I met Nigel and Noel at 8:45. Noel turned out to be a tall, wiry 52 year old riding a sort of cyclocross bike. The bike was a Cannondale and had mechanical disc brakes and 35mm knobbly tyres! The less than ideal tyres didn't seem to slow him down in any way...
I took them out on my original Snitterfield 36mile route with a cake stop at 23 miles. By the time we got to Wilmcote at 15.0mph we were all sweating and I even peeled off my Buff and base layer! After I sampled both types of cake on offer we set off for the remaining 15 miles of steady climbing back home.
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| Noel and his knobbly tyres |
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| Nigel attacking 'The Farm' |
So far, I'd ridden a fair bit of the ride at the front but now Noel was kind enough to head into the wind for us. Unfortunately, just trying to stay on his wheel up the inclines was a challenge and one, after the 28 mile mark, I couldn't do anymore. Nigel and I watched Noel ride of into the distance, probably unaware that he'd dropped the pair of us!
When he did realise what had happened, he let himself be caught and we finished the ride together, with Nigel coming back for a cup of tea in the backgarden at my place.
A little later, after attaching some bathroom cupboard doors and a bit of shopping, I jumped back on the bike to travel to the Coach and Horses on Weatheroak Hill. It was Deadly Dan's birthday and it was great to see him along with Russ, Fast Ant and Mat. The Coach and Horses have their own brewery and I sampled two of their products tonight: the Best Bitter and IPA. Both were topnotch with the Best Bitter being particularly good with a full flavour.
I cycled back (up the 15% Weatheroak Hill!) in time for a our dinner party with Lucy's parents and our next door neighbours.
Exercise:
Road bike: 38.6 miles at 14.6mph
Cycled to pub and back (about 15 miles in total)
Booze
1 pint of IPA
1 pint of bitter
1 bottle of ale
Food
2 x peanut butter on wholemeal toast
Cup of redbush tea
Slice of coffee cake and slice of lemon cake
Cup of tea
Banana
5 fish fingers with noodles and homegrown cucumber
Lucy's homemade lasagna
Lemon chicken thigh with potatoes
Lucy's homemade fruit crumble with chocolate ice cream
Lucy's homemade cheesecake
Cup of tea
Tuesday
Back at work!
I cycled in to college and was aware of a bit of a 'click' which I felt at the back of my left knee...
I starved myself for most of the day in an effort not to eat any junkfood. I had two pieces of fruit. I cycled home.
On the way to karate, the car broke down! We got a taxi home and then Martha, Mouse and I went for a fast walk/slow jog.
In the evening, I continued to eat healthily but couldn't resist a beer.
No junkfood
Exercise:
Walk for 14 minutes.
Run for 20 minutes
Cycled to work and back (9 miles total)
Booze
1 bottle of ale
Food
2 x Peanut butter on wholemeal toast
Cup of redbush tea
Banana
Apple
Banana
2 massive salmon fishcakes with wholewheat pasta, new potatoes, homegrown green beans and homegrown tomatoes.
Cup of tea
Wednesday
Today was the first day of my new commute. Once a week, for the next 9 months, I'll have to travel to Handsworth to teach English. I chose the Specialized for the ride today: the Raleigh is a beautiful bike but not very comfortable! The ride in was faster than I'd expected - not too much traffic at 7:30am. We were moving all the time. An old fart in a Range Rover tried to overtake me when we were going 20mph on the A34, failed, and then gradually moved over forcing me to the gutter. Eventually I had to brake and let him move in front of me. I honestly don't think he thought he'd done anything wrong.
I arrived at work, 12 hectic miles later, a sweaty mess.
The less said about my day at work the better...
It was a lot slower on the way home. Miles and miles of hot angry people sitting in queues of cars. And they do this five days a week. Madness.
Once I got back to Solihull and the traffic eased a little, I extended the ride by about three miles so I could cruise through the park and enjoy the weather. I did my good deed for the day and caught a dog running away from his mistress. She almost thanked me.
At home, Lucy created a wonderful dinner and I stretched out in front of the TV! I watched the highlights of the cycling with a wedge of homemade cheesecake and promptly fell asleep on the couch.
No alcohol.
Exercise
Cycled to work and back (28 miles)
Booze
None
Food
2 x peanut butter on wholemeal toast
Orange and coconut juice drink
Cup of redbush tea
Coffee
Yogurt flapjack
Banana
Cup of Earl Grey
Huge slice of homemade cake
Two thick slices of gammon with rice, homegrown green beans, homegrown tomatoes and pickled beetroot.
Wedge of homemade cheesecake
Thursday
I was on the late enrolment shift at college so I had some time on my hands this morning. I did a light weight-training session for an hour which left me feeling energised and ready for the day. I made sure the left knee was heavily strapped and it seemed to be fine. After a shower I jumped on the Raleigh and rode to work via the post office.
At work I did my best to eat healthily but Lucy presented me with a Strawberry Rice pot: it contained 12% sugar so in future I'll be counting it as junkfood!
Cycled home with my lights on!
