That's right. Through the wonderment that is the world wide web Upside Down 2012 now has it's own website too. OK, so as of 31 March it's still a bit 'work in progress' but the intention is good. Now there is a chance that you've got here (by here I mean to the blog, not here as in wherever you are now) through the link on our website. But on the offchance you didn't then you can visit us (by visit I mean go to the website, as opposed to popping round here for a cappuccino - although you're very welcome) at www.upsidedown2012.org.
Aside from all this fiddling around with new fangled technologies how's the ride preparation going I hear you ask.....
Well, well I would say (its going well, I mean). The lighter nights over the last week, coupled with the early spring sunshine have allowed one after-work ride each which is very helpful in getting some miles in. This very weekend we've a couple of rides planned ahead of some serious 'back-to-back' training over Easter.
In terms of readiness for the main event - well there's still some way to go! Pete asked me last week to rate my feeling of readiness on a scale of 1-10 and I scored myself 4. Craig was asked the same question and he scored himself a 6! I'm not so bold and will remain lacking in confidence until we've done the Easter challenges, at the moment I remain scarred by the experience that was the Mad March Hare.
And soon it will be April, which means that the ride will then be 'next month'. Gulp. Make that 4 into a 2 would you......!
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Oh dear (13 March 2012)
Having committed to be much more diligent in keeping our blog up-to-date (see the last post) I seem to have failed in spectacular fashion. Apologies.
Despite my lack of diligence in the blogging world I am pleased to report that the cycling world has been progressing in roughly the right direction. Ish. Kind of.
First the bad news that our cycling wingman Pete has had to withdraw after an operation on his foot that, while debilitating right now is likely to make him bionic come the summer. The 'will he / won't he' saga around the operation was resolved a few weeks ago and now Pete is proudly sporting an impressive leg cast thing and a pair of errant crutches. The ride won't be quite the same without him - the constant adjusting of bicycle components and the banter will be missed (well one of those things will anyway).
Undeterred both Craig and me have set to with some serious training. But before that I should say that we have considered delaying the ride to later in the year to allow Mr Ryan to join us. However, a combination of the Olympic Games (a leave embargo) and a new little one on the way in September has rather limited the available options. We're not so heartless you know!
Anyway, where was I? Training, of course. Rides have been undertaken singularly and in pairs. The most recent of our particularly challenging escapades being the Mad March Hare sportive. The ingredients are simple and go something like this:
- 500 riders (of which 300 actually pitched up to the start)
- a 75 mile route
- a couple of really tough climbs
- the last 25 miles generally uphill
That's the basic cake then. Iced with pouring rain, temperatures just about above freezing, sleet on the lower hills, full on snow on the upper hills and a strong headwind. Mmmmm, my favourite. Not.
The challenge was duly despatched and I'm pleased to report that despite all of the above we finished in a reasonable time and were one (two, actually) of only 170 finishers. Well done us I say.
The following Sunday and Simon ran the Fradley 10k - doing it in under 50 minutes which was a bit of a result and we were both out for another 35 miles, this time in a gentle breeze and some early spring sunshine. Much more like it.
And so we get to 12 March and time to sit down and think rather more seriously than we have of late about the route. Google maps is all well and good but from Glasgow to Exeter it rather prefers those new fangled motorways which, while rather splendid (and, may I say, very very well operated) are not suitable for those travelling under their own steam/legs. Having dealt with that challenge and discovered the not inconsiderable merits of www.bikeroutetoaster.com we now have a route. Yes! All 900 glorious miles of it. Yes! All 35,000 feet of climbing. Yes! What? NO!!
Having just re-read that I can waste no more time typing. Instead I shall be going to train, immediately. Training yourself to eat enough to cope with burning 5,000 calories a day is important stuff you know. If you want me, I shall be found near the fridge.
Until next time (when I shall post the route links - how exciting). Take care!
Sunday, 5 February 2012
What's going on then? (4 February 2012)
Checking our posts brings the dawning realisation that the Upside down 2012 blog has been somewhat neglected of late. Now that will simply never do.
January 2012 brought a mild start to the year, which is good, and a raft of general bugs and feelings of ill health, which (for the avoidance of doubt) is generally considered bad. The combination of these things has meant that some training has been undertaken on various occasions. Mainly 35 or so quick rides albeit Craig and Pete did a 45 miler last week and I somehow managed a 56 miler the day after. In addition to the real riding there have been occasions of sporadic fake riding on one of those new-fangled turbo trainers. For those of a less athletic disposition than my own let me explain. A perfectly usable road bike is attached to a device which supports the rear wheel and a roller then rests against the wheel to provide some resistance. The rider/athlete/fool* (*delete as appropriate) then climbs aboard and pedals at differing resistances and speeds for defined duration. Voila - training! The duration depends less on when your legs will give up and more on when absolute boredom sets in - generally about 30 minutes will do it. Putting the bike and turbo combo in front of the TV provides a helpful distraction at best. However, hearing the TV above the drone of the turbo, and above that the noise of huffing and puffing is a challenge, whilst seeing it with salty eyes is also nigh on impossible.
That said, turbo training remains a good way to keep fitness levels up during the dark winter das and I shall persevere until spring has begun to spring....
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Quick update (3rd January 2012)
As part of the preparations for the Upside Down challenge I've decided that a multi-discipline approach is needed. As a result I now find myself signed up for two 10k runs, one in early March and one on 2nd May - just three short weeks before the main event.
All of which means that I need to do some training - lots of - which brings me on to a small matter of time, or lack thereof, to fit it all in.
