Winter Training - Week 17

Week Ending - March 9th 2008 ............................................................. Miles to date:- 3052

A very windy, cold and sunny Monday morning and I decided to do another 100 mile ride, out through the Chilterns, a 45 mile loop through the Vale of Oxford and then home taking in 5 hard climbs. The wind made the first 60 miles very hard and by the time I had a tailwind I was too tired to take full advantage. I completed the ride in under 6½ hours but with more favourable conditions think I can improve that time by at least 30 minutes.

I was quite surprised on Tuesday morning that I felt no adverse effects after yesterday's efforts. There was a brisk northerly wind blowing and the climb up the hill on the circuit was sure hard work for all eight of us who had ventured out. I managed 50 miles which brought my mileage total up to 3,000.

I had a very early start to Wednesday morning but it was to pick my son up from Heathrow Airport and take him home. It sure was a cold at 6:00am but by the time I got out on my bike at 9:45 the sun was shining brightly, the frost and ice had gone although there was still a nagging westerly wind. Decided to ride around the Black Park circuit and did 52 miles at a good tempo.

Visited my daughters in York again, Friday was busy buying bits from IKEA but I had planned a ride on Sunday. However, went down with the Sickness/Diarrhoea bug so that plan was scuppered.

Some good news, a donation from Jean Ralph, her late husband John was a well renowned Track cyclist, he represented England in the 1958 Commonwealth Games and was a great guy. I first met Jean 50 years ago when she was secretary of the Slough Track League, yes there was a velodrome in Slough those days! Actually it was a bumpy concrete track around a football pitch, but it always was a well supported and enjoyable Sunday afternoon.

Weekly Totals:- Miles:- 203.5 Time:- 12 hrs 27 mins 18 secs