Mountain Goats

Today was a tough day in the saddle. We (Steve and Kev) headed out with the club following Pete's Garmin Sat Nav route. Took in Mawdsley, Eccleston, Coppul ect...and the top of Chorley (Botany Bay area). It was a tasty pace being set, so we jut sat in the pack until that point. I was aware of what was ahead (although I have not done it for a good while), so I stopped talking to preserve energy. Anglezarke is that big lump that sits in front of Winter Hill (see pic of Kev). Got to the foot of the climb and we started to split as a group as the gradient became steeper and steeper. I managed to get a good rhythm going and even managed to pass Kev on a steep part (who had messed up his gearing, that's what he says anyway!! LOL). He later got his own back by dropping me on the flat near the cafe. It was a great workout and all these tough miles will help our preparations for what is to come on the big ride.
It was a glorious day weatherwise, even though we encountered a headwind on the way back (don't remember a tailwind heading out).
Pete suffered a puncture on the way back, but other than that it was a superb ride.
Got to the cafe and H Middleton CC A and B rides met up to take over the place.
I'm off to stuff my face for a second time and replace what I certainly burnt today.
So next time you are driving and you look over and spot the TV transmitters, have a thought for our legs today. ps - that isn't a urine sample in Kev's water bottle!

It was him!!

After a morning visit to my dentist for my check up, and a quick lunch, I (Kev) decided its time to start getting some more miles in on the bike, as our Lejog ride is fast approaching. Didn't want to waist such a lovely day.
I enjoyed the ride out with the Club on Sunday so I decided to take the same route. The only thing I didn`t like about it, was the Southport Coast Road, drivers think its clever to beep their horn when they get along side you!!! Not clever, it frightens the c**p out of you.
As I was riding down the Coast Road, coming towards me on the other side of the road, all decked out in Team Sky colours was Bradley Wiggins. For those of you who don`t know who Bradley Wiggins is, he is a British professional track and road bicycle racer, currently riding for Team Sky. He won three medals on the track at the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics, and two gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. He came fourth in the 2009 Tour de France.
Now that Spring has finally arrived, there is a lot more insect flying around, I think I swallowed about a couple of dozen. Need to start riding with my mouth shut. I suppose the extra protein will help! LOL
56 miles on Sunday, 52 miles yesterday, hopefully out again Thu/Fri and look forward to getting out with Steve and the Club on Sunday.

Sport Relief

Lee mixes with the queen, Catherine Jenkins and too many to mention high profile faces as a part of his job. Thought I would try to hit back and add a shot of myself with James Graham (plays for St Helens) who worked with my class today as a part of Sports Relief. Unfortunately, this will mean nothing whatsoever to anyone outside St Helens or people who are not followers of Rugby League. James won Super Leagues Man of Steel, he's also an International player. But most importantly, he's an Evertonian. Top bloke!

Too many layers

This morning was the first that I (Steve) have not headed out with a real nip in the air. In fact, I soon realised that I had too many layers on (honest Lee, I'm no longer fat!!!). A super turn out at the shop, about 30 odd riders. We split into A and B groups, with the B group having about 20 odd riders riding over the moss towards Southport on quite a windy day. Great to see Kev out with the club. It's only his second ride with the group and he really looked comfortable all day, even when the pace was stepped up (20 - 23 mph)on the coast road heading towards Banks.
Clocked about 35 miles at the cafe stop and an averae of 16.7, all good for our end to end challenge, which is creeping ever so close now.
Stuffed ourselves with cakes at the cafe, where the A group joined us.
Kev and I hung back and decided to do our own thing for a bit to get more miles in, ending up clocking 56 miles.
Called in at Steve B's (support driver and Kev's brother) place on the way back, who took a few staged shots of us riding past (sad I know).
The warmer weather is around the corner and that bodes well for stepping up the training in the next few weeks.

Route completed

At last, I (Steve) have managed to complete the route plan. A total of 1051.6 miles and a trip over to the Isle of Arran thrown in too. (See route on left hand side of this page).
Had a day off the bike today as I promised Charlie that I would watch some of his rugby tournament, playing for the school. I didn't stay for the whole thing, which seemed to go on and on. But he ended up captaining his team to win the tournament and they will now go on to Twickenham to represent Lancashire (so he tells me). Well done Charlie, even though it was using the wrong shaped ball this time.
Hoping to get a decent ride in tomorrow with the club.

