Club christmas dinner

Club Christmas dinner on sunday at the White Horse Hotel in Hertingfordbury. An excellent afternoon with 45 people attending for the dinner and annual club awards. Peter won most of the trophies for his performance in racing, time trials and audaxes. Tony, Michelle and Jason also got trophies as did I for the most distance cycled in non-competitive events (750 miles) and I was awarded 'ride of the year' for my london to paris ride because I had not really cycled before this year. So it was really an honour for the whole six months leading up to and including the ride to paris. I was very surprised and very pleased. It shows what a generous bunch of people the club members are.

Sunday fast ride

I went on the club fast ride on sunday. Four of us turned up: Brian, Graham, Paul and myself. We rode from Hertford out to Ashwell, and cut back down to the A505 at Litlington, past Royston Golf Club and up the hill to Therfield, before crossing to Reed, Barkway and back to Ware down the B1368. We were lucky as although it was cold, it hadn't been a hard frost overnight, and unlike the rest of the country there was no snow. Also this time the pace was about right for me (15 mph ave) unlike last time where it was too fast (17-18 mph ave) - fast Tony wasn't with us this week. So I was at the upper end of my limit pushing myself most of the way especially going up hill but not too slow that I was slowing the group down (although Brian and Graham can easily go faster without trying). The main thing was that we had a 5 min food stop just after Litlington and that was it. So we did 50 miles in 3 hours 20 mins and I was home just after 1pm. I really enjoyed the ride, even though I was struggling a bit on the old A10 back from High Cross to Ware and was dropped by the others. And that's it for the year as next week is the christmas lunch, then family take over for school holidays. All in all I have cycled over 2200 miles this year and feel loads better for it. My bike did need a new casette and chain as the old ones had worn out. So now roll on 2011...

Great Dunmow and the rain

Sunday saw the return of a normal club run. I rode out to Much Hadham for the start and joined six or seven others for a ride north to Little Hadham, turning right up a steep hill towards Farnham, then across to Stansted (village not the airport), Elsenham, Broxted, Little Eaton and down to Great Dunmow and the Tea Tree cafe for some tea and cake. During the stop it started to rain, so I decided to join Peter and Brian for a faster, direct return to Ware along the old A120 to the M11 roundabout and then along the A120 to Puckeridge and the old A10 down to Ware 23 miles in about 90 mins. A good workout but we got very wet.

Speed Judging Competition

Last Sunday (7th Nov) was the speed judging competition. We met up in Hertford and had a gentle ride to Epping Green. Then we did a 4.5 mile lap first in one direction and then in the other direction and the closest to their own time won. As you can see I came fifth, and that it was not about going round in the fastest time, as Peter, Jason and Josh could all beat me easily in a time trial.

Pos Name Anti-clockwise clockwise time diff. (sec)
1st Pete 18.51 18.40 - 0.11
2nd Jason 16.51 17.05 + 0.14
3rd Bob 17.13 17.30 + 0.17
4th Josh 20.51 21.09 + 0.18
5th Me 15.39 16.10 + 0.31

My strategy was to go as fast as I could, both as practice and because I reckoned it was the easiest way to judge my times on both laps. I was pleased with both the times and the difference, though was surprised that the other guys could judge it so well.
After the race, I rode home back to Ware in time for a late lunch.

End of summertime audax

Met up with Jason, Brian and Josh at Ware College, then Graham and Pete at Hertford North en route to Stevenage Fairlands Valley Park for the End of Summertime audax - 60 miles to Saffron Walden and back. After a group photo on the start line we set off in Group F, and headed east out of Stevenage via Aston up to Bennington where I fell behind. I knew the roads through Dane End, the Mundons and Buntingford over one final hill to Hare Street and the first checkpoint. 15 miles in about an hour. We all set off together again for a fast and flatish section east to Clavering, Newport and up to Saffron Walden with a couple of nasty hills just before Saffron Walden where I slowed up again. We were still keeping good time, 30 miles in 2 hours. At the checkpoint we had our own snacks and had a brief stop. Section 3 over to Barkway, Reed and Therfield seemed to be all uphill for most of the 15 miles, so I struggled, running out of energy and not enjoying the drizzly weather. The guys waited for me at one tricky junction to make sure I didn't go the wrong way, but still left me standing on the next hill. At the cafe stop we had a proper break -tea, flapjack and chocolate cake and a 20 minute sit down which i really needed. Off we set again all together and I managed to keep up more or less as it was flatter and more downhill than the previous section. Graham and Josh pulled ahead and then Jason had a flat. After a two min rest, I cycled on alone, at Peter's suggestion and they caught me in Weston a few miles down the road. I followed the group back into the maze that is the Stevenage cycle paths back to Fairlands Valley Park arriving at 15:43 - 5 hours 20 mins for 60 miles plus stops. Graham and Josh were waiting in the cafe, both looking a bit cold, and wanting to go home, so a brief stop - bottle of coke - adn we all set off for home via Watton and Hertford. We rode pretty fast in a line (ave 17 mph) along the smooth fast roads, dropping Peter at Hertford north. I peeled off at Chadwell in Ware and walked up Middleton road back home.
Photos from Stevenage CTC - I am on picture 063

