If at first you don't succeed...then Tri..Tri...Triathlon?

Have I got news for you? I mentioned in an earlier post that I had challenged Sue to ride the London2Brighton event next June, a 60+ ride to the seaside, meet on the beach have a ice cream & come home lovely Jubbly. This was of course a joint challenge with friend Clare.

Now entry to the London2Brighton can be a bit of a lottery by all accounts, so as not to be disappointed - if entry were not gained - Clare has come up with an alternative challenge, a Triathlon for beginners - & Sue has accepted the challenge

What's it all about I hear you cry?

The event takes place next May & goes something like this, start with a swim of 200 metres followed by a 20 Km cycle ride & then they will finish with a 3 km run. Well girls, lots of training to be done, best get started.

A Hilly Sprint

With so much footie on Sky today I didn't go out until 6.15 pm & with the sun setting fast I decided to do a hilly sprint around Haughmond hill. Leaving home I skirted the south side first passing through Walcot & Upton Magna - not particularly tough but a shallow gradient which opens the lungs & stretches the legs especially when you want to keep a high cadence & tempo. Turning onto the Uffington road I realised the sun was setting faster than I had anticipated & with the north side of Haughmond hill still to negotiate I was in a race to beat the setting sun. The little kick over the brow of Haughmond always seems to deceive me but not tonight, I power over the top picking up my speed on the down slope I continued my sprint through Roden & High Ercall all the way home.

More Hilly Miles

Saturday morning ride was not too long but as I said in a earlier post with the "Cat & Fiddle Challenge" looming it was hills all the way. Whilst not steep, the long drag of 5.5 miles from home up over Horsehay is a steady gradual start to my ride today - this was followed by a great descent down Buildwas bypass. Turning up towards Much Wenlock I started my main climb for the day, continuing through Wenlock I climbed towards Broseley through the villages of Barrow & Willey before descending back into the Ironbridge Gorge. This climb has a couple of nasty kicks & despite the false flat when you reach Wenlock would surely be a Cat 2 climb in any bodies books at 7.5 miles long.

Once through Ironbridge I rode out towards Shrewsbury on the back road which has a succession of small hills - before blasting back home.

Fund Raising

The final date for banking fund raising for this years London to Paris ride is on 21st September. Donations & various funds raising has been taking place over the past 2 months since we completed the London to Paris event.

This has included a Tombola stall which raised £85 & the Ricoh Photographic Society did a portrait photo session raising £255 both at the Ricoh family fun day, my Eiffel tower bottle brought in a further £52.60. Pledges from friends & work colleagues have been rolling in steadily & my total fund raising currently stands at a fantastic £2,564.63.

I will post the Grande Total next week after the 21st Sept.

Back on the Road

After 3-weeks of no cycling including a week lazing around a pool in Sicily and with the Cat & Fiddle challenge only 3-weeks away it was about time I got back in the saddle. The C&F challenge has a number of climbs so all my rides leading up to 4th October will include hills, Friday afternoon was a spin up around the Wrekin, today I rode the back road to Ironbridge taking on Leighton Hill & Buildwas bypass, down Jiggers bank [for a change] through Ironbridge to Coalport then up Blist Hill & Madeley bypass before the run down to home. A misty foggy morning which soon gave way to brilliant sunshine - really enjoyed the ride & the legs felt good considering my 3-week sabbatical.