First weeks Schedule....

Until I have worked out a good way of putting up the schedule for the year up here I'll simply publish next weeks workouts as a post:

1st Jan 65 miles one way trip to Wotton Under Edge
2nd Jan 40 miles turbo
3rd Jan 45 miles turbo/spin
4th Jan 45 miles turbo/spin
5th Jan 62 miles training ride plus

road miles will be weather dependent.

Targets: 12K calorie burn and to lose 4lbs

Also events entered so far:
Tour of Wessex 24 - 26th May (300 miles)
David Lloyd Mega Cyclosportive 29th June (140 miles)
La Marmotte 5th July (116 miles)
L'Alpe d'Huez Time Trial 6th July (10 miles)

So the year is nearly over and the Challenge is basically upon me.

I am resting now! Ho ho ho - Two days before the event is a little late to start training/resting.
Here I am full of Xmas cheer!




Basically over this last year I have gained on all the wrong fronts - I'm fatter now (14st 7lb or 203lbs or 92Kg) and slower. So the training plan has gone well, actually it really has, its just the beer, I AM fitter, honest! So I have signed off beer now. Check the stats panel as the year progresses and watch the diminshing Wedge!


Itscgoing to be a quiet New Years here because, if the weather holds, I ride at 07:30am for the first of the biggish rides.

You know, we should all count our blessings at this time - I saw an item on the telly about a guy who had become paraplegic surfing who has found a way to surf lying on a board - he said he is doing everything to make us all realise how friends, family and so many things are gifts for us all to enjoy. Enjoy every moment you won't get back that moment again.
Humbling and a good creed to follow.

I like these inspirational people they really do help me. I have been inspired to go for my charity effort by the work of some special people. A particular inspiration for me is Jane Tomlinson, God rest her soul, a wonderful example of a celebration of life. The work of Mike Grisenthwaite and Geoff Thomas too.

I am looking forward to some great experiences this year - I will be riding some big sportives, not least the Marmotte. Its going to be great.

Happy Christmas to all

Its the eve of Christmas and pretty much the eve of my year of riding starting. I feel fat, but ready to give it a go. Looking to do my first 100 miles on the 1st Jan.

Talking to a few of my proper cycling mates and the opinion seems to be divided about as distinctly as wether you like Marmite or not. Some say that it will be really hard and what a feat it will be, make me on the one hand feel really good and a little fearful on the other. The others the conversation goes a bit like this:
Them: 'So this challenge of yours. You doing all this on the road?'
Me: 'No, I'm including Turbo training'
Them:'What, thats cheating, surely you'll do it all properly'
Me: 'Er, well it is a hell of a lot of riding'
Them: 'Not really, aren't you going to make it slightly hard to do?'
Me: 'I thought it was - how many miles have you ridden in a year?'
Them: 'I can do it easy, just stick in a couple of 100 mile time trials and some 12 hour rides, no problem'
Me: 'For me this is hard - I haven't ever gone much beyond 4,500 miles in a year'
Them: 'I was going to sponsor you but if its going to be thateasy I'm not sure'
Me: 'Its up to you, its a good cause any way Happy Christmas!'

Leaves me feeling very inadequate. I look forward to evidence from them that they really have done 15,000 miles using one leg and ridden all of the Pyrenees over a long weekend.

Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale, Frohe Weihnachten, Happy Christmas

Getting ready

OK so a pint or two is not really preparing!

I'm 90Kg I've done a fair bit of the old turbo just recently. The weather is awful. Max of 3C today.

So today I have done 22 miles thus far and I'll head off to do a bit more after this. Going to have to have the turbo checked - It reckons I'm pedalling 290 Watts

Right that's all the techie bits out of the way. I sit here if fear and trepidation, it's going to be a long and different year....

First rambling

Ok - never been here before.

So I decided after some soul searching that I should do something for charity as I had not done any charity 'event' for a few years. Now it was easy to think of the activity, pedalling, since I am an avid, if not very good, cyclist. I'm in my local cycling club. So that was all good.
Next I didn't want to try and get people to give me money to do something I would do anyway. I wanted it to be a real challenge, something that would stretch me, something that would need the support of everyone I can persuade to help me, hence this mad scheme of cycling 12,640 miles in one year. Not in one go! And I am not going to actually ride half way round the planet either. I will be riding the equivalent distance and it is way further than I have ever done before in a year.

A hell of a lot will have to be done on a static turbo training bike - its cold and dark here!

The cause was easy to pick as well. One of my club mates died young straight after getting back from a winter training fortnight in Lanzarote. So as it was heart trouble I'm doing it memory of Graham 'Winger' Chandler for the British Heart Foundation.

So the basic rules are: Any static riding has to be at least as hard as riding for real. Spin classes where you don't get any measure are going to be counted at 18 miles/hr (I can ride that speed on the turbo and spinning is always harder than that).

Roughly 240 miles/week - thats just over 13 hours in the saddle - help!

ENOUGH OF THE BIKE BORE!

So give us yer money! you can donate at www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/wedgesppp