Date
|
Route
Distance,
Time, Week Total, Total
|
08/03/13
|
Caldy – Montgomery Hill
– Mill Hill – Irby - 32 4hrs 56 170.3
Heswall – Neston –
Caldy – West Kirby – Hoylake – Leasowe – Moreton – Greasby - Irby - West Kirby
|
Grey,
overcast, slightly damp, 9’c. Okay so after
the sweaty effort of Tuesday I left the thermal and fleece layers off and was
too cold which meant an 18 mile loop back home to retrieve an extra layer for
my top half and an extra pair of socks for my poor toes plus a quick
coffee to thaw out the inside bits too!
The first
loop covered a multitude of hills – from the lowest point of Heswall on the
shore line to the highest point of Heswall next to a radio transmitter. The only point to this being to
endure some hills. Going up and down
hills is an essential part of this training exercise but I can’t say I’m
exactly enjoying it. In one respect I’ll
be glad when I’ve achieved the goal so I can go back to riding the off road
muddy, bumpy stuff that is so much more enjoyable.
The second
loop was about packing in a bit more distance rather than gratuitous hill
climbing so a blast along the front to leasowe lighthouse then a ride back
through various housing estates finishing with Montgomery Hill and straight up
the main road from Caldy crossroads West Kirby.
Pleased
that none of the hills provided too much of a challenge and no walking was called
for. Felt my legs for the first time
after this ride and I don’t really know why.
Just hope as the weeks go on the training does become easier and less
of a drag. I think the weather is
probably playing a part. I’m fed up of having cold toes. Is it too much to
ask to be comfortably warm on a ride???
(I may regret this statement come August if the C2C ends up being
tackled in a heatwave!!!!)
|
A blow by blow account of my training for the Coast to Coast bike ride I plan to undertake in August 2013. I am hoping to raise oodles of sponsorship money for Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.
Saturday 9 March 2013
A ride of two halves.
Tuesday 5 March 2013
A sweaty 200m vertical gain day!
Date
|
Route
Distance,
Time, Week Total, Total
|
05/03/13
|
Home – Heswall – Neston
– Home 24
2hrs
50 24 138.3
|
Clear blue sky, very
little wind, 10’c. Spring has sprung!
Storming start
straight up the hill to Thurstaston along the main road – wasn’t as bad as I
had anticipated. Big surprise at the gradient on Heswall bends -
you think you have climbed to the highest point when you reach Thurstaston
but you haven’t!
Interesting unadopted
road route down to Lower Heswall. Must
try it going upwards! Along to Neston
and across the Chester High Road then down onto the Wirral way all the way
back to Caldy. A final climb up the
millionaires road, Kings Drive, actually was OK! Am quite pleased I was able to get to the
top without stopping and it meant a glorious cruise back home.
So not a bad ride but
really need to start picking up the pace and upping the mileage as well as
trying to fit in longer rides on consecutive days. Not much work left to do then!!! Scary thought that the mileage grand total
as it stands is only 10% of the recommended preparation mileage of 1400
miles. Eeek!
Learnt some
interesting stuff on this ride –
·
Its
not a good idea to scream round a gravelly bend in top gear no matter how
much fun you’re having zooming along – even nobbly off road tyres don’t grip
well on loose gravel.
·
It
is possible to have sweaty cold feet! Really must try and sort that out!
·
A
thermal, a long sleeved bike top, a short sleeved bike top, a fleece and a
rain jacket is waaaaaay too many layers when the temperature is 10’c and
there is no wind!!
|
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