I'm a big skiver!!

I have done NO training recently!!! I was meant to do a 50 mile charity ride with mum, at the beginning of June but the night before was my birthday BBQ and in a drunken dance with Jo I tripped over Mickeys scratching post!! it felt a bit sore but that was fine, until 4.30 in the morning when I went to get up to go to the loo and I couldn't even put weight on my foot! So that put pay to my 50 mile ride!
My foot was bad for almost 2 weeks and for the last few days of that I had a stinking head cold so didn't go out on my bike! I finally managed a little 20 mile ride before heading off for a week of work in Manchester and London and, you guessed it, no bike riding!!!!

So finally on Sunday I went out on my bike! Mum came over and I was going to do the 45 mile circuit that Grant took me on when I got cramp in my hip and cried!! However one wrong turn and it turned into a 24 mile circuit! Still thats not too bad considering how little training i've done!! Then Monday I went out on my own and did the Woburn circuit, which I love!! 18 miles in 1 hr and 10 mins - i flew round it!!
On Tuesday I had a rest day. Then Wednesday I did a lovely new circuit with Grant, 23 miles, which I really enjoyed!! Now normally I love down hills - that is until we got to the top of this enormous great hill and Grant gently broke it to me that "this is the type of hill you will be riding up in on day one of L2P" GREAT!!! I had already had the fear this week, that "oh my god, what the hell am i letting myself in for, i'm never going to do this" fear and the thought of climbing a hill like this made it so much worse!!

It didn't stop me going back out on my bike last night and we did the bike ride from hell! We decided to ride to the bowl to watch a bit of the race and most of the ride was dual carriageway!! It was horrible, so much fast traffic, a dead road surface and a head wind made for the worst experience on my bike so far!!

HOWEVER it means i have clocked up 89 miles this week!!! I am not going out on my bike tonight as I am going to watch my brother Olly play a gig (Happy Birthday Little Bro - by the way) but I plan to do the Woburn Circuit again in the morning so that will be 107 miles this week!! yay me!!





On a sadder note, I would just like to extend my thoughts and condolences to Andy D'Agata's friends and family. Grant was working on another L2P race last week and Andy was tragically killed after an incident with a motorbike. I would also like to add the rider of the motorbike was not at fault, there was some diesel spilled on the road and both motorcyclist and Andy slipped on it. A very tragic accident. RIP Andy.

Emily
x

Ow ow ow ow ow!!!

I've hurt my back!! I think its all this lifting heavy boxes (I am currently moving in with Grant!) So as a result I think I am going to have to rest from the bike! My training has been a bit hit and miss to be honest! But now its going to be all miss until I can get into see my physio! I am supposed to be doing a 50 mile organised ride with mum on Sunday aswel but at this rate I don't think i'll be able to!!

I went out last Sunday and did 21 miles and felt fine! But before that I hadn't been out since the Friday before.
That was my birthday and as a treat(!!) Grant took me on a 45 mile ride. My longest so far!! It was fine and I felt like I was riding really well, until we got about 8 miles from home and I had the worst cramp in my hip I have ever experienced!! I tried to ride it off - as I was going up a hill at the time but I really started to struggle and the tears started!! Grant had to give me a bit of a push but I was determind not to stop until I got to the top!! I managed it and when I got there Grant gave me some Kendal Mint Cake to give me a bit of energy and I had a bit of a shake out then we were off again. Grant said I did really well, he thought he was going to have to push me a lot more than he did!!

The Saturday before that, Mum & I with some friends of ours, Sally & Sue, went for a 2nd session of bag packing in M&S Food Hall in Milton Keynes. We raised £185 in 2.5 hrs. It was really quiet for a Saturday though. Still, we did very well and that money has now been deposited into out respective Just Giving accounts. A BIG thanks to Sally & Sue for their sterling efforts. Sue was like a rottweiler with a bone, she wouldn't let go and Sally said she now knows what rejection feels like!!

So i think thats it from me at the moment!!

Please keep your fingers crossed that my back heals soon!!

Oxford Charity Ride

Well last weekend Mum and I took part in a 30 mile charity ride around Oxfordshire. If only that was the end of this story!!! After a seriously heavy night out drinking with Clare, Fez and Grant I felt suitably rough when I wouke up VERY early on Sunday morning. In my hungover state I manage to put mine and mums bikes on the roof rack of Grants car and pack all my stuff for the ride, then Grant checked the bikes, set up the Sat Nav and away I went!!
When I was just getting off the M40 at Oxford I realised I had forgotten my cycling shoes!!! Was I wearing sensible shoes??? No of course not, I was wearing flip flops!!! That will teach me for a) drinking too much and b) not packing my kitbag the night before!!!
So I got to the ride eventually, parked up and couldn't find Mum, stress levels rise another couple of ntches!! Ring her again (had already phoned her about the shoes) she's in the other car park, so back in the car and round to other car park.
I eventually find her and we unload the bikes from the roof of the car. i get on mine - in my flip flops and ride up and down a bit and think - I can do this in flip flops no probs!!
So off we go to the start line and what does Mum do when she gets there - falls off her bike - AGAIN!! I'm sure she is just attention seeking!!!

