What a week!

After a week on holiday without riding the bike I was fresh and ready to take on the challenge of riding the full commute to work for a whole week. Just before going on holiday I rode the whole journey for one day so I had a taste of what it would be like.

Monday morning came and I got my stuff and got on the bike. The ride in was a tad chilly to start with but I soon warmed up. Once I got to work I wished I'd taken my jacket off as I was sweating good style.

The ride home was good, the legs still fresh from my week off but the ride was slower due to a bit of a head wind.

Monday stats
Ride in
Distance: 9.05 miles
Time 51:26

Ride home

Distance: 9.02 miles
Time 1:04:27

The ride in on Tuesday was done without my jacket. Again, a tad chilly but once warmed up it wasn't a problem. For some of the journey I was riding through swarms of mosquitoes and had to keep my head down and breathe through my nose so as not to swallow any. The ride in was good but a little slower than the day before.

The ride home was good but I felt starving. I stopped after about 4 miles to have some water and eat an energy tablet to take my mind of things. My time was very good even though I almost choked on a bug that shot in the back of my throat!

Later that night I started itching my arms and legs. I'd been bitten by those bloody mosquitoes!

Tuesday stats
Ride in
Distance: 9.05 miles
Time 57:09

Ride home
Distance: 9.00 miles
Time 51:16

Wednesdays ride in was good, although the legs felt a bit tight. I was glad there were no swarms of mosquitoes but there were some around as the road in follows a ditch for miles.

For the ride home I decided to take a different route for two reasons. Firstly, I could avoid the chance of mosquitoes as my bites were now quite bad including some I now found on my head! Secondly, I could ride past the cinema to get tickets for Orange Wednesday as I was going to see Iron Man 2 later with a colleague. Although my ride home was longer than the normal ride in, the ride was quicker.

Wednesday stats
Ride in
Distance: 9.06 miles
Time 56:17

Ride home
Distance: 9.88 miles
Time 53:57

Thursday I decided that I would change my route in to the longer one to avoid getting bitten more. As it happens, the longer route has better roads for most of it, although there is one small part of the road that is actually private that is pretty poor and slow. The time in was good and I felt great riding on the fast, smooth tarmac.

At lunch time, four of us from work rode to the pub for a drink. I pushed myself a bit too hard at the start and paid for it. One of my hamstrings started to go tight and was nagging the second half of the way there. When we stopped at the pub I stretched my legs thoroughly so there would be no issues on the way back. There was a slight tail wind on the way back so the ride was a bit faster.

The ride home was good. The legs felt great even though I done over 17 miles already that day. There was no wind and the bike was feeling good.

Thursday stats
Ride in
Distance: 9.70 miles
Time 50:57

Ride to pub
Distance: 3.80 miles
Time 19:52


Ride back from pub
Distance: 3.77 miles
Time 17:57


Ride home
Distance: 9.90 miles
Time 52:44

The ride in on Friday was not good. I went to the dentist first thing so my ride in was two hours later than usual. Apart from the bites and the numb feet and the numb arse I always get when I ride, today was different. My arse was actually hurting. The muscles were aching and I had slight saddle soreness. I was not enjoying my ride in and even the ultra smooth tarmac couldn't help me go fast. I got to work after just over an hour and couldn't wait to sit down and rest.

For the ride home, I knew I had to get home within an hour. I was going round to my Brothers for 6pm and had to have a bath and get changed.

I did the usual stretches before getting on the bike and off I went. There was no wind but my speeds were incredible. The saddle soreness was not an issue and I managed to position myself on the saddle so it didn't hurt. I was flying on the ultra smooth tarmac sections and got home in record time for that week.

I got in the bath when I got home. When I jumped out I put on some nappy rash cream to help the saddle soreness.

Friday stats
Ride in
Distance: 9.76 miles
Time 1:00:03

Ride home
Distance: 9.88 miles
Time 45:14

On Saturday I had a rest day from the bike. I was busy all day so even if I wanted to ride it I couldn't find time. My legs and my sores still hurt.

Sunday I went for an early ride as me and the wife are kid free from 11am. I took my 10 year old with me and we took a leisurely ride around Eastbourne. We covered 11.3 miles in 1:26 and the sores and legs were fine at that pace, with my arse just starting to go numb at the end of the ride.

So what a week eh?! I've got some serious miles in and tested myself for a regular weekly commute. On top of that I've also achieved two of my goals. The first was to ride the 9.1 miles to work and back for a week. The second was to ride 100 miles in a week. I achieved both by the time I'd ridden home on Friday. I need to set myself some more goals now as I'm running out. If anyone wants to suggest any, go ahead.

Happy Cycling!

EDIT: I just realised I posted this a week a week ago as a page rather than a post. I've now moved it to the right place.




5 comments:

  1. Well done mate, seriously impressive! :-)

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  2. Absolutely fantastic mate - well done!

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  3. Top marks!

    Since buying a car a few weeks ago I don't think I've managed a whole weeks commute. I've always had an excuse. Bad knees, its raining, I fancy ane extra 10mins more in bed...

    This post has just inspired me to pull my socks up and ride. (typically i've picked a week its going to rain every day).

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  4. Top riding Toby!

    I can pull my socks up in the mornings, but I won't be riding until the evenings! You're an inspiration, so much progress in such little time.

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  5. It humbles me when people make such positive comments. I hope to inspire others as others as inspired me. If I can make a difference for just one person then writing this blog has been worthwhile.

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