Sat 8th May

Sunday 25Th April managed 56 miles before heading off to the hospice, the rout was loop round Troon back down to Kilwining up tp Bensley and over to Cunningham Head then over the back road to Stewrton & up over the Glasgow road to Newton mearns heading back to Fenwick with a strong head wind along the A77 and then across to Kilmaures and then home to Irvine.



Time = 3hrs 19min AVER Speed 16.5mph AVER H/R 115BPM 432M Climbing with 6052 cal burned.

Monday 26th nice easy spinning session 2hrs 10min 39 miles aver speed 17.6mph with 2154 cal burned. Lovely night very mild and slight head wind coming from the south.


Tuesday 27Th good club run tonight 14 out, 38 miles total with 371m of climbing average speed 16.1mph. Wet & windy soaked to the arse. Rest day tomorrow. LEJOG Meeting this Thursday I presume this will be the last before we head off 3 weeks on Friday, the only thing I am concerned about is my mothers condition at the hospice will she hold on till I am away or before I leave?

May 4th Club Time Trial over Eaglesham moor. Conditions cold & windy but dry.

Results


Euan Clelland - 32.08
Pete Forsyth -30-20
Scott Russell - 30.08
Alex Cruwfurd -31.55
Darren Rideout - 33.34
Tommy Gribbon - 30.48 (That's Me)
Russell Mowat -32.36
Catherine Logan - 31.49
Keith Johnsone - 28.32

Friday 7th May -

LN you can & will fight that little horrible Gremlin that's festering away. Your team is all with you and thinking of you.

Sat 8Th May having a rest but we had photo shoot with club sponsors this morning & all who are riding LEJOG in 2 weeks time.

Lands End - John O'Groats Team
.

4 Weeks to D-Day....................

Its been a while since I last updated my LEJOG Training Blog, Training was going well until my mother was been taken seriously ill and she is now sadly in a hospice in Glasgow; so training has had to take a back seat as hospice visiting is now a priority along work commitments & LEJOG training is now when I can get some free time.

This weekend is Walkers CC Yearly trip to Aviemore; the roads & hills are ideal for LEJOG training Last years trip was fantastic long hilly miles plenty of road kill & beers after a long day in the saddle but it was the weather that made the trip it was warm & very little wind, how ever reports from this years trip is that the weather is windy,snowy & pissing rain I am glad that I am not there with my fellow LEJOGRs Ha Ha.

A few training rides have been organized by the LEJOG team; we have completed the 3 Ferry's run which was the first full day of summer I was burnt to a crisp.We have also completed the West coast rout which is approx 100 very hilly miles but most importantly both runs have been excellent for team building and were fantastic days out.

Our training has also included speed training on "Marine Drive" 5 Laps which are 3.5 miles and with a average speed of 23mph on some laps this type of training can be also beneficial to TTs and LEJOG Miles.

The Back Of Walkers CC Peleton on the "3 ferrys route"

Check out the "HILLS"

Training Totals for the last few weeks. My Millage is considerably down.

Date 4th April - 24th April

Distance 563 Miles

Time 34 hrs

Elevation 4757m

Aver Speed 16.8mph

Aver Heart Rate 121bpm

Cal Burned 60,249

As all good cyclists are aware a recovery drink is incredibly important to help aid muscle and carb replenishment as Mr Kuhn is demonstrating below.

LEJOG Training Update

Seven weeks to D-Day and Its been a crap week with LEJOG Training between snow,rain, illness,beer and a boil the size of a golf ball on me private bits; my training millage has been severley impacted.

Monday - Rest Day

Tuesday - Gale force winds 45mph and snow nothing done used as another rest day.

Wednesday - Club run 37miles cold & windy.

Thursday - 38 miles dry and very windy (Picked up sickness bug from work laid up for 2 days)

Friday - Nothing ill

Saturday - Feeling weak but managed 20 miles with Jack on dog bike buggy.

