Tuesday, 31 July 2007
Motivation
Funny old ride today. Not sure what it was but I had no motivation to go and no idea where. So I meandered about a bit, through Stoneleigh, Cubbington, Honeybourne, Southam, Long Itchington and home. A glorious summer's day, 56k. Was a bit bored by it all. I guess its the uncertainty brought on by the cancellation, all of a sudden it all seems a lot of hassle. Still, not long till we go and its days like these, when you're really not up for it, that add up in the end.
Monday, 30 July 2007
Back on my bike
Well I kept my promise and didn't train for 3 days, drank too much and had too many late nights, but a great weekend for Beth's birthday. Back on the bike today 58k at an average of 29kph. Not much to say about the ride other than a) it hurt a lot b) I got quicker!
No real progress on the planning for lejog itself. Discover Adventure have pretty much confirmed they have cancelled and generally behaved in a pretty shoddy fashion and of the other riders 3 have indicated that they are still interested. I'm trying to get us together to discuss options, but my own mind is clear. Beth and Mo will drive and I'll follow on the bike. I think I can do it for roughly the same budget. Let's see if they want to ride with me.
No real progress on the planning for lejog itself. Discover Adventure have pretty much confirmed they have cancelled and generally behaved in a pretty shoddy fashion and of the other riders 3 have indicated that they are still interested. I'm trying to get us together to discuss options, but my own mind is clear. Beth and Mo will drive and I'll follow on the bike. I think I can do it for roughly the same budget. Let's see if they want to ride with me.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Federation of clean cyclists
Another wet miserable day. Another spin class. I threw in 1500m on the rower and a few weights too.
No more news from Discover Adventure, but I am assuming the worst. We were due to go away camping this weekend, so I had planned in four or five days’ rest, but given the on-going floods we’ve cancelled and we’re just away for the weekend. The proposed cancellation by Discover Adventure has caused me to take stock of how much I’ve done this year so far (and I haven’t started yet!). I can see clear progress, but I can also see that I have made that progress at a cost to Beth and the kids. So I’m not going to get on my bike this weekend. Its family time.
No more news from Discover Adventure, but I am assuming the worst. We were due to go away camping this weekend, so I had planned in four or five days’ rest, but given the on-going floods we’ve cancelled and we’re just away for the weekend. The proposed cancellation by Discover Adventure has caused me to take stock of how much I’ve done this year so far (and I haven’t started yet!). I can see clear progress, but I can also see that I have made that progress at a cost to Beth and the kids. So I’m not going to get on my bike this weekend. Its family time.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Heaven knows
Miserable ride today. I had a busy day at work, needed to get out, so squeezed in an hour over lunch. Wet, windy, grey, like my mood. Mistook the rain for cold, so I was overdressed and too hot. When your heart's not in it, the ups hurt more, the downs are less fun and the flats are less fast. 37k, 1 hour 20 minutes. Body count 1 hedgehog, 1 sparrow hawk.
Still, at least if I get tired I can borrow a bucket of blood from Astana. They won't be needing it now.
Still, at least if I get tired I can borrow a bucket of blood from Astana. They won't be needing it now.
Tuesday, 24 July 2007
A major disaster!
Well I'm fairly speechless. I took a call at about 4:00pm today from the trip organisers, Discover Adventure, to say they intend to cancel the trip. I was pretty much speechless, which quickly turned to anger. So much so that I had to tell them I'd ring back before I spewed forth more invective and Anglo Saxon than they probably knew existed.
Their reasoning being that they've had some drop outs and now only 7 participants remain, so its not worth their while. But they will have kept the £299 deposit paid by each drop out. They told me a month or so ago that they had 13 names, so that's £1800 they've pocketed for doing nothing. Nice earner.
What am I meant to tell all those people that have sponsored me to the tune of £3700? "hey, guys, guess what, I'm not going now, but thanks for all the money".
I've invested the whole year in this, booked trains and planes, hotels, bought a bike, got up at stupid o'clock to train, been out in snow, frost, rain, hail, sun, wind you name it, I've impinged on my family and friends and begged support and understanding, which has been forthcoming. But its "not in their interests". Oh well tough for me.
I'm going to go anyway. I don't know how yet, but I can't let everyone down. I will speak to Discover Adventure tomorrow, once I've calmed down and see what they have to say. This could yet get interesting. As it stands, I'm at my lowest ebb, I feel so let down. Why do people do this, make promises they can't keep?
Their reasoning being that they've had some drop outs and now only 7 participants remain, so its not worth their while. But they will have kept the £299 deposit paid by each drop out. They told me a month or so ago that they had 13 names, so that's £1800 they've pocketed for doing nothing. Nice earner.
What am I meant to tell all those people that have sponsored me to the tune of £3700? "hey, guys, guess what, I'm not going now, but thanks for all the money".
I've invested the whole year in this, booked trains and planes, hotels, bought a bike, got up at stupid o'clock to train, been out in snow, frost, rain, hail, sun, wind you name it, I've impinged on my family and friends and begged support and understanding, which has been forthcoming. But its "not in their interests". Oh well tough for me.
I'm going to go anyway. I don't know how yet, but I can't let everyone down. I will speak to Discover Adventure tomorrow, once I've calmed down and see what they have to say. This could yet get interesting. As it stands, I'm at my lowest ebb, I feel so let down. Why do people do this, make promises they can't keep?
Monday, 23 July 2007
Spin cycle
Wet again today, but I hadn’t planned to go out because of my exertions over the weekend. I must admit to feeling sore this morning, but can’t complain, Beth just worked a 12 hour night shift on a busy hospital ward. Helps to keep it all in perspective.
I did do an excellent spin class, but, boy did it hurt! It turns out that Tony, who takes the class is an old friend of Beth’s from when she did her fitness instructor training. I have actually met him before (he probably thinks I’m a right ignorant so & so), but hadn’t made the connection. It was only when I mentioned about doing the end to end for SIDS and he said he knew about Tom that it dawned on me.
Anyway, top bloke that he is, not only did he say he’d sponsor me, but under threat of extreme physical pain he goaded everyone in the spin class to do likewise and promised to do the same in his other classes. So, if any of you are reading this – Thanks for the support!
I did do an excellent spin class, but, boy did it hurt! It turns out that Tony, who takes the class is an old friend of Beth’s from when she did her fitness instructor training. I have actually met him before (he probably thinks I’m a right ignorant so & so), but hadn’t made the connection. It was only when I mentioned about doing the end to end for SIDS and he said he knew about Tom that it dawned on me.
Anyway, top bloke that he is, not only did he say he’d sponsor me, but under threat of extreme physical pain he goaded everyone in the spin class to do likewise and promised to do the same in his other classes. So, if any of you are reading this – Thanks for the support!
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