Saturdays alright for golfing

Done ten miles on slow but comfy Raleigh Incognito this morning which take total mileage for week up to a few miles short of fity which I'll probably finish off tonight. Went up golf course and did 9 holes last night in 3-over which was very good I reckon. June medal today so it'll probably all go wrong in about an hour and a half!!! Could also do a couple of miles running and tip running total over to twenty miles plus (think am on 18/19 at the moment).

Evening update: All went wrong on the course but it was more the course doing me wrong than otherwise. Don't know whether it's been the recent wet weather or what but for whatever reason Ashbourne Golf Course has developed stupid rough again. There's foot high grass that just eats balls. I took 47 for the front nine which included a 7 on the par three ninth, I hit first ball and pulled it left a bi t couldn't find it after a few minutes so went back played another, same thing only this time it landed somewhere near playing partner John. Even then he didn't see it and we couldn't find it, so went back and hit a third tee shot (this is 200 yards to a raised green, stroke index 2 - second hardest hole on the course and there's a bl**dy jungle if you pull it or hook it! - where's the sense in that?)

So that knackered the front nine. Back nine and pulled my drive, this time I found it but it was sat down in a foot of grass agai and took four hacks to get it out anywhere near the fairway. So racked up 9 on the tenth. Two holes, 19 strokes, card gone to hell. Am going to give the golf club some feedback I reckon.

For the remaining holes I went bogey, bogey, birdie, bogey, bogey, par, par, bogey so that would have been pretty much handicap but for the stupid rough. Shot 92 overall for a 77 or 6 over handicap round which considering those two holes doesn't seem so bad. Hey-ho that's life.

Been bad on the food front but then again, Saturday is always fish and chips night so am going to be doing some work tomorrow to pull it back!!! In fact for rest of week am going to Food Optimise 100%, just see what the result is come Friday!

Day of reckoning and reckoning is good...

Well, was convinced was in for a gain but in the end have lost half a pound, so am well happy with that. Have had fish and chips one night, steak and real chips another night and all sort of general food badness and still not put on like I thought. Was talking to Carol after group today and as another member was upset that she wasn't totally in control it made me think about what good and bad food is? It's all relative isn't it, and as you get used to food optimising what I now think of a bad thing was a run of the mill decision when I was 19 odd stone. To someone else though that choice can make them feel like they've no control at all - it's what your perspective is on things I guess.

Am dead pleased just to be the right side of 15 stone again, so to lose a little bit as well is fantastic. Going to group again definitely helping, that bit of pressure.


Weight over time - bit of headroom below the fifteen stone line!

Today's the day, what will be, will be and all that. Did another five miles in the light drizzle this morning. Sub 9 minute miles again so happy about that as my legs were a bit tired from yesterday's run. Am going to walk up to post office at the garage again at lunch time to add a couple of miles worth extra for the days output.


Will post an update tonight after I've been to group...


Running record - need a couple of miles before the weeks out to get 20+ miles on the exercise clock.

Reading Running Soon Be Sleeping

Up at 4:30am to get to Microsoft CRM thing in Reading. Got train from Derby at 6.10 down at Microsoft for 9:10 so time to get in a couple of black coffees before the powerpoint shenanigans beginigans.

Upside was though that we got away earlier than expected and as I had an open return for coming back we got away from Reading at 13:20. So was able to get a run in after all before Janette went shopping. And considering the heat I'm dead chuffed to do 8:52 pace miles for not far off 6 miles (probably is if you factor in the railway tunnel between Mappleton and the leisure centre) so am well pleased.

Am expecting to have gained this week cause I've been bad all week long, so that's okay. My running though is getting better and better I think even as weather is hotting up I'm still pounding along. Well chuffed if a bit on the absolutely knackered side...

British Bleedin Summer Time

Commitment? I'll show ya commitment.

