Damp shoes

There are days when I shouldn't cycle to work - and today was one of them. I was hoping that the heavy rain would stop before I left this morning - it didn't & several huge puddles meant I arrived at work resembling a drowned cat*. My tights almost dried out during the day, shoes didn't & I didn't even attempt to dry off my socks - so journey home was not exactly comfortable. More postively, my work clothes remained almost completely dry thanks to ace bike bag. I used my mountain biking shoes today as my normal road ones were still damp from yesterday - really hoping that at least one pair is dry by tomorrow!

Body Combat tonight. I arrived late so had to squeeze into the crowded back of the class. Normally, I head for the front. Reasons include:

• It's normally the area with most space.
• Specs mean I have limited peripheral vision. And having naff all grace/co-ordination/balance, I need all the help I can to folow the routines.
• I don't have to look at somebody else's perfect figure doing everything perfectly in front of me!

* = chose the cat reference as they look way more pathetic when wet through than any other animal.

Boo Boop Be Doo

I went to a burlesque taster session tonight in Southampton - which was more of a workout than I was expecting. No removal of clothing was required, but lots of getting the movements, attitude & face right. Interesting - but I'm not tempted to sign up for the full class - I don't think my wiggle & ability to walk in high heels are strong enough. Weirdly, it's making me think I'd like to try street dancing again - must try & find a class.

Got very wet cycling home today - rain was easing off, but there was loads of surface water.

Rats are back

Ran 10K on Saturday - not fast (60:47) - and that was excluding a walking break due to boisterous dogs. I am sporting a lovely blister on my right sole which should serve as a reminder to wear the right socks in future (bought some new ones on Sunday). It was a beautiful day though - good to be out in it.

Little bit of gardening on Saturday at the allotment - planting out sweetcorn. My tedonitis meant I got out of planting - so I did the watering instead. More gardening yesterday - Husband & I attempted to get the back garden into some semblance of order - I enjoyed blasting the patio with a jet washer to give it its first clean in umpteen years. Husband found new rat runs - not good. He has baited but we think we may have to give up on our compost bin - combined with next door's aviary, woodland behind the garden and our pond, we seem to have a lovely ratty habitat!

Cycled to work and gym tonight so feeling quite virtuous atm. Arm is still not great so I skipped the weights machines.

Tennis Elbow in my Wrist

Wounded! I have tennis elbow in my wrist - arm hurts whenever I move my hand & makes a lovely creaking noise/sensation (as the swollen tendon moves through its sheath). Most painful things are writing and cooking. Husband has decreed (autocratically) that I'm not mountain biking tomorrow.... lots of ibuprofen & back to doc in 10 days if no improvement. I was told that I should use it as usual - and as mountain biking is usual for me, I should be allowed to go. Never mind.

Road biking is kind of OK though so I cycled to work today & Wednesday. Gym last night - interval & x trainer.

The People of Kitzbuhel must be Relieved...

... to hear that Husband and I will now be gracing them with our presences in mid June. Replacement holiday is all booked and sorted - and is roughly the same price as the Crystal Active version. Good thing too as my new body armour arrived today - knee/shin pads. Seems to fit OK, but I won't know for sure until I start pedalling in it.




Cycled today (and yesterday) but I am injured. My lower arm started aching at the allotment on Monday evening (planting out tomatoes - could be rash given that we're not necessarily frost free yet). Pedalling up the final hill today, it hurt even more. It's not a big deal, I just need to adopt the "sit down, change down and pedal like a hamster on a wheel" approach to hills as opposed to my standing on the pedals & pushing down hard technique.

I'm also sporting some lovely bites on my face - something was trying to eat us when we went to sow carrots and beetroot on Sunday. I don't think the allotment is good for me - it was responsible for hurting my back a couple of months ago too.

My bike is injured too! Goldfish & Husband finally ascertained what was really happening when I whined about it not engaging after freewheeling, stopping or changing gear - a thing called a freewheel hub is bust. So bike is currently being pampered at the bike shop - it's also getting its bottom bracket replaced (I now know what that is), brakes tweaked & something with the gears too (I lost concentration at this point in Husband's explaination & nodded alot).

The problems with the bike didn't help on the really muddy bit of Sunday's ride - 32K from the house. I did whine and sulk quite a bit. However, it was a gorgeous day and bluebells are out. The photo is of our Wedding Wood (one of our wedding gifts was sponsorship of a patch of Crowd Hill Copse).

It was also good weather today so Husband & I went for a run after work - I was slow (5K in 30:30, 5.5K in total) but I was nattering a lot. Good to be out - more biophilia!

Crystal Active Holidays are very not good

Time for a rant! Back in November, Husband & I booked 2 holidays with Crystal Active following an excellent visit to their resort in Lefkas. We booked Kitzbuhel for some mountain biking and Croatia for some sailing.

Back in Jan, they cancelled Croatia. Bit annoying but not a huge problem as the holiday wasn't until September.

Today, they cancelled Kitzbuhel with just 8 weeks before we were due to go.

Even better, Husband phoned yesterday (18th) to pay the balance for this holiday - which they accepted even though they knew by then about the cancellation (letter dated 17th). No mention on the phone about the cancellation. Letter offered to switch us to an alternative holiday in Kaprun, but on phoning today, 1 of the 2 hotels mentioned was already full and there was only 1 room left at the other. And we'd chosen Kitzbuhel, not Kaprun for our holiday.

So Husband & I have been looking to see if we can find another holiday for our June dates. It will be more pricey - not least because we only have 8 weeks to go, limiting options.

Annoyed too becasue I nearly missed the cancellation letter as Crystal Active packaged it as if it was a cover letter for a brochure & just put it in their brochure's poly bag - an envelope woud have been a nice touch to help differentiate it from junk mail. Or a phone call. Or actually mentioning the cancellation on the phone on Friday.

Given that Crystal Active only operate out of 10 or so resorts, it seems really rubbish that they've pulled out of 2 of these 10. They shouldn't be advertising what they cannot deliver. Not sure I'll be using them again!

I timed the mtb skills course in March so that it would be before Kitzbuhel. I ordered knee/shin pads yesterday for Austria. Not a happy bunny!

Anyway, gym today for 15mins on the cross trainer and 30mins intervals on the treadmill. Then I met Husband in the spa bath where he failed to convince that I should be swimming outside (it's a grey, dank and cold day).

So Lazy

No exercise to report apart from pedalling to work today & yesterday. Currently struggling to muster the energy to get off the sofa - it's a sad state of affairs.

My shopping ability has been unaffected by this malaise - just ordered some new cycling shoes (no laces & lots of mesh) and some knee/shin pads ready for Austria.