Race face

25km Thursday, 25km over same route Friday (5 minutes slower with Half Mile) and 40km Saturday have got me well and truly back in the saddle. Hopefully I'll get another 40km in today in the sunshine. Yesterday i was due to ride with Peaches and Half Mile, but some confusion meant we got separated about 200m into the ride. I ended up going solo, but that worked out OK because I was able to go at my own pace. I was pleased with 82 minutes in stunning sunshine.

I also finally got a refund from Winstanley's, after a call to trading standards and a threatening letter. They were very ungracious, but you live and learn. I won't buy from them again and if you're reading this I would advise you to avoid them. I got lucky and bought a Race Face jacket from reliable old Chainreactioncycles handily reduced to £31 (). The zip's better and I already have a Race Face jacket that I've been very pleased with, which I use every day for commuting. Should've stuck with what I know.

@last

At last I felt up to moving. It felt great to be out on the bike again. I'm not 100% still, but managed a respectable hour. Now to pick up where I left off before le depart on 17th June.

Duration 00:56:15
Calories 660 kcal
Distance 25.2 km
Average HR 138 bpm
Maximum HR 159 bpm

Gastric enteritis

It seems I have Gastric enteritis. There's a lot about apparently. 10 days now without training. With less than 3 weeks to go, that's quite worrying. Every day I think, tomorrow, I'll get out. But I'm not eating so I have no energy and would probably set myself back if I tried.

Winstanley's Bikes - shockingly bad service - avoid

I sent the jacket back to Winstanley's and received an email from them asking me to call (why didn't they ring me on either of the two contact numbers they have?) When I did ring they told me the jacket would have to go back to the manufacturer to be checked that the fault was their's and not mine.

Now, legal positions aside most shops and particularly on-line retailers offer no quibble returns these days. I wasn't after a refund only a replacement (partly because I felt guilty that I'd got it dirty). Winstanley's would rather take an assumption of guilt on my part, even though they agreed the product was faulty they seemed to think I had broken it. Now, how do you break a zip and even if I did, if it breaks on first wearing can that really be my fault?

Anyway they told me ten days before I'd hear anything, but they still have my money. terrible customer service. Avoid Winstanley's at all costs.

To further darken my mood, this stomach bug shows no signs of shifting so I'm still laid up off the bike and the weather is tortuously glorious. I have ridden vicariously though by catching up on old episodes of the Bike show on Resonance FM via their podcast. Check it out, it's cool . http://thebikeshow.net/

Still ill

Thursday I was struck down by an evil D&V bug which has knocked me off my feet completely and pretty much trashed my plans for training over the bank holiday. The way I feel at the moment I can't see me getting on a bike for a while, yet this was supposed to be my peak training weeekend before a slow tail to the off in 3 weeks.

Bugger

Sunday's Banbury ride in the Tempest:

Duration 02:45:05
Calories 1972 kcal
Distance 72.3 km
Average HR 139 bpm
Maximum HR 169 bpm
Duration 02:45:05
Calories 1972 kcal
Distance 72.3 km
Average HR
139 bpm
Maximum HR
169 bpm

Monday - missed spin, I seem to be so busy at work I'll be glad to take 4 days off to cycle 100 miles a day! did a session on the static bike anyway:

Duration 00:32:30
Calories 334 kcal
Average HR 128 bpm
Maximum HR 152 bpm

Burn rubber on me

No training this week due to work and other commitments so I have made an effort to cycle to work. Thursday I had to leave early to pick Imogen up from school and get her to the doctors for an appointment. Needless to say I got held up, charged out of work and jumped on the fixie to get me there. Now, of course, the fixie will only go as fast as your legs will turn the pedals and hence wheels. I steamed along Myton road, wearing my crisp new Castelli stowaway rain jacket against the light drizzle, only to hit a pot hole, stop pedalling (never a good idea on a fixed wheel bike), jump the chain off, wrap it round the crank which locked the pedals and thus the back wheel and hauled me to a spectacular stop outside Myton School, in a cloud of burning rubber. Much to the amusement of a waiting teenager. To make matters worse, in my haste to re-mount the chain and get to school on time, as I leant over my bag fell off my shoulder, I instinctively reached up to put it back on only to leave a big oily handprint on the shoulder. I reckon I’d worn it for 5 minutes before ruining it.

Friday I got a soaking on the way home which made for another high speed sprint. Saturday I managed an hour in the gym thanks to Beth finishing work early and Sunday I looked forward to a reasonably big ride.
The forecast was for a strong southerly wind, with heavy rain at 10:00 (I know but the Met really are that precise: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/wm/warwick_forecast_weather.html). Sure enough at 9:48 (I was travelling south towards it) the heavens opened. Imagine my smug face as I whipped out my castelli from my back pocket and snuck it on over the Rapha winter top. See how my face turned to despair as the showerproof nature of said top proved woefully inadequate for the raging tempest which followed. At one point I was desperate for shelter, the rain and wind hammering me, but just outside Banbury I was on open moorland with nothing in sight to hide behind, so onward I sped. Actually I thoroughly enjoyed the man against nature manner of the battle and although cold and soaked I didn’t mind although the warmth of the sun was welcome as I rode towards Stratford upon Avon. It was only as I stopped to take a bite to eat and put my feet down that I realised how cold. I’d not thought to put overshoes on and my feet were numb. To make matters worse the zip on the Castelli was stuck fast, to the extent that I pulled the tab off the zipper and had to struggle to get it over my head when I got home. So that’ll be going back to Winstanley’s. I hope they accept it with an oil stain and mud spatterings all over the back.

