My Forum

Lol Chrissi and Brer my bike was happily gathering cobwebs as well until commuting to work on the bike became an option when Flo went to secondary school last Sept, then my loathing of driving was enough of a reason to get on the bike!

Brer - I went for a hybrid commuter this time - before I was riding my mountain bike that I'd bought mainly for riding with the girls along cycle paths etc - so got more roady tyres on this one, the weight is about the same but includes the rack/panniers/lights etc in that.  I do have a road bike as well which is great on good roads and when you're going 'fast' (my version of fast being quite slow compared to some people) that's v light (I can hold it on one finger) and has super thin tyres though so not so good on the rough country lanes I commute on, and I wouldn't feel comfortable on it in all weathers (ie combinations of v wet/v windy/icy).  I find the road bike quite strange in that I actually feel a lot safer/more stable on it going faster rather than slower, but guess that's as it's what it's built for!

I definitely think cycling has helped my running, maybe not as much as more running would, but there's a limit to how much my legs/knees can take ad how much time I have to run, cycling can be fitted into the commute or I can do it at home when child care constraints mean a run is not possible - I have a turbo trainer that my road bike attaches to, I don't have a treadmill!

Also my long term goal over the next couple of years is an iron-distance tri so need to up my cycling anyway - we'll keep quiet about the swimming for now

Belated birthday wishes Chrissi hope you had a good day and everyone spoiled you

New bike arrived Friday and I managed to get out a couple of times over the weekend, did a 2.5mile loop from the house that went out along a quiet road and came back along a cycle track.  The new bike felt very solid (good!) and It wasn't too bad the first time I went out.  However the second time mr Panad suggested I took the opportunity to try using panniers (new bike has a rack, so not necessary to use rucksack like i did on the old bike, and he said it would make me 'wider' so cars etc would be more likely to give me more room) and grab a little bit of shopping at the same time.  In theory it went fine, got on with panniers no problem, but got a bit spooked as it was quite windy and I couldn't hear traffic coming up behind me (was on a busier road as well) until it was going past me, but hey ho, I did it and it was another challenge tackled

fantastic result (again!) Brer

TRex - sounds like a hard day out, but well done.

SD well done, hope you find a cure for the stitches soon...

JD you're in danger of sounding human with a dose of CBA

enjoy the leadership course Chrissi!

really getting back to it now running steadily up to 5ish miles without any major probs, a 7 mile trip including up snowdon to just below halfway house in rather warm temperatures last week proved a bit too much too soon - was ok afterwards, but during was so much harder than I expected!  reckon there's about 10 weeks until the race, so a lot of work to be done, but should be achievable

New bike has been ordered, just in time for this fine dry spell of weather to end , just need to build my confidence up big time riding back out on the roads.  Deep down I know I just need a big kick up the backside and to get on with it, getting out there and doing it is a bit harder though  Hoping the fact that I'm getting really fed up driving to work, and that there'll roadworks on my route for pretty much the rest of the summer term from next week will be a big motivator

well done on getting into the ballot Chrissi, an achievment in itself, and as you say you've got plenty of time to decide if you want to go for it if you get in!  Well the change in GFA means that my time from last years SNOD is now 2mins to slow, but hey ho, I've never wanted to London anyway, so now I just don't have to justify the fact to all those who think London is the only marathon so why would I not do it (GNR was my first ever race and more than enough for an experience at a big city race! I loved it, but much prefer the smaller races I've done since)

Someone seems to have turned the sun on (though they forgot to turn the wind off)   Got myself up to 5+ miles now, doing ok