Muscles Popping

Still been riding to work. I'm definitely getting faster but my muscles are really feeling the strain - they feel like something's about to pop.

Today I saw a cyclist up ahead of me who I've seen a few times in the past when I've been in the car or running. I've noticed him because he has exceptionally sinewy legs and always appears to be pushing on fairly rapidly.

Yes, predictably I did glide past him with an effortless expression on my face while inside I was thinking that I couldn't keep the pace up.

Still no car 2

Well, that's another week of running and riding over. Finally, the journey is getting easier.

Is this summer worse than last year's?

The forecast suggests that it's going to rain every day this week. That's a lot of running. I'm trying to shake off a cold at the moment and I'm not sure that running 10 miles a day is going to help! If I had my car, I'd be driving it; as it is, I'm on my second day of running in a row and it's only Tuesday.

This morning I got to work 1 minute faster than previous efforts. This can largely be put down to the fact that (you know what's coming here) there was a runner in front of me who I inevitably had to overtake. He was trying to overtake me back but I not-so-subtley ran faster and faster to prevent him from passing! After about a mile and a half he turned off from my route and I was allowed to slow down! Phew! (my time would have been much more than a minute faster if I hadn't had to slow down so much from my effort!)

Perspiration over precipitation

It was raining when I got up this morning so I decided to run to work. Although it had stopped raining by the time I left the house, it was probably the right decision as the roads were still very wait.

By the time I arrived at work I was pretty soaking. People thought it must have been raining outside but it was actually just the humidity! The run took me 35 minutes again, which looks to be the standard time for me over this route. Not sure how much time I can knock off this without really giving it some stick over the last hills.

On an amusing(ish) note - someone opened a car door into me while I was riding home last night. I nearly ended up in the car with them!

No rain yet today

I was tired running home last night and, to be honest, the 3 mile round walk to my band practice and back was unwelcome!

When I saw the sun streaming through my window I was delighted and despite rain being forecast for this afternoon I rode to work.

The reason that I rode to work is that I'm trying to avoid running 3 days in a row as it's too much really. If I'd run today and it rains again tomorrow I'd be pretty tired!

Did I mention the last hill to work is steep? It's not getting any easier!

Rain means run

I decided last week that every time it rains I'll run to work. This is to save my bike from the damage that riding in wet weather every day will cause.

On Friday it rained so I ran to work. I felt a lot better than I did last Wednesday so I wasn't too concerned about the run home. In the end, though, I was saved this by the fact I was picked up by Elly so that we could go straight to the supermarket.

Yesterday morning it was sunny so I rode to work. I was late leaving the house so I made the journey in a record 16 minutes! When I arrived at work some people who'd passed me in their car going up the last hill gave me a round of applause! I think they appreciated the gradient of the hill.

Today I woke up and it was chucking it down and I was so tired after a very late night (didn't go to sleep til after 1am) that I really didn't want to get out of bed - let alone run. At 7:26 I received a text message from a colleague offering me a lift to save me having to go out in such dreadful weather. Somehow I managed to decline, got into my running kit and ran to work. It was actually pretty pleasant to have a cooling shower while I was running! Although I feel tired from the late night I feel ok about the fact I'll be running again in another 5 hours, which is nice!

Running, tired.

It turns out that running to and from work is pretty hard work. If I'd have run an extra 3 miles when I got back the distance I covered would have been the same as a half marathon.

I rode to work this morning and feel pretty tired - it really isn't an easy ride!

I suppose I'll have to get used to it while my car stays at the garage!

Run to work

When I got home on Monday I really fancied going for a bike ride. The only problem was, after bargin my way through 5 miles of rush hour traffic to get home, the thought of going out again wasn't really appealing. I didn't want to waste the great weather sitting inside so I went for a longish walk up to Graves Park, which was really nice.

I'm hoping that when I get a "going to work" bike the change from the rubbish bike to my good bike when I get home will be enough to put the shine back into an evening bike ride. In the meantime, I'm trying to find another way to get to work so that I don't start to see my road bike as a form of transport rather than a fun bit of sports kit (if you see what I mean).

This morning I ran to work. It took me 35 minutes, which is around 5 minutes longer than it would take in the car. The last hills were predictably horrific, especially as I overtook a cyclist going up one of them and wasn't going to let him overtake me back!

Not sure I'll be able to keep up running 10 miles a day - but if I can I'll get very good at running!

Practical stuff

My car's broken. As a result I've been using my bike and my legs as my only form of transport.

I rode to work from Monday to Friday. It's hard work - there are some huge hills that actually make my bike creak with the torque I have to put through it due to the bike not having a low enough gear (and the bike needing a service!)

I didn't cycle to work on Thursday, though. However, due a to a mix-up with a colleague I had to run to Sheffield station two miles away (I was going to london) at 6:32 mile pace (in my suit!) so that I didn't miss the train.

in the meantime, my team has pulled out of the next 24 hour race so I'm on the lookout for another event to aim for.