Sunday - 50 Miles (Boil is frigin sore)

Total of 145 miles for week. (Crap)

The only good news worth reporting is My Claud Butler Carbon frame which was damaged in last years Arran crash has been repaired and has now been converted into this seasons TT Bike.

This Tuesday comeing is our clubs 1st TT of the season its only 7 miles but I am looking forward to it, just to see if my times have improved from last season.



RIP Rab Hendry

LEJOG Training Diary Update

Its been a few weeks since my last LEJOG Training blog update and eight weeks tonight we will be on stage two of our journey. The good news is I have not picked up any new injury's apart from a saddle sore on my right buttock.

I must invest in a pair of ASSOS Cycling shorts; expensive but fantastic quality.

Martin & Laura are looking extremely strong they both work well together they show each other fantastic support; they have been great with me especially after my tumbles when I was feeling down they helped me bounce back they are full of encouragement; its good to have a team that can support each other I am sure we will be needing lots of encouragement when LEJOG starts.

I have also started to get out more on weekdays/nights by cycling to work weather permitting
and I am putting in longer miles at weekends my target by the end of April is 450 miles per week but Looking at this weeks weather forecast winter is returning Snow,Snow & more bloody Snow.

Rolls Royce & Lucozade, Port Head Tavern, Annick Tavern & Delta Bar (great watering holes) have all kindly sponsored me and the rest of the teamgribbon cycling team. BHF Have also now sent us sponsor ship forms tea shirts etc for our fundraising.

Our April training calendar is looking hard; A few Arran trips have been suggested at the weekends which has the infamies Fig of 8 Route. The distance is only 60 miles that includes The Ross, The String & Lochranza hills they are all extremely difficult climbs but when doing it twice I see it as a good tester for the first two days of LEJOG in May.
The hills have very fast technical descents that are very dangerous (Had a tumble @ 50mph last July broke my ankle).

I watched Sports relief John O'Groats - Landsend challenge very good lots of money raised but my god they were all pampered. Nice big bus with beds, plenty of food, massages what an easy life they had; us poor soles have got it all to do. Eddie Izzards marathon completion was really inspirational what an achievement Eddie done.

Sometimes I wish I had changed my fund raising to cancer research as over the last 4 - 5 months I have lost family & found out that more of my family & some of my close friends have this terrible disease, I guess I am to late i have committed my self and the rest of the team to the BHF.



LEJOG Training Calender

Week Starting 14th March

Distance 157 Miles
Avr Speed 16.3mph
Avr H/R 120bpm
Max H/R 160bpm
Cal 17,008


Week Beginning Sunday 21st March

Distance 278 Miles
Avr 17.1mph
Avr H/R 126bpm
Max H/R 168bpm
Cal 21,328

Week Beginning Sunday 28th March

Wednesday 3rd March 2010

Its been another up and down week regarding training for LEJOG. Last Thursday 90 Min on Turbo and I decided to have a rest day on Friday.

Sat morning up early with Jack and we managed 20 Miles on the "DOG" bike buggy he's had a hair cut so I think he felt the cold. On Saturday afternoon I managed 48 Miles went out via Kilwining to Barmill over the hill To Dunlop and then out via Howies where i was met with 6ft snow drifts, I then went over the Glasgow Rd to the A77 and back to Irvine through Kilmarnock. Good hilly run but I was knackered.



Jack with his hair cut.

Sunday Old firm day (No more mention about the result), decided to go out in the morning to spin the legs 35 miles at a relatively slow pace, I had a few beers in the afternoon, I suppose you could say i drowned my sorrows. Pissed as a fart.............

Monday no Cardiac Rehab class (Christmas Night Out), decided to go out on bike and managed 25 hilly miles, up over Dundonald hill, I burned 2686 Calories in 1.5hrs. Not to bad considering it was bloody cold.

