Aviva Women's Tour 2015

It was with massive excitement that the 2015 Women's Tour came through the County today and to be fair it passed within 100 metres of my house! As light duties are required today I decided to watch the tour come through Rothwell and then ride over to see the finish in Kettering. That was a great decision because the atmosphere was amazing in Rothwell and how many times in my life will a major sporting event go by my house? The school kids did a great job and the police motorcyclists were excellent entertainment. Don't take my word for it watch the video!

Rothwell gets the tour

After the tour had been through Mark and I cycled over to Kettering for the finish. Again it was an amazing atmosphere and really well organised. Kudos to the tour and K-Town for putting something this good together. Resultt of the day belongs to Frank who rode over from Corby with World Champion Marriane Vos. Marriane who won last years Tour but was unable to take part this year has been working for ITV4 but was doing some recon work for her team on segments of the ride. She'd ridden to Rocky Hill with another cycling friend Simon and he got Frank to join the gang. I'm watching the highlights to see if she mentions our C&D Cycles CC riders.

Big Steve asuhnuhat

Busy busy

I wish I still had my Raleigh Chopper

Classic bikes

more classic bikes

Waiting for the riders

View of the finish

Another pink bike outside the florist

Frank and his new best mate Marriane Vos!

This is them on Gypsy Lane!

whoosh...

What a brilliant day! If you ever thought, whats the point it's over in seconds...well it was but I found it magical. The pace and power of these professional cyclists is something to be in awe of. The average 40kph, that's 24mph. I can't imagine being that fit. This was top quality sport and another example of why more needs to be done to promote women's sports. If you get he chance watch the women's football world cup, it's great. Or watch superleague netball on Sky Sports. There's a lot to see!

Last shout out of the day goes to Andy who is very pleased with his excellent club right now!

Would just like to say thank you to all those that helped today at the women's tour. It was great to have such an active role in the biggest thing that has come to Kettering by far. But it was also fantastic to put the club on the map a little more, since first this morning messages have been popping up on my phone seeing us all in different places of Northants in our club kit, so we'll done to all of you, I now intend to sit back and soak up the rest of the day.... Proud of every single one of you! It takes a fair bit of organising week in week out but today was so worth it.

Cheers 

Andy




OK that's it, I have a little ride tomorrow I might do some video and pictures and stuff and cobble a blog together...when I've recovered! Mum and Dad are in full swing getting our support vehicle 'the Mobile Meth Lab,' ready for tomorrow. Looks like they will do us proud and Dad has prepared some special blue product.

Heissenberg's special blue product

Happy pedaling

Miles, records, snot and all the grace of the fairy elephant...

So here it is this weeks blog of another fantastic week of riding. As the title suggests I've put a few miles in, made some improvements, witnessed remarkable records, suffered with hayfever like never before and erm...had a spectacular tumble!


First off I got out a couple of times for my usual pre work spin. I'm happy with my progress here as it indicates I'm gradually speeding up. If you get PR's on segments you regularly ride then something is going well.




No ride for me on Saturday this week due to Mrs Lindsley being on a Hen day. They went to see Dirty Dancing and then to Jamie's Italian in Nottingham. Sounds ghastly doesn't it! I had to take SuperSam to sailing and whilst he played with boats I did a circuit of Pitsford on foot bagging 16 geocaches. I did this because it was soggy and I didn't feel like messing up my 29r. Well that serves me right for not obeying the rules as I now have sore ankles from a thousand soggy bits of grit getting stuck down the back of my socks. Next time I'm riding!



Sunday was time for a bit of proper cycling. The club had two choices as Andy Brown had created another undulating route this time 100 miles in length and also Steve was running his usual 50 mile mystery tour. I opted for the latter for both time reasons and it's only six days to D2D.

On my way into Kettering I passed the 100 mile mountain goats going the other way. Thanks for the greetings and the abuse guys, I sincerely hope Andy ruined you all!

With very healthy numbers for a Sunday ride in both groups the club really is going from strength to strength. I know Andy is rightly proud of C&D Cycles CC and today was one of those days when you can see why.

Steve's ride was great as usual. We did some of the stuff we did the week before with the climb past stinky Chettles. Steve himself was unusually quiet and it dawned on me he was on a personal quest to achieve a PR you won't find on Strava. Steve was determined to break his record for the most miles ridden without dropping the 'C bomb!' You really have to love the prince of profanity at times. The new standard is exactly 50 miles.

