Hoping for speedy spoke replacement

Drove to work today as I had some training off site and wanted to get my bike wheel to the shop to have the spoke replaced before the weekend. I did manage the latter - got there just as the door was being closed at 17:59 - my wheel was accepted.

The course must have utilised plenty of nervous energy - media with lots of filmed interviews. I'm getting more tolerant of seeing/hearing myself these days and managed not to stutter. I don't think anybody who knew me as a teenager would believe that I could get through it - I even enjoyed it!

Body Combat last night had the novelty of 3 blokes being in the class. Really can't get my head - or body - sorted for press ups. I'm trying to work up the courage to talk to the instructor about technique.

Numbers were a bit poor for running on Monday which I'm hoping was down to high risk of rain.

Filling in some gaps

Decided that bluebells should feature on today's bike ride with Husband and chose to adapt a Rough Rides Guide route we've done a couple of times with Goldfish so that it included some new sections, making it 40K. Quite a cool day, but not windy & quite bright. Bluebells didn't disappoint - as you can see.
We did get a bit confused in Chilbolton which is where I had planned to deviate from the original - sorted ourselves out OK though. Saw my second ever hare haring across a field - I can see now why they are used so much as a metaphor for speed. Then saw a deer follow almost the same route - which disturbed 2 lapwings who started doing distract-from-my nest performances - quite an eventful water break! Great to fill in more of my visual map of Hampshire with some new tracks.
I thought we were puncture free, but by the time we got home, one of my tyres was flat - and Husband spotted that I've broken a spoke.
Short bike ride yesterday too - decided to get tasty bread from the bakery in Fair Oak. Lots of gardening to follow - a few hours at the allotment following by yet more lawn cleansing at home.

Dandelions

The big question is - will I wet the bed tonight? I spent 2 hours after work removing dandelions from the lawn - my Grandma used to call them wet the bed which is a ref to diuretic properties. I used a broken trowel so now have lovely blister on my hand.
I've been subjecting my colleagues to my blue-white pony legs this week - I've switched from thermal leggings to shorts & mini wrap combo for cycling in. I'm enjoying spring on the bike.
Gym last night - 30mins on the treadmill with 10mins of that as intervals and 25mins on the x trainer finishing with lat pull downs.

Stuff I've learned

I don't seem to have done much random rambling here recently - I think it's because much of my blog time seems to be spent writing up running advice! So some ramblings....
What I've learned from different types of exercise - that might not be expected!

• Yoga - relaxing my jaw weirdly seems to relax me generally. It's been one of the most succdessful things I've tried in tackling my occaisional insomnia
• Body Combat - crimes agains music can be good to bounce around too. I'm thinking of the appalling danced up versions of Zombie, Smells Like Teen Spirit - and the Summer of 69.
• Swimming - try to improve one thing at a time. Whilst trying to get my head dipping in the water more, it has helped to just focus on that.
• Swimming - the best weapon against athletes foot is flip flops!
• Mountain Biking - my bike is better than me - I should trust it more. This is important as I am a control freak and delegation doesn't come easily.
• Cycling - puts me in a better mood.
• Skating - I need time to translate instructions into something my body can do. I don't have a great ability to learn physically.
• Running - I like coaching!

Anyway, cycled to work on Mon & Tue. Not today as I had a doctor's appointment to scoot to. Had a fab run with J on Monday - pushed myself a bit more than normal. Also did more sprinting with the Intermediates as all seemed to be at very different speeds!

Sociaising again

Body combat on wed but I only managed 2 days of cycling to work this week. Day off on wed and had a short wander at hengistbury head with g in spring sunshine.
My buddy fron uni L came over on Friday eve with husband and daughter so we went for a walk in the woods on Saturday.
We then drove to Llanymynech for newest nephew's christening. Husband persuaded some of guests and the 2 older nephews to play cricket - I enjoyed it even though I still can't throw or catch! Now very full of chilli & trifle, in car) route home, preparing to join the holiday traffic.
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So much decorating

Kitchen and dining room now all painted - it felt like the right way to spend Friday & Sunday as both days were kind of grey & wet. On Saturday afternoon, had a very productive allotment sesh with Husband, Goldfish & Kitty - it looks much more tended now & we got the spuds in.

