What a busy couple of weeks

June started with a challenge set by Phil Connell - the June 100. The June 100 is a challenge to get people cycling more leisure miles, well at least 100 for the month of June.

In the first week of June I'd completed 60.62 miles. As of today, I've now completed 117.65 miles. So, one day short of the first fortnight in June, I've completed the June 100 challenge. I'm very pleased with this, as it's 27 more leisure likes than last month. This doesn't mean I won't stop putting in the miles. The personal challenge is to see how many miles I can get in as there is a leaderboard and I'd like to be as high up it as possible.

A week ago I decided to change my saddle to the original one that came with the bike. I've continually had numbness with the 175mm gel saddle I got at the same time as the bike. Having tried the original saddle for a week, I can't say it's much different although you can feel that there is less padding. Today I put the gel saddle back on. I think I need a different one now.

On the 10th June I achieved another one of my goals. I hit the 750 mile mark! As I keep smashing all my set goals, I have set some more.

On Thursday, a colleague of mine asked me if I would be up for riding the London to Brighton Bike Ride on 20th June as his team mate, another colleague of mine, is off ill at the moment and might not be well enough. Nervously I said yes. On Friday, he confirmed that my ill colleague will not be taking part in the ride and that I could have his place. I am now officially taking part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride, one year earlier than planned. Three months ago when I got my bike I was under the impression that I would be nowhere near ready to complete a 54 mile ride. I am pretty sure it will be a hard days ride but I think I'm ready.

Yesterday I went to my triathlete colleagues home to get some advice about the ride. Whilst there he gave me some engery drinks, bars and gels. He also asked me about about whether I had slick tyres yet and SPDs. I said I was going to get some to semi-slicks in time for the event but SPDs and shoes would have to wait until I had enough money. He offered to lend me some and see how I got on. Before I left he fitted them and gave me some tips on using them. I rode around the car park a couple of times to try them out and his help was invaluable.

Today I went for an organised ride. I expected it to be as long as my previous records at about 28 miles but when I finished the ride at 17.5 miles I knew it would be a longer one as I still had to get home. The ride home was going well and I'd been going well with the SPDs when I fell over with the bike. I was about 3 miles from home, I got to a junction and there were cars were passing so knew I needed to stop. I got the left shoe released OK and was about to put my foot down but couldn't as I was slightly unbalanced to the right. The bike went over to the right with my right foot still in the pedal and I hit the floor hard. I put my hand down to catch my fall and that slipped away and I smashed my elbow hard on the concrete. I quickly got up to assess the damage. All seemed well apart from my saddle was slightly out of alignment. My shin, wrist and elbow were all hurting but other than that, everything was OK. I paused for a bit before carrying on.

After about a mile or so, I got to a hill and as I was changing down the chain seemed to be struggling to stay on one sprocket. I then realised the chain had slipped off the top. I got off, put the chain back on. It did it again. This time I put the chain back on and changed up a gear before trying to ride. This time it stayed on. I can only assume that where the dérailleur hit the ground hard I've knocked it out of alignment. I'll have a go at fine tuning the gears later tonight.

So, I got home finishing the ride at 34.34 miles. As it happens, today is exactly 3 months to the day that I started cycling. In that time I've ridden 819 miles and lost 15kg (2 stone 5lb)

I will not be riding my bike tomorrow due to the aches and pains from my fall. I want to be in the best shape for the London to Brighton on Sunday. If anyone wants to sponsor me for Sunday then please do.



7 comments:

  1. That is quite some achievement since you started cycling, in both weight loss and miles. Well done! Fall sounded painful, rest up this week. And good luck for next Sunday!

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  2. Bloody Nora! You ain't half going for it mate! Well done! :-)

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  3. Good post, and all great news on your stupendous progress. Hope you're recovering from the fall, that's what puts me off SPDs, I mean I fall off enough without being attached to the pedals as well.

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  4. well done, the first time I went out on SPDs I got to the junction at the end of my street and did exactly the same thing, just gracefully tipped sideways, due to broken ankles I still do it now from time to time. I'm lucky in that I seem to just relax into it and break the bikes fall with my body.

    It's par for the course. Good luck lad.

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  5. I can't believe how much I've done. I never thought I'd progress this fast. I thought it would take me 6 months to commute the full distance to work every day.

    I am not scared to get back on the bike. I'd never fallen off it once until I got the SPDs. Can't wait until Sunday for the London to Brighton. It'll kill me but it'll be worth it.

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  6. remember a fellow Vag telling me you can ride forever if the speed is right. I thought he was a moron when he said it but now I understand. So will you.

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  7. It looks like I've damaged the rear dérailleur from my SPD fall. In the four hardest gears on the smallest front cog, the rear cage is misaligned and keeps clicking as if the chain wants to slip off. I got a friend to look at it but he suggests a bike mechanic needs to look at it. Oh dear!

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