The ride was started by Lucy Rusedski and Greg was there too - yummy!! And after she's done a little talk we were off!!! After climbing a harsh hill (which may I add a lot of people were pushing their bikes up but not us!!) I realised my computer on my bike wasn't working, and neither was mums so we stopped and after calling Grant (he didn't answer!) we realised our wheels were in the wrong way so the sensor wasn't picking up the movement of the wheel!! doh! so after a quick wheel change we were off again!!!

About 10 miles in and we stopped again!! Riding in flip flops is agony!! They were really rubbing, so mum gave me her sports socks!! I looked like a Japenese Geisha girl - with socks and flip flops. But at least it made the ride slightly more comfortable!!

So i eventually finished the ride - just over 30 miles in 2 hrs 17 mins!!

However the pain doesn't stop there - I got serious sunburn, and was in agony for two days afterwards!! and massive blisters on the soles of my feet from riding in flip flops!!
However on the plus side I was really proud of myself for not giving in and have received a lot of admiration from people for my determination!!!

Since then I haven't been on my bike!! I did 145 miles in 8 days but have taken a week off - through laziness really!! So tonight i am back on the bike - it's gonna hurt!!!

Oh and mum and I did a charity bag pack in Marks and Spencer again on Saturday and raised another £185!!!! getting there on the minimum amount!!

Speak to you all soon.

Em
xx

Loving the Sun!!

Thank god for this weather!! It is so gorgeous and making me feel far more motivated to go out on my bike!!

I cycled a total of 70 miles over the Bank Holiday weekend!! Yay me!! On Saturday Mum came over and Grant came out riding with us. We cycled over to Winslow and stopped off at Cappos again for a lovely cuppa. The Chas Messenger 2 day race was on over in Winslow too so we were watching the pros warm up for their time trial! Then we cycled back and Grant and I got cut up by a Royal Mail van!!!! Needless to say Grant gave him a piece of his mind - while holding onto his wing mirror!!
Anyway the whole ride was just a smidge under 30 miles and took us 2 hours exactly which is not too bad!!

My 2nd ride of the weekend was a lot harder!! Grant has told me i'm lazy!! He's not being rude - I am!! I don't push myself at all when i'm out on the bike, if I can't be bothered I slow right down and when he tells me to get a move on I give him some choice words!!
So the cunning fox cooked up a little plan!!!

On Monday Grant and I rode out through Woburn Sands, past Woburn Abbey, through Steppingly, Flitwick, Millbrook (gorgeous!!) to Marston Moretaine Country Park. We stopped there and had a can of coke and a slab of chocolate cake!! mmm.
There we were met by Graeme and Ruth Freestone King, very good friends of Grants (and now mine) we all sat at the Country Park, basking in the sunshine (i even had shorts and a short sleeve jersey on!) Then we set off again and Grant made me ride with Graeme, while Grant and Ruth rode in front of us! Sounds easy right?? WRONG!! those 3 have been riding forever and can go fast and are a lot fitter than me! Trying to keep up with them was really hard work, especially as we headed towards Cranfield. I had heard about Cranfield hill from Grant and Graeme, in fact most of the guys Grant cycles with dread it! They didn't lie it really is a b*tch of a hill!! My lungs and legs were screaming at me to stop!! But I got to the top eventually!!!

Then we cycled on to Newport Pagnell, Moulsoe, back towards Cranfield, through Salford (where they were having a big BBQ outside the Swan - gits!) through Wavendon and back to home!! Totalling 40 miles!!!! Yay Me!!!
And when I got home I realised I had very sunburnt arms!!! Lesson learnt - always wear suncrea, even if it does look cloudy or its not that hot!!!

And Grant told me I did well and he was proud of me! But I didn't tell you that!!!

Off out again tonight with Mum, Grant and Mum's friend from work, John Hunter! Should have gone out yesterday too but was being a lazy bones!!

Going to ride on Saturday and then Mum and I are doing a 30 mile charity ride on Sunday in Oxford!!

Thanks for reading.

Laterz!!
xx

I am Still Alive!!!

