Rollin'!

I'm really enjoying my spin classes just now so I'll tell the guys at Pure Gym Aberdeen I've been asking for them (that's a Weegie 'Shout Out').  Having had a cold last week I took the pressure off a wee bit and not exactly killed myself but will start again this week fresh as my cold is much better. 

To this end, I've signed up for double spin classes.  I haven't decided if it's foolhardy or genus.  I think it might be foolhardy as instead of doing my 4 spin classes over 4 days I'll be doing 4 spin classes over 3 days and then on the rowing machine.   All my classes are in the evening next week.  I actually didn't find it too bad getting up DURING THE NIGHT but I did have a dream this morning that when my alarm went off it was because it was 4am and not the 7.30 I set it too.  Needless to say when I rocked up for spin today there was 1 other person there.  Out of 9 folk that had signed up.  I'm saying nothing.

In other news I've purchased myself a Mountain bike (thanks to the Cycle to Work Scheme) and hats off to those who descend/ascend the wilds.  I'm properly Sh!t at it.  Truly and incredibly awful.  I don't have the balance or co-ordination.  Quite frankly it was soo bad that had I to judge myself solely on my performance on the mountain bike track, I consider myself in need of a carer.  We got, gee I don't know, 100 meters into the trail and fell into a 3 foot deep puddle.  I have bruising on my hip (not where it's actually sore, just around it) and 'done' something to my back and can still taste the weird sheep fleece flavoured water.  For the first time ever in spin class I had a stitch today, and as I sit here it does feel like I'm being kicked in the back. I feel like I need that chiropractor bin that Homer Jay Simpson had.  Poor me.  Then on another bit I nearly brained myself on the ice.  The only small consolation I have is that when we switched to the Fire Track (I don't know why it's called the 'Fire Track' we really don't have the weather that invites bush fires, and there's nothing up there the Fire Brigade will need get to – I digress my point is it's the easy bit), the Giddy Blonde fell on his @rse grating cheekage across the ice.  He has a rather sexy diamond shaped scrape just above his belt line that he says isn't sore – will be if I accidentally squirt perfume on it.  Hehe.  Another plus point is that after I left the boys and just went round on the fire track (Micheal was there too, and I think secretly quite pleased I was so bad at it.) I saw a deer!  It flashed it's bum at me and took off up over the rocky hill like it was nothing!  Must try and channel that next time we go.

Here's where we were:

Kirkhill forest Mountain Biking

Mx

How much does one trust Google?

We're in the back end of the 'deenshire, almost at Stoney and with my miraculous map readings I can neither confirm or deny that we may or may not be lost.   So up rocks The Giddy Blonde with with his massive phone and   whilst I knew exactly where I was at all times, he affirmed what I already know.  That's what happened and there's no one here to contradict. At least no one on Blogger.

Ride was lovely but windy, with snow capped Bennachie keeping an eye on us as we rolled through the 'shire.  Training wise I'm quite pleased.  Was with one of my cycle mates and The Giddy Blonde, and they were pootling for the most part, and there was a few times where I sped up infront of them then hung back.  But there were also a few times when the hills were difficult and I couldn't take them at the same rate as the boys.  The wind was horrendous.  I'd asked The Giddy Blonde to go in front up one of the hills so I could shelter for a bit, but he ended up spinning himself up the hill way ahead of me because of his gears (he has an old fashioned racer, with two massive front cogs and only 5 back cogs).   We stopped at Drumoak Lifestyle Shop and Cafe for more Cullen Skink and cake, then it was an easy 35 minutes along the railway line back to the 'deen.

I really needed to work on my cornering, so I pushed myself a little with those.   I've been reading this:

http://www.flammerouge.je/content/3_factsheets/constant/descend.htm

pretty closely and it's helped a lot actually.  The decent down Warren Wood (mile 14 to B9077) I had the breaks full on whilst the others zoomed down but I consider that intelligence and not scaredy-pantsness.

The next week is full of spin classes (see previous post, I'm still grumpy) and my da's up on Friday so no Sunday Cycle that weekend.  I think according to my schedule I may have a 40 miler booked the weekend after (but it'll be an easy one).

I was going to sign off 'Happy Rolling' but it makes me sound like I'm not a cynical pessimist.

Mx

Rant Alert (there's a lot of Frikkin'): Seasonal Gym Goers

I hate them.  They clog up the 'Booking Classes' system signing up for MY classes, that I want to go to, that they REALLY don't have any intention of turning up for, leaving ME to get up at 5 FRIKKIN' 45 AM for a 6 FRIKKIN' 30 AM class that will be cancelled cos no other IDIOT will get up for because it's the MIDDLE of the FRIKKIN' NITE, and ANY OTHER FRIKKIN' PERSON with a MODICUM, SNIPPET, or even IOTA of SENSE is STILL in THEIR BED LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!!!!!

