The Giant Has Landed

Hi guys

Elaine and I got our new bikes this last week and let me just say "WOW"

I decided to invest in a decent road bike through the Cycle 2 work scheme and picked the rather aptly named Giant Defy 2, It's so light that I now cant believe I managed to go so long with the Hybrid I bought earlier this year. The other advantage of course is that with it being lighter and more aero-dynamic than a normal bike it's much easier to hit high speeds and maintain them, thus cutting down the amount of time to cover longer distances and in fact cutting virtually 40mins off the time it took to do the run out to Clumber park and back that we had done only 3 weeks previous. It does mean however that you do reach some pant fillingly scary speeds too. I managed 29mph the other day and it felt like 60.

Doing the longer runs also does bring home another point too, Nutrition is key!!!

Having got the bike last wednesday I decided I'd christen it with a 50 miler with Scott "racing snake" clarke, Having been too excited to eat before going out it would be fair to say Scott was kicking my ass after 20 miles when I had finally depleted my energy reserves, Que a pub stop for food and drinks (Coke before you ask) This in turn led to indigestion too, supporting the point that you should always allow time for your food to go down boys and girls.

So when it came to saturday I made sure that I ate properly and loaded up with carbs and also took some energy gels with me too. Making the 60 miler much easier than the previous days 50 miler, and on tired legs might I add. I'm also pretty sure I heard Scott cry on one Hill too but i'll let him off on that one as it was a bitch of a hill.

On another completely different note i've mailed a load of sports clubs this week basically begging them for signed merchandise and stuff for the charity auction so fingers crossed we may get some more stuff for the do at the end of july. Elaine has also printed out 150 tickets which Gemma and Charlotte kindly cut out and numbered, So its time to get selling them ppl, message us with how many you need and we'll send them out to you, 150 between 6 of us works out at 25 to sell each which should be more than easy. So come on guys lets get on it!!!

Hope you are all well.

Go team!!!

Hairy Rich

Alfie's Team video

Despite having put the link to our video at the top of the blog, it keeps coming up with some random videos. So if you want to check out our new promo video then follow this link, please please please watch it. It will give you a real sense of why we are doing what we are...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYo7zENU7A8

Thanks for watching guys!

Change to the block and mo money than miles

Its been a while since I've blogged, what with uni commitments, raod tripping around Europe, moving house and starting a new job its been an insanely busy month. I thought it was time to update you on a couple of things.

As you can see, I have made the executive decision to jazz up the blog - mostly because of the fancy new template design offered by blog spot! Nice eh? Another big, I say big and mean enormous event, is that thanks to a flurry of donations on our justgiving site, we now have more money than miles! CHEEERCHING! This is really fantastic news for us all and we want to take this chance to thank everyone who has supported us so far and to everyone who is supporting us in the near future.

Next bit of business; we have a Charity Auction coming up in July, organised by Rich and Elaine, and we really need your help. If any of you know any celebrities, sports clubs etc. and can donate an item to be auctioned off then please get in touch with any one of us. I'm assuming you will have at least one contact number for someone in the team, if not who the hell are you and how have you heard about our blog? Also, if any of you would like to donate your services, i.e. promise of a day trip out somewhere, decorating services, it will all come in handy - but please keep it clean (Scott).

I will blog shortly with some photos of recent bike rides I've been on, just to pre-warn you don't adjust your monitors/phones or what ever you are using to access the blog, I am actually purple! As I have said to a couple of the others, after cycling up a small mountain in the Midlands it felt like I had been shot in the thighs.

Keep donating and have a good week!

Ain't no stopping the racing snake!

Me and the troublesome right knee took ourselves to the hospital today. I had to brace myself for bad news but it ended up just about okay (phew!!!)

I turned up, ready for yet another telling off which believe me Hairy Rich has been at me for not doing strength work on the weights for the last year. Anyway I went in and the curtains were closed. I was then instructed to remove my trousers, socks and shoes. I felt very uncomfortable at this point not only did I look silly but I was wearing the worst mustard coloured Calvins known to man. A Dutch lady, quiet nice (looked like she was going to put me in a head lock at first) told me what I already knew... Patella Tendonitis! So what does that mean.... PAIN!!!

So what next, I said the bike ride... can I still do it? She said its my call and realistically I'm not going to solve a long term injury in 2 months. I'm going to have to manage this so carefully and judge it week by week.

So basically I'm going to continue!!!! Its put up and shut up from me and my stubborn head has prevailed. If I have to use my arms to pedal instead of my legs then I will!


Does anyone want to sponsor my knee for Zoe's and give it a name? suggestions would be great

Scott x

Just a very quick one from me. A new member has been confirmed after the boys at www.northernleisure.co.uk have helped us out with a massive discount. I swiftly named it 'Basil' Basil will be the base and the hub of the ride where we can eat our 7000 calories a day and lean up against something nice and shiny (not me) when we need a good cry.

Meet Basil

Anyone know any shortcuts?

Just a short one bloggers!

You'll be glad to know that i have recovered from the humiliation of 'trying' to keep up with Elaine and Shinny Rich over a 40 mile ride a couple of weeks back in Donny....unfortunately i was a panting wreck while they conversed happily ahead of me!  So yes, i took the challenge on and gone were those thick mountain bike tyres (2.25 yeah..?) and on go the semi slicks (1.75 apparently).  And yesterday i managed a ride of hill'onic (new word) proportions..

I faced the nearby Peaks, my nemesis, so often avoided on rides so far.  But at less than 7 miles from my house i really have no excuses.  I had my semi slicks and the sun on my back - i was ready!  I did a 34 miler, looping through the peaks and climbing 1900 feet according to my bike gadget! It was a great ride actually, even though I was wrecked and struggling at 4mph on several of the climbs! However what goes up must come down and those downhills were ace, the wind in your face is so strong you couldn't hear a lorry overtake you.  I even touched 35mph for the first time and that was with partial breaking (to stop myself going even whiter then I normally am - seriously 35mph feels fast when your sat on a cushion on a metal frame with wheels) ;)

However.... 30 seconds into getting home and declaring my happiness to Em she told me that while i was out she'd mapped 2 days of 12 of our LEJOG route on her topography web site and my enthusiam hit the floor.  I was told that we climb 1200 feet in 2 miles on those days. Holy crap, 1900 spread over 34 miles (with downhills in between) was tough.  I haven't even started have I?  I'll need to go back several times into those Peaks and go even deeper.. god help me.  One things for sure i'm taking my iPhone just in case.

Yours,

One scared Daz x

Ps 14 weeks till Day 1 on Sept 20th! ..or 12 weeks for me....(minus 1 for excessive drinking and partying at Glasto and another for some work training down south.)
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