Thankyou!

Just to say a massive thankyou to those of you who have already started to sponsor me! We're into 3 figures already.
Please pass my Just Giving page on to anyone you know who might like to sponsor this ride:

wwwjustgiving.com/marks2011lejog

We had a visit from our new turntable ladder yesterday at work. An extra 10 metres taller than the old one! Naturally as the new boy on the watch, I was sent up...

The training is going very well. I did 34 miles yesterday (now seems like a short ride!) and got to test my waterproof jacket! Average speeds on my 'undulating' rides seem to remain at aroung 17.5mph which is pretty good. I've also been carrying a fairly full rack bag on all my rides to get used to the extra weight over the back wheel. Roll on August!

Just Giving

Finally, I have now set up my fundraising page!

Please go to wwwjustgiving.com/marks2011lejog

This page will allow you to donate as little or as much as you want to Maggie's Centre in Cheltenham.

THANKYOU!!

Training is going well, managed a 53 and a 64 mile ride last week. I think when all this is over, I might invest in a bike with more than one gear! My thighs are going to end up like Chris Hoy's!

Dealing with forest fires near Bracknell this week...

Training ride with a difference

I've done a few rides since I last posted anything on the blog but I thought yesterday's ride deserved a mention.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=228112

This has been the longest ride to date but I had a break about half way round due to another cyclist being involved in an accident. I had gone past him a few miles back, he then went past me on a steep uphill so I was surprised to see him lying in the middle of the road a little further along. A kid had pulled out (on his bike!) from a side road right in front of the cyclist who then went over his handlebars and hit the deck. I phoned for an ambulance, made sure he was ok and took down various contact details for him. In the end he said he had needed 8 stitches and had concussion so it could have been much worse.

I rode the second half of the ride very carefully, watching out for rogue cars and cyclists! It also struck me that I have nearly dealt with as many accidents in my own time as I have whilst at work!

This is the result of a head on collison when you try and overtake on a bend. Taken in Fleet Marston last Autumn.

Let's have a nice quiet 3 months of training now please!

Keeping you interested

I have come to realise that reading about me going for bike rides and buying tyres probably doesn't make for the most gripping reading so I have decided to keep you logged on by adding a few interesting photos of what I get up to at work!

Here is your starter for 10...

This it what happens if you go away and leave your heating off in the winter. The bathroom had a foot of water in it, both ceilings collapsed and everything as you can see, is ruined. Make sure all your pipes are lagged and if the loft is also lagged, don't insulate under the water tank, this will allow some heat from the house to keep this area a bit warmer.

This is a photo from last November when we all grew moustaches for Movember, a fundraising exercise to raise awareness for prostate cancer. Needless to say, all facial hair was removed on December 1st!

Shopping

My wish list from Wiggle arrived today. I had ordered a few bits that I though I would need for training rides and the BIG ONE itself.

1 x Hi viz waterproof jacket for the Scottish summer
1 x Set rear brake pads in case I wear mine out on those Cornish hills
2 x Tyres, my current ones are nearly worn out. Vittoria Rubino Pro, not one puncture in 1200 miles
1 x Gel padded cycling shorts as mine are a bit worn out!
1 x Handlebar tape (matches saddle which is a bit sad I'm afraid)
1 x Sports towel
2 x Water bottles and cages
1 x Inner tube

So far I have used the shorts which are great and the bottles too do their job! Hopefully won't need the waterproof!

Summer is here!

The weather yesterday was amazing so I thought I'd get a good ride in before work. I managed a 46 miler up through the lanes towards Milton Keynes and back through Thornborough and Padbury. 2 hours 40 mins and a 17.5mph average speed.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=225380

It wasn't until I got changed at work that realised the sun had been quite strong and had left me with some interesting tan lines! I have never got had sunburn in April before!

Maybe I should add sun cream to my list for September!

Start adding weight...

On today's ride, I wanted to test out carrying a bit of extra weight with me. The ride was a 2 part affair. A quick 10 miles over a couple of hills, past Chequers and down to a pub for lunch with Char and Trendy then an undulating 35 miles back through Marlow, Lane End, Radnage and Chinnor. Biggest climb was a 13.7% gradient up into Radnage, good training for Cornwall but not very enjoyable!

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=223647

I have pinched a rear rack off my mum's bike which has been sat in the garage gathering dust since I last serviced it for her! Sorry Mum.

My little nephew Theo was very helpful in assisting me fit it to my bike. He has several suggestions that made the whole process go a lot smoother, I hope the chain oil came out of his jeans Jen!

Today, I loaded the rack bag up with a camera, phone, bike tools and a hefty D lock. The first few miles felt hard work just we put that down to the run I did yesterday in Wendover Woods. After lunch, it felt easier and I didn't notice the extra weight too much even when pedaling out of the saddle up the hills. I think the massive club sandwich (and half of Char's massive prawn sandwich) I had for lunch might have helped!