I HATE THOSE FRIKT@RDS!!!!!!

Roll on February, that's all I can say…

Mx

The more I cycle...

...the less I can drink.

Far be it for me to lecture anyone on what their alcohol intake should be. But in addition to eating like the cookie monster I have now become the cheapest date I know, and that's cheaper than a bored teenager finding the communal wine.  My ability to metabolise alcohol is truely shocking.  One would think at 32 I didn't have 18 years of practice (I'm Scottish).  But at my mates Mrs Mop party I had 3 ciders and woke up this morning with a migraine and a can't do attitude to the first training ride of the year.  I almost didn't have to as well.  We mended the chain that broke last week with a four pounds sterling* chain from Asda ( aka Walmart).  So shan't be going back there for quality cycle supplies again.

It wasn't particularly difficult or fast.  It wasn't even windy or horrible weather.   It was cold and gorgeously bright when me and four others hit the railway line.  Made it out to Drum and back, taking it easy on the corners and down hill as it was frosty and made it back to the 'deen for Cullen Skink and tea and cola. 2 degrees centigrade (36 Fahrenheit).  It was fecking freezing when we stopped.  I had to have a bath when I came in, and when we sat down for lunch Pete's brother Michael needed a quiet 5 minutes to feel human again.  So it wasn't just me and he hadn't even been out the night before!

Anyhoo bed time for me now,

Nighty Night

Mx

 (the giddy blonde has reprogrammed the computer and we've lost the British Pound sign) 

The politics of Goal Setting.

My goals are mostly secret.  I very rarely say them out loud.  It's a habit that I retain from childhood behaviours of being oddly secretive, cynical and glairing with a severe sleep disorder.  One would think that I was borne to eventually become an Evil Genius, or Supervillan. 

I'm not disappointed.  Oppressing people sounds too much like hard work and I like having hair.  And besides apparently, as a child of course, I spent too much time with my finger up my nose to be percieved as a threat.  I would never engage in such behaviour now.  Especially not at my desk when I think no one is looking.

My point is I have made one of my secret goals I set for myself this week.  Which is a real surprise considering I've only really been doing serious training this past week.  The goal was to be able to do 10 miles in 30 minutes.  I keep a tally of how many miles I do at a spin class and I managed 17km on Wednesday! And then 16km last night! Now I know they were on the spin bikes and it may not really translate to road use but I'm taking the win.

Further to this, I should be kicking off Sunday with 20 miles with me and a mate.  We're instigating a 20 mile ban on Cake Stops.  Drum and backs where we're going:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4525603

So shall be partaking of pub lunches when we get back to 'deen City.

Mx

Sunday the 13th of May is Etape Day!

81 miles is the goal.  I have 17 weeks ending this week.  So I figure if I can add 10 miles for every four weeks of training, and include the occasional mini tour I should be in fine fettle for the race.  

Other things I have decided to introduce is that knowing a few of the routes round the 'Shire now is a few 10 and 20 mile 'time trials'.  These shall be for when I can't train.  For example I have my father coming up on the 27th so won't be able to abandon him for 4 hours at a stretch when he's up, we may go for a pootle to Drum, where if Pete comes to pick him up and take him back to the 'Deen, I can time trial it back, and mibbies not get gummed by an ageing dog, or lost on the railway line like I did last time I was on me oneses. 

In between this I intend to make four spin classes a week.  So far on spin alone I've done 25 miles in half hour classes - they have those livestrong bikes at my gym - they record in km and it's the brit in me that demands imperial.  I'm eating like the cookie monster and sleeping like the dead, so I may need to crack open the protein shakes again.   I'm even hungry now...

Mx

*nom nom nom nom nom....

I have been informed by a 'friend'...

...that it's only 18 weeks to the Etape Caledonia.  I find myself rather nervous, and acutely aware of the fact that my longest jaunt out on the road has been about 20 miles, just another 60 to go then.

We did attempt to go out today, however due to a malfunctioning chain link we crashed and burned 5 miles into a 27 mile ride.  'Crashed and burned' is a bit of an overstatement.  More like rolled slowly to a grinding halt.  On reflection the boyfriend seems to think that the trail we were taking would have been a bit much for him since we were going up Causey Mount at the time.  A look at the route can be found here:

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5245132

My chain crapped out after doing the massive hill around the 3 mile mark.

I must get out on the road.  I'm managing 32 miles a week on the spin classes plus I'm doing a bit extra at the gym with the rowing machine and such so I'm doing alright on that front.  So just need to devise a stratagem for getting the work on the road up.

Mx