Today, the sun came out so headed off to the Forest with Husband where we did the route Kitty devised from Milkham. Gorse out smelling of coconut & I was pleased to spot a very cute little brown lizard. I'm renaming the lane from Burley as Whining Lane - it's where you spot people struggling to master the rental bikes they've just picked up & there's lots of angst and domestic stress. For example, saw little girl on bike getting v.cross at the rest of her family for not keeping up - her younger brother was throwing a wobbly about being on a tag-along on his dad's bike & her mum was giving dad grief over not sorting out brother - felt quite sorry for dad! Soon lost the stressed cyclists after the first off road hill - that's a good thing about the Forest - it's easy to find a quieter spot.

Husband got to try out his new CO2 inflator after a flint stabbed his tyre - but he thinks he needs some more practise!

Running went well tonight - surprised that anyone came given that it's a bank holiday. Good to be running in the sunshine.

The joy of sofa

Finally - the photographic evidence that I did the Eastleigh 10K!

Monday's running intermediates (formerly beginners!) chose off road rather than hills - they may have regretted it as they discovered how sapping grass can be on the legs going around the playing field. I also came perilously close to losing people literally as we got very split up at one point - so I got to sprint!

Cycled every day except today. Body combat last night. We should have gone to the gym tonight but were both feeling a bit dead - Husband's work is tiring him atm and I was a bit wound up so didn't sleep well last night. So we are at one with the sofa playing stupid facebook games and watching back-to-back My Name is Earl.

Challenging ride

Goldfish was keen to do a longer ride as part of his South Downs Way prep (he's planning on doing it in 2 days). He proposed doing 2 rides from the same starting point - good call as it meant that those who didn't fancy doing the full day could just do one of the two. I was trying to decide whether to do 2 or one - but I've been conscious that I've been a bit lazy of late & figured that 2 would push me. I was threatened with whipping if I didn't keep up (how motivational...).

Ride 1 was the HCC Winchester route that we'd done a couple of weeks ago. Ride 2 was the HCC Cheesefoot Head route which was the first off road (excluding New Forest tracks) route that Husband & I did a few years ago with shiny new Specialized Hardrock Sports.

Ride 1 was done by Goldfish, M, C, Husband, me and Husband's manager D. Beautiful sunny day and the tracks were quick as it hasn't rained in anger for a while. Heard skylarks, saw violets, primroses & cowslips. Husband wasn't feeling great and as the ride progressed, he found it more difficult to get up hills - his legs were spent - but he did complete the ride. Good to have another girl to natter to - very glad that C came! Halfway point and all went home except Goldfish, M and me.

I didn't feel too fresh at the outset and was trailing at the back, but didn't feel that I was holding the boys up too much. No whips appeared, so I guess I wasn't too bad! There was just one really muddy bit - close to what Husband calls the "impossible hill" when approaching the other way - a sumpy bit of the track that's either a mini lake or quagmire. And just afterwards, at our muddiest, M got a puncture - and a lovely person in a 4X4 made us move off the path mid repair and didn't say thank - charming. My legs were feeling a little like Husband's were on ride 1 towards the end. Resorted to counting downstrokes in my head to keep going!

75.08km completed in 5 hours 20 mins of riding. I'm saddle sore!

Stressed out fishies

We were going to go for a swim this evening, but instead we are playing "move the fishtank" - an arduous and stressful experience for us, but downright terrifying for the poor little fishies - hoping that they all survive the experience. Been tidying/sorting & moving stuff around all day in prep for dining room floor being installed next week.

I took yesterday off as I haven't had any leave since New Year. Cycled to allotment in the morning & did an hour or so's digging. Rest of the day was spent at salons & at M&S, finishing up with a few pints - Big D is still mia.

Body Combat on Wed - no Sassy, but the relief instructor did some of my fave routines including the danced up version of Zombie.