Hello all,

So sorry I have not 'blogged' for ages!!! Things have been so busy at work that I just haven't had a chance to write!!
So here are a list of things that have happened since I was last 'blogging'!!

1) I managed to cycle 30 miles!!! Grant and I rode out to Winslow (15 miles away) and stopped in a fantastic cafe there called Cappos. They do the most amazing carrot cake ever and the lady that runs it is lovely and very friendly - i would highly recommend it! And then we rode 15 miles home and it was really good and i felt fine afterwards and I managed to get up a hill that once when Grant and I drove up it in the car I said "i'm never going to get up here on a bike!"

2) I fell off my bike - TWICE!! On the ride to Winslow we stopped at a roundabout and unclipped my foot from the pedal but shifted to the wrong side, a gust of wind hit me and down i went!! I cried - alot!! Grant was very sympathetic - he came back round the roundabout, stopped next to me ( a crying heap!) and said "come on, get back on your bike!" Nice ay??
Then when we came out of Cappos i bounced down the crb and a car came round the corner, i panicked, knocked my wheel on the curb and fell down like a sack of spuds!!
Sore hand, sore arm, sore hip, sore knee!! hay ho it had to happen some day!!!

3) we did a charity bag pack at Marks and Spencer food hall in Milton Keynes city centre!! Me mum and Nan packed peoples shopping bags for 2 and a half hours a couple of Sundays ago and we raised £200!!! It was a wierd day, some people are really funny about letting other people pack their shopping bags, they have systems and things!! But most people were lovely and asked lots of questions about what we were doing and why!! and they were very generous!! So we are doing it again on Saturday 17th May and we are hoping to raise lots more - so come and see us!!!

4) When Mum came to MK for the bag pack day Grant fitted her up on her road bike - very exciting!!! She had a little ride up and down the road on the Sunday and then she came back over on the Monday evening for a proper go on it. So we put the bikes on the roof rack and drove over to Cheddington to a do a little circuit over there!! Grant very patiently trained with mum and I cycled with Malcolm who met us over there!! It was a good ride and Mum did really well (well done you!!!) She is coming back over tonight for another go on it!!!

I think thats about it really!!! I have not been out on my bike for a week as I have been working in London all weekend but I am hoping to go out tonight if the black cloud dissappears and then I have Friday and Monday off work so I want to get out every day this weekend, weather permitting and providing I can bear to be parted from the new kitten that Grant and I are getting on Friday!!!

Anyway things are a bit quirter at work now so blogs should be a bit more regular!!

Thanks for reading!!

love
Egg

Sunday (Check me out in lycra!!urrghh)

On Sunday I managed 25 miles! Which put my total for the weekend at 48 miles!! I was so tempted to go off and ride another 2 miles so that I could say i'd done 50 but my knees were sore and to be honest so was my arse!!

There was a really horrible hill on the circuit and as you can see from the photo above I struggled on it! This was the 4th time i'd gone up it this weekend and I hated it at this point!!

While we were out on Sunday a random cyclist on a Bianchi overtook me and then Grant going down a hill, But then i picked up a bit of speed and started to catch him up again. Grant was egging me on and I think I was trying to prove something to myself, so I went all out and passed him - Yay me!! Then I realised I needed to maintain that speed otherwise I would look like a prize idiot!! So legs burning, head down I kept going and Grant and he sat behind me having a good old chat about me cycling from London to Paris! Then he came up to ride beside me - like I could chat, I was gasping for breath!! He seemed like a nice bloke though and told me just to slowly build my miles up!!

As much as I whinge while i'm out on my bike I am enjoying it. My recovery time is quite good now, so although I struggle going up the hills, I catch my breath quite quickly and manage to beat Grant on the sprint to the village side (Catch up fattie!!x)

I am going out on the MTB with mum tomorrow and maybe Thursday, then another couple of long rides planned this weekend!!

Wish me luck!!

Hollywood

Saturday

This weekend was a success!! In the pub I managed to collect another £90 sponsorship money, just by asking around! So thank you to Richard, Paul, Pete and even Stephen - who sponsored me £20 - it had to be seen to be believed, so we took a photo to prove it!!

Then I went out training on Saturday and Sunday on the bike. On Saturday we did 23 miles, it was windy, it was raining, it was hell!!! I was getting very frustrated! I couldn't get to my drinks bottle because everytime I reached for it the wind blew me, then I couldn't see to put it back in the cage coz my eyes were all watery - tears of frustration or the wind in my eyes, you decide!

To make matters worse on our second lap Grant was trying to pass me a muesli bar and I dropped it. You would have thought the world had ended!! Grant wouldn't let me turn round to go back and get it but luckily he had a back up bar in his pocket!!!

Therefore my new nickname is Hollywood!!