Mini-indoor triathlon

I had a go at this month's challenge in the gym, a mini-indoor triathlon: 1.75km running, 7 km cycling and 1.5km on the rowing machine. Total time 31:10. I haven't used a treadmill in over 8 years, so was pleased with the running bit at 9 mins 34 secs. The cycling machines are uncomfortable compared to a bike, as the saddle is huge and the position is very upright, but I did 7k in 14 mins 10 at a very high cadence (over 100). The rowing was hard after the running and cycling, and as I was out of practice too, I did 1500 m in 6 min 25.

It took a while to recover and at least that has set me a target to try to beat perhaps next week....

Fast club run to Royston Garden Centre

So I thought I would try the fast club run, ~60 miles up towards Royston Garden Centre (actually in Shepreth near Royston). We set of at a fast pace and I was struggling right from the start. However coming to Datchworth, Peter W had a flat so we all got a breather. His mechanical problems took longer than normal to fix, so the first group of 6 set off with me included. I held on until after Watton at Stone, when I just could not keep the pace up the rolling undulations (small hills to me which slowed me right down). I went on my own thinking the second group would catch me sooner or later, but at Cromer (15 miles in) I was ready to peel off and go home. After phoning Peter, he persuaded me to carry on so I did and went reasonably well carrying on northwards and was caught by Josh just coming into Ashwell (21 miles). Peter had more mechanical trouble, so Josh and I cycled to Shepreth and the garden centre (33 miles) where we stopped for a sandwich and a drink, met up with Sarah and after 10-15 mins, Pete and Michelle joined us. It had felt quite a hard ride into a light but cold north wind all of the way. Refreshed we headed back towards home along the B1368 (fowlmere, barkway, braughing, puckeridge and along the old A10 back to Ware). Michelle and Josh left me standing, but Pete and Sarah stayed with me until Sarah peeled off home, leaving Pete and I. Pete had run out of spare inner tubes so as well as being generous to ride slower with me, he was also covering his need for a spare. Unfortunately for him, we split at Thundridge so he could ride back to Hertford and me to Ware, and he got a flat shortly afterwards, limping home trying to avoid damage to his tyre and wheel. I had forgotten how hard a 60 mile ride can be when you are not in top form. Still it is good preparation for the end of summer ride from Stevenage to Saffron Walden on 31st October in 2 weeks time.

One major milestone was that I passed 2000 miles today on my bike since Jan 31st!!!

Digswell Hill Climb

Today was the end of season hill climb up New Road, Digswell over a distance of 0.98 mile. So I had a go and did it in 4 mins 44 secs. I was quite disappointed with this time at first as I was quite a bit slower than the majority of riders. On reflection though, it is my first year of cycling and to help me go faster up hills I need to improve on two things - tactics of going up this hill (which gear and how fast to pedal in different bits) and more importantly, losing another 5 or 6 kg over the winter...

back in the gym

So after a summer on a bike it's time to get back inside again now the weather has turned. Also two colleagues are on a fitness boom, so I joined them for a short burst similar in style to my spring programme - 5 mins warm up on a bike, 2000 m on the rowing machine (8 mins 14 sec) a few weights and stretches then out. I could tell I had not been on the rowing machine for a while as I was 25 seconds slower than my best time from april/may... Ah well, back next week

End of season time trial - scrubbers

Today was the return of the 81" restricted gear event, with a prize on offer to anyone who hadn't raced in any of the club time trials during the summer season. I was not eligible for this competition as I had done one official time trial in April after also doing the start of season restricted gear event in March. So today I rode 31 mins 05 seconds on the Cole Green circuit. I was the slowest of the entries. But all is not lost as I had ridden the course in April in 34 mins 15 secs with all gears available and 36 mins 57 secs in a 72" restricted gear event in March. So effectively I was nearly six minutes faster on the same course from back in March when I did my first time trial. Not a bad improvement for my first year of propoer cycling! ROll on next March with targets to beat this year's times and perhaps crack 30 mins....