Got up this morning and it's raining stair-rods bouncing up off the garden path. Not happy. Got slow but comfy bike out of shed and did five miles on that beggar. Not much in terms of exercise but better than nothing, and it saved a car trip to fetch papers so better for the environment.

Have to go to Reading tomorrow for a Microsoft CRM 4 Roadmap seminar thing, so bugger-all exercise tomorrow unless I get up at 4am. Now that would be commitment.

Evening update - ramped up the exercise after such a poor start, walked to garage and back at lunch time which is somewhere between a mile and a half and two miles I think (mapped it last week with the edge).

Then at close of play I went to gym before coming home - did 3500m on rower and a load of weights. Then after twenty minutes or so of dire England vs USA friendly on BBC1 I went out for a quickish run. Pace was 8:38 which for me was darned good for an evening run with me tea inside me! Especially over three and a bit miles in the drizzle which was sort of warm especially compared to this morning. So all things considered a better end to the day than the beginning!

First run of the week

Tuesday already and only one run under my belt. Did eight holes of golf last night and I knew my legs were tired after the biggish cycle ride earlier in the day. Hit a couple of monster drives last night, am thinking of putting in a bit more effort witjh June medal coming up on Saturday.

So went to bed and when missus asked "are you cycling or running in morning?" I said I'd see in morning. As it was at 5am my mind was made up for me as I could hear the rain banging against the window. No way does the FCR1 come out in the rain - she's a fair weather bike so she is. So it was a slow run in the rain on tired legs!


47:31 - slowest run in a while but on a wet and windy morning with tired legs I'm pleased I got out at all!

Bank Holiday Monday - starting off the right way...

Pics from this morning's ride


Above: view from area around Mugginton Lane End

Above: view from Hulland Ward, Minninglow in the distance

Did no exercise yesterday. We pulled a hedge out for Phil's shed to be slotted into place so with the bad weather that came later it meant I had to have a 'rest' day.

Anyway to put things right today I did 33.77 miles on the FCR1 to start off. Wanted to test a route out that would avoid the hill through Turnditch. So did what I planned yesterday, road up the bypass, through Wyaston, Rodsley, Longford then all the way along Long Lane to the edge of Mickleover, then went down through Mackworth, past Markeaton Crematorium, up through Allestree, over to Duffield. Then set off up the Wirksworth road and turned off on to the road signposted Quarndon and Kedleston. This was to be the cunning alternative to the Turnditch Hill. However, quickly found out it's a got a dirty big hill all of it's own. Hey ho, that's life. Averaged a pace of 4:21 which wasn't too bad over that distance.


Google map of the route taken this morning

Bank Holiday Sunday

10:30am have done nothing so far other than planned a route for a biggish bike ride. Trouble is it's cold and I know me mum and dad are visiting so have excuses lined up for not setting off yet. Janette is also saying I can't go on main roads which makes the route planning tricky (though not impossible). I'm going to test out a route for coming back from Work that will use Duffield, Kedleston instead of Belper,Turnditch which as anyone who's done it knows has the worst hill in creation through Turnditch. Funny thing about Turnditch is that when I was fifteen we used to rehearse in the Village Hall there, when it was a wooden shack. In fact, I think me and the rest of the band may still technically be barred from the pub in Turnditch at the top of the hill (the Tiger) although after twenty odd years later we might get in unrecognised!

I love everything about ... exceptions apply.

DunnBikin
Just a smidge short of 50 miles on the bike this week. Took it out to fetch low-fat sausages from brother-in-laws who kindly get me a couple of packs a week. They've gone up to £1.68 for a pack of eight this week which is a bit of a blow 21p a sausage! Hard work on the bike and all in that damned wind.

Golf Okay - all things considered.
There was no competition on this afternoon at golf course so just did a social round with John for fun. It was blowing an absolute gale so it was praps a good job there was no card on. I played a cruddy sort of a front nine, couple of pars. Lost three balls on 7th and 8th holes so a very good job that there was no card on!!!