Riding wise I felt I was keeping up with the whippets better than ever and a good average for me plus a hatful of PR's bears this out. However my crowning achievement of this ride was on arrival back at the shop. I dismount my bike by swinging my leg over on one side, coming to a stop and then unclipping on the other side and hopping off. I've done this 100's of times without incident...until now. Today as I put one foot done it slid like a skate on the cleat and I landed on my posterior with the bike on top of me in the middle of the road. Both my legs instantly cramped and I was stranded on my back like and upside down turtle. Everyone tried really hard not to laugh but to be fair it must have been a hilarious sight and despite being in agony I was struggling not to laugh myself, that is until people started giving me 'helpful advice.'

Andy was highly amused

After a good recovery dinner and some re-hydration in the Queen Adelaide, Dad and I had a look at the revised D2D route and planned the food stops. 10 of us are planning to attempt the 200 mile route on Saturday. The route we are following can be found here we won't be the first C&D Cycles CC riders to attempt it though as our very own Nat completed the route on Friday. This is going to be a massive achievement as a group ride so big kudos to Nat on a mahoosive solo ride.

The day before D2D the Women's tour comes to Northamptonshire for the second year in a row, This is a massive honour for the county and I can't wait. Lots of us are planning to see the event and as it comes through Rothwell and then takes a roundabout route to Kettering my plan is to see it in my home town and then ride to Kettering for the finish. link to the route

Next week could be the best cycling week ever!

Happy Pedaling

Great week of cycling

I'm getting pestered! Where's the blog? Well calm down here it is! Three rides this week and I loved every minute on my bike. Cycling makes me smile. I ride along grinning like a Cheshire cat, I'm sure I look quite mad to passing miserable motorists!


Regular readers have seen this route before as it's just my usual morning quick spin. Too quick this week as I headed back into Rothwell I felt very disappointed it was over for the day. However as people have been pointing out, it's only two weeks until riding all day will be a necessity rather than a desire.



Our Saturday club ride had a different start and finish point due to the shop having a stand at Kettfest. What fest I hear you ask? Well yes that's a bit of an issue. Kettering set up this amazing weekend of events Kettfest2015. However if it wasn't for Andy I wouldn't have known about it and most of the people I talked to hadn't got a clue either.

Andy set up the C&D Cycles stall next to Cycle Northants which seemed appropriate. I arrived quite early for me to show willing and support the club but this was a mistake. The stall was in the shade and a bit of a wind tunnel and it was freezing by the time we set off, in one big group, for a variation of our regular Pitsford loop.

Steve led the ride and Rich did the tail-gunning duties. With a large mixed group it's always difficult and some of the quicker lads ended up going the wrong way and eventually ending up back in Kettering after us plodders had arrived. Back at the stall we were treated to a plethora of cake options, so a big thanks to the bakers: Heather, Mrs Smith and my very own Queen of cakes.

Andy and Chris setting up

Lycra loonies gathering

Cycle Northants human powered music

Handsome chaps

I stalked the cycling mascot

I even managed a bit of video this week


Saturday's remain the most important club ride of the week but for me Sunday's are the most rewarding. Steve plans cracking routes and today's did not disappoint. Usually it's a small group so everyone gets a mention but today we were in double figures. I'm used to being the weakest rider on a Sunday, something I'm OK with, I just aim to keep up for as long as possible as Sunday regulars such as Steve, Nat and Neil smash out a relentless pace. Today was no different but I felt I was keeping up a bit better than usual. At fifty miles I checked my average and it was 17.2mph, not that exceptional for others but that's actually brilliant for me. I was tempted to stop Strava there and then. Perhaps I should have done because back at the shop was 60 miles and I'd dropped to 16.2mph. I did stop Strava then because I knew after tea and cake my legs always tighten and those 6 miles home would completely wreck my average. I also indulged in a bit of segment hunting on my target segment, Lamby Dodger. I set a PR of 28 seconds to record a joint fastest time this year but at 12th place I still have work to do to achieve my goal of a top ten. I've noticed that the 'other' C&DCC Rich is in at 5th but for my age group I'm 4th and for my weight group I'm top! Not that I'm obsessed or anything.  segment link

The route today took us to places less often travelled with great names such as Dungee Lane and beautiful places such as Olney, Lavendon and Harrold but today I'm going to feature Cogenhoe. Non locals have just read cog-en-hoe, the poshest or people might say coh-gen-hoe but they're all wrong because it's 'kook-no.' Yeah we like to mess visitors around in Northamptonshire with our Isham's and Towcester's but I have to say Cogenhoe is the king of ridiculous spelling in Northants. I've known how to say it all my life because my Dad grew up there and it's where my Nan and Granddad lived. If you're interested here's more info on Cogenhoe and where the bizarre spelling comes from wiki link my favourite Cogenhoe fact is that former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves used to live there.

