100 up!

The weather has turned more spring-like this week, with the days getting longer, soon be summer. Hit the road early this week, with two 7am rides before breakfast. One of 26 miles over Ashurst Beacon, (got to keep climbing hills to build up for Cornwall) and a shorter circuit around Clieves Hill of 24 miles. Had a bit of a mechanical on the Clieves run as my gears started slipping. Avoided an altogether bigger mechanical with one of these bin wagons. The driver reversed into a side road to turn around and when he pulled back out onto the main road kept looking to the right to make sure the back end didn't catch anything. He never looked left, which was where I was coming from, never heard my back wheel lock up or me shouting at him either, drove on oblivious to almost wiping me out. Incidently, found this picture on e-bay, but if you want the wagon it has already sold for £2,450, people will buy anything.

Rested up on Saturday, planning for 100 miles on Sunday. Got our at 7.15am and put in 26 miles before meeting the club. Set off towards Winter Hill and put in 52 miles with the club to the cafe in Rufford. As I was on a mission I only stopped to fill my drink bottle and carried on to get in some more miles. Put in another couple of loops of Clieves Hill and then stopped to take the photo of my bike computer as it clocked up 100.20 miles just 800 metres from home, job done.

I was stopped at the time which is why it shows 0mph but that was 5 hours and 50 minutes after leaving home my first 100 miles of the year. Just need to put a few more in now!

A little bit of Irish...

The spring looks like it may have arrived, lots of blue skies and the temperature becoming a bit warmer. Got three rides in this week, total 185 miles, a good weeks effort.
Rode out heading west from Belfast before breakfast on Thursday towards Lough Neagh (and no I can't pronounce it either). Turned out to be a decent climb away from the city and gave me the sight of the sun rising over a misty city, very scenic but really needed a decent photographer to catch the image rather than me with a phone.
Came across some stands at the side of the road and noticed the starting grid markings painted on the road, turned out to be the start/finish line for the Ulster Grand Prix. The claim at the top of the board is that this is the fastest road race in the world, I looked up the lap record which is nearly 132mph. Having ridden part of the circuit, the roads are at best country lanes, poorly surfaced and uneven. It is incredible to think they average 132mph around a circuit of 7 miles of country lanes, a lot quicker than the 16.5mph I managed, and at my speed the 0.5 is important!
Got in a long solo ride on Saturday, 80 miles in what turned out to be the least spring like weather of the week. Within an hour of leaving it was cold, with a strong headwind and it would have been easy to turn for home. Two things kept me out with a target to do 5 hours riding, when I do my LEJOG the weather will be whatever it is and I will have no choice, the other a quick thought about the guys the charity helps. No contest, stay out and slog through it.
Rode on Sunday with the club and put in another 70 miles.
Checked my countdown timer, 66 days to go, the start is starting to seem very close.

A little scotch.

Managed to fit in 3 breakfast rides this week as I have been travelling around the country. The highlight was definitely Friday. I was staying just outside of Glasgow and headed off towards the Campsie Fells at 6.45am and they looked awesome, hence the pics. The snow was still really deep on the fell itself but the road over it was dry and clear, although well gritted to keep it clear.

The first pic shows the sun rising over the trees on top of the fell. It was incredibly peaceful with hardly any traffic and I could have stayed up there for hours enjoying the scenery but had to force myself to turn back to catch breakfast and start work. The second pic shows the road itself across the fell.
Across the three rides I got in over 79 miles and was looking forward to a day off cycling on Saturday to go out with the family.
I was hoping to get in a 100 mile ride on Sunday but had not noticed that Everton had scheduled a game against Hull (5:1 win despite missing a penalty). I went out at 7.30am to get some miles in, met the club at 9.00 and rode with them to Preston but had to turn around and head back. Actually met the clubs B group out on the road and rode with them for a while until they headed for the cafe. I carried on, determined to get in as many miles as I could, also threw in a couple of hills and managed 90 miles. With another 40 minutes I could have got the 100 miles but it would have been stressful trying to get out to the match. Another good week, 170 miles in the bank. Off to Ireland this week, hoping to get in a ride there, after Scotland that would only leave me with a ride in Wales to complete my 4 Nations training!

Storms a brewing & chains a snapping.

Managed to get in two early morning rides during the , going over Ashursrt Beacon both times and looked forward to a big mileage over the weekend. The forecast for Saturday looked OK but overnight into Sunday looks bad, sleet and snow with temperatures feeling below zero. Opted to get in a long ride on Saturday just in case Sunday is snowed off. Headed over to Winter Hill but the snow on the top plus the warning of ice in the village at the bottom meant I opted not to go right over the top. I hope you can see the snow on the photo, if not trust me, it was there.

Got in plenty of other hills though, need the legs to be prepared for the first couple of days in Cornwall. Lots of people have asked me about the ride, mainly about the hills, who are surprised that Cornwall will be tougher than Scotland. Put in 5 hours, covered 80 miles and tried to use the energy drinks and gels I will use on the ride to get used to them, Seemed to work OK, still pretty knackered at the end though.

Also got a mention in the Ormskirk Advertiser this week, they used the photo from last weeks blog of me outside the shop with Matt Middleton, although they cut off the Help for Heroes banner. Check it out from this link, although the journalist seems to have struggled to spell Lydiate on the web - http://www.osadvertiser.co.uk/news/ormskirk-news/2010/02/25/lyidate-father-of-two-stephen-depport-in-charity-cycle-for-help-for-heroes-80904-25904940/ Hopefully this will generate some more interest and sponsorship.