On back nine I went, bogey, par, double-bogey, par, par, bogey, bogey, bogey, bogey so steady enough all things considered. I took the Edge with me to see how far it is round the golf course and it came out at a smidge under 6 miles, it'd probably be a lot less if I hit it straight down the middle all the time but who does??

DunRunnin
Did another five miler this morning fetching the papers. Bit slower than during the week but under 46 minutes so more than acceptable really for a Saturday. Total for the week exceeds thirty miles which I think is probably a first.



Marketing Sucks
How can anyone be surprised that marketing people get a bad name? Ran past Homebase this morning, they got enormous banners up saying "10% discount sale, 10% off everything even items already reduced" and then in smaller print at the bottom it says "exceptions apply - see showcard". How can you so that for a living? Wonder how my missus'd feel if I say "I love everything about you (however, exceptions may apply see list for details)" . When is everything not everything? - when exceptions apply!

Moment of Truth Day - Weighin today... 4.5lbs off??

Get the crazy dip at the end!! We're on the move again!!

14st 11lb - back to 4st total loss which will do for me. Don't understand it - yesterday it looked like little or no loss at all, today 5lbs gone? Who cares, feels good to be back and I been damned good all week (pretty much). Said to consultant (Janet) before weigh-in I don't care about the result cause I been good in the process, doing most things right. It was a lie, did care about the result but regardless I'd been doing the right thing. I read a book by Dr Bob Rotella the other week it talked about I think Brad Faxon coming off the golf course after taking 35 putts or something (which I'd be dead happy with but a pro wouldn't be!!) anyway the guy playing with Brad Faxon says "I feel for you, putting that badly, today", to which he responded I'm really pleased with my putting I hit every single one on the line I planned at more or less the right pace, they just didn't drop". which is a long way of saying "be happy you did it right just the result let you down..." And somehow today it didn't let me down!!

Was so pleased I walked to the post office at the garage at top of Broadmeadows and back at lunchtime, best part of two miles.





Not bothered what it is. Have worked hard this week and therefore even if the results aren't good the process was. Did a 7 miler this morning as was woken up by crows cawing at 5am so I got off a bit earlier than normal. Not bad pace-wise either - steady 9 min miles more or less, in fact as Training Center screenshot above shows have been running around 9min miles all week for 25 miles.

Running good, weight bad.

Am over the earlier disappointment, weigh-in's not til tomorrow so we'll see what happens. Did a cracking ten miles on the FCR1 tonight, took on some good hills, starting getting out of the saddle again which is a sign that the wrists are fixed. Still braking a lot on the downhills that's probably a good thing. Top speed around 30 mph, Good fun all the same.

Hacked off this morning to say the least, scales say 15st 1lb which is two and a half pounds up on Monday and means that at present I've lost zero since last week despite being bloody good (or at least a damn sight better) all week. AAAAaAAaaaggggHHHH

On the positive side ran 5.03 miles in 42:51 this morning which is quickest for a while and a gnat's whisker off eight and a half min miles.

Wednesday darn Landan Tan

Going to Olympia today - Wireless 08 Exhibition. Done 8.5 miles on FCR1. Got held up by farmer moving a flock of sheep so average will be down. Such are the novelties of country life.

Interesting comment on yesterdays post - try a heart monitor.

Did Wireless 08 and attended 3 seminars the first of which was definitely worth the trip alone. When planning a Wireless infrastructure which comes first technology or application? Answers on a postcard but it was a darned thought provoking seminar that's for sure. Also if you're doing a big wireless LAN, hang on for a few months you want 802.11n don't muck about with 802.11g.

Did another five fast miles tonight on FCR1 so with all the walking today I reckon I've done enough exercise.

Back for the attack...

Did steady walk up to second roundabout and back at Lunchtime then a sort of a three mile run tonight (I say sort of as I ran out of steam at two miles, still think it was sub 30 minutes for the three miles so that'll do - probably done a ten miles walking and running today which has to be good on a school day). However, have cocked it all up by having two bowls of bloomin cornflakes for supper? I'd forgotten how good they tasted sprang to mind as I began kicking meself!!! Hey ho, still going to be a bloomin loss this week, you see if there ain't...

