War on the roads?

A bit of a better week, despite having lots on at home and at work I have managed to get into double figures for hours trained this week, the first time that's happened since the end of the TT season. Lots of commuting still, trying to vary what I do and trying to ensure that I don't batter myself too much every time as it just ends up wiping me out.

Commuting has not been much fun this week though. I try not to get drawn into the 'them and us' arguments between cyclists and drivers as I am 'one of us' and I am also 'one of them' but there seems to be a lot of hostility out there at the moment. I would have thought that the recent high profile deaths of commuters in London would have awakened both drivers and cyclists to the dangers but it seems not. I try to take real care when I am cycling; I'm a bit anal about stopping at reds, signalling, thanking those that see me and wait or move out the way for me. I genuinely feel I do what I can to be as safe as possible and also to show respect for other road users. Unfortunately that didn't stop me almost being t-boned at a roundabout and shouted at by a complete turd. I'm still not quite sure what it was that I did wrong and I doubt he does either, except for the fact I could filter through the stationary traffic and he couldn't. I did see it from the other side a couple of days later. I was driving down a very quiet  dark road when up ahead was a cyclist who was really well lit up; fluro vest, 2 lights, the works. I gave them plenty of space as I went round them to pass, for them to suddenly and without warning come right across the front of my bonnet. They didn't look or  signal at all. I found myself doing a full emergency stop with my heart rate through the roof while the cyclist merrily went into a side alley. I have also lost count of the numbers of cyclists I have seen cycling in the dark with dark clothing on and no lights at all. These people must really have a death wish.

I am wondering if with the cycling boom that we seem to be in at the moment that there is a massive influx of cyclists on our road who are not very aware of how to ride safely and this combined with intolerant drivers is making for a toxic mix. I think it would be very hard to legislate for this and the idea of a cyclists' tax I find rather absurd, but I don't think a high profile campaign to get newer cyclists thinking about road safety would go amiss.

It's a shame because usually I really enjoy commuting. It cannot help but give you a self satisfied smile at burning fat not fuel; training without having to put aside specific time; greatly reducing our household bills. It's all a win, win, win situation except for the potential to have an accident where I will always come off worse.

My Argon has stayed resolutely bolted to the turbo. I keep meaning to take it for a spin on the road but it's just been easier to get on the Van Nic instead. I did take the front wheel of the Argon for a ride when I discovered a puncture on my front wheel just as I was leaving for work (my 4th puncture in a week!) This week I will break my duck on it and report back. Promise.

And now for something completely different

I have spent the last two Fridays mountain biking in the afternoon with some kids from school. I was volunteered for this as I apparently know how to ride a bike. Unfortunately these two afternoons have proved that I am not quite as good as I or my colleagues at work believe me to be. Lots of mud, deep ruts and loose gravel make for a bumpy and twitchy ride which is very different from a head down blast up a dual carriageway.  The rides have been led by a chap called Barry, who is an amazing rider.  He is basically a pair of quad muscles with lungs attached in a Lycra package.  I can hang on to him just, when going uphill but I don't stand a chance when descending.

We've looped around Epsom Downs and made our way up and down the hills of Headley with some steep climbs and narrow descents which had me hanging onto the bars for dear life at times.  Despite all this it was a hell of a lot of fun and another few hours on a bike. I guess it all counts.

I'm back running again. Two runs this week of 20 and 30 minutes sticking to soft ground to take as much stress off my Achilles as possible. A third and final run tomorrow and then a final road ride on Sunday.

Hibernating

In the last couple of weeks I have been in tickover, just bumbling along doing bits and pieces while the season lies dormant. I had hoped that I would get my run legs back and enter a 10 km or half marathon race but my Achilles is still stubbornly refusing to play ball. Fine one day; knackered the next.  My run shoes are completely shot to bits so I guess a new pair of shoes would be a good start as well as all the boring stretches and exercises that I need to do.

Cycling has been lots of commuting and a long ride at the weekend. I should have been getting on the turbo but having to muck about changing wheels when I need the Van Nic for riding to work the next day kept putting the kybosh on that, until last Friday anyway when a shiny new Argon 18 e-80 landed on my doorstep. :-). So far I have only 'ridden' it on the turbo and started to sort out my position which is significantly different to the Van Nic even when it has tri bars attached. Stack height, reach, seat post height all need to be tinkered and tampered with until I have a position which is both aerodynamic and comfortable. I'm sure that my antique body is going to require a fair bit of time to adapt. But I'm really looking forward to seeing what I can do on it next year.

Another tumble

On Thursday morning I spun over to Simon's house to get in a couple of steady hours on the bike but I just wasn't feeling the bike love and I guess the dire weather I was cycling into was giving me the heebeegeebees. I just knew it was going to go wrong; and it did. As we went through Leatherhead one way system I completely got a tight right hand turn wrong, taking the wrong line and going slightly too fast on the damp road. I clipped the curb and found myself on my back dumped on the pavement taking a hearty whack on the bonce and a nice line of gravel rash all down my left hand side. I felt pretty shaky but Simon went and got his car and gave me a lift home where I was able to lick my wounds. Thankfully no lasting damage done and the Van Nic was ok except for a few scrapes on the qr skewers.

We tried again on Sunday and got in a solid 3 hours with a climb of Whitedown and Boxhill at the end in much better conditions and no major reaction from the crash. I'm definitely not feeling as powerful on the bike as in recent months. It all just seems like quite hard work again when only 6 weeks ago or so it all felt so good and easy.

Some really good news is that I got three runs in last week. My Achilles is still letting me know it's there but I feel pretty good when running. Not fast but plodding comfortably, which I will take for the time being.