Jinxed

In October, we had to curtail our plans to cycle in the Peaks as Husband hurt his arm coming off his bike the weekend before.
We had booked tomorrow off to bike on Dartmoor, rolling the trip in with celebrating Mum-ish's birthday. But Husband has come down with what may be a major cold, so I'm going to work tomorrow morning, heading off to Torquay in the afternoon.

We are jinxed!

Dragged myself to the gym tonight - felt very unmotivated. I ran well on my new interval training regime & did 5K in 27:11. Also did 20mins on the X trainer. But I'm not feeling brilliant myself - not sure whether it's work exhausting me or if I'm also getting the cold.....

Good to know that my waterproof kit is

It was raining properly tonight - very pleased that crumpler bag and new jacket are both properly waterproof. I was grateful that the rain caught me on the way home rather than in the morning as it's tricky drying off wet kit during the day....

Email went round the office today about the Eastleigh 10K & I think I've persuaded a few others to at least think about joining me! In previous years, B&Q has matched sponsorship so I'm hoping that something similar operates this year. Just need to decide on which charity. Cancer Research seems to be the fave - but I'm tempted to focus on GOSH.

Entered Eastleigh 10K

Worked later than I planned so no gym tonight. I did commute by bike though so not feeling as guilty as yesterday. Used my bike to travel between sites for a course today as well.

Entered the B&Q Eastleigh 10K race tonight - it's not until March, but tends to be over subscribed. This was my first ever 10K which I struggled around with A a few years ago [nb - I was the only one to struggle - A acquitted herself with aplomb!] - hoping to beat my time from then (which I think was about 75 mins) - based on Beaulieu, this should be more than achievable! It's on road which my feet will hate but as it's pretty flat, I should be able to get some speed up. I won't be asking for sponsorship as I tend to focus my fundraising efforts on 1 event per year.

First Wimp Out

Awoke to the sound of rain hammering down & decided to drive to work. Which meant that it didn't rain during my journey & it turned into a reasonably dry day - which led to guilt!

Skating tonight with G who was looking great in her new red jeans, set off by a v.chic cap.

I've been thinking about the different ways I enjoy the different activities that I do:

• Skating - first half is focussed on technique, second half on whizzing around nattering with G. The fact I'm also burning calories is very secondary.
• Body Combat - appeals to my sense of the ridiculous (punching & kicking thin air for an hour to cheesey music) but also gives me an exercise junkie high.
• Running - very satisfying - I love it when I feel as if I'm speeding along. I also love the sense of digging in, focussing on every step. And it's another high sensation.
• Mountain Biking - love being out in the countryside, changing seasons, landscapes, nature stuff. I love the kick I get on feeling that I've done a tricky section well (an elusive sensation!). And it's another junkie high activity.
• Cycling to/from work - straightforward stress relief. I use the journey in to think through my plans today & the trip home to de-work my mind.

Soggy bottomed girl

No exercise on Friday apart from cycle to work.

We were thinking of doing Husband's "nemesis" ride on Saturday NE of Salisbury- which we'd attempted earlier in the year but were frustrated by Husband's chest infection and his bike breaking. But it remains the nemesis as we changed our minds:

• Raining - and the "nemesis" route is over chalk hills - so would be very slippy


• We had a lie in & didn't really have time to complete ride in daylight

M pulled out coz of his cold which meant we could consider New Forest routes (which M loathes) - so we did the high speed Burley/Brockenhurst circuit that uses the old railway line. 31.96k in 1 hour 43 mins of riding time. Husband had puncture but apart from that, nothing much to hold us up. We got drenched - more from puddles & spray than from the rain its self - and kit was completely coated in that fine Forest sandy grit that took 2 washes to remove from Husband's jacket! I feel a winter riding kit review coming on....

We're going to miss M for a few weeks now - he's having an operation on his hands this week to resolve his trigger fingers - better for riding in the long term, but he won't be on 2 wheels for a while. Which makes it more of a shame that he couldn't come out on Sat.

