Go Cav!

Mark (Billy Whizz) Cavendish does it again - two straight stage wins in the ATOC. - Is it too early in the season to be in such form, or is it ideal preparation for the classics and then a realsitic attempt on the Maillot Vert in Le Tour? - Watch out Boonen the Manx man has your number...

So it's the Solvang Time Trial next for the boys in California - watch out for Levi, Lance, Rogers and Cancellara - Sticking my neck out i will go for Levi to win, with little or no change in the resultant top 5 on GC (that is unless Lance has a flyer on his newly re-acquainted TT bike - See pic above.)

Breaking the Chain...

Does exactly what it says on the tin:

There I was a mile from my destination and coincidentally just under a mile from my original departure point (home) albeit that i had cycled 17 miles in the interim 50-odd minutes and all of a sudden snap and then no drive. - Yup, the Chain had gone.

Being a decisive kind of guy, I decided to clunk my way back home (clunk - sound of cleats on pavement) ditch the offending articles (bike and chain) a quick change and then hot foot it (literally) into work.

So 3 months to go, and the bike is going under (minor) surgery again - bang goes my mileage for a few days.

More soon.

PS - Good news Lance has got his bike back - woohoo

Long live the Euro?

Hey never let it be said that i am not a englishman through and through, but i was musing last night on all things cycling and in particular the impending C2C, and realised that 140 miles sounds far better when it is expressed in kilometres - 225ish!

Continuing this thread of thinking i also realised that expressing speeds attained on 2 wheels in Km also make me sound faster too.

Therefore i remain english in all things except when talking about cycling and related achievements...

Progress Report Week 4

Hmmm - confession time...

Started well - 67 miles completed in two days (commuting?) then it snowed on Thursday so based on previous performances i took the easy option and didn't cycle, felt knackered on Friday and only managed 11 miles and then it was valentines day.

Ok the quick witted amongst you are thinking - yeah 78miles that's fair but how does valentines day affect cycling progress?
Ah-ha because i got Mario Kart for the Wii and so have ensconced myself for two days in front of the tv racing all manner of different cartoon characters around wierd and wonderful tracks.

Anyway all that is behind me - only 3 months ish to go so must focus.

Oh bought some new Kit - Green Discovery Channel a la TDF 2007 - very chic?

On the sponsorship front we are up to £155! including support from a local MP - fantastic :-)

In other news, i hear Lance had his TT bike nicked from the Tour of California, pretty desperate attempt by the other teams to slow him and the Astana boys up but it won't work. come on Levi, Jose, Lance et al.

Oh and finally Chris Hoy had a mixed return to the track - won the team sprint and then crashed in the keirin - hope all is fine soon?

Progress Report Week 3

Progress - more like regress this week - only 71 miles covered.

A cold, wet and miserable week all round really. my back brake blocks locked on my wheel one day and would not free themselves - guess it was the freezing temperatures, which foxed me slightly as i felt that the heat produced from the friction on the wheel would have prevented that but hey.

Had my birthday on Friday and have finally given in and bought a pair of winter gloves with my birthday money - lovely warmth back in my fingers - just need to solve the overshoes issue too.

Sponsorship is up to £65 for the C2C which is a great start - £935 to go.

My Wii fitness routine has been sporadic at best this week, managed to get Pro status on Tennis, and also tweaked my fitness age as low as 25 at one point but it was back to 32 at the end of the week.

Next week i have to find a different route in so will increase the mileage earlier in the week and get some miles in the bank - must also go out with Simon again and get some hills in...

Cycling for Cancer Research

On the basis that a coast to coast trip does not occur every day, then what a perfect opportunity to raise some money too. So we have decided to do it for Cancer Research UK - a very worthy cause as i am convinced that there is no-one who has not either been affected by Cancer or is one step away from someone who has.

If you are reading this and feel compelled to donate - we would really appreciate it, just follow the link below:

http://www.justgiving.com/c2c2009

Thanks

Progress Report Week 2

2 weeks in and mileage takes a dip - only 91 miles covered - weekend away plus inclement weather could be used as excuses but don't really cut it do they? anyway a total of 380 miles for the month of January - aiming for more in Feb!

Wii usage has increased this last week - loving playing Tennis and Bowling in the comfort of my front room and have also become a proficient slalom skier to boot! - Still unclear though as to how my Wii fit age is directly linked to my ability of standing on one leg without wobbling ho hum.

The start / finish points (Whitehaven and Sunderland respectively) have been set for the C2C assault, the route will mainly be the Sustrans one, although wherever possible tarmac alternatives will be sought to off-road ones.

Weather report for the week comes in at about a 3 out of 10 - cold, wet, mainly miserable and murky and to add to it all my halogen light battery needs charging up every other day which is a right pain.

In other news, Bradley Wiggins won the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar and Astana are gearing up for the Tour of California

Progress Report Week 1

OK here it is, the first epistle to the world on the trials, tribulations and other thoughts of my training towards the C2C. (Only 18 weeks to go...)

A most respectable 145 miles covered, and I managed to cycle every day this week -despite the best efforts of the weather! Keep resisting the temptation of buying some new winter gloves, but might have to bite the bullet if it keeps on being so rubbish.

Only fell off once this week - a near stationary collapse in the ice early one morning - no-one around so jumped up and was off again fairly quickly.

Injury status - slight twinge in right ankle / lower leg although getting better. nothing else to report.

No mechanical issues, other than frustration at the lack of time my battery stays charged for my halogen front lights - although Simon had a puncture on our first jaunt out on Sunday.

Ref the C2C it seems pointless doing it without exploiting the situation so will be getting some sponsorship ideas together pretty soon - mosy likely candidate is a Cancer Charity details to follow...

On the world of cycling LA, made it through the TDU and finished respectably 49secs off the pace, so looking forward to the Tour of California and Astana's future assault on all fronts. - Heard Landis is making a comeback too? Hmmm - discuss anyone?

more next time

Breaking News...

I know it's still winter, but it still hardly seems fair that the very week the plans are laid for an assault on the north of England C2C that it lashes down with rain every day - oh well guess it ought to break me in for the weather oop north in May!?

Progress on C2C arrangements is that we are now up to a team of three - hoorah!

I have also decided to perform my cross training on the Nintendo Wii Fit! so along with miscellaneous stats of mileage covered etc you can share in my weight loss (7-8lbs target) journey too!!!

Ciao

C2C - Dream becomes a reality!

Ok I'm back - 2 months without posting is unforgiveable, I know my only excuse is that i managed to break my hand in a cycling incident and got thoroughly miffed as a result, but normal service is resumed and i a mback on 2 wheels again.

Good news - The C2C is a go-er 29th May - 1st June 09, finer details yet to be decided but at least two of us are currently included on the team roster.
Having a reason to get out on the bike is a great motivator - cycled both ways up and over Ringland yesterday just to celebrate (if you don't know where Ringland is suffice to say there are not many hills in Norfolk but this is one of the shortest/sharpest there is!

Check back for weekly updates for the thrills and spills associated with my training regime over the next 4 months as well as a sneaky peek at the world of cycling and a comment on the stories therein.

PS Great to see Lance back in the saddle and in competition again. Wishing him and Astana all the best for the Tour Down Under and the forthcoming season, also the brits are again holding there own in Beijing in the World Track Cycling competition. - even without Hoy and Co!