Many senses were challenged on the ride. It was a beautiful sunny day and Northants looked amazing. Emotionally it just felt like a great day to ride. One sense that was challenged heavily was smell. Coming out of Rushden our noses were assaulted by the chicken processing factory, it was really quite hideous. Steve described it as 'like a prostitute's gear box!' He has a special way with words. Luckily it wasn't long before we reached Burton Latimer which always smells nice because Weetabix is made there. Glynn was responsible for assaulting my senses on two counts. Firstly the poor bloke has a broken nose and sniffed round the whole ride, we discussed how Breathe-Right-Nasal-Strips might help so there's a link for you Glynn. I suspect you can do better elsewhere at that price. The next thing he did is a heinous crime under the Velominati rules of cycling as he wore a sleeveless jersey. Pictures to follow (sorry Glynn) People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones though, as I was assaulting all around me with my hayfever induced snot rockets. Apologies to everyone but it's gotta go somewhere! Finally I'm sorry to all for my continual singing of Taylor Swift's 'Shake it Off.' I'd only just this minute got it out of my head and then it came on the telly!!!! Arrrggghhh shake it off!

Great group riding

They had a bad day...Alfa Romeo :/

Quick Stop

I love a good war memorial

Broken down steam engine, driver underneath...

weeee

The offending sleeveless garment

I really did dawdle home!

Right that's it for my cycling this week but I'm currently really excited about tonight's Hour record attempt by Sir Bradley Wiggins. As I type this I'm sat in my Wiggo t-shirt. For those who don't know see below.

skysports.com/cycling/







Happy Pedaling


Ooops sorry Steve!

Sunday ride, tonnes of banter, chuck in a few hills? Why not?

I woke up this morning with knee pain, well to be more accurate pain in my hamstring ligament which attaches on the outside of the knee joint. The most common cause of this is poorly positioned cleats but as I've never had this pain before I'm doubting that. The culprit I think is not riding for a while and then Andy Brown taking us up the north face of the Eiger. My choices were rest and see if it went away or ride and see if it went away. I chose the latter and thankfully it wasn't an issue. It still feels a bit sore now though. However the state of my ageing limbs was nothing compared to the inebriated bewilderment of Big Steve. By all accounts the C&DCycles CC social night was a big success and in addition to Steve not really knowing where he was Jonesy was missing all together. The rest of the select group included Neil, Mark and Mick. Neil was also suffering so for once I was confident of keeping up. Well until Steve announced we'd be heading up the infamous Neville Holt hill.

It was a soggy start to the day and so I unfurled a very sorry looking droopy ass saver from my saddle where it sat limp. I recalled the advice of Mr McNab that hot air will reinstate a flaccid ass saver due to muscle memory. I keep a hair dryer in my man room just for this very reason and also because it loosens very tight beer keg lids. I'm sure there's another use for a hair dryer but as you all know I won't be needing it any time soon! Anyway pictorial evidence below is that hot air does indeed do the trick, so thanks for the tip Rich.

Ass Saver saw a lot of action

Heading out from Pipewell

Recovering at the top of Neville Holt

Soggy Day

Pretty though approaching Eyebrook Reservoir

More puddles

Heading home

The other problem with the weather was knowing what to wear. I went for shorts and a short sleeve jersey with my rain jacket. It wasn't cold though so I was soon too hot! I managed to take my jacket off on the move employing one hand and my mouth, Neil decided the manoeuvre was too risky and stopped to remove his whilst Mark showed us how to do it pro style riding no handed up a hill barely breaking his pedaling rhythm. Really I should have videoed his splendid technique.

As if to prove the point he's just not human Steve decided to go up Neville Holt in his big ring. The rest of us struggled up on the granny like normal people. From there we went to Eyebrook Reservoir via a splendid descent, well it is in the dry, in the wet it's a bit twitchy! Steve's historical fact of the day: Eyebrook was used for practise by the Dambusters. This was not revealed for decades afterwards as it's an official secret. So not just a source of energy for a small country he also knows stuff!

At the end of Eyebrook is another significant slope at Stoke Dry and then we headed for Gretton where we had the brilliant idea of going up Rocky Hill. That really was overkill for the day and as per usual my body screamed at me to get off and walk. Well hard luck body, listening is one of my faults and I managed the grind to the top. It really is a masochistic pleasure to beast ourselves up these unnecessary climbs and as Neil remarked: "if it doesn't hurt you're doing it wrong!"

So another good ride and another day closer to that massive ride on June 20th.

Happy Pedaling

Back in the Saddle with a cracking Andy Brown Hill Fest

My last blog was 20 days ago! This is probably leading many of you to wonder what's happened? This is the big build up to Dawn to Dusk our epic 200 mile ride. It's time to live like a monk and train like a ninja! Well I have been out but possibly not as much as I expected. Since the last blog and before today I've done these rides:



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

Very clever instructions

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.