Girls on Cogs

Jude and I meet up for the day and decide to go cycling for the day. Jude is currently training for a full Ironman so training 6 days a week, so I am a little concerned before we go out. When she arrived I was still in my PJ’s having got out of bed 10 mins earlier!! Anyway we get kitted out, well I put on my shorts and t-shirt, whilst Jude looks kitted out for the Tour De France and her bike weighs about as much as my saddle!!
Anyway we skirt around Leicester and head for the countryside. Lots of nice little country roads, very hilly, but spring is well on its way, so its great to be outdoors and decidedly warmer than a couple of weeks ago.
Jude is ahead of me most of the time but we make it to Oakham in just over 2 hours. Stop for tea and cake before heading back along the same route.

Total miles: 47
Navigation: Spot on
Punctures: 0
What I have learnt: I need a road bike and Jude is mega fit!!

Day 1:
Temperature: 3OC
Bevvies the night before: Probably too many!
Miles covered: 70
Closed roads: 2
Punctures: 0
Navigational errors (ermm 3)

The first training weekend was a cycle ride to Droitwich to my parents on the Saturday, returning to Leicester on the Sunday. We were on the road by 10am, and feeling confident. There had been a really sharp frost overnight, the temperature was barely above freezing and we had been very sensible the night before. ….(the plan to see a little comedy show had ended up falling into bed around 2am after several pints of ale and a few glasses of wine between us – there was a little ‘note to self’ in which we concluded this may not have been the best preparation for the ride ahead….).

We set off along Fosse Way and made good time (considering neither of us could feel our feet), stopping at a country pub, just outside Warwick at 1pm and 32 miles into the ride. We ordered a hot drink and a light meal and tried to warm ourselves through for the next part of the ride. Back on the road around 2pm, we cycled past Warwick castle, through the town centre and tried to find our route out towards Alcester. Unfortunately, the A4189 did not reveal itself and we found ourselves at the busy Longbridge roundabout giving us the option of the M40 or A46! Not wishing to try any of these options, we found an alternative minor road on the map to bring us back on route and headed off to find it. In the middle of a load of road works, we found the road, which had been closed to traffic, pedestrians and cyclists! Undeterred we weaved through the traffic cones, lifted our bikes over the barriers and carried on. This little navigational issue had cost us about an hour, but we met up with our planned route again, and wound our way to Alcester. It was starting to get a little dark as we cycled through the town centre, but we were on the last stretch and started to visualise a nice warm house with an open fire and a good, home cooked meal…The road from Alcester was long with some challenging hills at this stage of the day, and we still had around 12 miles to go – bummer! The next signpost then teased us by saying 13 ¾ miles – not very funny! The country lanes were now pitch black and we were hitting a lot of pot-holes, one which bounced open my headlight, losing a battery to the darkness. Quickly fitting a spare battery (very pleased about that) we conquered the last few miles, stopping only to take a photo of the sign to Droitwich (to send to Stav – in your face, we made it!!). Seventy miles in 8 ½ hours – but it had been icy cold all day!

We had a big mug of tea and a hot shower my parents and then since they were already on the G&T’s, it would have been rude not to! We ate a lovely big roast dinner, with a celebratory glass or two of wine, apple pie and bakewell with custard and then sat in front of the fire, feeling a bit too full for cheese and biscuits.

Day 2:
Temperature: 6OC
Bevvies the night before: 3 (much better!)
Miles covered: 65
Naviational errors: None!
Punctures: 0

After a leisurely breakfast of a big bowl of porridge, we were back on the road by 10.15am. It was feeling much warmer and we were confident of being back in Leicester by daylight. We made really good time over the first couple of hours and had a little break for food. We decided stopping every couple of hours for some calorie intake was a good plan. We made light of the country roads, passing horsey types, and other cyclists (all men, and chatting away as they cycled – no ipods there). We breezed our way through Warwick, and picked up the Fosse Way again. Stopping by a little stream to have our baguettes with brie, we were over half way back and it was only 2pm! Marvellous! The pace was much faster, (after a good meal the night before, less alcohol and regular food stops) and we were very pleased to see a sign saying Leicester 15 miles just after 3pm. The road from Cropston to Narborough was a bit dull so we looked out for wildlife – seeing lots of birds of prey (which we decided must be buzzards), seemed to frighten lots of pigeons out of the trees along the roadside and even saw a few stags. It started to rain a bit so we cracked on along the Fosse Way and hit Foxhunter roundabout at 3.55 – brilliant! Being very chuffed with ourselves, we raced down Great Central Way to Braunstone Gate and phoned round to tell people we’d made it back and to join us for a beer and a big pie in the pub! The journey back was 65 miles and had taken only 6 hours!! Much self-congratulating!

Ready for the cycle back from Droitwich to Leicester

So, the first ride of the year was not entirely successful, however, we have learnt some lessons…the cunning plan to beat punctures with slime inner tubes didn’t beat any thorns hidden in muddy canal paths – rubbish! However, there was some comedy value the next day when trying to repair the tube….Rich was kindly helping to pump up the slime tube to locate the said puncture when a large bulge appeared in the tube, shortly followed by a large bang! and Rich was splattered with bright green slime! Looking rather surprised he suggested that we didn’t need to relate this episode …which of course I duly honoured! Very funny!!

Well its our first ride out of the New Year. The weather is cold but blue skies and being the serious cyclists that we are, nothing is going to put us off.

Slightly late night last night so started a little later than planned. In fact I massively overslept and we set off about midday! Although at least I made it, only 3 of us out of a possible 6 made it. Rich has a slight hangover, but nothing a bit of fresh air won’t cure!

Anyway we decided on a route and headed out of Leicester. Slight navigation problems so took longer than expected! Mmm need to work on that!

Finally hit the open road…. this really is what its all about.

We hit a very steep hill and I have a small panic about whether or not I can get out of my cleats whilst cycling up hill very slowly…….. Yes I can, shortly followed by Helen who also leaps off. Rich helpfully takes a picture of us pushing our bikes. Might not of bothered blogging about that, but now there is photographic evidence.

20 miles later we arrive at Foxton Locks and have lunch.

We decide to head back to Leicester along the canal path and quickly discover its a bad idea. I fall off in the mud and Helen discovers a puncture. Puncture fixed and whilst Helen picks her bike up I discover I also have one. Cunningly I don’t have a spare inner tube so I have to  hang over the canal to fix it instead.  Oh well this is all good experience!

Unbelievably 5 metres and 5 punctures later, the experience is waning. It is cold and getting dark. We head back to the pub and phone Stav who kindly picks us up.  Fitting 4 people and 3 bikes into a Peugeot 306 is another challenge.

Miles= 20

Punctures= 5

What we have learn’t= Our navigation needs some work, carry inner tubes, don’t ride down the canal and don’t allow Rich to take incriminating photo’s

So its the New Year and the start of our training for the big ride. Hels and I decided January or not, wind, rain…….or snow, we were going to get out there and take it seriously!!

After all we have bought the hip flasks for each other for Christmas (engraved and everything!) in preparation for the toast at the end, so we had better make it!!!