Gorgeous weather

I (Kev) was chomping at the bit to get out on my bike this weekend, stunning early Spring sunshine. Had a busy day on Saturday so unfortunately was unable to continue with the training, Still, Sunday`s forecast was much the same as Saturday, so plan was for me to get out with the Club early Sunday Morning. Alarm woke me at 7.30 am, I woke feeling like s**t, really tired, aching limbs, sore head. Grrrrr
Eventually crawled out of bed about 9.00 looked out of the window, wow, what a gorgeous day. had a quick shower, then a decent breakfast, with 2 cups of strong coffee, which made me feel a little better.
Could`nt mope around the house any longer, thought stuff it, i`ll get the bike out and just see how far my legs would take me. I managed to do 61 miles! not particularly fast, but glad I pushed myself. As a result of my efforts yesterday, today I feel like I have been trampled on by a herd of Cows. Actually I did meet one on my ride. Made me think of a very rare fillet steak, home made chips and a pepper sauce!!!

Two glorious days of weather

I (Steve) went out to Aintree racecourse to the first race of the new season, The Eddie Soens. Have been to it several times and with knowledge of previous experiences, took lots of layers. But found the warmest Soens that I can ever remember. Our Amelia joined me and really got into it all, even asking how she may get into racing. Two of the club lads were racing and did really well, finishing it the main group. Considering they were riding on the company of Sky riders, Olympic games medalists etc.... they did brilliantly.
Got back home around midday and decided on a swift 30 miler with a few hills thrown in. Hammered it and got my average speed up, so beginning to feel like I am making progress.
Today I have been out with the club and it was quite cold early on, even though oit was bright. Steve Charlton led us out and straight into Ashurst Beacon, followed by Apply Bridge, Chorley, Charnock Richard, onto Bretherton etc... through Croston and really stepped on the gas for a good ten miles before the cafe stop. Clocked 50 miles today, but the average speeds have shot up to 16.5mph, all good prep for the big ride, which is creeping ever closer. Was considering a longer ride with the A group, who headed for The Trough of Boland, but had to be back for the blues 4pm kick off. It was well worth it with a great performance rounding off a decent weekend. Hope to get out in the week for a few hours, as the light nights are creeping up. It's onto planning the route from day 7 onwards and then quickly booking accomodation, planning advertising, equipment, nutritional products logistics etc... There are not enough hours in a day at the moment. (Can you spot our Mill and I next to the British Cycling bus?)

Hurrah, the cavalry have arrived.......

Well just the one cavalier actually, El's Mum has come down for two weeks to help us adjust to life with our little addition. Dot (El's Mum), El, Ava, Eze and myself (in that order as it happens) are all doing well....BUT with the arrival of Dot I can now get back to training for our little end2end trip, even though it is still on the Turbo Trainer. Can't go too far just yet and the roads around central London are so poor you really do need to ride out into the green belt to get a decent ride, that or Richmond Park again and even that is an hour away. So today and a couple of times earlier this week I've been on the CycleOps. 2 hours today, but no real idea how far or what speed but it feels like a decent ish pace and it really feels like it is doing me some good. It's better than doing nothing that's for sure. Still I feel like I'm miles away from where you guys are in terms of road miles and I guess I'll never truly catch up so I'll just have to do as much as I can. One thing about the Turbo Trainer though is that yes it's not like riding on the road at all BUT I reckon it's great for a little weight loss. Ava still thinks it's hilarious her daddy going nowhere fast in the kitchen on a bike that doesn't move...she just laughs at me.....I guess it's something I'll have to get used to and at least she is still too young to be embarrassed by me....that's still to come....and boy will I get my own back then. Happy Days. COYB.

