Reflections
Comments
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Bit of a mixed year for me really. Slow start as I was doing a transcription job for a journo friend who was writing a book that took up a lot of free time (Living on the Volcano by Michael Calvin if you're interested in what football managers think about). Then we had a really crappy cold spring, so I didn't do much. Redeemed myself over the summer with RideLondon on the Sunday, followed by six Alpine Cols later that week. The Alps trip made me realise that I really needed to shift some weight, so dumped the riding for a while, in favour of power walking and some running, as it's always worked better than anything else. Lost a stone in about six weeks, but curtailed by coming down to London for a friend's birthday, stupidly putting vanity before practicality and wearing high heels, and fell down a full flight of stairs at Coco Moco on Marlebone High Street. This resulted in a badly torn anterior talofibular ligament, two weeks on crutches, a load of physio and no riding or long walks until the end of January.
On the plus side, I didn't have to do any christmas shopping as I couldn't get out, so everyone got money or gift cards, I can use the time to put a big dent in my new transcription gig (footballer autobiog), and it's really made me realise how much I miss my bike, so a cycling holiday to Cuba has been booked for later in the year.
Wondered where you'd been MsManc! That sounds dreadful, mate has done almost the same injury falling down his stairs to the garden... and it's put a dent in his Xmas holiday plans big time..
Get well soon!
Thanks Wheelspinner. I am starting to miss my bike big time. It's true what they say - sometimes a tear is worse than a break. It certainly hurt more!Commute: Chadderton - Sportcity0 -
Ouch, sorry to hear that. No beer festival this year. partially as they moved it out of the velodrome. And Jerry getting married that weekend being bad timing.Stuff
Get well soon.0 -
Ouch, sorry to hear that. No beer festival this year. partially as they moved it out of the velodrome. And Jerry getting married that weekend being bad timing.Stuff
Get well soon.
Yes - ouch indeed. Hope you heal quickly.
A very different year for me. Ditched the garmin halfway through the year but I was up to about 2500 miles so hopefully I've pushed over 4000 at least (almost all commuting). One crash in which a van drove into the side of me at low speed. No serious damage.
More importantly, we adopted our daughter in November who is an amazing, beautiful little whirlwind.
All in all a pretty cool 2015 for me. So far.Kinesis Racelite 4s disc
Kona Paddy Wagon
Canyon Roadlite Al 7.0 - reborn as single speed!
Felt Z85 - mangled by taxi.0 -
Just over 12500km for me, mostly (probably 10000km) commuting, only a handful of club runs, couple of sportives. 150000m of climbing, biggest ride 213km.
Highs:
Started racing, made it to 3rd cat, almost won a race (0.028 seconds gawdamit).
Managed 100km in under 3 hours solo. Tried the year before, finally cracked it this year.
Placed near the top of the Kentish Killer.
Got a couple of friends into road cycling.
Lows:
Knocked off once. I was fine, but looks like I'm getting a new bike... Was hoping my road bike would get to 32,000km (20,000 miles) this year, but bad weather, illness and the accident mean that the Felt will be retired at 30,000km :-(
Suffered a bit with fatigue. On top of big commute and poor diet I probably over trained for racing. Lots of colds and time off work. Lessons learnt.
Plans for next year:
Find a new club, I live too far away from my old club now.
25 mile TT under the hour. Will almost certainly need a new bike for this ;-)
24 hour distance attempt for charity. Possibly starting with the Dunwich Dynamo.
Ride up a mountain.0 -
2nd year of cycling and calmed down my obsession with doing miles and got faster. Had a target of sub 6 hours for Ride100 and did 5:25 so well chuffed. moved from Surbiton (CS8) to Epsom (CS7) which is bad news. The good news is the trains now take as long as cycling so politically more acceptable.0
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Ouch, sorry to hear that. No beer festival this year. partially as they moved it out of the velodrome. And Jerry getting married that weekend being bad timing.Stuff
Get well soon.
Yes - ouch indeed. Hope you heal quickly.
A very different year for me. Ditched the garmin halfway through the year but I was up to about 2500 miles so hopefully I've pushed over 4000 at least (almost all commuting). One crash in which a van drove into the side of me at low speed. No serious damage.
More importantly, we adopted our daughter in November who is an amazing, beautiful little whirlwind.
All in all a pretty cool 2015 for me. So far.
Oh, congratulations on the whirlwind Mr Sweary! That's great news. I might have to pick your brain on that in a year or so - not sure how viable it is as a full-time working singleton, but thinking about investigating. Hope she continues to bring you joy.
Commute: Chadderton - Sportcity0 -
Ouch, sorry to hear that. No beer festival this year. partially as they moved it out of the velodrome. And Jerry getting married that weekend being bad timing.Stuff
Get well soon.
Yes - ouch indeed. Hope you heal quickly.
A very different year for me. Ditched the garmin halfway through the year but I was up to about 2500 miles so hopefully I've pushed over 4000 at least (almost all commuting). One crash in which a van drove into the side of me at low speed. No serious damage.
More importantly, we adopted our daughter in November who is an amazing, beautiful little whirlwind.
All in all a pretty cool 2015 for me. So far.
Oh, congratulations on the whirlwind Mr Sweary! That's great news. I might have to pick your brain on that in a year or so - not sure how viable it is as a full-time working singleton, but thinking about investigating. Hope she continues to bring you joy.
Thank you. I'd be happy to help when the time comes. I could also put you in touch with a friend who has direct experience. She's an absolute goldmine of information.
It's been an incredible thing to do. We've made so many really good friends and everyone has been so supportive. On top of that we've been very lucky to be matched with such an amazing little girl.Kinesis Racelite 4s disc
Kona Paddy Wagon
Canyon Roadlite Al 7.0 - reborn as single speed!
Felt Z85 - mangled by taxi.0 -
Signing off for a well earned Xmas break, I thought I'd sum up the last 5 months & 1000 miles of my cycling adventures. This developed into a 1000 word monologue, but I binned that & replaced it with a single statement:
Urban cycling is the biggest buzz I've ever had on a bike. Period.
Where previously I liked to get muddy and bounce up and down, now I like to go fast and race taxi's.
I think that sums it up.
Got very muddy in New Forest on 23rd. felt back in love with all things knobbly after the first couple of miles, but aside from a few hundred yards of single track, London commuting still the big daddy adrenaline rush!.
Now wondering if Storm Frank (FFS names of English weather,,really??) will let me back into town next weekWaterloo - White City
Cannondale Quick Carbon 1 2016
Cannondale Scalpel Carbon 3 26" (Lefty)0 -
Just over 6000 miles for me (1500 better than my best on the previous 2 years). Mostly commuting but also a london - paris trip and club rides/training for that.
Next year couldn't care less about the milage though it'll probably still be thereabouts due to commuting and training for an alps trip with my club in july - plenty of weight to lose, new bike to buy and fun/pain to be had!!!
Hope everyone has a great 2016!!!0 -
I don't like what i see but i am going to change that,enjoy your new year and the fun it brings.0
