Last year I wrote about 5 blogs in total, each time stating I needed to do it more often and then somehow I've got to now, the 12th of April 2020 and this is the first blog I've written since August 2019! Time was an issue but due to the dreaded lockdown, that's something many of us have got a lot more of.
WARNING: Due to not wanting to spoil the BXV treasure hunt this blog has become ridiculously long...
WARNING: Due to not wanting to spoil the BXV treasure hunt this blog has become ridiculously long...
So quick recap of the last 7 months. I'm still parkrunning and I'm still volunteering at Junior Parkrun. My PB of 23.05 appears at this stage to be the peak of my running ability because I can't get close to it right now. I've also started running with Charity our Black Goldador. As a guide dog who didn't pass her training I thought she would be good to run with and I was right! The picture below is from Brixworth Country Park Parkrun. As well as running the good things is meeting up with lots of friends; cycling friends, running friends, family friends, work friends...you name it they're all at Parkrun!
I think my biggest achievement has been to qualify as a Level 2 British Cycling Coach. Coaching the Cyclones is still one of my highlights of the week and something I'm really missing in the lockdown.
The cyclocross season started well and then the weather got so bad that events got called off for being too muddy!
After months of not riding with C&D Cycles CC I realised I was missing it and went back to the Saturday morning shop rides. This was a good decision. Some things are different but one thing is the same, top blokes, great rides and side splitting banter.
I had big plans for 2020. I was returning to the Hell of the North Cotswolds (would have been last Sunday,) and having another crack at the Dartmoor Classic. We should have spent last week in Wales and as big Gavin and Stacey fans we were excited about a trip to Barry Island. In August we were going to visit my sister in Queensland Australia...a minor aim for that was the Zilmere Parkrun in Brisbane as one of two Parkruns in the world that start with the letter Z. I'm 50 in November and I wanted to get to earn my 50 Parkruns t-shirt in time for my birthday. Then Covid19 happened...work went batshit crazy...then everything got cancelled. Stay home - stay safe - protect the NHS. If you don't you risk this Mental Health nurse being redeployed to do some actual nursing...no one needs that! Okay, clearly that's a joke, my potential redeployment is a very minor issue. It's scary times, we need to keep our distance from others and flatten that curve!
So what to do? Well if I don't get into the great outdoors I will not be pleasant company at all! So I'm grateful to all the people thinking up solo challenges. I'm in a running challenge https://www.facebook.com/CoRunVirusNHS/ and there's been some cycling challenges with virtual TT's based on strava segments, alphabet challenges and over the Easter weekend I did a couple of the Brixworth Velo Treasure Hunt challenges.
I'm getting my rugby fix too through "live," streaming of classic matches.
We never sit and watch stuff together so these re-runs have been great!
I've had a week off from work. Easter is always good value for money because the long weekend gets 10 days off for 4 days additional leave. I was unsure if I should take this leave due to the crisis but as I was both knackered and because we don't know how bad this could get I decided to "rest," now so I'm ready for what's to come! Obviously by rest I mean...just not going to work, not becoming a couch potato!
Having thoroughly cleaned my cassette and replacing the brake pads I felt I need to give my Forme Ripley a spin and where better than Geddington chase? It's dried up significantly from the last time when we promised the Brixworth MTB gang the best downhill in Northants and then led them through a bog! In the chase I bumped into the the rozzers on off road motorbikes (do we still call them scramblers?) I guess they were checking people were following guidance...everyone I saw was!
This is a staged photo...I didn't ride like this...V for the alphabet challenge
That historic cross
Lovely old tree
View back to Rushton
It was also Sam's 15th birthday. Very disappointing for him in lockdown but we'll make it up to him! He shares his birthday with my Dad who we also couldn't visit. Whatsapp video call it was then!
It was this little smasher's 15th birthday! He's much taller now and that wall behind him has gone!
On Tuesday 7th April, I put some miles in for the Covid marathon. I'm not happy with my running right now as I've lost a significant amount of pace.
The good news is that the fields are drying up and this will become my regular 10k run. Perhaps I'm being a bit hard on myself...this is not a flat run!
Pain face selfie!
The Welland Valley is like a hidden gem of the North Northants, South Leicestershire, Rutland area. It's very Cotswold like and a great place to ride. One of my aims was to at least register a time for the NC14 TT Segment challenge. No records were in any danger, I think I'm in a race for the wooden spoon! I also collected some letters for the alphabet challenge.