Scene from Ben Hur

(Steve and Kev)Drove down to Milton Keynes on Friday(posh Skem) to spend a weekend training with Olly and the MK Don's End to End riders. Also a good opportunity to catch up with Steff (Olly's wife) and the kids. Planned a decent ride on Saturday and headed off at about 9.30 with rain in the air and more forecast. Waited for the other MK lads to join us (James and John).
Set off towards the Brickhills and Woburn area. Quite tough first hour or so with rolling countryside and a few naughty climbs thrown in for good measure. Hit with some rain and more hills as we headed out towards the Chilterns. The MK lads are totally addicted to Marathons (sorry, Snickers), each of them had about three in the first few hours of riding!!!
It was quite strange riding with these MK lads (no offence if you read our blog boys), they are road riding novices and rarely rode as a group. James stayed in the big chainring and hammered up the hills and on the flat (although he paid for it later with sore knees). He was constantly a good 50 -100 metres ahead of us. John (who I christened Wobbly Bob, for reasons you will discover) has only been on the bike for 4 rides and did remarkably well to stay with us.
We passed some beautiful, picturesque 'Olde English' villages, which included George Harrisons stately home and Frank Bruno's pad.
We counted at least four pubs called The Five Bells, But decided on The White Horse to water and feed us. One of the other MK lads called Dave managed to catch up and join us here. So six set off towards Ivinghoe Beacon (Anglo Saxon) and the heavens really opened as we started the climb. Found the climb quite easy, but passing over the top for a few miles through the trees it happened!
The MK lads have been sponsored by Trek UK, who have supplied training bikes. Unfortunately these are fitted with the cheapest mudguards and as John aka Wobbly Bob was getting a mouthful of mud and rainwater from Olly's back wheel, he decided to suddenly slow down and move offline. I (Steve) saw him coming and used my shoulder to push him away from me. Unfortunately, he kept coming and jammed his hub into my front spokes. Bang, two snapped, I had a big wobble, but managed to keep upright, despite a buckled wheel. (It was like that charoit scene in Ben Hur).
We were a good 40 miles from MK and stuck. Dave called his South African buddy with a van who came out and picked him and my bike up. Cheers Donald. Dave passed his bike to me to finish the ride, which was good of him. Unfortnately, it was way too big and I have ended up with an aching neck, not to mention a tender rump with a foreign saddle.
Headed off the Chilterns and Olly's iffy navigation skills got us spotting M25 motorway signs!!!!!
Still, we found an interesting route back and after several more challenging climbs and who knows how many more Snickers bars for the MK lads, reached home (Monkston MK) with 77 miles clocked.
A shame we didn't get back to back rides in.
It's a trip to get my wheel sorted at Middleton's before next weekend and hopefully another decent two days of riding.
Thanks to Steff and Darren for their wonderful hospitality. That Spag Bol didn't touch the sides last night Steff and sorry about eating all the Nan bread on Friday.
Congratulations to Lee and Ell with their new addition to the family. Keep on spinning mate and get some road miles in as and when the baby allows.

housebound, but in a good way

The Big Eze is settling in, El and I are now remembering what it was like to have a small child to look after. We're more relaxed than last time but it's still exhausting, more so for El of course....but we are very pleased to have the boy Eze with us, he's simply spectacular. BUT to cycling matters and last night I managed to put the CycleOps Turbo Trainer together. The instructions to build are terrible and if you let yourself get bogged down by the complex language you'd never manage it so I decided to throw the instructions away, metephorically, and just look at the bits and put it together. This was by far the best option. It took me little more than 1 hour to assemble but I waited until today to give it a go. So Eze was asleep, El was asleep and the Cup Final was about to start, so I stuck the telly on and got on the bike. 50 minutes later it's half time and I'd kept a good pace going throughout. The trainer is quiet and sturdy but without the great outdoors cooling you down you sweat buckets. Had a rest at half time and then got back on for the second half. Another 50 minutes at a good pace (well I never left the kitchen obviously but I was pedaling hard) at this point Ava came home with friends who subsequenty thought the site of her dad in lycra pedaling a bike that doesn't go anywhere the most ridiculous and therefore funniest thing she'd ever seen. Granted she's only 4 and will no doubt see many funnier things in her life, but today it was me. Laugh? Yeah she laughed, and laughed, and laughed. Still I have to say, even taking into coonsidertion the ridicule, the CycleOps is a success and it means I can try and catch the northern alliance up at least in terms of conditioning if not actual miles on the road. Hope you enjoyed Olly's, Kev and Steve, and Olly if you are reading, hope all is well and see you soon I hope. Happy days.

The Big Eze

So the little fella has arrived, well not so little at 8lbs 6oz. This picture shows Eze at a few hours old. We are all fine. It does mean I won't make the weekend meet at Olly's but hope you all understand. I'll be setting up my CycleOps Turbo Trainer instead. Happy days.

Best day so far this Winter

(Kev) I never managed to get out on the bike last weekend, busy day Saturday, looking forward to a Sunday ride with Steve and the Club, alarm woke me at 7am, opened the curtains, yes more cold, wet, white stuff. I think we are all pi**ed with this long Winter we are having.

I had a free day yesterday, the weather forecast wasn`t to bad so decided to get out for a nice long ride. Felt good so I decided to try and better my previous record of 52 miles. Ended up doing 62 miles, with no ill effects today.

Found, by accident I might add, some really nice quite country roads,taking in Eccleston, Bretherton, leyland, Hutton on to Preston and then back again.

It was the best day so far, weather wise. Even the sun popped its head out from time to time. Although the Easterly wind was a challenge at times.

Steve and I are off down to Milton Keynes this weekend to meet up with Olly (MK Dons) and hopefully Lee, for a training weekend. (weather Permitting!!!)