Gym today - 20 mins X trainer and a killer interval session on the treadmill - I'm up to 10kph/12kph for 30 mins now, passing 5K at 27:19 (but on the flat!). Have decided that Robin Hood is nearly as good as Hollyoaks for brainless gym TV.

Swimming - for a change

Went swimming tonight with Husband - for a change. My arms were still aching after Body Combat last night - I wasn't the only one as I discovered when chatting to another BC afficianado in the pool.
More successful swim for me than it was for Husband - who forgot his goggles but only realised this after he was changed. He then got in the pool where I let him know that the shop sells them and would still be open - so he had to get dried & changed, buy goggles & then get changed again... and as the aqua aerobics class takes the full pool from 8pm on Thursdays, not much time left for swimming!

Flying Kicks

Body combat - new routine is allegedly better at burning calories but I'd prefer a bit more kicking even though flying kicks are back on the agenda after a long-ish absence.

Cycling home was fun last night - left late & then managed to lose my specs in a pile of leaves in the semi lit bike shelter at work. Found them eventually though. Felt too washed out last night to do anything - which I think was partially due to working late on Monday night.

Trialled a new thermal top today that I bought at Tchibo - it's about the right level of warm atm when combined with my waterproof. And it coordinates....

Farley Mount & Test Way

Did the 26 mile Farley Mount ride from the Rough Ride Guide on Sunday - which we'd done before in the summer. Much harder this time as there was much more mud - and we kept a fairly good pace.

Test Way part was weird - it's a fairly flat stretch (an old railway line) but there were patches of sticky mud under the leaves that would suck your tyre in. Went with Husband, M and C & M.

Husband was proud of being equipped with his own sugar tabs - after weeks of scrounging them off M whenever he got tired - but it was C who remembered and bought them for Husband!

It rained a little - mostly when M was repairing his puncture - but this meant there was some dramatic light - stormy grey skies with bright autumn sunshine piercing through.

Hawthorn berries have turned from scarlet to burgundy now. Spindle berries made the hedgerows shocking pink - the bushes were either leafless or covered with red leaves - must be 2 species/subspecies/varieties/whatever..... [later - just looked up spindle on Wikipedia & it only mentions 1 species - berries are poisonous containing terpene and alkaloids]


Skating last night - I was pleased that G came! Had to leave early though coz I worked later on.

Can't sleep. Again.

My ability to sleep is often akin to my ability to do anything vaguely mechanical - and for a summary of how great this ability is, read my last blog!

So it's 1:30am and I am very awake. Not good. Not even sure what's bugging me atm.
Anyway, I drove to work today as it was an off site awayday. I did go to the gym though as the venue was so close by. 30mins X trainer, 30mins interval treadmill & then the incline press. I upped the speeds on the treadmill to 10kph for jog and after 15mins, also upped the run speed to 12kph. Which meant that I did the 5K bit in 27:34 - I was pleased with that.

My niece is doing exercise as well this week - she has sessions at the Footsteps Rehabilitation Centre a few times a year. Getting her to/from the centre is very disruptive to Baby Sister - and Niece has been known to deeply dislike the therapy - but it really does seem to be helping her become more mobile.

Fat Bird Kit Part 5 - the only handpump I can use

I have a terrible history with regards to putting air into tyres. Husband had to come & rescue me when I attempted to check the tyre pressure of a car - and managed to completely deflate one tyre and drive away from the pump - which necessitated changing tyre just to sort out the whole sorry mess. Don't know how to change a car tyre & have no intention of learning. I'm no better with bike pumps and lament the passing of the big old style pumps that reassuringly screwed into position. Have spent many an unhappy hour swearing at pumps..... don't think I'm cut out to be a bike mechanic. One day, I may confess that I'm not really sure how bike gears work - but as this would result in a life shortening explaination from Husband or M, I think I'll keep that one quiet for now.

Anyway, rising to a challenge, Husband researched pumps as he was convinced that I could be trained to use one - and much to my surprise, he succeeded - it's a very compact little Blackburn.

