Saturday's ride was more like an obstacle course!

After a long cold winter, it was great to appreciate a warmer spring day. My son Stuart accompanied me on a 15.9mile cycle ride from Barmoor Castle in Lowick. The route did not quite go according to plan and we ended up riding across fields and lifting the bikes over stiles. It was more like an upper body workout!

Stuart was amazed at my fitness level. It has clearly improved since my last charity cycle ride. My next focus is on the Melrose in the Scottish Borders to Whitley Bay in North Tyneside cycle ride at the beginning of May ..... only a few weeks away now!

Killer ride today!

What a ride today! Very enjoyable but very challenging once I got to Netherton. You'll see from the terrain that there is a killer hill on the way out of Netherton on the road to Alwinton. I had to coerce my way to the top by talking to myself. "Nearly to the top ..... well almost ..... a little further ..... keep going!" BUT when I did get to the top (well, before the next hill), the head wind was unbelievable! It was such hard going from then on to Alwinton due the head wind. Even going down hill I had to pedal!!!!

I am pleased with the result though. Despite the hills, an average of nearly 10 miles an hour is ok by my standards. When I got to the end of the ride, I wasn't especially tired and I really do feel that training is paying off ..... Thanks Chris at the gym for my training plan!

Next time -28 mile circular route from Clennell Hall

Now I mean business ....

Today is the start of a new training regime ..... realising that I am becoming fitter and thoroughly enjoying more settled weather, I simply want to cycle more. Weekend cycling is not enough now.

I only had an hour and a half today so I went on a known circular route just over 15 miles .... not too hilly but the wind surely had an impact on my speed. Today I averaged just over 12 mph which is the sort of speed I had envisaged.

Here's the plan ...... ride for an hour every morning at 6am. I am inspired by a work colleague who gets up at 5am and runs before work every day. I shall try it for a week and see how I get on.

Will keep you all posted!

Clennell Circular route 17.2 miles

Serious training is now in motion thanks to the great weather today! Still cold, cloudy with spots of rain but hardly any wind. The Northumberland Hills are certainly a challenge ..... Sharperton bank was so steep that I stood on the pedals and went nowhere! I had no alternative but to walk up the hill. I'll do this ride again and see if I can improve on the time and indeed make it up Sharperton Hill.




My husband met up with me on route along with the puppies! I think they are more concerned about the cows in the field ...

My next official event is a three day cycle ride in May with friends from Melrose to Whitley bay along the Coast and Castle cycle route.

Then the Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge in June and then my long ride in July. f you wish to donate to my chosen charity, you can do this by visiting my donation page: http://www.justgiving.com\stephaniecharitycycleevent

Sometimes I think I am mad but then I really enjoy cycling, the fresh air and certainly the challenge!

I am fed up with the cold, the rain, the snow, the frost, the ice .... when is it going to stop! I managed to get out on the bike on Sunday afternoon but only 7 miles to the shops and back again. So ...... it is the gym everyday this week on the rowing machine to warm up then on the exercise bike for 20 minutes of hard cycling to improve my cardio vascular. The next time you are at the gym, try this ..... 1 minute at 40 rpm, 45 seconds at 80 rpm and then 15 seconds as fast as you can. Do that routine 10 times! I started on level 2 resistance in November and I am now at level 4. In addition I am working with weights on my legs, shoulders, arms and the core muscles too.

With the days growing longer, I am definitely out on the bike within the next few weeks and the next event in June is the Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge and this time I am doing the 60 mile route in Northumberland as my final long distance ride before the real thing in July. For more information on this event click on the following link.

http://www.northernrockcyclone.com/CycloneChallenge.asp

Oh .... by the way, my charity ride is starting around 12 July!

It hasn't stopped snowing this year ....

Isn't this weather amazing! I haven't been able to go out on the bike for weeks and try out my new Garmin bike sat nav. Actually, that is not quite true. Today, I went out for a walk with my Ventus route logger, my digital camera and the Garmin sat nav. Amazing devices!

I plotted my route using mapping software on my laptop and I then exported the route to the Garmin. The Garmin guided me whilst the Ventus route logger recorded the walk. At the same time I took photographs during the walk.

The amazing aspect of all this is that I downloaded the data on the Ventus route logger to my laptop, attached all the photographs to the data and it then plots the route on a map and shows the pictures at the various points during the walk.

Amazing technology don't you think? I'll be using this technology on my charity cycle ride!

Is the weather a reason or an excuse not to train?

With the poor weather and the festivities, it is not surprising that the motivation to continue training has diminished somewhat. I did however go out for a brisk walk today and enjoyed the deep snow which fell over night and continued today. I took some photos....

I can't wait to get out again on the bike - I have two amazing devices I am desperate to try! Santa (alias my husband Roy) bought me a Ventus Route Logger and a Garmin Edge 605. The Garmin tells me where to go and the Route Logger tells me where I have been! Both devices will be an essential tool on the bike challenge.

I'll be trialling these devices to get fully accustomed to how they work. The training will recommence now that the festivities are over ....