It's blog time again and the usual format will be followed. We'll have a catch up on Lee's progress followed by my cycling stuff. Stay for the bit you want.
Right now I'm half way through 2 weeks of annual leave. I was more than ready for this time off! We started with a trip to Plymouth but before that I'll tell you where Lee is health wise...
It's more than a bit frustrating for Lee. She's finished her walks with the physio and these have helped. Lee also attends a fatigue management group, which she finds tiring! A recent call to the GP wasn't helpful at all, she seems to speak to a variety of doctors who give contradictory advice. Meds have been changed and then changed back! In February Lee found herself on the shower room floor with no idea what happened. As a result she was referred for an urgent cardiology appointment which happened a couple of weeks ago. In the teams I manage urgent means 'that week,' not 3 months later! At that appointment we learned that Lee is probably experiencing recurrent SVT episodes and she has been referred for a heart operation called an ablasion to reset her heart rhythms. We also learned that she shouldn't have been driving! This is a huge blow to Lee's independence. Even bigger is the blow to her self esteem. It is important to Lee to be able to help others. Now she can't do things like drive her Dad to his appointments. She was hoping to start her phased return to work in July, not being able to drive makes that more difficult. That's all on top of the daily grind of feeling permanently tired, weak and in pain!
Okay enough of the negativity. We did get away last weekend to see friends in Plymouth and on Monday we're off to the Lake District for the week. I've hired a wheelchair for Lee and you know, it's me, so expect a blog next week where I've pushed Lee to the top of Scafell Pike!
On the beach in Seaton
At the start of June the Queen 👸 gave us a four day weekend. I started by organising an off road ride for my friends in the Cyclasylum.
It was great to see Phil 'the beast,' Broxton for the first time in ages. A good sized group of us met on Rothwell Market Square and headed out on an eventful ride.
Rule #1 is no one gets left behind. Rule #2 is: You should never ride off in front of your ride leader. So after selfishly leaving me to deal with an awkward gate, 2 miles into the ride the group got lost and I sat waiting for them on the really obvious trail above!
There's a sheep and a Richard in that hedge!
Shortly after that we were stopped by a local farmer who requested help freeing one of his sheep from being stuck in the hedge! Once that was achieved we headed downhill to find the bridge blocked by cows! Luckily we had Denford's foremost cow whisperer with us as Andy P shooed the bovine beasts out of the way. I should have taken a picture but after a close call with a stampeding herd of cows I must confess to being nervous around them!
That should have been the end of the drama but we also managed to lose Mark S on the Brampton Valley Way! After that...we had a good rest of the ride! This is a really nice off road loop that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a fun couple of hours.
On the Saturday we had a group ride with yet more drama. Somehow we lost Bruce after a few miles. Then Bert and Bruno touched wheels with Bruno eventually crashing into the verge. Bert's bike had a couple of dings and Bruno lost his phone. This was not a good day to have a name beginning with B.
I've continued to take part in the Friday Night Summer Series. A couple of weeks ago it was Numplumz turn to host at Wadenhoe. I broke my wrist at this venue in 2017 so I'm always a bit wary here. My goals were first to survive and then the usual ones of not coming last! This was a great course, challenging physically and technically.
The ride above is my 30 mile hill training route. The Welland Valley is a beautiful place and I'll never get bored of this ride. However no pictures...there's a theme here!
I've read and heard loads about cramp and I don't believe it has anything to do with electrolytes or hydration for me. It happens when my legs get tired, I think that hours of repetitive movement like in cycling, just sends the signals funny to my muscles and they misfire into cramps. The article below backs that theory up. I also think if I ever get to the supposed ideal riding weight of 83kg it would help (I'm currently 89kg.)
cramp article
The mystery of my weight persists...
Last night I took part in FNSS round 6 at Marston Lodge, organised this time by the legend that is Dean Barnett. Dean created a beast of a course with more climbing in my 12 miles than I'd faced in 25 miles a few days before! On the DC I chatted with someone who thought Northamptonshire was flat...it's just not!
Back home in the shire after a wonderful few days in Devon I needed a leg loostener on my MTB due to the race on Friday. This was another classic route for me. Out to Geddington, down Geddington Chase, back via the Brigstock bumps. A good test for the bike and some well needed miles for me.
No pics of me yet but I'm fairly sure that's my wheel behind rider 552. That's Mark Humphreys of Rugby Velo. He and I had our own little battle which he won on the last lap. Straight after Mark came to shake my hand, that's what FNSS is all about.
I wasn't at my best last night. Mark was kind enough to say I was stronger on the climbs but he caught me up on the technical bits. He's right, technically something was wrong last night. On the first lap I messed my gears up and had to run up a hill, then I dropped my chain twice (nukeproof chain guide has been ordered,) that tree Mark is going round tripped me up all night and my cornering was shocking! At least it's all stuff I can work on! 41st out of 48 is still not last place!!!
That's enough about me I need to mention my awesome cycling friends. Bruce has done the Chase to Sun ride from the Kent coast to the opposite one in Somerset. Gary Carter is on an epic multi day journey from Wales and my ride mates from Cyclasylum are riding from Kettering to Skegness and back as I type this! My biggest shout out is to Andy Brown, Ian Bird and Olly Crabtree who rode from Kettering to Wales, Olly came back from Aberystwyth by train but Ian and Andy rode all the way back too!
I asked Andy some questions and got this in response:
It was Ian's idea
- Around 1,200km and 14,400m ascent (about 1.6 x Everest)
Route was approx Chilterns -> southern Cotswolds -> Wye Valley / Ross-on-Wye -> Brecon Beacons -> St Davids -> Aberystwyth -> Snowdonia -> Conway -> Staffs -> Home
Favourite bit for me - the west coast was beautiful, into the setting sun, and then up into Snowdonia the next day; another highlight was following the River Wye
I'm sure Ian has thoughts about toughest climbs - although the beginning of day two was Streatley Hill in the Chilterns, and that is where it really kicked off (Garmin said 20%+ in places) and then there were multiple other climbs with 20% sections during middle days. Going through the Brecon Beacon's we hit 420m+ elevation, and then had a lovely 10 mile descent. Followed by another vicious climb (Ian is still asking me 'why, oh why Andy?' - apparently it was my bit of the route!)
By day six, we were a bit lost (trying to follow a route from David Wilson) and ended up climbing Moel Arthur (NW Wales, in the Cylwdian range, part of 'Offa's Dyke') (2.4 km / 343 m at the top / 224 meters climbing / avg 9.4%) - we were off course and a bit tired by that point, but it was beautiful. So that was probably one of the most challenging sections.
And day seven was super hot.
It was a great adventure - amazing to be able to set out on a bike from home, with all your stuff, and see so much of the country by pedal power alone. It's a great way to see the country. Ian did nearly all the leg work with route and accommodation, and Olly and I just played with it at the end. So thanks to Ian.
I'm sure most of are pretty envious of a ride like that!
Last but not least I have some sad news. Earlier this month Richard Daniells of Rockingham Forest Wheelers was involved in a collision with a car near his home in Rothwell and died as a result of his injuries. I did not know him personally but did know of him. Richard was a key contributor to local cycling. He was heavily involved in organising and time keeping for local races. I know my friends at RFW will miss him greatly and my thoughts are with them and Richard's family at this time.