I saw an article in the Times saying Hybrids were no good basically and the claimed emission and economy rates were a load of rubbish and that the Honda Civic IMA did about 36 miles per gallon in testing. Well mine don't - it does a very respectable 46.8 at the moment and that's from a full tank. It'll go up a bit as the weight of fuel goes down I'd suggest.



Morning.
Ran much better this morning - 5 miles in 44:29 which is sub-nine minute miles again. Trouble is yesterday's run was kind of steady and 'comfort zoney' whereas todays I had to push myself from about 2 miles on. No pain again though so that's good.


Running record so far (what's happened to all that cycling I was supposed to be doing??).

Am going to do the Post Office or something around that distance walk again at lunchtime.

It's a slow run to home, so t'is.

Lunchtime
Walked up to Post Office at lunch time took under 30 minutes walking time but stood in queue in Post Office for bloomin ages spoilt it somewhat. Am thinking about doing it daily though. Will be interesting to see how quick can walk without turning into a sweat monster.


Morning.
5 miles in 49 minutes. Might be me slowest run in a long time and there's no excuse as I had zero pain going round (which was nice). I had Russell Brand's podcast on the Ipod so maybe laughing at that put me off my rhythm or something yes, I'll blame it on that. The missus is going to Westlife tonight so there'll be no second session of exercise. But am going to walk to Post Office at top of Broadmeadows from work and back at lunchtime which will be getting on for two miles which should be something better than nothing. General mood : averagely pleased.

Out and about on t'FCR1

Did 17.5 miles on FCR1 this afternoon, right hilly beggar (see gradient profile above). Did it last year on slow but comfy, it was no easier on FCR1 if truth be known but there was no chest pain which is great - certainly seems to be limited to running. Garmin is developing an annoying habit of switching itself off when you don't need it to. Very irritating.

Me and the Giant FCR1 - possibly the finest thing with two wheels (and the bike's a good thing too).


View of Dovedale from somewhere near Blore Meadows


View over area near RamsMoor - lovely area, quarry spoils it a bit.

Saturday - huzzah

3pm Update
Crap golf today, well not actually all that bad but ran up 18 shots over 5th and 11th holes which kind of destroyed the card somewhat. Ended up with 97 for a nett 83 which is abysmal really! Learning point though is when you pull your drive into the rough you chip out and take the medicine not try and hit a bloomin 3 wood twice and advance the ball about thirty yards max. Played with a couple of nice fellas - Rob and Clive who were great company going round. Rob shot eighty off a handicap of 8 and Clive got 95 off a handicap of 15 same as me so wasn't the only one having a bad round I suppose!

Going to watch FA cup final and forget about the cruddy golf.

7 am
Out on bike first thing 8.7 miles in 34 minutes according to Garmin Edge bike computer thang so a bit over the fifteen mph, 4 minute mile pace I aim for.

Teeing off at 8.44 so everything in a rush today! Am hoping to play a darned sight better than Wednesday that's for sure.

Friday and it's cold..

Been to Janet's group again after missing nearly a month. Guess what, put a load of weight on, no sh*t Sherlock eh. Weighed in at 15st 1lbs which is worst I've been in about a year. Very disappointed but in fairness am doing lots of things right.

• Still getting minimum of 40 mins exercise every day
• Not drinking alcohol (since Easter Sunday - 54 days, nearly 8 weeks)
• Not smoking (since 02/07/08 which is 319 days and counting)

What's going wrong is as follows:-

• Not following the plan - winging it.
• Eating too much bread because it's nice.
• Not exercising in the evening.

Is there any of the above I can't change? No, so what excuse do I have not to lose next week? None. There. Do it then, idiot-head.

