Where has the last year gone?

It is hard to believe that a year has passed since I wrote these words.


"I'm not sure what will become of this blog, or what direction it will go in? I hope to capture all the exploits of the new Vita Cycles Team, the training, bikes, kit, Sportives and races, and also my personal challenge of loosing the extra pounds, and raising my overall fitness level.
So here goes, buckle up it could be a bumpy road."

136 posts, over 20,000 page views and a New cycling Club named after the Blog and here we are! 

I won't go on about the past though, time to talk about the present.

After last weeks disappointing lack of miles due to illness, I was looking forward to a better week back up to the target mileage of 100miles per week. Once again, things didn't go quite to plan!

My daughter came to stay this week, and as a homecoming gift she brought with her a very nasty cold bug! I woke up Tuesday morning with a sore throat and streaming nose, Thanks love!!! There was no way I could manage the ride that night so already my miles were in a negative position to the plan. 

By Thursday I felt well enough to get out, and enjoyed the ride with the crew, which ended up a good pace and we managed to get a few loops of the West Kirby Hill in too, but I don't want to hear any calls of "Man Flu" from the wings please, I'm not moaning, just saying!!! 

I picked up my wheel from The Bike Shop in Moreton on Friday. I was like a kid with a new toy as I rolled the bike out this morning. I haven't ridden the Kuota for two weeks, so I was looking forward to putting some miles into the new spokes! 

It wasn't a promising start though. Although quite warm, even at 7am, it was raining! I dithered about whether to put my rain coat on, and decided that it would probably be for the best as the aforementioned cold is still here and I would really quite like it to go away as soon a possible. 

Anyway, 6 of us headed out into the rain and off to meet the others joining us in Birkenhead. As we descended into the Town the sky cleared and the sun came out. At the meeting point there were 5 lads waiting, all in short sleeves with frowns on their faces as to why we were in rain capes and overshoes!!

I had decided to try a new route today, riding up from Birkenhead and zig zagging through the lanes that cross the M53, then out to Stanlow and round the back of Chester and up the Dee Path to Eureka Cafe. I managed to navigate, with the help of my Garmin 500, and we didn't get lost once!! 

We also had an incident free ride, the only mechanical's were Paul N's chain dropping a couple of times. 

A bit warmer and dryer than the last time we were in Chester!

After we had refuelled at Eureka, Alan, Mark and Scott headed back to the East side of the Wirral and the rest of us headed back via the lanes to Neston and Lower Heswall, where Richard, Paul, Steve and Carla left us and we then dropped down to Caldy and round to West Kirby, Hoylake and then through Pump Lane back to Greasby. And to welcome the remaining 4 of us back, just as we reached Greasby Road the heavens opened and within seconds were soaked to the skin! At least home and a warm shower were not far away!

I was pleased to get a longer ride in, although the last 15 miles were tough as my chest tightened and getting the air in became tough, which led to the first leg ache I have had since I started drinking Beetroot Juice!

I need to ramp up the training now as the Asthma UK Loch to Loch ride is only 3 weekends away! I am half way to my Sponsorship target, and if you would like to donate you can HERE or via the link at the top of the page. (thanks)

Next weekend the Club is travelling across the water for its Sunday ride! The plan is to do a loop around the lanes of Sefton and Lancashire, starting in Formby, with a stop at Costa Coffee in Ormskirk. ( I am reliably informed that there is a treat awaiting us at the brew stop) HERE are first draft details of the route, Ken is kindly going to ride it for us this week so there may be some tweaks to the final one.   

If you would like to join us, the details of timings and travel arrangements will be posted on the Club Facebook group page. We hope to see you there.

It has also been a Fantastic week at the Olympics for the Team GB cyclists. First Bradley Wiggins wins Gold in the TT, then the Track team have dominated and broken world records along the way. 

One of my son's even wants to change his middle name to Wiggins?!?!?

It is certainly a good time for Cycling in the UK and I have noticed more people out and about on their bikes, more potential Palefish Club members perhaps??

A great "lumpy" loop of Cheshire!

Today was the first time in 6 weeks that the club riders joined the Team lads for a Saturday morning ride. The group was impressive with 20 of us blocking the pavement outside the shop before the off. It was great to have a chance to catch up with everyone after last weeks Ten Minutes of Hell. The agreement of everybody there was that it was a great event, and next year the field will be much bigger, and some of us may try some Ten mile TT's this season!

Before we left Dave, the coach, explained that as there were lots of abilities in the group, we would ride in pairs and take turns on the front, riding at the pace of the lead pair. This way everybody would have a chance to set the pace, but also have to put some effort in to keep up if the pace got faster. It was also agreed that we would not leave anyone stranded in Cheshire somewhere!

We headed out along familiar lanes, chatting and spinning the legs to get them warm, We were riding towards Elsmere Port through Little Sutton when the only incident of the day happened.
Riding in a big group is great, as you put in less effort when in the middle of the Peloton (the name used to describe a group of cyclists in a bunch!) and the miles seem to fly by. But there are some down sides, one is when you get dropped it is hard to get back on as you are on your own in no man's land, and secondly, you can not see any obstacles in the road. If you are following behind a peloton and see the riders frantically gesturing, pointing to the road, waving at the tarmac, or putting their hand behind their back they are telling each other what the road conditions are like. You may also hear shouts of  "HOLE" or "GRAVEL" or "S**T" if you are in a country lane near a stable.
Today one of the riders came upon a raised grid in the road which he tried to avoid, by bunny hopping, lifting both wheels off the ground and jumping over the obstacle. Unfortunately he landed awkwardly and fell, sliding along the road as we were at quite a pace. He decided that his ride for today was over and headed home, with another rider for support. I can report that he got home safely, a little battered and bruised, but should be ready to race next week.

The remaining 18 continued to the Shell Oil road, and managed to get all the way down it without seeing the infamous security guard! We continued on to Helsby, then Delemere, Tarporley, Beeston, Tattenhall, Waverton, Christleton and the outskirts of Chester, finding every hill along the way! We split from the Team riders here as one of the lads had to be back for work and they could ride fast together to drag each other home at pace.The remaining Club riders rode on to Eureka for a well deserved Coffee, and a Banana for me, and cake for every one else!  After the pit stop we headed up the Chester High road and back to the shop.

Regrouping at Beeston Castle

We didn't hang around at the shop today, as the ride took a bit longer than expected, and I had an excited son at home waiting to go and get his new Cycling Helmet!

It was great to ride with the whole group today, and also good to see that we are not that far off the Team pace, kind of!!

Dave gave us some great quotes today:
"Bunny Hops.....Just don't do them" discussing Alex's incident
"Loads of pot holes, this road is bad. Deal with it!" when he got fed up pointing out the obstacles

If I can get enough I may start a new "Zel says" page!

Today's ride details

As you can see from the widget at the top of the side bar, I am taking part in another charity bike ride this year. This time it is a  longer Challenge, From Loch Lomond to Loch Leven, 150 miles in 2 days. The ride is in aid of Asthma UK.
Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma. Please support us in our vision of "Control over asthma today, freedom from asthma tomorrow". www.asthma.org.uk