Rocko clubhouse
The view from the top of school lane...now that's a hill!
Desborough wins the prize for the dirtiest sign!
Still determined to beat this running slump I ran the Desborough 10k the other way round. No pain from anywhere, not even that bothersome Achilles but I just don't feel comfortable running and there's no spring in my step. At Christmas I ran the Rothwell Festive 10k with 8 minute miles, expecting I could improve on that. I don't get it, but will keep trying!!!
This 17 mile loop is my early morning training ride. I'll get back on that when on workday mornings. I spent years pootling around at 12mph until I started group riding and discovered this was VERY slow! As a result my threshold average for solo riding is 16mph. That's a modest target for some but for me I find if I can average 16mph on this loop then my fitness is moving in the right direction. I was really happy with my 16.7mph average and I know I could already go faster than that. Finally I'm starting to feel good about myself!!!
Before going out I tackled my minging bar tape. White looks great on your bars for about 5 minutes and after that it looks grubby. There are videos on addressing this and many recommend toothpaste. No videos recommend baby wipes but I find these work better than anything else. So I did a compare and contrast toothpaste v wipes!
Toothpaste on...Colgate of course!
Not that great!
Started using baby wipes
Toothpaste left, wipes right (as your'e looking at it.
All finished with wipes
I proudly showed this to Mrs Lindsley who was oblivious to the fact I'd spent about an hour on this. "They're disgusting, who thinks white is a good colour for that? I'm ordering you some of that cycology tape, the black stuff with the writing!" Now at this point should I be annoyed or not? Yes she dismissed my hard work but then the Queen of Cakes is going to order me some new bike bling...
This stuff...
Hilariously this didn't get ordered! Mrs L got distracted looking at the t-shirts (which I'm not impressed with...the ones I have are great designs but poor quality in terms of fabric and cut.) we discussed this and how one of my Converse t-shirts is my favourite, she then produced another Converse t-shirt that she was saving for a special occasion. So it's all good for me!
On the 11th of April I was about to start planning a route out to Yelvertoft so that I got the 'Y,' in my alphabet challenge. Then as a long time lurker of the Brixworth Velo Facebook page I noticed their 'Treasure Hunt,' routes and that one of them skimmed Harrington. Ideal as that's only 3 miles from me. So I decided to do that instead! Before I continue I should point out that my pre-covid plan was to alternate Saturday rides with C&D Cycles CC and Parkrun every other Saturday. Then I was looking for a Sunday ride on alternate Sunday's whilst volunteering at Junior Parkrun the next week. I was hoping to get out with BXV for one of those rides. I know a few of them already from the MTB riders and I'm sure they'd be great to ride with. So I'll see you all post lockdown!!!
The route and clues were put together by Andy Hodges who passed me at one point but we don't know each other so didn't realise at the time! For anyone else who was out; I was a "full kit w@*$er," in KCC colours. I only usually wear this stuff for racing but realised it's the best kit I've got. So I can strongly recommend Market Harborough based Vanelli. Also Hans who owns Vanelli is a top bloke and as I've already offered myself as an oversized model, I'm sure this plug will get me some of their new recycled range to try out!
Before setting out I was pretty sure I could get most of the clues. I just didn't know the Titanic link. Mrs L and I frantically googled away with no success. I was thinking film locations, people who died or survived from Northants, White Star Line, Captain John Smith, Harland and Wolf etc. We got nothing! On the way to Kelmarsh there was a white star in a barn conversion window so I nearly took a picture of that just in case!
Due to the way I was riding this was actually my last picture but I'm sure it's clue one! I've written a fair bit about the Harrington airfield in previous blogs so I'll just leave a few lines. This was a second world war base for the covert operations know as 'the carpetbaggers,' after the war it was also a nuclear missile base with a CND camp and everything! Links in this blog https://richardscyclingblog.blogspot.com/2019/02/7-days-4-clubs-3-bikes-1-shoploads-of.html
The next clue was 'Railway porn!' I'm guessing they meant this modest erection which is a ventilation shaft for the Kelmarsh tunnel on the Brampton Valley Way. If you've not spotted the Finbarr Saunders double entendres yet I'll add that this well placed hole gives vital air but is also the reason it's a tad moist in the tunnel.
Has to be right, right?