Sunday dawned without the snow/sleet/gales that were forecast so I met up with the club. I tried to sit in the group to see how my legs felt (pretty heavy), but the pace was quick. Ended up around the back of Winter Hill, through Belmont back to Horwich when it happened. Just about to cross the A6 at some traffic lights to go up a steep climb, everyone in the group slowed right down to try to avoid stopping, even a track stand from the club captain and then the lights changed. Press on the pedals to power away and.....SNAP, my chain broke leaving me stranded as everyone else swept away and up the hill. A couple of guys did come back to rescue me, thanks again to Alex and Martin. In 14 years of riding I have only ever snapped two chains and that has been in the last three months. Both times Martin has fixed it for me, so now I need another new chain. Plus I need to check if Martin can come and rescue me if I break another on the end to end. Still, got in another 4 hours and 70 miles. That makes 150 for the weekend and 50 in the week, total 200 miles. Biggest ever week but definitely needed a power nap this afternoon.

Parking tickets, secret bunkers.....

Arranged to visit Middleton Cycles for a photo opportunity, arrived with my kit underneath an overcoat, all ready for a quick snapshot and then away. The shop was busy but Matt and Paul finally kicked them out and we posed outside. Pleased with myself I set off back to the car park and realised I was 30 minutes over the time I had paid for. A traffic warden was checking cars as I arrived so I feared the worst. Sure enough, as I got close to the car I could see through from the back to something white at the bottom of the windscreen. When I got to the front I have never been so pleased to see two huge dollops of bird sh*t!

Still a bit sore from last weeks crash so did not get out on Tuesday. Took my bike away as I was travelling a lot of the week and went out for a ride before breakfast on Thursday. Afraid I can't tell you were I went as I came across this top secret nuclear bunker. If I tell you where it was I would have to arrange for 6 Mossad agents, travelling under forged British Passports to pay you a visit for 'a game of tennis' if you get my meaning. Managed to get in 24 miles before double helpings of Oatso Simple and a Latte at the nearest MacDonalds. The snow has returned this week, hoping it does not spoil the weekends training rides.

Got out early Saturday morning for 3 hours before the highlight of the weekend, excuse me going off message here, Everton 3 Man Utd 1. Fantastic result with the worlds best player kept in Heitinga's pocket. Snow fell over night so no long run on Sunday, spend an hour on the turbo trainer in the garage going nowhere. Short on miles this week, hoping for better weather next week.

Potholes - happy Valentines Day

Another decent weeks training, managed 31 miles in the week and went over a few hills on Saturday, covering 45 miles. Spent the rest of Saturday in the cafe, not one but three! That's another story entirely.

Set out early Sunday to get a hour in before meeting the club. Ended up covered in frost as I rode through the freezing mist. Had to go home for an extra pair of gloves before heading to Ormskirk to meet the club.

Lots of riders at the start, split into a couple of groups and I set off with the A group. A good pace right from the start, a few riders getting dropped on each climb but catching up afterwards. Everything was in place for a good long ride until we turned left at a roundabout and then it happened. We were riding in pairs, about a dozen in the group and I was near the back. The rider inside me took me out with a flying two wheel sliding tackle and we both ended up on the road. On a football pitch it would have been a straight red card, no question.

The first thing I thought of as I saw this bike launch itself at me and realise I was going to hit the road too was my end to end ride and how much would this set me back. Fortunately, as I sat there checking that everything still worked, legs, arms, wrists, etc I seemed to be in one piece with just bumps and bruises all down my left side. The other guy, Andy wasn't so lucky and had to be collected by his wife, he needed two stitches in his mouth. It was his first time out with us as well. Spoilt Valentines Day for him too I would think. This was the cause of the accident on the inside of the turn, either the pothole or the drain cover.


I was lucky with my kit too, with nothing ripped and nothing on the bike broken. We carried on but I decided it was best not to stop at the cafe in case everything stiffened up. Only when I got home did I realise I hadn't been quite so lucky. As I took my gloves off, my NEW winter gloves, a birthday present in January, I realised I had ripped the palm on one. Then I took off my overshoes and the fastener on the side of my shoes fell off.
Then when I got in the shower the road rash on my elbow and knee made themselves known, as well as the lump on my ankle and the sore rib. The perils of cycling!

Still, hopefully nothing longer term than a bit of soreness for a few days. Still managed 62 miles on Sunday, giving me 138 for the week.

Feeding strategy and firsts

A few firsts this week. The first time I have got over 150 miles in a week and the first time I have ever ridden two days back to back. Put in 168 miles over three rides, riding Saturday and Sunday plus one night ride. Went out on my own on Saturday to get a longer ride in as there was a 1st birthday party to attend Sunday.
This was the target for the day, Winter Hill where the famous Winter Hill TV transmitter lives, not sure if you can see it on the photo as it was a bit misty. Of course the reason for putting a transmitter there is because its the highest point around.
Climbed up from Rivington reservoir, all frozen up, down into Belmont village them climbed back over the other side into Horwich. Then onto the real reason for all this training. End to end is not about riding the length of the country, its about eating your way from one end to the other.
This is me at the cafe, the coffee is behind me, the cake already inside me. Dodgy headgear or what?
Saturdays ride was 69 miles in 4 1/4 hours and according to my heart rate monitor that took 2,700kcals. So while I am riding I need to eat twice as much as I do normally. Roughly, for a 100 mile day that could be nearly 4,000 kcals a day plus whatever you need to cope with the time off the bike. Maybe 6,500 /7,000 kcals? So thats my feeding strategy sorted. Cake, cake and even more cake!! Can I get sponsored by Mr Kipling?
Sunday came and I didn't feel too bad, couldn't go to Delamere with the clubs A group so stayed local with the B group. Got another 58 miles in, taking the total to 127 for the weekend, 40 in the week plus 45minutes on a late night turbo session. A good weeks training. But to put the weekend into perspective, 128 miles is still 72 miles short of the average 100 mile per day target, some way to go yet.