I had a couple of weeks off from blogging due to a lack of material...this week though there is plenty to blog about. It's going to be the usual mix of running and cycling plus some big shout outs to cycling friends who have put massive rides in recently.
It's the five year anniversary of Dusk 2 Dawn, an epic 205 mile ride around the border of Northamptonshire. Here's my blog from back then:
I have to say it was a brilliant day but five years is still not long enough to tempt me back into another 200 miler. I'm happy to do 100km fondos and the occasional 100 mile ride!
I'm going to do the distance shout outs now because I think they're way more interesting than my activity! Firstly Phil Wilkinson has bashed out more centuries than Alistair Cook this year, last night in the Corby Capers quiz we learned that he completed eight 100 mile rides in May alone and has kept that going in June! All of this whilst working full time so it's not like its a Covid furlough thing! This weekend it would have been the MTB Epic Solstice 100 ride so Andy Pendred and Marcus Bird did a 100 mile MTB ride using some of the route provided and adding their own extras. Amy Bird should have also completed this but her Dad let her down by not making her bike tubeless! More on tubeless later!!! At the same time it should also be Mountain Mayhem this weekend so Adrian 'Kila,' Killworth also put in a massive 100 mile off road ride. Another thing I learned from the Corby Capers Quiz last night is that Adrian has completed the Three Peaks CX race 10 times and that Dean Barnett once came second in that event in 1994 (unless I've got the answer to that question wrong again!) If you don't know about the three peaks it's a 61 km race in the Yorkshire Dales. That 61 km has 1524m (5000ft) of climbing, 28km of road, 33km offroad and 8km which are described as unrideable! For those 8km, competitors mostly carry their bike uphill. The GCN video below gives you an idea of how tough it is!
The big rides by cycling friends don't stop there though! Another thing that hasn't happened this weekend is the Race the Sun coast to coast from The Isle of Sheppey to Burnham on Sea. Instead of that Ian aka Clint Boodhist did a 200mile ride with fellow BXV rider Emily, riding from Brixworth to the Norfolk coast. Rob Campbell also went big with a 135 mile unofficial, 'Another Taste of Rutland.' Lastly but not least of the cycling shout outs, Greta Crabtree did her first 100km. Really impressive stuff going on out there, chapeau all round!!! Also worthy of a shout out is Matthew Peleszok who yesterday attempted a 70 mile run! He fell short after falling sick at 34 miles but still pushed onto to nearly 50 miles before giving up. 50 miles is a bike ride not a run!
Not that exciting. This was a test to see if having something to eat before I went for a run helped with my pace...the answer is no! I ruined the experiment anyway as I chose this week to add a bit of strength training. After doing squats and lunges for the first time in a while I had a bad case of DOMS (delayed onset muscular strain,) and was never going to run faster like that! I'm glad I started the strength work again though. I take the DOMS as a sign that I need to do more of this!!!
I had a better run a few days later and ticked off the 10k for June. I only do this because of the Strava challenge. Funny what motivates us isn't it?
The next run I did was 'not a parkrun.' I'm really missing Parkrun, I hope it's either back by August the 1st or they announce it won't be soon! More self imposed pressure has me wanting to run my 50th Parkrun on my 50th birthday and August the first is the deadline for that being possible. I sandwiched this run with a run/walk warm up to Desborough Greenspace and walking home to Rothwell afterwards. The run itself was disappointing. The spring in my step is either there or it isn't and I can't explain the different days! Mrs Lindsley has a theory that I get pace motivation from Parkrun and without it I'm less able to push myself.
This is more like it for the cycling blog. I decided to put the fun back into my activity and just go for a fun spin on my mountain bike. No pace or distance expectations, just a roll in the countryside. So I headed out to the old favourite that is Geddington Chase.
First stop Prologis Park
I had nice spin through Prologis Park and onto Weekly Woods. Those woods are under threat from planning to expand the industrial estate. That's a great shame as it's a good public space. However they made such a good job of Prologis perhaps we should just trust the planners to do the right thing. Those big sheds exist because we all like our consumer items!
As is typical these days, lots of cyclists, walkers and runners were out and about. I was so used to routinely saying hello to everyone I didn't notice at first when I greeted Harriet from work out on her bike. Afterwards we both contacted each other to say, sorry only realised it was you afterwards! The chase itself was in good condition and made for good riding, if anything it was getting a little too hard and dry.
I then headed through Brigstock and up Old Dry Lane. I wasn't sure how much more I wanted to do but thought that at least I'd pop to see the sculptures at Bocase Farm.
What you looking at?
Don't mess with this geezer
This is where I needed Lord Pendred. I would have liked to double back round to Fermyn Woods but just wasn't sure of the way...so I just headed back the way I came!
On the way back through I spotted this on the Boughton Estate before Geddington and Weekly Woods. I'm not sure if it's art or just an abandoned old bike. I'd like to think it's deliberate. I headed home via Rushton on what will always be on.e of my favourite tracks.
I decided to give myself a few days off before trying another run on Friday. This time I headed back to Desborough Greenspace to see if I could improve my time. I did, just about, but I'm still far from happy with my running. I think the best thing I could do is to try to ignore my pace and just get back to enjoying a run.