As it turns out I cycled past clue 3 completely oblivious to the fact. I started to think up daft answers like pictures of sheep because they must have had sheep on the titanic and in Thornby I reached total desperation and took this...
I was going to make up some twaddle about Kate Winslet popping into the Buddhist centre to do some yoga. As I took the picture a bloke nearby was gardening. As usual in these situations I felt duty bound to tell the unfortunate soul about my entire day...at which point he told me that the owner of the White Star Line at the time of the Titanic sinking also owned Haselbech Hall! Now in days gone by I would have memorised the route and known I was heading back to Naseby and might as well go back to Haselbech. These days I own a Wahoo and as a consequence I blindly follow navigation with little clue to where I am. So it was a pleasant surprise to find myself back at Naseby only 1.5 miles form Haselbech. Is this cheating? Probably but I don't care! It also took me down Haselbech hill which has featured on the Women's Tour. My goodness it was sketchy so it's a good job I'm not a Percy piddle pants. One touch of the brakes on all that gravel would have been disastrous!
Back on track after my first pass through Haselbech and onto Naseby I had the delights of one of my favourite cycling roads leading to Sibbertoft. It was on this road that Andy Hodges passed me, I wasn't rushing, I was taking in the view and of course desperately searching for a Titanic link!
I love these creative piggy things!
I knew the next clue was related to the glider club so I headed there next. All the gliders have been put away so it's a rubbish picture but those are gliders in their boxes!
It was a stunning day and I haven't ridden this part of the county for a while. I was really enjoying myself. I felt miles away from a world of face masks and PPE and pandemics.
Attempt to get 3 for the price of one in the alphabet challenge...I wasn't riding down THAT hill to come back up!
Golf course at the top of the county!
Cottersbrooke Hall Entrance
After the death defying descent of Haselbech Hill I got back on track. Another cyclist was taking a picture of Cottersbrooke Hall which I knew was the next clue as the home of the McDonald Buchanan's. So for social distancing reasons I took a picture of the gates instead. Here's a link...quite some place! https://www.cottesbrooke.co.uk/the-hall/
It was then a short ride through the avenue of trees to Brixworth. I took a picture of the derelict site at the bottom of Station Road in the hope it was Mabbutt's yard.
My Wahoo needed resetting in Brixworth because it didn't like the fact I'd finished the route but was still using it. Obviously I know he way home I just wanted to follow the route!
Many thanks to BXV and Andy Hodges for organising this. A great route and a fun challenge!
After the traditional shed load of chocolate on Easter Sunday morning I headed out for a bit of a run. Still not right but I will break through this running slump. When I got home I'd had an email from Brooks running shoes. I'd registered with them because they gave 3000 pairs of shoes to NHS workers. I wasn't one of the lucky ones but my curiosity was grabbed by the self assessment to choose the right shoes. Ten minutes later and the Queen of Cakes was adding her student discount to my offer price. New shoes on the way!
For the last day of my Easter break I decided to have a crack at another BXV treasure hunt. This time Roger Carter was the course designer. Here's the clues:
Before setting out I got all my winter kit back out. The last few days had been shorts and short sleeves. Today was winter jersey, winter boots, leg warmers, full finger gloves! As I write this the log burner is roaring away! You've got to love the British weather!
My first clue wasn't first in the list as I joined the route at Loddington. So here's my effort for clue 7.
The Hare at Loddington
From there it was a short trip to what I'm hoping is the answer to clue 8.
Then round the corner to the war memorial adjacent to Harrington airfield.
I'm fairly sure that clue 10 was Catherine wheel and here's a picture of St. Catherine's church in Draughton. This short but sharp lumpy route continued to deliver with the double hill to Lamport followed by the hill into Scaldwell.
Prior to getting the next clue: "Kirsty, Karen and Gerry will keep you steady on the sidewalk." I was sauntering through Scaldwell reading house names...I wondered if Karen, Kirsty and Gerry are the Hollies...they're not. Another house is called 3 steps so I looked that up too...not that! Before that I wondered who was in the band "the birds!" This was based on the church being St. Peter and St. Paul's..fly away Peter fly away Paul! Not that!!! Then leaving Scaldwell "stabilised pavements," jumped out at me and even better I found that Gerry, Kirsty and Karen have their own parking spaces!
In addition to the challenging hills there was a strong breeze. However Northants was glorious in the bright spring sunshine and the trip over the causeway to Holcot did not disappoint. I knew what I was looking for at the Holcot war memorial as it's featured on a remembrance ride.