First action is a daily update on those three. The only day that I can't excercise of an evening it Thursday the rest will be done.

15st 1lbs - very disappointed with self.

Look at that overall average creeping up nicely!

Cold again this morning. Didn't stop me from doing a fairly nippy 12 miles in 46 minutes or so. Pleased about that. Got golf early doors tomorrow so might finish off the working week with a bit of a run tonight.

Thursday - proof beyond unreasonable doubt...

Lunchtime post: Have decided that in order to prove to dearly beloved that I’m up to cycling to and from work without falling off I need to put some miles in. So I did a nippy sort of 10 miles this morning in about 41minutes so not far off an average of 15mph which considering the generally unflat terrain around our way I reckon is quite good. I think if I can clock a couple of hundred miles up before end of the month the boss should be happy enough to let me ride to and from work.

Funny old game - golf at Longcliffe Golf Club, Loughborough

Funny old day - felt like a rush the whole thing has. Had planned to cycle to work tomorrow so in the Gym at work there is a hanger with all my work clothes on it, there's a razor and bathroom kit thing in my gym bag so could have a shave and shower. Only problem is that Janette isn't happy about me cycling to work since the crash so am taking consideration of her feelings and not doing it now which is a bit of a disappointment as I'd got an okay from my boss to start at 7:30am and leave at 3:30pm kind of missing the traffic but never mind.

Played golf at an Audi Cup event in Loughborough area at a super track called Longcliffe Golf course. I don't think I've ever played on better greens - super they were. It's a tight track and that factor together with the wind and quite a bit of bad luck on the first few holes got int my head a bit and for the front nine I scored incredibly badly - 8 points from nine holes! Back nine I scored 18points from eight holes. How does that work???

Pleayed with a guy called Stuart from work who is just great company. You won't comes across anyone with a better attitude ever. To give you an example on the back nine he found trouble off the tee and visited the woods. Did it get him down no he says "aaah, I've got a great gap" i.e. I can see a way out of here. He then whacks a four iron through this tiny gap advancing it along the fairway like some sort of golfing Houdini. I love that kind of positivity, wish I had it myself.

Also did a fast 7 or 8 miles on the FCR1 this morning which I only had half an hour for aswas carrying out my meticulous planning for tomorrow bike ride!!!

Hey ho.

Tuesday - same new old routine...

Have got into a new routine since Friday! Get up 5:20, out on bike for four miles on bike (steady fifteen mph average) first, then five mile run. Took me 46:26 this morning for a pace of about 5:14 or something along those lines for the five miles. Still getting the chest pain a bit but can run through it - think it's carrying too much weight - am 15st 1.5lbs at mo which is too much.

Weather's a-changing. Got a freebee golf afternoon in Loughborough tomorrow. I've been for the last couple of years and every year without fail it's rained on me, so, after what?, a week of glorious weather - what's happening?

Yesterday, Today, running late with a journal update..

Yesterday
Meant to update last night's post last night but didn't get round to it. Had a load of stuff to send off on Ebay and what have you. In Gym yesterday I got the chest pain again a bit while doing a third of the triathlon challenge thing, did 5K in 46 minutes - still have rowing and cycling to do to finish it off but can do that later this week. Really dropping off Gym these days, but the weather's too good for gym, much too good.

Did 9 holes on golf course yesterday evening after getting monkey number 2 off to bed. I've adjusted the weighting on the new R7 driver to the draw setting as opposed to extreme draw setting - the moderate draw has a mid trajectory as opposed to a very high one you get with the extreme draw setting which I don't like. As a golf club it's the business, not massively longer than the MacTec but easier somehow, when you catch one right out of the middle you don't even feel it, it's that smooth. I know it's a bit longer as so far it always seems to get onto the upslope on the fourth hole at Ashbourne, normally I don't reach the ridge now am getting up and past it.