The deer didn't seem to mind

Got my mojo working

No plans to ride Saturday because we were painting the front door (well Beth was whilst I watched Cav sweep up the pink jersey in the Giro’s opening team time trial), so I did a big session in the gym on Friday followed by a plan to do a big ride Sunday.
Sadly by the time I got out on Sunday (~10:00) I felt lethargic and couldn't get my mojo. I did wear my pink rapha top in deference to Cav being the first Briton (ever!) to wear the maglia rosa. Maybe it was a late night Saturday or the few beers that I sank but I didn’t feel like I had any energy. I haven’t been drinking much lately, pretty much only Saturday nights and then a couple of glasses of wine, so I’m guessing it was the beer dragging me down. Over Loxley hill and I didn’t fancy the long climb out of Ilmington to Chipping Campden, my destination, so I contemplated another route, but once I realised it would take me into the slight breeze that there was I carried on with my original plan.
My concession was to vary the route of my ascent over Campden hill, normally I take the gated road which has a steep and barely manageable climb but today I took the “main” road if it can be called that, reasoning that it would be more gentle. It was only after a kilometre of steep climbing that I realised that this road took me over a different, bigger hill. After the initial cliff face the gradient did tail off before a big kick at the end rewarded by a great descent.

One reason I came this way was to challenge myself on the descent from Dover’s hill. It’s very steep and fast with a couple of sharp bends and always scares me silly (see pic). I recall the first time I climbed to the top thinking that the climb was a disappointment. I have no idea why because ever since I have struggled up to the viewpoint, across the vale of Evesham, at its summit. Anyway the descent beat me again, proving that a) I’m not as brave as I like to think I am b) I need new brake blocks.
No real issues on the way back although I was shattered when I got home, but an hour and an ice cream in the park with Mo and Beth kept the smile on my face.
My HR monitor threw a benny and recorded a max HR of 220, which, as my theoretical max HR is 175, would probably kill me, other stats:
Duration
03:16:28
Calories
2365 kcal
Distance
86.1 km

Sunday night I slept badly due to aching legs. When I exercise hard its like my muscles can’t relax and they fit through the night keeping me (and Beth) awake. I’ve tried all sorts to calm them but with no joy and it seems a bit random, I don’t always get it. Massage, hot bath, cold bath, alcohol, no alcohol, no caffeine etc Any suggestions welcome!
Monday, despite my aching legs I did a quick Beausale loop hoping to beat my recent 53:46 but a strong wind and some fatigue kept me at 53:45, not bad given the weather.
Duration
00:53:45
Calories
621 kcal
Distance
25.1 km

Average HR
136 bpm
Maximum HR
156 bpm

Tuesday a day of rest and back on my bike to work on Wednesday. 5 weeks to go, I’m not as confident as I have been but bring it on.

money money money

the great news is that thanks to Beth's mom's influence, Waitrose Kenilworth have donated £400 taking me through the £2k barrier! Also, as if I didn't owe my parents enough they have, with enormous generosity, offered to cover my expenses whilst travelling, instead of sponsoring me directly, which is a huge weight off my shoulders. That's in addition to the jar of coins they've been saving since I rode LEJoG.

Thanks to everyone again for support. you can sponsor me here: http://www.justgiving.com/craigmorrisfsid

So much things to say right now

I took advantage of the long bank holiday weekend to get some serious training in. Friday evening 25km with Edward, Saturday 50km time trial (01:42:44 whoo hoo!), Sunday 75km with Edward and Monday I had planned 100km, but after riding to my parents in Birmingham and planning a long route back, I was tired, wet and cold so I bailed at 70km. (and also because I'd spent all weekend on the bike and wanted to see the kids. 10 pin Bowling was more fun than a wet bike ride anyway)

So 220km in 4 days and by the time I finished it hurt. As I write, on Tuesday, my legs are sore, so heaven knows what they'll be like after consecutive 125km/150km/95km/115km days to Paris.

The really good news is that I put some new tyres on my bike on Friday and can honestly say (subjectively) that they've added 5% - 10% to my speed. Incredible. 45g each lighter than my previous Continental GP400S, Schwalbe Ultremo R (http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/tyres/product/ultremo-tyres-23173) is the way forward. Peaches also bought a pair so hopefully he'll see the difference too. Let's hope the ceramic puncture protection lives up to its billing.

Despite the slight setback I'm feeling fit and strong and confident at the moment. 6 weeks to go, I just need to stay focused and find time to keep training. Remember you can sponsor me here:http://www.justgiving.com/craigmorrisfsid