Good training. With plants.

On Wednesday when I got home from work at lunchtime and appeared in the kitchen to put my Garmin on Happy Running Dog got excited...

“WOO HOO THE BIG WATCH MY FAVOURITE THING EVER!!”

So we went and got the road bike out

“WOO HOO THE ROAD BIKE MY FAVOURITE THING EVER!!”

But I had to put her back in the house, so she got a chew to make me feel less bad…

“WOO HOO A CHEW MY FAVOURITE THING EVER!!”

Finally I got out and did Fit Mark’s Eight - two loops of local lanes with lots of hills - 10 minutes faster than last time.  It isn’t getting any easier, but I am going faster!  I also ended up in a hedge when a tractor forced me off the road - he was going far too fast and taking up all the road.  Luckily I was going downhill with my brakes on in case I met anything coming the other way, so braked hard and aimed at the hedge.  Mud and stingers, lovely.  He didn’t even stop.  I think once he looked back and saw me gesticulating and swearing he realised I was probably ok…

When I got back Happy Running Dog was let out...

“WOO HOO YOU’RE BACK THAT’S THE BEST THING EVER!!"

Then we got the MTB out…

“WOO HOO THE MOUNTAIN BIKE MY FAVOURITE THING EVER!!”

And off we went again…

Machen Forge Trail to, well, Machen, alongside the river beyond the iron bridge, turned right up the Alsation Chute, straight up (that’s the ‘one mile uphill’ track), to the top of the Tardis, turned right, back down into Machen, home along the Machen Forge Trail and Happy Running Dog had a pigs ear when we got back by way of reward as she had run so fast

“I’M TIRED…”

Yep, knackered the dog.

On Saturday I cycled to dog training.  Again.  Only this time I was doing it after two days rest, on the road bike instead of the MTB and with some food and drink for fuelling on the way.

I got there in 1 hour 33 compared to the 2 hours 10 of last week.  I did interval training (as advised by Fit Mark) on all of the flat coastal bit.  And (…. drum roll…..)

I OVERTOOK SOMEBODY!

I know, proper bloke with clippy pedal thingies and matching Lycra!  I did intervals to catch him up and then wondered if it would be rude to sit on his back wheel.  I decided it would so I just wellied it past him.  I said ‘hello’ cheerily (is that what one does?  I’ve never overtaken anybody seriously before) and carried on with my intervals.  Some time later I stopped to take a photo of the ‘Velothon Wales’ road closure sign and the bloke was about 100 yards behind me.  And puffing.  Hah!

On the way back from dog training I was another 10 minutes faster.  But I went 3k further because I took my long detour route to try and find my sunglasses which I had dropped on the way.  And it was seriously into a headwind.

I am VERY pleased.  Entirely down to my cycling guru, Fit Mark.  And Jelly babies.

Today was rubbish.  I had legs like chewed string so I only did a hilly 9 miles.  Mind you, I did meet an old buddy in his garden so I cycled home with a carrier bag of two cotoneasters.  Result!

While I was cycling with my carrier bag I passed lots of Lycra clad cyclists training for the Velothon. I would like them to know I had cycled the same hills.  With weights.

By this time next week I will have completed Velothon Wales.  Hopefully.  I'm aiming for under 2 hours.  Yesterday I thought it was possible.  Today with my chewed string legs, I'm not so sure...