The next answer was a bit of a surprise. I thought it was the derelict pub on the A43 but spotted this structure beforehand. Not sure what's going on here! I'm sure the quick witted amongst you will spot the design flaw with regards to security!
The Orlingbury clue was easy. We've ridden through here loads! Great riding this way. Heading South it leads to the Lammy Dodger Strava segment which is an all time favourite then at the roundabout you could go left to the slips or right to head towards Sywell.
Next stop was Broughton, a bit of a slog with the wind and really the boring bit before the amazing bit! I'm hoping the next clue was the Red Lion.
Whoosh...I love the riding that the three hills from Broughton to Loddington provides. I once held the KOM into Great Cransley. I don't get many but this did suit me...ride as fast as possible down the hill, smash as hard as you can up the other side.
I'm sure the Three Cranes is one of the heavy lifting answers, I'm taking a punt on the three cast iron bells in front of the pub is the other possible answer. The millennium memorial is a total guess, I couldn't find anything else!
I've found out from Roger that this wan't the answer to the last clue...I'm kicking myself but I actually looked at this sign and completely missed the PURPLE ELEPHANT!
The next two hills are hard work but very rewarding. Both give you a good run up and half way into the climb I'm well into the granny gears! This was a stunning route to complete my Easter break.
So I had good warm up and headed out for my usual 5k run...hang on I was feeling strong. I actually felt like a runner. It didn't stop and it felt like my best run in ages. I couldn't wait to see my data and then...oh thanks Strava. That's not my route and it's definitely not the pace I can manage...take the positives. It feels like the slump has broken!
I'd love to tell you this was my picture of our local red kites. It's not. It belongs to my friend Glynn Preston. I just put it here so you can see what I've been seeing and failing to capture on a daily basis!
My new shoes arrived and as soon as I put them on I knew I'd made a good decision! They are super light, feel really supportive and bouncy! I don't think I'll be able to go back to the sort of runners I used to buy!
Brixworth Velo decided to extend their treasure hunt challenge so this gave me the chance to give the 3rd and final challenge a crack! Another superb route and a great way to go for a ride. Thanks to Emily for organising this one.
I joined the route at Old and followed it to Scaldwell. I'd seen this West End sign before so I knew what to look for. I also noticed the notice on the church.
Thankfully it was warmer again today and the winter kit was packed away. Today's jersey choice was C&D.
It was a beautiful day for a ride and the trip across the causeway to Holcot was stunning. I found the next answer pretty quickly but hadn't seen this before!
With the wind behind me I made it to Ecton in no time and feeling great on the bike. The oak tree on the sign is the answer to the question.
I'm not sure what goes on in here. It obviously isn't secret or if it is...that sign is a bit of a breach! I stopped here for my 20 mile banana break and greeted many cyclists going in both directions.
Then one of them was the superstar that is Clint Boodhist! We had a great chat (whilst observing social distancing.) I shared my inappropriate earworm from my last ride: The Sex Pistols - Good Ship Venus! Hopefully Clint didn't carry that tune home with him! We also remarked on how many runners and riders were out. It's great to see, especially those people who have clearly got the bike out for the first time in a long time or decided to take running back up. We might be in troubled times but if the outcome of this whole pandemic is that people exercise more then, that's got to be a positive! As I said my fairwell a new earworm sprang into my mind: Embrace - All you good people! I think it's obvious why that happened!!!
St. Margaret's Church Denton
Private Burns
Castle Ashby war memorial
I was fairly sure I'd missed something in Grendon and took this pub sign in hope...
This is what I missed...thanks to Emily for the picture!
I knew this was in Mears Ashby - we've stopped here on a remembrance ride
Also in Mears Ashby was this splendid NHS flag!
In Sywell they're playing with a hoop!
I saw loads of rainbows on route...this one in Walgrave was one of the best!
I found the sundial
The poem says: "Hours fly, Flowers die. New days. Old Days pass by. Love stays."
Not a good picture!
As I approached the end of my ride I passed many different cyclists and I was in turn passed by the odd hard core lycra loony with the full carbon aero wheels going flat out. I especially enjoyed seeing families out for a ride. I also saw my goo cycling buddy Mark Baird. The rubbish picture above is of a bloke on a crazy bike riding towards Old on Mill Lane. In my knackered approaching 50 mile state this was the best I could do! Luckily I've seen him before, I think the paint job has changed but I'm sure this is the contraption which I took a picture of at the pub in Old a couple of years ago.