For dinner, Lucy had made a wonderful selection of salad, noodles, veggies and chicken. I washed it down with a couple of bottles of stout and we watched the British Bake Off followed by some cycling!
Exercise
100 press-ups
100 triceps-dips
100 leg raises
Deadlift (54kg): 5 sets of 5
Squats (31kg): 5 x 5
Bar Curls (31kg): 5 x 5
Shrugs (48kg): 5 x 5
Dumb bell curls (17kg): 5 x 5
Side raises (6.5kg): 5 x 5
Cycled to work and back (about 10 miles via post office)
Booze
2 bottles of Mud City stout
Food
2 x peanut butter on wholemeal toast
Cup of redbush tea
3 Weetabix with semi skimmed milk
2 bananas
2 handfuls of pistachio nuts
Strawberry Rice pot (will count as junkfood in future)
Cup of Earl Grey
3 spicy chicken thighs with noodles, salad, stir fry mushrooms, peppers and onions
Friday
I cycled in to work with three layers on. The cold mornings are starting! The knee was a little bit painful so I concentrated on a smooth pedalling action in an easy gear.
At work, I ate chocolate biccies because I am weak.
I cycled home and then Martha and I set off for some Friday night Karate training. It was a splendid session with kata, kumite and basics all mixed in ready for the grading. I even got to teach for a little while. The knee was fine.
At home: beers, burgers, Peaky Blinders and pudding!
Exercise
Cycled to work and back (9 miles)
One hour of martial arts training
Booze
2 bottles of ale
Food
2 x wholemeal toast with peanut butter
3 x Cup of Earl Grey
Orange and coconut juice drink
5 chocolate digestives
Tuna mayo salad white baguette
Pistachio nuts
2 burgers with salad, roasted new potatoes, homegrown tomatoes. and homegrown green beans
Homemade cheesecake with chocolate ice cream
Saturday
Up at 7:30 for a run. It was a two-layer morning. The left knee started acting up again as soon as I started running and it only got worse. Eventually, the pain moved from the back of the knee to the front and that's when I stopped. I managed to cover 2.3 miles before I quit.
After the run and breakfast, Lucy and I went in to work. There were no cakes or biscuits on offer so I behaved myself for 3 hours. After we finished at 1pm, we took the girls into Solihull for some back-to-school shopping. By now, I was very, very hungry! While shopping, there was a cycling emergency: Jonnie called to explain that he had a frayed gear cable and the bike wasn't shifting gears! As soon as I got home, I picked up my tool box and bike repair manuals and headed over.
Jonnie has a big home. I found him in a fantastic man-garage full of tools, his mountain bike, motoring posters and a classic Jensen! The Trek was up on the workbench.
It took us about an hour to figure out how to get a cable out and then another one back in to a Shimano 105 shifter as well as force a frayed, rusty cable out of the outer casing and then adjust the gears.
I still expect there to be some gear-based frustration on the ride on Sunday...
I shared a few bottles of ale with Jonnie and then headed home for lunch - a chunk of cake! I was so hungry!
The rest of the evening was spent sipping beer, eating a huge dinner and playing some classic albums: Yes followed by Pink Floyd.
Exercise:
Run: 23 minutes 26 seconds
Booze:
1.5 bottles of ale
1 bottle of stout
1 large whisky
Food:
Glass of orange and coconut juice drink
3 Weetabix with semi skimmed milk
A small slice of homemade brownie
Homemade apricot cake
Cup of tea
2 plaice fillets with potatoes and tomatoes
Sunday
Rode out with Jonnie and Nigel. We did a 52 mile route through Ullenhall, Binton, Luddington, Wilmcote, Snitterfield and Hatton. Surprisingly, Jonnie's gears didn't need adjusting and they worked really well from the off! It was a fairly fast circuit and Jonnie managed a 15mph average. I don't undertand why my Strava showed a 14.7mph average when Jonnie and I started and finished together...
I'd strapped the left knee for the ride and I was glad it didn't cause me any problems today.
Back to Jonnie's for a lager and then home to drink tea with Nigel. This afternoon's karate lesson was a great one with lots of variation. We did some basics, a kata competition and plenty of kumite training.
Back at home, Mouse and I went for a fast walk/slow jog for 1.5 miles. she's getting fitter!
Exercise:
Bike: 52 miles at 14.8mph (bike computer)
One hour of karate training.
Slow jog for 1.5 miles
Booze:
1 small bottle of lager (330ml)
2 bottles of bitter
Food:
2 x peanut butter on wholemeal toast
3 x cups of tea
Homemade coffee cake
Banana
Brunch bar
Homemade shepherd's pie with Yorkshire pudding, homegrown green beans, peas, chips, parsnips and gravy.
2 x small choc ices
Carrot cake
Weekly Summary:
I exercised for 7 of the 7 days
I stayed sober for 1 day
I ate healthily for 2 days
Again, only a tiny improvement on the previous week as far as junkfood and booze is concerned, but at least I'm going in the right direction.
I lifted slightly heavier than last week. I ran slightly farther than last week.
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