This was the ride to recover from that massive weekend of 176 miles with 120 on the squires and spires and 67 on my 29r riding from Tigers to Saints.
The next day I did the same ride and was starting to feel good again. Then things got very busy at work and I didn't have time for anymore that week. On Saturday I woke up feeling rough which took me a day to get over so no ride with C&D Cycles CC. The same snuffle had Mrs Lindsley back on the nebuliser and being treated with steroids and antibiotics! Proof once again that cyclists are stronger than normal human beings. (more on that later)
I felt better on the Sunday but not really up to: smash myself silly on a Steve Sunday 'keep up if you can - but we will wait,' ride. So I decided to have some fun and do my favourite off road route. You've all seen it before. Some call it 'Clay Dick,' others Geddington Chase. What a great decision this was. It's fully dry and I finally felt I tested my 29r properly with a few PRs.
Then came the lull. Work was again very busy and I wanted to get finished up so I could enjoy my leave without any stress. No matter I had all next week...On the Saturday I took the boys to the Saints for the semi-final and with an early kick off the club ride was out. No matter I had all next week...On Sunday I was sulking due to my magnificent Saints losing the opportunity to be back to back champions. No matter I had all next week...On Monday we had a big family dog walk and the day was gone, my sister who is over from Australia stayed the night and we spent the evening drinking way too much wine so on Tuesday I had a bit of a hangover! Tuesday night my good friend Malcolm stayed over with his kids and once again a lot of good food and drink was consumed. You getting the idea? Live like a monk train like a ninja had become live like a King recover like a whinger. However on Wednesday I went for a ride!
Yes that's right SuperSam and I had a little offroad adventure and found another local geocache.
Stylish young man
Action shot
The geocache is here...by the snake skin!
Proper off road fun
OK so we can't really count the SuperSam ride which means I went 13 days without a decent workout and 17 days without going on my road bike! Yikes!!! How could I have gone from feeling great about myself to feeling a bit underdone? Well it's life isn't it? Life doesn't care about our training schedules it just chucks spanners at us and laughs.
So have I wrecked my chances of competing Dawn to Dusk? I doubt it! There is so much we choose to believe about health and fitness it takes something like this to realise you've believed contradictory facts for about twenty years. The first is a fitness instructor I worked with told me it takes ten weeks to get fit and two weeks to get unfit. Oh dear that sounds bad! Then at the same time a physio I worked with told me the physiological changes caused by exercise take at least four weeks. By that theory I should feel the benefit from Squires and Spires next week! Why do we just believe stuff people say?
If we look at what the pros do well they cycle everyday and then if the documentary about Wiggins is to be believed they don't even tie their own shoe laces in between Walking to the nearest cafe rather than rolling there on a little commuter bike is also considered detrimental to recovery. However they will do an 80 mile ride on rest days so we can't be compared! Interestingly nutrition is the key and they have all food prepared and provided linked to personal diet plans. As mere mortals we see a ride as evidence we can have pie and chips for tea, never mind we had pie and chips the night before because we needed to carb load and pie and chips in the week because well, we're cyclists and we burn 6000 kcals a day (mostly by talking about cycling at work.) My pie and chips energy conversion and storage facility is approaching peak capacity this week!
I woke this morning feeling good about the world and really looking forward to a ride. Many facebook friends were sharing the following story: Mid-life crisis reduced to purchase of cycling equipment this light hearted poke at us lycra loonies forgets that we live longer, are more attractive and are so rock hard we go out dressed like twerps without fear of ridicule. Mid life crisis my arse says Richard Lindsley aged 44.
Poor neglected Clive
It won't surprise you to know that I apologised to Clive my faithful road bike for neglecting him and promised it wouldn't be as long next time. Then off I set up Bunker hill and into Kettering to meet the wonderful people of C&DCycles CC. On arrival something lovely happened. Ian who rode with me on the Squires and Spires handed me some brand new tyre levers, I did the exact same thing back to him! Having realised mine were useless and then breaking one of Ian's we had both gone to the shops and bought two sets of tyre levers. I bought the ones Andy recommended (there's your mention oh dark one,) but Ian bought something that looks a lot better! Again proof that cyclists are just much nicer people!
Levers I bought
Levers Ian bought
Lots of deliberately casual outside the shop
Michael has a sweet new ride
Lovely day for a bike ride
Yes this man is riding in sandals!
Stop at Sibbertoft
Our leaders for the day
Today's ride was an absolute beauty. We went down my favourite descent and up East Farndon Hill although as Rich McNab pointed out we cheated and missed the first 20 metres! We also went up a hill I'd never seen before and oh my goodness, Neville Holt, Rocky Hill move over, this is the hardest hill round here. It was like trying to ride up a wall! It has segment names such as: "bust a lung hill," and "Mill Hill murder!" I'm definitely going to see what that's like going down!!! Another great route and lead from the club's resident mountain goat. It was a good ride for me personally as even though I wasn't expecting it there were loads of PRs.
Elsewhere in he world of cycling things are getting exciting. Here in Rothwell we are preparing for the Women's tour and local businesses are getting behind the lady cyclists with themed pink bikes.
Hairdressers
Help the Aged
Newman's
The Tile Shop
Elsewhere the Giro d'Italia is failing to disappoint with Contador looking good for the first grand tour of the year. Next Saturday Sir Bradley Wiggins goes for the hour record currently held by Alex Dowsett, he's also trying to nick the Movistar rider's 10 mile TT record. Kurt Searvogel and Steve Abraham's continue their herculean efforts to break the year record. Their daily strava uploads make out 200 mile challenge seem piddly (it's not, it's epic!) Finally a specil mention to C&DCCC rider Heather Perry who completed her first time trial this week in club colours. Great ride Heather!
I'm going to give a big mention to my wife Mrs Lee Lindsley, the queen of cakes. Lee has struggled with her health massively over the last few years and as noted above is only just recovering from yet another chest infection. This week she has walked the dogs with me every day as part of a 'get fit,' challenge I've set her. Then this morning whilst Sam was sailing Lee walked round Pitsford. I'm massively proud of her.
Right so I'm back in the saddle which means just one thing. A Steve Super Sunday. I better have more pie and chips.
Happy Pedaling
PS for the benefit of my good friend Neil, there has been a lack of references to rugby in this blog. I did this purposely with him in mind and it has nothing to do with the Saints losing.
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