more down to Husband & I that we zigzagged around so much.

26K ride in the afternoon - this time on Specialized Hardrock Pro bikes. Mostly tarmac but a good section of off road as we approached Half Moon Bay. The bikes were fine if not exactly new - apprently they started their lives at Crystal's mountain resorts doing proper downhill stuff, then got sent to Lefkas for retirement! I had a brief dip at the bay - very proud of wriggling in and out of bikini without flashing anyone.

30 mins on the X trainer and then used the chest press.

Lefkas Holiday Saturday

Mad dash to book up activities for the week after breakfast then immeadiately into our first sailing lesson on little Pico dinghies. I didn't really get into it - not helped by getting thwacked on the head before we started - not by the boom but by somebody else's dinghy's mast as it capsized! Felt a bit woozy but carried on. And capsized twice! At least I was able to practise getting the right way up again - nowhere near as scary as I thought it would be.

Husband also capsized twice.

Onto more familiar ground in the afternoon - gentle road ride to see the waterfalls near Nidri. Very pretty gorge walk at the end, but it looked as if the waterfall had dried up. Back via the harbout at Nidri. There seems to be high demand for the bikes - we had hybrids this afternoon.

Lefkas Holiday Friday

I'm typing this up post hols - typing up bits from my holiday diary, focussing on activity & exercise - as usual!

Just got back from 1 week's holiday on Lefkas - an Ionian island in between Corfu and Kefalonia - with "Crystal Active" - a ski tour operator who have diversified into other activity holidays. We stayed at their beach resort at Porto Gallini.

Room was so much better than we expected - more of a mini villa. Bedroom on groundfloor, sitting room upstairs, 2 balconies - both with sea views - 2 bathrooms.

Does traipsing around Gatwick (inlcuding last minute power walk from Gate to shops and back as I had a splitting headache) and lugging suitcases around count as exercise?!

Moving on

Skating on Mon - neith G or I made it through level 6 - no surprise for me as I'm so not up to the 3 turn yet. G is much closer though. It was a good skate though - still feel we are making progress.

Ran with V on Tuesday - my last ever apres Garmin jog in the forest. Blue sky, good natter, scenery - what's not to like?! I fully intend to meet up with V and L for some more running in the future though. L's doing the Beaulieu 10K so I will see her there.

I'm looking forward to an active week's holiday now in Lefkas - more to follow....

25 sloe miles from Sparsholt

That's sloe not slow as we weren't exactly hanging around today. 25 miles from Crab Wood with C, Husband, M, S & X. I chose the route as a kind of benchmark as I remembered it being tiring last time about a year ago - definitely felt fresher at the end than before.

We picked sloes en route, storing them in empty water bottles, which I'm currently attempting to turn into cheese! But the photo is of hawthorn.
Brilliant sunshine for today's ride.

Boat Show

Body Combat on Wed - good fun esp as current instructor believes that we burn more cals if we yell a lot! I'm missing the rock cheese though.

Gym on Friday - my new interval regime is tiring, but I guess it's good I'm pushing myself.

Southampton Boat Show today - 4 hours on our feet and walking around it - which must count for something! They had the ship that was used in the film Mutiny on the Bounty and Pirates of the Carribbean - hence the photo. We did buy a boat - but only a double inflatable kayak - not really a sunseeker level purchase. So there may be more paddling appearing here.

No running today as my ankle felt a bit achey ambling around earlier but I may walk to B & J's bbq later on.

Speedy recovery for legs!

I was pleasantly surprised by skating last night - legs weren't hurting at all & apart from the 3 turn seeming ever elusive, did OK.
Ran tonight with L & V in the Forest - possibly the last time with L as she can't make next week & after that, I'll be working elsewhere - still we will see eachother at the Beaulieu 10K.

Legs are tired out!

Increased the interval speeds on Friday at the gym - now doing 30 mins at 9.5/11.5 kph. Tiring, but did it! Also did 20 mins on X trainer and 2 weights machines.

Ran on Saturday afternoon - 10K for the first time in over a year! Husband was my coach - cycling alongside giving me feedback on my speed - it made a real difference and he seemed to enjoy it even though it meant he was cycling very very slowly! I did it in about 65 mins. So I now feel much more confident about the Bealieu 10K I've signed up for on 7th Oct. I felt a bit achey afterwards so we walked to the pub to keep the muscles moving.

Cycling today - with Husband, M & M. We did the full 24 mile Danebury HCC route for the first time. Some great views from Broughton Down - reached after a tough climb to get on top of the hill! Husband had 2 punctures - fortunately, the 2nd was only found after the ride when he was unloading the bikes.

Hawthorn berries - loads this year. One bit of bridleway had red walls - created by the berries! Lots of sloes too - tempted to do sloe gin again this year. Less pleasant was Husband having to dispatch a bunny in the last stages of mixy - I'm really proud that he can't bring himself to just leave a rabbit in that condition to suffer.

Anyway, thoroughly good ride - first we've done with M for a while as he's had major hand problems. Good to see M too - just got back from a very peasant late lunch at C & M's new house.

My legs are really aching now!

The long awaited beach ride

We've tried about 4 times to do the ride along the coast from Boscombe to Hengistbury Head - but the weather has conspired against us. And when it was OK-ish, the complex beach rules didn't allow us to cycle the route. But finally, on Sunday, G, Husband & I got to do it!

And it was worth the wait - views out to sea, no traffic, no rain, excellent company - even lunch was good. 16 not-too-difficult miles. G looks really confident on the bike now - huge transformation from just a few months ago - and has sped up considerably. Loved spending time with her. Husband took a great photo of G & me - but this is only on Facebook for buddies to view, following my "no obvious faces in blog photos without subject's permission" rule.

No skating last night and eye strain led to a killer headache so I skipped the gym.

Ran with V & L after work tonight - clear blue sky, no wind & not hot - perfect running weather! I'm going to miss the post work runs.

Last Street Dance

Went running with V on Tuesday - we were able to include the ultra muddy path again we'd started to avoid as it's now dried out.

Body Combat on Wed - loved the mad & ultra energetic new instructor but was a bit disappointed that she eliminated some of the rock cheese tracks I enjoy - still, got to keep Alice Cooper.

Street Dancing on Thursday with V - I enjoyed it more than the 1st time but struggled to keep up on one section on the floor (slide forwards on on kne, swap knees, spin around on bum then step up, turning around). This will be the last one for a while as V's regular Thursday dance classes start again next week.

I ran this morning from the house which was the fab off road route. I need to start doubling the training distance next week really in prep for the Beaulieu 10K on 7th Oct.

Little bit of exercise this evening - hit the beach with husband, M & A where, as well as consuming food & alcohol, paddled in the sea & played pseudo rounders. Top evening!