Hardly Chris Vroom

Been a week or two, maybe longer, since I wrote anything so bear with me if I ramble but do be aware that this is very much a cycling blog and may well end up with me asking more questions than telling you what has been happening but I will try to begin with telling you what has been happening with my training. Firstly I ran 165 miles in June which should convince me that everything is in proper working order now, still doing all the runs at 70%WHR and below but with my plans as they are I don't think I have a lot of reason to go much faster although I am going to introduce a weekly tempo run or interval session by the end of the month. The major excitement of the last few weeks has been regards my work joining the Cycle 2 Work scheme. My colleagues in my office thought it was hysterical how excited I became when I received the email about the scheme, more excited than their children at Christmas by all accounts. So I had a peruse of what was on offer and within the range set and after road testing it plumped for the Cannondale Caad 8 Tiagra with dual purpose pedals (I will buy some shoes v.soon but am currently using the flats) and specialized puncture resistant tyres. Here is a link if you want a peek: http://www.cyclesolutions.co.uk/p56418/cannondale-caad8-tiagra-2013-road-bike Since putting a photo in the gallery on Fetch I have been confused by a couple of comments. One I was asked was what heat it is packing on the back? I don't know? The spec is above, you tell me? and then explain what it means please :-) is a technical discipline in lots of ways and I need educating. Also there were a few comments about the reflectors, hadn't really noticed them myself, is it uncool to have them or something? Anyway as soon as I knew when the bike would be ready I entered yesterdays Pedal for Parkinson's 55 miler that was starting less than 2 miles from my front door and having covered only 38 miles on the bike before the event was not sure how it would go, as I didn't know over half the route and it was a tad warm. I think it went ok. Was actually only 50 miles because Pembrey Forest is still waterlogged :-0 but I completed it in 3hrs 40 mins with around 750 metres of ascent and descent, can you see the profile from this link? http://www.fetcheveryone.com/routes-view.php?id=1409133&subtab=elevation The most positive part of the ride for me was actually the ascents, I found them relatively easy and was passing a lot of people and not being passed myself. Could this be just because I am fitter than the average bear? What I don't understand is why so many people were passing me on the downhills, not the winding ones, where I may have been guilty of riding on my brakes a little, but the long straight downhills? Would you be in the highest gear on these and giving it all or freewheeling? I can't recall what was happening now just that people were passing me by as if I was going backwards. Anyway I enjoyed and the clotted cream and raspberry pavlova double scoop ice cream at the end was to die for, as was the copious amount of ice cold cider I drank for the rest of the day watching Murray own Djokovic and Chris Froome being abandoned by Team Sky. Funniest part of the ride for me though was quite early on after getting to the top of one of the aforementioned ascents feeling quite fresh and passing a lot of the riders who had stopped at the top to take a breather. As I headed down a winding descent safe in the knowledge there was no-one behind me I was joking to myself that I should be called Chris Vroom just as I rounded a bend in a relatively high gear to be faced immediately by a steep ascent. Suffice to say I was too late changing gears and stopped dead so then had to resume from a standing start on one of the steepest ascents of the day, lots of people passed me then. Will teach me for showing off :-) So I like the bike but as I said to my BIL last night I am still a runner, I have to be with the races I have entered and am happy to be, but I can sort of see how the bike takes over for some people. I would normally have a rest day on a Monday but was so easy to get on the bike and do a quick(ish) recovery ride of 12 miles earlier. I know it is a new toy but it seems easier to motivate myself for the bike, I certainly don't recall even when I only had the MTB thinking I really don't fancy this as I do sometimes with running. That said I fully intend to get 50 miles in on two feet this week, is just that I will probably do 100 on the bike too. I'm going to finish by saying how much it makes me laugh that people are now moaning about it being too hot to run. Although I do feel for those completing endurance events you just have to slow down and stay hydrated don't you? Is all about perceived effort isn't it? If for instance you have an interval session lined up yes you may be a fair bit slower than the norm for the same effort but you are still making that effort, you don't go out and try even harder to go your normal pace do you? At least I wouldn't......