Disaster Tuesday, Walkers Club Run, I had another tumble tonight, hit a Pot hole @approx 15 MPH front Mavic Cosmic wheel hub split, 6 broken spokes wheel acted like a break I went straight over the handle bars no chance to react. I thought I had broken my wrist again due to the pain but my idea from last week with gel bar tape has cushioned my fall and prevented any other injury. North Ayrshire council are being sued for this tumble; British Cycling have been contacted and they will deal with my claim. £150.00 wheel totally knackered. I have taken photos of the Pot hole and the damage to my bike and I also have 6 good honest witnesses.

Front Mavic Cosmic wheel that was damaged after hitting pot hole, You can see where the hub is split and the 6 broken spokes, Surprisingly there was no impact puncture.

Tonight I managed another flat 30 miles average speed 17.3mph and I burned 3127 calories in 1hr 40min. Total road millage for the week is 172 miles not to bad considering I haven't been out much.

LEJOG Meeting tomorrow night no updates on sponsorship & hosptal next monday regarding broken wrist.

Wednesday 24th Feb

Had news regarding sponsor ship on Sunday night, looks like my main sponsor will make a decision in April as they are waiting to see what the company budget is going to be for sponsor ship deals for 2010.

Its been an interesting week training, most training has again been done on the Turbo approx 10hrs not to bad considering how boring it can be.

First TTT of the season last Sunday, my team mate Peter had a long hard cycling training week in Malega, lucky bugger; he's getting stronger & stronger, due to my injury I feel as if I am going back the way.

Our start time was 09.19 on the coldest morning of the week (-7) we were finished by 09.38. my wrist gave out on the first climb as I had to get out saddle to keep up with Pete, my weight and the vibration from the road aggravated my injury. I had no strength for braking or to change gears no option but to stop. Extremely disappointed as I let my old team mate down.

Used my new MAVIC Cosmos carbon deep rim wheels on TTT, Struggled at first but when cranked up to speed they were fast.

Monday; more bad medical news, but I know the person involved is going to pull through a true fighter & a very strong willed lovely livley person.

Tuesday Walkers CC club run night 35 miles average speed 16,7mph and no wrist pain, I had a brain storm and by using Gel cycling bar tape I wrapped it around my wrist then fitted my splint over the gel tape, great cushion worked a treat no pain and I could also brake and change gears.
It was great to get on my bike again here's hoping I can now start to get 250-300 miles in a week weather permitting.

LEJOG Meeting this Monday final preparations for accommodation & food stops etc.

A good friend of mine at work made me a lovely Pasta dish Indian style, absolutely delicious the only thing is I haven't stopped farting for 2 days........... My bums red raw........ or is that just saddle sores??? If anyone wants the recipe please let me know.

I am still concerned about Beta Blockers on how they are going to restrict me when on LEJOG. If any Doctors read this BLOG Please drop me a post on any opinions that they might have.

Wednesday 17th Feb

Last weeks training consisted of 12 hours of Turbo training in which 3 or 4 sessions were great, I was totally focused and on a high (LN), if you are in the correct frame of mind this helps with the boredom of Turbo training. I also had 2 Cardiac rehab classes and by the end of the week I felt stronger and into the bargain I lost 2lbs. I must really start to get road miles in 250 + per week.

Still waiting for conformation with our LEJOG Sponsors.

My smelly cast (above picture) was removed on Monday and I now have a splint and have another appointment with consultant in 3 weeks time. Here's hoping my wrist injury should be cleared up by then.

I made a big mistake last night by going out on club run, my wrist felt every bump and vibration that the Ayrshire roads through at me, had to chuck it after 25 miles. The only good thing about last nights run was I used my Specalized Tarmac Comp with my new Mavic Cosmic Carbon deep rim wheels for the 1st time. These wheels are really impressive but they take a while to crank up but when they get going they are good. Don't know if I will use these wheels on LEJOG.

This Sunday is the 1st TTT (Icebreaker) of the season; but I will leave until Saturday night to see if my wrist is any better before I make a call in racing.

Last Nights Disapointing Garmin Data

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24920715

TT Bike for that I am using this season.