Monday, monday.
Did the five mile in 46 mins so not quite 9 minute miles but that's okay. Did four miles before it on bike as warm up but still got a bit of pain after about half a mile, ran through it though so not that much of a big deal. Was thinking that if I looked through old posts I'd see that I used to get a bit of the chest pain on a couple of occasions when running in the gym. I don't want to stop running though now have got into the habit.

Work on Sunday? In gorgeous sunny weather?

Yes, that's where am going. Dropping off Phil at my mums this morning then hightailing it to SW Head Office to help with some training stuff. No exercise first thing as trying to get there as early as poss. Hoping to go do half a triathlon at lunch break with a bit of luck.

Had a play with the new driver and have altered the weighting so hopefully it should hit the ball a bit lower - this will see whether these weights really have an effect or not!

Good golf

EXERCISE REVIEW
Did 27 miles running this week and fifty miles plus this week on bike. Did some miles with no computer and it lost some one night in the week.


Running record - not bad and look at Friday's run - good pace too.


Cycling record - getting better fifty miles near as damnit this week.

GOLF
Took the TaylorMade R7 out today for it's first proper round. No comp on at Golf Course as the club was entertaining the Ashbourne Golf Club from Ireland. So we played high stakes golf for a poond. To cut a long story short I took the money. Did it with a bit of style and a bit of the usual rubbish, from first hole went par, par, par, bogey, par, double bogey, par, par, double bogey to be out in 40, then did bogey, double bogey, par, par, par, par, par, bogey, quadruple bogey to finish in with 44 so 84 all told so not bad, I found water three times (twice on 18th, once on 9th) which racked up the silly scores. Overall though happy with the new driver but it goes a bit high found it worked a bit better on 18th second drive if I used a white tee, think the thing to remember is to swing smooth with it and don't try to force it.

Done about 8 miles so far on bike, got a bit more to do later. Weighed at work yesterday and was 15st 1.5lbs, my choices. Margaret said the other day "don't let it go" and my first thought was "it's not me it's the food". Made me think though, I can do the right thing if I want to so why am I not doing the right thing all of a sudden. I've never been fitter in my life than I am right now so why let it go?

New way for better times pays dividends!!

Great time this on this morning's run 5.02 miles in 42:57 which means a pace of 8:33/mile. Which is blooming good, no pain, was able to push meself a bit too, attacked the hills when I came to 'em etc. The difference today was that I went and did 15 minutes on bike taking a package upto Ashbourne Post Office's postbox before doing the run. It all worked out very well apart form having to get up at 5:25!!!




Got me new driver as well yesterday in excellent nick as per Ebay listing am going to tinker with it at lunchtime as it's setup for extreme draw position which I think is a little bit overkill so am going to alter the weights on it.

Thursday - just ticking over...

Dragged meself out of bed again at quarter to six, don't know why it's so hard am always in bed before 10? Did the five mile run in just over 46minutes again - pace of 9:16 which I'm happy with. Ramped it up for the last couple of miles which was good too. No great pain, bit of a niggle and worrying about it for first couple of miles I think I need some way of warming up - am thinking of doing a little bit of cycling or something first to get get ticking over?

Better pace, no big pain

Good Run

Back to doing the five miler on a weekday so pleased about that. Got round in 46.13sec (not sure of pace but around 9:15 ish from my limited mental rithmatic. Chest pain was sort of there but not strong enough to slow me down much in fact by time was a mile and a half out I was running at the old sort of pace and quite enjoying it again. Am wondering how much of it I bring on by worrying about it - but that's natural I suppose. Anyway, pleased with that - dropped off Season tickets at nephew Bens for Sunday as decided I ain't going to see another rubbish performance.



New Band of the Week - Anberlin
Anberlin’s ‘Cities’ is now a staple in my IPOD. They’re described as an Alternative Rock group which I think is probably about right but from a poppy angle maybe. To me they have elements of loads of bands I've been listening to in the last year or so – A Perfect Circle, My Chemical Romance, Porcupine Tree, Linkin Park, Lost Prophets, Fallout Boy etc.etc. The drummer is a really good player and the vocals are great. Good lyrics too - the whole thing. Most enjoyable.

