It’s been a funny few weeks.
Anyone within earshot of Northumberland would have heard a loud thud last week. That would be me, coming down to earth with a bang. Any confidence I had built up over how I looked was quickly stubbed out, and the realisation that I’ve only done half a job so far came crashing down around me. Yeah, I’ve lost nearly 7 stone, which is awesome, but that’s not the point. Looking at a half built football stadium and saying, “Wow, that’s awesome!” isn’t going to have it ready for the opening day of the football season, not by a long shot.
Confidence is in short supply round these parts. But hopefully, next weekend could be just the tonic.
Will I be grinning like a Cheshire Cat, or not?
This time next week I will have hopefully completed one of my season’s goals - a 100 mile sportive. The sportive in question - The Verenti Cheshire Cat presented by Kilo to Go. However, don’t sit there assuming it’s a walk in the park. 100 miles is 100 miles, regardless of age, fitness or ability. Next time you drive 100 miles in the car, think about it.
First off, the furthest I’ve ever been on a bike in 1 day is 86 miles, a Tyneside Vagabond’s club ride last Summer. It was fairly fast and frenetic, and I really, really struggled. Granted, I’m a lot lighter and a lot thinner, but the most I’ve done since then is 70 odd miles in a day.
Second, since before Xmas, I’ve suffered a series of set backs in the form of colds. Now, I rarely get colds. In fact, I went an entire year without so much as a sniffle. Now, in the space of 4 months I’ve had 2 pretty miserable colds, or “man flu”. The second one is still with me. It had started to clear up, but I jumped on the bike too soon, and now I am paying for it.
Third, this isn’t a Saturday club ride to Bolam lake. This has a pretty serious profile. Don’t believe me? Take a look here. Pay particular attention to Mow Cop. That’s 25%, people.
However, I’m not panicking. I understand how my body works now, and I am going to give it the time and space required to repair itself - as long as that’s before next Sunday. It’s not a race, it’s a social thing. The first 67 miles will be done at I’m guessing a reasonably leisurely pace, with the final 3rd becoming slightly higher in pace, depending on how the people I am riding with feel. For the final part of the ride, I’m riding with a girl who’s training for an Iron Man triathlon and another triathlete. I will be, by some margin, the most unfit there. As if attempting 100 miles and climbing Mow Cop wasn’t daunting enough on their own.
But one thing looms large in my head - Mow Cop.
Quite surprisingly, mentally I’m prepared. Hills don’t scare me anymore. I’ll either get up them, or I won’t. Being scared doesn’t actually change the outcome, other than perhaps convince you into thinking you can’t possibly do it. And I won’t know if I can do it until I hit it. I’ll be geared right, I’ll save myself for Mow Cop, and I’ll do everything I can to get up without stopping. After that, I know I can get to the end. Get over that hill, and it’s a case of making sure I keep the pedals going round until the bitter end, hopefully with my Garmin saying “100 miles” at the end of the day.
Get that 100 miles under my belt, climb Mow Cop without getting off, and not embarrass myself in front of my Iron Man friends, and I’ll have gone some way to repairing the damaged confidence.
2 weeks of training
The day of the Cheshire Cat is actually the start of 2 weeks off work, designed specifically for me to get some miles under my belt ready for the season. What better way to start getting miles under my belt than tucking away 100 of the little suckers on the first day? After that, it will be a combination of intervals, hill work, and long distance endurance rides, as well as a few commutes alongside Kerry. Hopefully, these 2 weeks will be an opportunity for me to recover lost time.
Waxing for the Laura Dodds Fund
As mentioned in a previous post, this year (except in events where money goes to a different sponsor such as The Great North Bike Ride) I will be trying to raise money for the Laura Dodds Fund. My first attempt will be, *deep breath*, a leg waxing. Yes, I’m well aware women go through this all the time, but I’m a man. And I’ve never had anything waxed. And you know what, it’s pretty friggin’ scary stuff!!! So, I don’t have a date yet, nor do I know where I will be getting the waxing done, but I need to start begging for your money. The waxing will need to be done before my first race, which should be on the 11th April, so if anyone has any beautician friends in the family in the North East or knows anyone who would offer their services for free, I’d be much obliged.
That’s about it for now!