The only downside is that I keep on forgetting to transfer it from weekend bike rucksack (which has a water reservoir but little storage space) to my weekday bag. So if I get a puncture to/from work, I'll be walking.

One unexpected bonus is that flushed with my mechanical prowess with the handpump, I seem to have mastered our footpump....

Hey - one day, I may be able to change an inner tube unaided..... yeah right!

Sheer Vanity

I was guilty of admiring my (almost) muscly arms in the studio mirror last night at body combat - sleeveless top was a good choice!

Tuesday

Left my bike unlocked so I was relieved to see it still there at the end of the day. Reasons are too dull to detail! It was in a locked bike shed though.
Husband took our mountain bikes to be serviced & got a lecture about overuse of the pressure washer on the rear hubs. Hopefully the irritating squeak won't materialise next time I use my bike.
Gym - 20mins x trainer and 30 mins satisfying interval work on treadmill. Finished with the lat pulldown - which I am rubbish at. Told Husband about how I struggle to use it at level 5 - then he told me the level he uses it at...... depressing!

Not the same without my skating buddy!

Missed G tonight at skating - she wasn't feeling well. Still had my fellow skaters to chat to - but it wasn't the same....

I was sent into a different group - the coach had me plus 2 women working to level 4 - which worked quite well as there are some compatible moves - for example, I was working on backwards chassis, they were working on forwards.

Got cross cycling today with cars occupying cycle lanes - a volvo driving in one this morning & cars parked in one this afternoon. But as I'm often cycling on the pavement/through pedestrianised zones/ignoring "cyclists dismount" signs/sneaking around traffic lights, I guess I can't justifiably complain.

Not November-ish!

Rode 33.8k from the house today with Husband, C & M. The other M was due to join us but is in the middle of DIY project atm. Much easier than last week even though the distance was similar. We did a stint on country lanes to start off, joining the Compton Down track close to Poles Lane. Over to Stanmore on a route which gets better closer to Winchester. Uphill past St Catherines Hill, up & over Twyford Down, Owslebury then Water Lane down to Marwell. Not too bad on the mud front.

The weather was incredibly good - warm & sunny - and the light had that great orangey autumn quality.

C & M stayed at ours for some soup afterwards.

Ran yesterday with Husband cycling alongside - just 5K but I was pleased with my time (28:43). And that included dodging around Electricity repair people's vans blocking the bridleway by Crowd Hill Copse.

Much less interesting to report was the gym on Friday. Husband was working & I'm pleased I managed to eject myself from the sofa! 30 mins x trainer, 30 mins interval work on treadmill & a stint on the rowing weights machine. It was lovely & quiet - I seemed to be in the minority in not having much else to do on a Friday night - I'm so middle aged!

Fat Bird Essential Kit Part 4 - Trainers

Husband fails to understand why women require more than 3 pairs of shoes - but I have 7 pairs of trainers atm - all loved and used and all with specific uses:

• 1 pair of trainers specifically for aerobics classes - I invested in these after turning my ankle in May & sulking for ages about being unable to run. These are better suited to random bouncing around than my running shoes.


• 2 pairs of Brooks Addiction trainers for running - these are an attempt to correct to my extremely over pronating feet (I run like a penguin) by encouraging my feet to face forwards. Seems to work - I no longer get blisters on the inside arches of my feet & my toes no longer go numb after 3 miles. Older pair are for outside, newer pair are for the gym.
  
• 1 pair of trail type trainers I bought in the States - useful for most of the walking I do these days and I use them for cycling to work (they are much less muddy normally than my "proper" cycling shoes).
  
• 1 pair of cycling shoes - not really trainers, but they are styled to look like skate shoes so i'm counting them here.
  
• 2 pairs of Converse for life beyond exercise (only the summer ones are shown here).

Later - Husband has pointed out that I have 8 pairs - I forgot my (as yet unused) heelies. He also wants to publicise that he swam 1.1km in 23 minutes 48 seconds tonight - first time he's swam his standard 50 lengths in sub 24 mins in a long time!