Changes

I got a comment on my last post and am surprised that anyone actually still looks at my blog as I hardly ever write anything these days. Thats because I'm extremely busy at work - giving less time for training (my most common blogging subject), and the blogging itself.

Now I'm at the end of 4 days off for Xmas so have a few secs to blog.

Nowadays my training/exercise is limited to a 70km bike ride every Friday. Partly due to the sun setting at 5.45pm, I am not inclined to do anything in the evenings - and a 7am start in the office knocks out the mornings too.

But I really enjoy the weekend rides. It's a 6am start and these days the temperature can be as low as 15 Celsius! At that temperature I can just about survive with arm-warmers and a vest under my jersey. Any colder and I'll need a windproof layer and tights! I tell you though it is a very refreshing experience!

There are usually 100-150 riders and its a controlled ride. 2 by 2 all 90% of the time, with the front 5-10 pairs doing turns at the front. The first 35km averages 32kph. Then there's a sprint where the adrenalin starts to flow and I usually end up tucked behind someone doing almost 50kph for the last few '00 metres.

On the way back we average 34kph, with some sections sustained at 37-40kph depending on the wind. I do some good turns on the front myself. The group usually splits and I enjoy trying to stay in the front pack, which I usually manage to do. However I've heard that the 100 & 120km groups ride faster!

I'm inclined to concentrate on cycling these days so have decided to sell my rapidly depreciating Planet X, which spends most of its life on the wall with the wheels in a bag. If I do a triathlon I still have a road bike.

At the same time I'm re-setting my ambitions away from triathlons. I have an idea to do the Tour of Flanders cyclo-sportif in Belgium in April, and perhaps a few mountains in the Alps in July or August.

We'll see what happens. I'll do the odd blog post too.