Less is more (no it's not)

Did 3.5 miles run (9:46 pace) this morning, didn't drag myself out of bed til gone 6am so everything a mad rush this morning. Got the pain about a half mile out as normal but ran through it, have dropped my running pace quite a bit now in light of the pain. Such is life, happy with yesterdays near nine-miler am going to try and get up to at least a ten mile run every week with little ones in between

Haven't mentioned it to 'she who must be obeyed' as yet but am thinking of commuting on the bike Wednesday pm and Thursday am. Be interesting to see if the FCR1 makes a decent difference in overall time.

Bank Holiday Monday? Must be rain then...

8.7mile Run
Ran a bit under nine miles this morning in about an hour and a half. Stopped for papers about 2 miles from end but other than that it was a steady slowish sort of a run. The pain didn't turn up properly I could feel it at about two miles out but wasn't sufficient to stop me so ran through it. 'Taxi for Thaksin's comment was related to food/drink before running so I didn't have any caffeine from 8pm last night until after the run. Maybe that's the link as I do like the odd coffee (or 8) in a day. We'll see.

First thing...

Up at 7am this morning, Lazy toad I am. Answered a post on the blog and am off for a run now. Distance depends a bit on chest pain but am going to try and put some miles in as there's no 'got to get to work ' pressure today.

Sunday Morning 20 mile pounding on Giant FCR1, no chest pain.

Golf, Golf and more golf!
First of all have got a Taylor Made R7 425 driver coming off Ebay, quate pleased about that so I am. Also been and done 9 holes of golf this evening, hit all sorts of shots, some cracking drives, some rubbish. Been playing the 60 degree wedge out of bunkers and it's bloomin magic, just thwack the hell out of the ball and it comes floating out on a bed of sand, it's the business.

Taylormade R7 425, new driver for a bit, at least!!

The Diverison
I use a bit of online software called http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/ from time to time. It's designed to make routes for the Garmin Edge cycle computers really but I like to use it to compare bits of road to work out whether it makes sense to go a little bit further on a gradual climb or shorter and steeper. An example of this I tried out this morning for when I bike to work again in a few weeks (sooner if weather looks promising!!). There's a hill into Hulland Ward if you're approaching on the A517 from Ashbourne that sucks big style. So I went a bit of a diversion which is longer but don't hurt your legs one bit - the images below are the diversion then the gradient profiles for the two.

Yellow line is the hard route, Blue line, is the new easy route!!



Hulland Ward the hard way - 45 metres ascent in the last kilometer.


Hulland Ward the Easy Way - same climb spread out over over 2k - that's the way to do it and only bit of a mile longer overall!

Morning Ride
Got up earlyish, answered a comment on the blog (many thanks to 'Taxi for Thaksin' am going to try your suggestion re. caffeine,although it won't be easy!). Then went out on the FCR1, did my biggest run for ages, which was good. Dropped a package off at the postbox up town, then went up the A517 to Hulland Ward with a new diversion (see google map below) that takes out that rotten hill that goes past the turnoff for Hulland Ward - a bit of advance planning for when I ride to work again when weather is a bit more reliable.

From Hulland Ward I went past Aggregate's concrete works where two of my golfing buddies work, then over to Brailsford and back to Ashbourne. Somewhere between Aggregate and Brailsford I passed a sign that said 'Halter Devil Chapel', I thought "now that's odd" - devil worship in darkest Derbyshire?? But no, according to Wikipedia - 'Also nearby at Muggington is the interestingly named Halter Devil Chapel, built in 1723 onto the end of a farm house by Francis Brown, a reformed alcoholic, who one night attempted to halter his horse, mistakenly caught a cow, and thought it was the devil.'

