Paris to Venice Progress Report

A couple more training rides since I last updated this blog have both been pretty good, although I'm getting seriously worried about the lack of miles I'm putting into my legs. Our training weekend in the Yorkshire Dales is now less than two weeks away and I think it's going to come as a shock to my legs and lungs.

I had the chance to spend some time in the Lancashire Pennines last week, when business took me to Bury, north of Manchester. I stayed overnight with my son and his girlfriend and could easily have 'stolen' some cycling time - except that I didn't think to take my bike...

Meanwhile, back in Suffolk, a fairly strenuous 20-miler south from Bury St Edmunds, in dry but breezy weather last week, gave me an average speed close to 15 mph. Once again, it was slowest on the outward leg, into the breeze. I did most of Hartest hill in a higher gear than usual, standing on the pedals, just to give myself a worthwhile workout. I felt good at the end, too.

I did that entire hill in the higher gear the next time I rode, a couple of days ago. It's not a great way to treat your knees, when you're turning the pedals relatively slowly, but my knees actually feel fine at the moment - at least better than they have for quite a while. I've even considered doing a bit of running again.

Anyway, this time I added a few miles and continued on to Stanstead village (no, not near Stansted Airport - different spelling). With much lighter winds, and mainly northeasterly, I didn't have to work quite so hard on the outward leg. Still, it was a good, fastish ride on a truly fabulous afternoon.

I stopped to enjoy the scenery at Stanstead, but didn't really need a rest or even, dare I say it, the snack that I persuaded myself to eat. I probably could have drunk a little more, though.

My ride home was an enjoyable run, too. The headwind was apparent at times, but mostly didn't affect me and I felt strong. The average speed was again near 15 mph in both directions.

So I feel that I'm riding quite well, just not far enough or often enough! I'll find out soon whether my fears are well founded. Meanwhile, let's get some miles in.

Roy

Training for Paris to Venice

This week's training has once again been affected by weather and shortage of time, but I managed another twenty miles during the week. Conditions were good to terrible!

Starting out in slightly cool and very windy weather, on dampish roads with some run-off, mud and gravel in places, the outward ride to my turn-around point at ten miles was hard going, but I felt reasonably strong doing it. Hartest hill was a bit of a drag, but I made it to the top in a decent time, all things considered. Average speed was about 12.5 mph.

Both bike and rider were very mud-spattered by this half way point.

Turning for home, the wind was now my ally, and I was making good speed until about half way, when it started to rain. Within a minute or two the rain was torrential and the wind had picked up even more. I discovered my lightweight shower proof jacket is surprisingly good in the worst of conditions, so I was actually not too uncomfortable - and the bike was getting a wash, too.

There was no reason to slow down, so I didn't, and I got back in 35 minutes or so, just as the rain petered out, for an average speed near 17 mph for the ten miles.

Not bad going I thought, and really good fun, despite the soaking.

But I do need to get some longer rides in soon, with only three weeks now to our first major weekend in the Yorkshire Dales.

Roy

Where Did That Come From?

Sometimes, life brings you a pleasant surprise.

A long, cold and somewhat depressing winter should have left me seriously undertrained. In terms of hours on the bike - approximately nil from late November to mid February - I was.

But just a few rides in the last four or five weeks and I feel much the same, fitness and strength-wise, as I did last autumn. Another 24-25 miler at the weekend was just as encouraging as my ride the week before.

I haven't done any big mileages yet, but I have done two hardish rides back-to-back and was better on day two than day one. Really, I'm quite optimistic for this spring and summer and for September's awfully big adventure.

The Yorkshire Dales trip next month might put me in my place, mind you - 154 planned miles in hillier country than I've ridden since last September will be a test, that's for sure. But I'm up for it!

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UPDATE: I rode again on Thursday, but only twenty miles this time. Feeling a bit jaded and with the hint of a sore throat, I took things a little easier on the outward leg - into the wind again. Once I turned for home though, and properly warmed up now, I again made good time, averaging around 17 mph for the ten miles back to my front door.

I wasn't actually that slow on the outward leg, although I didn't keep an accurate time, but it was probably around 14 mph or thereabouts. So I'm quite happy with a 15-16 mph average speed.

I do need a longer ride soon. Writing this on Sunday, and with a slight hangover, that will probably be tomorrow!

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Now, all I need is a farsighted sponsor or two to cash in on my impending fame and glory for their own selfish ends!

In case you're unclear I NEED A BIKE to do the expedition itself that will carry me and all my kit roughly a thousand miles across France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland and into Italy, via the Alps.

Le Havre to Venice is a long way on the wrong bike - even for two great causes like MS Society and Make a Wish Foundation.

It's easily far enough for a sponsored ride. Nine months' publicity before, during and after (including the Christmas season) is plenty of time to promote the hell out of any business that wants it and isn't either illegal or immoral.

I'll do it. Who's going to help?

Roy

PS Links to the two Just Giving pages are just over there >>

Training for the Training

JR has just shared the route for our 'L'etape de Dales' training weekend next month (!) which is 82 miles across the Yorkshire Dales from Howarth to Kirkby Stephen and 72 miles back the next day.

Now, the dales aren't the Alps but they're not Suffolk 'hills' either, so I'll be stepping up the mileage and the pace from now on to get myself fit enough for the training - or it could all be very embarrassing when I fall off on the first real hill!

I jumped at the chance to do the Paris to Venice trip and I will be ready - but there's a lot of work to do to get there.

One thought occured to me last night. I'll be two weeks short of my 54th birthday when we arrive in Venice and, assuming it hasn't killed me, I'll be the fittest I have ever been in my life.

I've run half marathons (quite quickly on a couple of occasions), done a 5-minute mile and was even a decently fast sprinter. I've played a bit of football, but I've never been as fit or strong as I will be at the end of September this year.

That's an exciting thought!

Roy

It Doesn't Have Quite the Same Ring to it

We've been discussing plans for the Paris to Venice trip and the concensus seems to be that the trip will be far too easy unless we make a point of making it harder.

So we might now start on the coast at Le Havre, with the Seine giving us a natural route into and out of Paris. It would add about 150 miles (240 km) and probably a whole day to the trip.

By taking the overnight ferry we could start very early on day one and get most of the way to Paris.

From there we would head east into the Vosges and then south through Germany, Austria, maybe Switzerland and finally Italy.

So the total distance will probably be close to 1600 km, or around 1000 miles. It would be nice to crack the 1000 mile barrier and turning this trip into another coast to coast will be a lot more satisfying. The other three team members did the Pyrenees coast to coast in 2007 and we all did the English coast to coast last September. We might do that again in July or August as a final prep for the big one*

I actually managed some time on the bike today - lovely day if a bit chilly, and some flooded roads - and although seventy sluggish minutes is nowhere near what I'd like to be doing I'm confident I'll be up to the trip.

We've also confirmed our 'Etape de Dales' training weekend next month. That might be a bit soon for me but I'll certainly be stronger after it!

Roy

*Talking of big ones, Simon Hood is taking cycle touring to extremes. He's cycling to every York City football match this season. As I write this he's done about 5500 miles, with 3000 to go! Read his excellent and entertaining blog at http://www.bicyclekicks.co.uk/. Naturally, he's raising thousands of pounds for charity, including Altzheimer's research.