On Saturday I joined a group ride for the first time since March. The lockdown is lifting and restrictions are easing. Technically we are allowed to ride in groups of six with social distancing. So I'm going to tell you that we rode in groups of six!
Always wonky!
This blog used to be about cycling routes, it just grew into something else...that's a good thing because since I got Wahoo I have not paid attention at all. All I can tell you is we headed East into Cambridegshire. We went into Stilton and then headed back towards K town.
On the way back we headed up Morborne Hill, which as you can imagine is as impressive as a hill gets in Cambridgeshire, it certainly didn't take much wattage.
Tower thing
Trek Madone...I think I'm in love!!!
It has clever flaps!!!
During the banana break I noticed Graham was not on his usual Specialised...frankly his new steed, a Trek Madone is a thing of beauty. Graham did not know that Madone is a climb in the Giro...I think I've been doing too many quizes! My goodness though what a beautiful bike. Until yesterday I hadn't seen nicer aero rim brake than the ones on my Giant Propel...well I have now! I must also praise Graham on not spoiling the aesthetics with a saddle bag! I think we were the only ones on the ride without one. Pockets!!! That's why they're on cycling jerseys!!!
Rule 29 // No European Posterior Man-Satchels.Saddle bags have no place on a road bike, and are only acceptable on mountain bikes in extreme cases.
As we headed down the hill there was a scary pop and hiss. I watched Steve's bike like a hawk which was foolish because it was in fact Justin who'd punctured. He is a sensible man and therefore has embraced tubeless. Unfortunately he whipped out a tube and cracked the seal on his rim before I had the chance to offer one of my worm plugs. Then we tried to plug and reinflate with CO2 which doesn't ever seem to work with sealant. Then we had to turn to Ken to remove the tubeless valve. Our weedy hands are no match for Ken's plumber grip. Tube in and off we go...at the same time Nat was also changing her tube!
A few miles on and we were dropping Ken! He announced feeling unwell and that he, a type 1 diabetic was experiencing low blood sugar. Ken wanted us to go on without him as he felt he could manage the situation. Well none of us were having that and we kept him in the group to Benefield where Nat broke a spoke! Ken the legend who we were all supposed to be looking after, stopped to help! We then drafted them back to Brigstock where Ken got some more sugar in him via a chocolate bar. He went from looking like death to his normal self in just a few minutes much to our relief.
It was then up the bumps to Grafton before heading separate ways. A few of us went to the tea rooms in Geddington for my new favourite thing. A croque monsieur! Here's a recipe which I might just try https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/perfect-croque-monsieur
I was on 58 miles when we left Geddington which was perfect. The ride home took me to 63 and I completed my 100km Fondo for June!
Saturday night was a complete treat. It started with a Thai Gardens take away. Then it was Corby Capers quiz time. This week Huw hosted which meant that splendid young man couldn't win for a change. He did a great job with a mix of local questions, questions about all of us and questions from professional cycling. As I said above I enjoyed learning about Dean and Kila at the 3 peaks and also about Sean's highest climb, Phil's centuries, David's KOMs. The question about me asked who is my favourite from: Sven Nys, Pauline Ferrand-Prevot, Mrs Lindsley and Phil Wilkinson? Huw allowed two answers so obviously I picked Mrs Lindsley and Pauline, sorry Phil! I then got the flipping Sven Nys question wrong...that's karma for you!!!
After I got these magnificent Father's Day gifts I headed out for a ride on my mountain bike! Not before I had listened to my good friend Nigel's Sunday morning facebook gig. We should have been riding the Dartmoor Classic today. Something else 2020 ruined!
My plan was to head out to Harrington, then Arthingworth, along the Brampton Valley Way, up to Maidwell out towards Haselbech and then back through Lamport and then I was just going to see how much more I wanted to do...none of that happened. I didn't make it to Harrington...
I was heading along this track looking for the bridleway that comes out on the Harrington Road, I've only been this way once before. I followed the track round the corner and then down a nice little dip into a stable yard. Oh I thought, that's not right so I went back through the dip. Then I heard a lady scream stop as dog charged towards me. I stopped and the dog bit me on the leg, when it let go I got off my bike and put it between me and the dog. The lady was really upset and I had claret streaming down my leg. She told me I was on private land and she wasn't wrong! I had missed the bridleway gate. She told me the dog was a rescue and only acted like this around bikes. She quickly got it under control and it was clear this wasn't a normally aggressive animal.
I went through this gateway...the bridleway is to the left of it!
There it is!!!
To my mind I am mostly at fault here. If I wasn't on her land the lady's dog would not have bitten me. Some people would see this differently but I assured her that I would not be reporting the dog. I would be absolutely gutted if a dog had to be destroyed because of my actions. I'm also assuming from now on she will close her gate so that others are less likely to make the mistake.
For me it was a quick trip home and then a drive to Corby urgent care for dressing, a tetanus jab and anti-biotics...which I'll start tomorrow so I can enjoy my father's day booze!
I think that's enough for now!
Happy Pedalling!
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