Not a particularly fast ride as I'm out of biking shape a bit but an acceptable 4:16 pace. Anyway, it was grand, next to no traffic about, weather good (chucking it down now, ha ha) and it was nice not to have the pressure of being back home for 7am to get off to work too.

However, back was burning when got home so had a long bath with a China Mieville book I got off Ebay for half an hour, bloomin grand. Am definitely into these bank holiday weekends, they truly rock. Also jumped on electronic scales 14st 10.4lbs - which I'd accept - but it's be at least two pounds heavier with clothes/shoes etc. but at least not 15stone I'd hope.

Above: Motionbased stats for this morning's ride - check out the gradient profile on bottom-right

Just seen Tyrone Mear's goal for Derby against West Ham in April's goal of the month on MOTD, there's a thing! A derby player? Goal of the month? Who'd have thunk it?

Bank Holiday Weekend

Disastrous golf - shot 93 - 46 out, 47 in, seven shots worse than handicap. Mainly because of bad putting. Drove well off the tee for the most part. Made a bit of a cockup with the 60 degree wedge on the fourth hole, hit ball clean over the green into the edge of a hedge (wedge to edge of hedge - not alliteration, not poetry but sounds clever) . Recovered well hitting a five iron like a big putt to about 8 foot then holing it for a bogey. Where the 60 degrees realy worked well was out of bunkers - on the long par three 16th I hit into the right hand bunker and then hit the wedge to about three foot and made the putt to make par - very good. However, that's all very well but playing to 22 when you're supposed to be a fifteen handicapper is a bit cak. Must try harder next week! Three pars in eighteen holes is not good enough, especially as they didn't start until the fourteenth hole!

Had a run of three pars on 14,15 and 16. Here's an example, though, of what was typical before and after that little spell of good scoring - on the par five 17th I hit a decent drive, longest out of the three of us right between the bunkers, middle of fairway. Then hit a cracking three wood, nicely struck right where I sent it, stayed straight as a dye. That left me with about a hundred yards to the pin, maybe a bit more. Hit a towering 9-iron that was all over the pin from where I was stood but when I got to the green was maybe 25, 30 feet past the pin. So on a par-five in regulation on the back of three pars looked like another one in the bag? Not to be, raced the first one ten foot past the hole, left the next one two inches short and tapped in for a bogey. And that was pretty much what I did hole and hole leading up to it.

Went out on super fast bike again this morning, only 7.6 miles but good fun, am getting confidence back slowly and it's nice to do a few miles without a puncture, that's for sure. Tried to ride hard enough to get the chest pain, couldn't quite do it but I think it was thinking about it at about 6 miles, 20 odd minutes in. Not sure, am going to research angina I think just in case.

Got golf at 12:30, am taking a 60degree cleveland 588 wedge with me that I just got off Ebay, should be fun, will see.

Friday - good prognosis... I think

Did 4 mile run again as usual this morning. Chest pain at .5mile, good, last thing I wanted was to go to doctor's and say well there's been a chest pain but today it's stopped, so good. Went to doctors, explained where pain was and how it sort of felt. He did a load of checking and tapping, and big breaths please type stuff, checked b.p. 138/78 which was good too. Then I had an ECG which he thinks is okay and he thinks I don't have angina although I need to keep an eye on it and if it gets worse come back. So good stuff I think.

I did 13 holes of golf this morning before appointment too, which was sort of okay. Got onto the 11th in 2 shots which is always a good sign, made a few pars, am definitely hitting irons better which is good.

Finally did a few miles on super bike to see if I could get the pain while out on bike, I couldn't, rode at an average of nearly 16 and a half mph all the way so could feel ache in my legs but couldn't get the pain in the chest - don't know what that means...

Late post!

Blimey almost forgot to post today - been damned busy...
4 mile run first thing
8:30 meeting
Reports
Bought a load of bike stuff from Aldi dead cheap.
2:00 meeting
etc.
Listed a load of stuff on Ebay.
Got appointment with Doctor re. chest pain tomorrow morning. Will see how things progress from there.