Energy crisis in South London

El took pity on me this Sunday, saying to get out on the bike and not to worry about being too far away in case the baby decided to arrive. For those not in the know, El is due to give birth, well was due to give birth last Wednesday but as yet, no sign of the little fella making an appearance. So off I went as usual heading for Richmond Park, the cycling mecca of green belt London. The thing was, which has been happening a lot, my legs felt like lead again and I couldn't really get going. I only did 35 miles but it felt like 70. I could put it down to over work, stress, lack of sleep, whatever, but that's just not the case. Who knows, but I struggled and by the time I was heading back to a more affable but less green part of London, i.e. our home, I was knackered. I reckon I need to do smaller rides more often instead of trying to go out and do loads of miles irrespective of how my body/head is feeling and so I've decided to buy a turbo trainer. This is because over the next 6 weeks it will be hard for me to get out at all but I can't let the northern alliance get too far ahead. Not sure which one to buy but I'm already formulating a plan to be able to watch the football, ride, and rock the baby to aleep all at the same time. Yeah right, like that's going to happen.

Snow Joke!!

Sat here (Steve) and can't believe that I seem to be jinxed with weather. Up at 7am to prepare for a good long training ride with the lads. Pulled open the curtains and there's a blanket of snow covering everything!!!!!!!!!!
Olly called at about 9am and said it's snowing heavily in Milton Keynes (hope it clears for our training camp down there next weekend)and he's prevented from getting out too. Then I get an email on my Blackberry (get me, all high tech, a Burberry as our Janette called it), and it's Lee, on his way out for a few hours riding. Ell is about to go into labour and he's still getting out before us.
Last week he was worried that Kev and I were training far more than him and was frightened that we were leaving him behind. In an effort to ensure we don't leave him at Lands End, he's offered to buy the Garmin sat nav. That way we will have to keep him with us. Unless there's a mighty thaw this afternoon, it's back to the turbo trainer for me.
Still, it will give me time to carry on plotting our route (which I will put a hyperlink to from here, once it's all completed).

Mixed bag of Weather at Half Term

Steve's week so far
It's been quite a frustrating week in terms of planned training rides. Planned to get out with a few lads from the club on a decent ride on Tuesday so got up early. Opened the curtains and watched hail and sleet fall, messing up those plans.
Wednesday was a very mixed day of frost, fog, then rain and a bit of sun creeping out too. Managed to get a swift 24 miles in with a few climbs thrown in for good measure.
Thursday was a case of grabbing a window between the showers and Kev joined me too. Did a few hours and got 36 miles in, before the heavens really opened.
Today is stuck in catching up on school planning and preparation for Monday.
A silly early Sky Kick off will mess up any chances of a longer ride tomorrow, which leaves a Sunday club run. Here's hoping for decent weather Sunday morning.

Advice

Kev and I met up with Mick freeman tonight (who's done the end to end). I have met Mick via H Middleton CC and was out on Sunday's club ride with him. Mick has given us lots of invaluable advice and information for our ride. We now feel that we can proceed with making detailed plans re route (most importantly), accomodation, kit, does and donts. He has also loaned us a few great books, spreadsheets etc..... Mick is a true gentleman, an absolute star and we shall thank him with beer when we get an opportunity.
Now we can really get going now.

Blow Out!!!!!

Blow out


(Kev's Post) Got up early this morning, braved the fog and ice, met Steve and headed down into Ormskirk to meet up with H Middleton C C for my first time out with the Club. Really enjoyed the ride, met some really nice people and got some great advice about our LeJog ride, (many thanks to Mick Freeman) also got my first 50 + miler in.
Not long into the ride I heard a loud bang in front of me, I thought someone had been shot!! One of the lads had a blow out, he had to call his wife for a lift back home. That’s what you get when you don’t spend Valentines Day with your loved One!!!
Ill be definitely getting out with the Club again soon.

Kev Makes Debut on Club Run

(Steve here) Wonderful to get Kev out with the H Middleton CC today and another varied and interesting route. The Garmin Sat Nav went a bit mad on a few occasions and we ended up doing a U turn, but it was worth it (I would never have found the route we did without GPS). Out to Ashurt Beacon, Dalton, Apply Bridge, Shevington, Standish, then off towards Winter Hill direction, Chorley, Eccleston, Mawdsley and the cafe in Rufford. Probably missed lots of places, but clocked another 50 mile +. When we hit the 50 mark Kev gave our old 'MASSIVE' shout (he got there for his first). Great thing about today was all the great and varied people in the group. Met Mick Freeman (who I was beginning to think didn't exist)at last (who's an End 2 End rider) and will meet up with him this week to pick his brains a bit more and then Kev and I will set our route. Accomodation etc.... will follow. I felt great today, despite waking up at 4.30am with a painful shoulder blade and had to soak in a hot bath an hour before the ride. Legs felt like they could do another 10 miles +. With a week off school ahead I'm already planning training rides and hopefully a few longer back to back rides.

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