And so it was that last night I found myself heading into my garage ready to tackle the Col du Acton Trussell, an agonising 30 minute, 7.5 mile hill climb. Having entered the garage and feeling every appendage shrivel in the cold I was soon hot. Very vey hot! Still, having 'ridden' 'uphill' without so much as moving more than a couple of centimetres I did feel that at least I'd made the effort. Thirty minutes aboard a 1970's bike on a turbo trainer in a garage is, in truth, as much as I can bear in one go!
All of which means that I need to do some training - lots of - which brings me on to a small matter of time, or lack thereof, to fit it all in.
And so it was that last night I found myself heading into my garage ready to tackle the Col du Acton Trussell, an agonising 30 minute, 7.5 mile hill climb. Having entered the garage and feeling every appendage shrivel in the cold I was soon hot. Very vey hot! Still, having 'ridden' 'uphill' without so much as moving more than a couple of centimetres I did feel that at least I'd made the effort. Thirty minutes aboard a 1970's bike on a turbo trainer in a garage is, in truth, as much as I can bear in one go!
Sunday, 1 January 2012
Training ride 1 (1st January 2012)
Tradition has it that at this time of year it is appropriate for one to resolve to do something you've been meaning to do for an age. That tradition extends as far as stopping whatever you'd started - normally within the first week of the new year.
However, it is at least important to make a start and one of my many resolutions for 2012 is to train for the small matter of a 1,000 mile bike ride 144 days into 2012. So despite the forecast of heavy rain, and despite the fact that this forecast turned out to be correct (gee thanks, now you get it right) a ride had to be done.
And so it was on a grey, windy and very wet New Years Day I found myself on the roads of Staffordshire with fellow Upside Downer, Peter Ryan. For good measure our friend Jason joined us for a few miles too. Upside Downer Mr Craig Mountford was unable to join us due to ill health and/or alcohol consumption and/or a desire not to get his hair wet. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in all three.
So. This is it. The training has now officially started. The on-line stuff is sorted and now we need to crack on with a fair amount of fund raising too!
However, it is at least important to make a start and one of my many resolutions for 2012 is to train for the small matter of a 1,000 mile bike ride 144 days into 2012. So despite the forecast of heavy rain, and despite the fact that this forecast turned out to be correct (gee thanks, now you get it right) a ride had to be done.
And so it was on a grey, windy and very wet New Years Day I found myself on the roads of Staffordshire with fellow Upside Downer, Peter Ryan. For good measure our friend Jason joined us for a few miles too. Upside Downer Mr Craig Mountford was unable to join us due to ill health and/or alcohol consumption and/or a desire not to get his hair wet. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in all three.
So. This is it. The training has now officially started. The on-line stuff is sorted and now we need to crack on with a fair amount of fund raising too!
1st January 2012
January 1st. 1st of January. 1/1/12. Whichever way you look at it the end-to-end is now this year!
For the avoidance of any doubt by end-to-end I'm referring to one end of Great Britain to the other, and by Upside Down I mean we're riding from the top to the bottom. Some would say that's foolhardy as we'll be going against the prevailing wind. Some would say we're doing it the easy way - going down hill! (I should point out that Lands End is, in fact, 200ft higher than John O'Groats.
Whichever way you do it the inescapable fact is that we'll be setting off from John O'Groats in just 144 days from now, and 900 or so miles and eight days later we'll be in Lands End. Fingers are very much crossed (and as a result typing this blog is taking me an eternity) this mild winter remains to allow for a few weekends of training!
Through the miracle of technology, and hopefully the occasional 3G or wifi service, you can keep fully up to date with our training and our ride in the following ways...
Follow us on Twitter - @upsidedown2012
Or if Facebook is your thing then our group is: Upside Down 2012
We'll be blogging, so check this reglarly: upsidedown2012.blogspot.com
You can send us an e-mail to upsidedown2012@btinternet.com
Now then. The question has to be - why? Well in part because it's there to do and we have a bike each and it just seems impolite not to. We've also decided to make our endeavour worthwhile for a charity too and have chosen Promise Dreams - for children who are seriously or terminally ill they provide treatment, help and support for both them and their families. You can sponsor us by going to www.justgiving.com/upsidedown or text 'updo55' followed by the amount you wish to donate (eg 'updo55 £10') to 70070.
For the avoidance of any doubt by end-to-end I'm referring to one end of Great Britain to the other, and by Upside Down I mean we're riding from the top to the bottom. Some would say that's foolhardy as we'll be going against the prevailing wind. Some would say we're doing it the easy way - going down hill! (I should point out that Lands End is, in fact, 200ft higher than John O'Groats.
Whichever way you do it the inescapable fact is that we'll be setting off from John O'Groats in just 144 days from now, and 900 or so miles and eight days later we'll be in Lands End. Fingers are very much crossed (and as a result typing this blog is taking me an eternity) this mild winter remains to allow for a few weekends of training!
Through the miracle of technology, and hopefully the occasional 3G or wifi service, you can keep fully up to date with our training and our ride in the following ways...
Follow us on Twitter - @upsidedown2012
Or if Facebook is your thing then our group is: Upside Down 2012
We'll be blogging, so check this reglarly: upsidedown2012.blogspot.com
You can send us an e-mail to upsidedown2012@btinternet.com
Now then. The question has to be - why? Well in part because it's there to do and we have a bike each and it just seems impolite not to. We've also decided to make our endeavour worthwhile for a charity too and have chosen Promise Dreams - for children who are seriously or terminally ill they provide treatment, help and support for both them and their families. You can sponsor us by going to www.justgiving.com/upsidedown or text 'updo55' followed by the amount you wish to donate (eg 'updo55 £10') to 70070.
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