End of the month round up.

Well, that was my first month trying to get back into shape. All in all Im rather pleased with it!

New to me was the running, which has gone well and im now looking to improve my speed and endurance. At the start I couldnt run a full lap around Hove park but now run non stop for 3 laps so really happy with that. I've also started running to work, 2 miles each way and that seems to help alot!

Not too much on the cycling front, unfortunatley, the weather being the deciding factor here; its been awful! I've managed a couple of night rides and a monster club ride, 20 miles and 3000 feet of climbing! I used my HR monitor alot for this one, to try and monitor the effort I was putting in and it seemed to work, although by the end the legs where spent but the lungs felt good!

A few pics from said ride:

More: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimkirk/sets/72157625814219459/



What are my plans for February? Essentially to build on January, more running as it less effected by grotty weather and trying to get out on the bike more for some downland riding. Im also going to try and ride to the weekly night rides. Its my birthday on the 17th and I have that week off so hopefully I'll fit in some long rides in daylight in!

Plans for a full sus bike are progressing, just trying to save some money for a decent deposit. The aim is to have the bouncer by our road trip to wales at the end of April. Touch wood that happens, as I can stand the stiffee down for a while and give it some much needed tlc!

Right, time to go clean the bikes!


Jim.

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

Thats the view out of the front room window this morning! Suffice to say its a tad wet out!
Not been too bad a week, but the weather has been a severley limiting factor; I hate getting wet! I only managed 2-3 runs this week, and didnt touch the mtb at all, which is bollocks really...

I was hoping to get out on it this afternoon but we'll have to see if it stops rainng or not; its not looking good :o(

On the brightside, I had some instructing work again, its nice to see it start to pick up again. Good to get out on two wheels, wether its 0.5hp or 150hp! The only downside was nearly getting wiped out by some old retard not looking as she changed lane. Glad the fazer has good brakes!

Nothing else has happened really, pressing ahead with plans to start running to work in february, and fingers crossed the rain will sod off and I can ride my bike more!.

till next time.

J

new shoes!

Got me some running shoes this afternoon, nothing too extravagant but a good starter shoe.  I'll test them first thing in the morning!

10 day update.

well, 11 days into the new year and what has happened? So far, so good. Only managed to fit in two offroad rides due to weather and time constraints but im really enjoying my running, building up to an average of 2.5 miles in the mornings - thats about all I have time for before I need to get back and get ready for work.

The good wife has been very helpful, giving me a regular weekday pass on thursday evenings so I can get back the http://brightonmtb.org/ evening rides and letting me use the car for the monthly sussexmudyarse rides, with whatever I can fit in anywhere else. This morning she even offered to get me some running shoes. I love my wife.


I've fitted some slicks to the stiffee for the midweek commute until I get my p7 back on the road and plan to do some roadrides using my heart rate monitor more effectively, but the weather has been a bit moody so far in 2011 so we'll see how it goes.

I'll update again in a week or so.

Mid week update!

Thought I'd put a little post up more as a marker for me than anything else. Started back to work today, and managed to fit it a run, get back, fill in my diary and get showered, ready for work and get the boys playgroup stuff ready and leave on time is cool. I could probably get process a bit tighter too. Planning on running each morning but not at the weekends. A ride is on the cards Thursday and Sunday, weather permitting.

Right, let's get the boys to sleep and watch some Dakar coverage.

Happy New year!

Yes yes, I know it's the 2nd but it's been a full two months since I posted anything!

Not much to write about I suppose, whilst passing my driving has let me get out to done new places to ride which has been cool. I've also managed to squeeze in shorter rides by driving to places like stanmer park which is a 45 minute ride away.

So, whats the plan for 2011? Racing and getting fit. Suitably vague I reckon! I have some specific races I want to enter, the goodwood spring challenge, the bontrager 24/12 as a 12 hour solo, the Brighton big dog, dusk till Dawn and the exposure max enduro, probably the 40 mile night loop, but see how it goes.

To help me keep motivated and to help in my quest to be skinny again, I'm going to be more regular updating this: bookmarking it on my phone will help! I've also got a heart rate monitor ( cheers Bro! ) to give me some more data and to top it off I've started a training diary of all the rides/runs I do. Hopefully this will let me see my progress and spur me on some more!

The usual problems might cone up, work/wife and kids but I'm going to try and keep to riding thursday nights and Sunday's aswell as morning runs but weather and family shall see how Escher on!
I'm going to update next week with how the first week of 2011 went!


Till then, keep the rubber side down.
J