You may or may not have noticed but I have....

...been away for about 3 weeks.  Or so.  Probably or so.  I'm still on the brompton for getting out and about - I had a puncture about a week past and had to change the tyre which was surprisingly easy.  What else.  We went to Andorra for snowboarding, which I managed quite easily - I took the garmin which worked a treat.  And I would really recommend Andorra for snowboarding or general ski hols, really quite cheap and cheerful and the food was surprisingly good, the best of both Spain and France.  Patatas Bravas with spicy paprika mayonaise, and Bonbon - espresso layered with condensed milk yummy!

There's not really been a lot of cycling apart from the odd jaunt to Asda or B&Q.  We're thinking of going traveling during the summer - and having the house done for us going will be very good.   Still got the etape going for us.  So really need to get some proper road cycling under my belt.  Might do that this weekend - a 40 miler.  Yes.  Best get the finger out.

The reason I've taken the notion to blog today is that I've just done a workout by the Realfit.Tv gal.  A spot of kick boxing which I hadn't done since Glasgow.  So that's helped.  I think my arms will hurt tomorrow because there was a lot of push ups and my arms have gone a bit puny since the cycling.

Jx

It's not the best idea I've ever had...

...but I start 7.30 am yoga on Monday.  As someone who doesn't get out of bed before 8 on a school day it's not the best idea I've ever had but I'm going with it.  I shall ofcourse be commuting on the Brompton, and I think I'll be possibly navigating the 'Big Road' - King Street.  The one with all the big traffic - a couple of 16 wheelers, the busses the four-by-fours but it should be fairly early in the morning.

What else.. we might have the opportunity of doing Fat Tyre Bike Tours in London. Which is going to leave me only lacking in Barcelona T-Shirtness.

Jx

25ish miles pootling around town!

Myself, the blokie and a mate should do about 35 miles tomorrow on a cafe run so with any luck I should be more closer to my target.  However shouldn't get too complacent - I had some bad news today which will result in a couple of days down south next week, with a possible weekend in Glasgow the following week I'll have to be careful - I shall need the turbo trainer quite a few times next week.

It's also getting fairly miserable in the morning now - I must stop looking at BBC Weather.  Sunrise is at 8.13am.  In my rule book when the dark breaches 8 in the morning it's winter.  Don't get me wrong - I love the cold, dark nights - it means sitting in pubs with fireplaces, stodge for dinner, fireworks and christmas nights out, also of the occasional silly cycle wrapped up in a blizzard with no cars on the road.  In saying that I'm actually against bringing Scotland into european time.  It would mean sunset would be 2pm, earlier on some days (it starts getting dark about 3.45pm in the darkest depths of winter).  Our school kid would not only get their second break in the dark but they'd still be walking home in it.

Have a good weekend y'all!

Mx

My wedding hell is over….

Actually that’s a bit melodramatic and very unfair.  It wasn’t hell, it was rather pleasant but quite tiring.  The first wedding was a big affair with speeches, photos, grand entrances (walking down the isle to Z Cars theme tune) and a Ceilidh with the best fireworks ever!  The second was a quieter affair, in a grand castle with delicious cream teas in stately rooms, whilst the North East sea kissed the landscaped gardens with Haar.

On the cycling front - excluding the run for the bike on Saturday, zero, nada, and nothing was done.  It’s not good for me.  I woke on Sunday a little grumpy fecker.  Had the second wedding been a larger affair I may not have shown myself in the best light, throwing my shoes off at one point and acting like a child.   We were going to go out on Sunday morning, but my blokie wanted to come to and as his bike is still in the realms of disrepair we spent too long trying to put it back together and did not go out.

In reflection of last week I have decided the 26 miles I did was no where enough.  I managed 13 pootling about the Town Centre – I recon I can increase that vastly this week - aiming for about 30. The rest was done on the turbo trainer, 20 minutes a day.  On Friday night I did do a lot of ceilidh dancing but I’m not sure how that translates into road miles.  The only sleepless night I had was on Thursday, which resulted in a Facebook update of ‘Where is that Fecking Nytol’ at 1am.  That’s the only day I hadn’t done any exercise, and I did have a Chai Tea latte at about 7pm.

So... Onwards and upwards folks!

Mx

Do believe I am not...

...hungover or still drunk.  Will have to go get the bike.

I am also considering going and giving the Leggy blonde a poke in the eye and see what happens.  He was soo rat@rsed he was havvering, telling the bar staff that he will be b!tchslapped one day as I do him (I don't, yet.)

Mx

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's White-Van-Man!!! YAYYYY!!!!!

On Tuesday myself and the dog (in her basket on the back) managed to negotiate horrendous traffic, dangerous hills and windy lanes without incident, for the dog to fly out the flat, out of the close* straight into the road!  The hero of the day was White-Van-Man, who on seeing me running down the street screeching 'BUFFFFFYYYY' stopped his van, jumped out and called to her (of course she went to him directly, no problem there: it's not like he feeds her or even knows who he is) loured her in and picked her up.  I could have kissed him had he been less unconventionally good looking.

By the time I got back in the flat I needed a sit down with my head between my knees and a glass of water.  Since then she has been uncharacteristically sooky, wanting to sit on my knee, looking at me with those big brown eyes, checking to see what I'm doing.  Usually it's a course of intense napping in the evening but she's following me around.  I am having none of it, she has disappointed me most thoroughly!

On the plus side, on Wednesday night coming back from work, I managed to navigate an awful junction on

King Street

, to turn right in front of 3 lanes of traffic!  I usually get off and push through the pedestrian lights but I was brave in my wee heartie!   I was pinned at one point between one of the local busses and this massive touring bus but I kept my cool.   All I have to conquer now is the massive round abouts situated on every major road out of Aberdeen –  I need more practice going fast round corners first.

This weekend's a bit of a big one (two weddings!) so am not sure how much cycling I'm going to get in.  Saturday during the day is supposed to be free but the wedding party on the Sunday wants us to go for a rehearsal dinner (I'm not really sure what these are for??? So you get to see the faces of those you are having at your wedding, and decide if any of guests won't perform well in the main event and perhaps arrange stand ins?) I don’t know if it's a lunch or what, so will have to clarify that at some point. 

I could do some weight training at Pete's though will have to see if I'm not 'feeling tired and emotional' on Saturday.

Boring Stats so far:

Tuesday:           Turbo Training 5 miles Ave 14mph Max 23mph (Interval and Standing),

                        Road 5 miles to and fro Blokies

Wednesday:     Turbo Training 5.11 miles Ave 15mph (whilst listening to BBC4)

                        Road 2 miles

Total this week so far: 20 miles

*'Close' is Glaswegian slang for the foyer.