I was pretty tired by the time I got home but lucky for me the Queen of Cakes had prepared high quality recovery food!
It was back to running in the week as I had the Covid challenge to finish and I'd been nominated for the 5-5-5 challenge.
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=RunForHeroes&pageUrl=5
So I got those lovely new Brooks runners on and smashed out my fastest ever time for this route! It took me over the 26.2 miles for the covid challenge and a couple of days later this arrived...
This lockdown has, even though I'm still going to work, brought about a slower pace of life and I'm finding that it's harder to get going in the morning. I planned to go out for an hour on Thursday on my road bike but by the time I got up, there just wasn't time. So it was back to the rollers. To give me a proper work out I used the Jeremy Powers GCN live cycling workout (except it was the recording of the live workout)
When I woke up on Friday I was feeling even more like I didn't want to get up! It took me ages to get going but I forced myself out of the door for another run. Almost to prove the point that this running pace thing is in my head, two days after my fastest time for this route...I did my slowest time!
Yesterday I decided to take on another challenge. Due to the postponement of the London marathon there is concern that lots of charities will miss out on their usual donations. So the 2.6 challenge has been created. It's all a bit freestyle...do what you want for 2.6 or 26 or anything with a 2 and a 6...get sponsored or make a donation!
I wasn't able to go anywhere yesterday so decided on a stay at home challenge. Inspired by other Covid challenges such as Gerraint Thomas's 3 days of 12 hour zwift shifts or Hank from GCN's 24 hours on Zwift, I decided to see if I could do 2.6 hours on a turbo and then if I was still up for it seeing if I could push on to 100km and get a Fondo in the garden.
Ten minutes into this challenge my bum was already starting to go numb and I wondered what on earth was I doing? I pushed on though. I took a banana break after an hour and got back to it. I was averaging a steady 20mph so potentially I'd crack 100km in just over 3 hours. Then suddenly it was like I was turbo charged and I was rolling along at 25mph! I thought "this can't be right!" It wasn't! I'd punctured. It's a complete mystery how this happens with my turbo specific tyre that's fine for hours of riding. Anyway tube changed and on I pushed. The first target was 2 hours 36 minutes and I was just over 50 miles when I got to this. I won't lie, I could happily have given up right there. For some reason I didn't and the next 12 miles were pure agony. On 58 miles the speed sensor stopped working! This was a stressy moment but all it needed was a bit of a fiddle and I was up and running again. Reaching 62 miles was a glorious feeling but we all know how strava can be so I didn't trust it to record 100km until I got to 62.3 miles. Doing this challenge has given me even more respect for G and Hank. I know they're professional cyclists but even so, in terms of saddle soreness a few hours on the road is nothing like a few hours on a stationary trainer. I have no plans to repeat this again!!!
Another thing that's kept me going during Covid has been quizes. I do the Parkrun quiz on Saturday morning and I have taken part in the zoom quiz hosted by Northampton Saints prop, Paul Hill. It's the same technology we're using at work. I've had no problems with these quizes and at work I'm often the go to person for people struggling with microsoft teams. SO...last night Phil from Corby Capers CX group and Rockingham Forest Wheelers CC put on a cycling quiz on Zoom. I became the biggest boomer techno dunce and needed massive help to log onto the quiz. Even when I did connect I then had further issues as everyone sounded like Norman Collier (Kids: that's an awful comedian whose only joke was to pretend his mike didn't work.) I tried to do all this whilst cooking tea and after making great food for everyone else I managed to burn my own pizza!
His mike didn't work...oh the laughs!!!
Once the techno issues were resolved it was great fun. Phil did a splendid job with the questions and there was plenty of banter. I'm still laughing about Sean calling me a fat Marco Pantani. I had "joked," that I only knew 3 cyclists (that's a lie, I fairly sure it's at least 5,) so was thrilled to score a hefty 13/36 for joint 5th place (last!) We're doing it all again next week with David and Huw as the quizmasters.
Is this me circa 1999...never been seen in the same room!
Right that really is it! Sorry about this being so long...
I'm looking forward to seeing how I got on in the treasure hunts and EVEN more to the day when we can get back to group rides. Until then...
Happy Pedalling!