Link to 2010 club time trial results

Just for the record, Tony won the scrubbers brush trophy with a time of 26 mins 42 sec and Brian was the fastest with a time of 25 mins 27 secs

Marshalling the club race

On a cold sunday morning, I cycled to Hertford to meet Peter en route to Whitwell to spend 3 1/2 hours standing at a T-junction marshalling a club 70 mile race (for category 2, 3 and 4 riders). It was a tough ride into a head wind for 15 miles to Whitwell, and it was bitterly cold standing around, but Alex and Graham were good company. Luckily the rain held off until the journey home when it started raining just before Hertford. But the wind was behind me riding home, taking 10 mins of the time taken, and I arrived home just in time for lunch.

Sunday ride

Went for a 60 mile ride stopping at the Dunstable Downs visitor centre after 30 miles and 2 and a half hours riding. The visitor centre is 776ft above sea level (according one of the rider's GPS) i.e. at the top of a long hill. But the views were spectacular on a clear and sunny day. Alex lead the ride which was a good mixture of fast flats and some hills into a headwind going west. The ride home was more direct and faster taking our average from 13.8 for the first 30 miles to 14.7 for the return leg, partly down to the sprint from Digswell to Panshanger hill. Everyone enjoyed the day out and thanks to the fast return, I was home 45 mins ahead of my expected time. Later I was able to take the kids to the soft play where they were the only two in the centre as it was the last hour before closing (but they needed to run around).

Sunday tea ride

I went on the sunday tea ride to Braughing. It was a very gentle ride for just over an hour to Braughing Village Hall where they hold sunday tea in the church hall . The aim of these rides is to invite potential new members of the Herts Wheelers to come along for a gentle ride. After an hour in the church hall we set off back for Ware, but I then left the group and cycled home faster (a good way to work off the piece of cake!)

Autumn riding

Summer is over and the wednesday evening club rides have finished. I went out on my own this week on Wednesday though to do some cycling after 3 weeks off while we had been away. It was good to get out and do nearly 20 miles again, up the old A10, across to Standon then Much Hadham before heading home. I got home by 8 pm just as it was starting to get dark. So farewell the long summer nights for another year.

Sunday Morning

Going on the 50 mile club run today after missing the last few sunday rides. I have been able to go on the Wed evening rides though, so not completely out of shape. Weather looks ok - hopefully it will get a bit brighter later on.

First bike ride along the towpath

We took Elisenda onto the towpath for the first time on her bike. We had Sofia in the trailer behind me and cycled half way to Hertford before turning around. Eli did really well, and next time we should make it all the way to Hertford and back.

Club runs

Went out on Wednesday on an evening club run. I wan't enjoying it, it rained a bit, and I just wasn't in the best frame of mind. Then at the top of the hill near whitehill golf clubwhile riding at the back of the group, I skidded a bit in the wet, and managed to get into the hedge at the side of the road, rather than fall off. So after a moment to regain composure, I went slowly down the hill to find that the group had gone on. I guessed which way (out of 3 possible options) and chose the wrong one, so ended up cycling to Puckeridge and down the old A10 back to Ware. Brian did phone later to see that I was ok which was nice.

On Thursday however, with a group of mainly new club cyclists and Brian, we rode to Brickendon and were shown round the 9.3 mile time trial circuit before having a go. It was windy and the course is hilly. I set off first and as I got going I aimed to complete in less than 30 mins and try not to be overtaken. I finished in 30.52 which was ok, and was taken 200m from the end of the circuit by Nick, the fastest rider who set off last and rode it in 25 mins, which again I was happy with. All was well in my cycling world again

On Sunday (today), I joined the regular club run - Ware to Clavering lakes this time (52 miles). Good weather, feeling ok, and a good ride. There was someone from work who used to do the wed night cycle rides and had never ridden this distance before so was suffering a bit on the way home. In the last bit I tried to chase a breakaway, which was fun, and then with Josh and another (Steve I think) we rode fast to get home to Ware as I had to get back to take the girls to the Plastic Duck Race on the river as part of the Ware Carnival. That too was fun.

Wednesday Club Run

Brian Hill led us on a good 25 mile club run this evening on roads that I haven't been on before - out to St Margarets to Wideford, over to Perry Green and on to Standon, before heading back to Ware. Got back home to see the last 20 mins of the Spain-Germany semi-final. Didn't feel too many after effects from sunday's 150k audax, though I noted that on the Tour de France they took 3hrs 45 mins to do 153k whereas I took 8 hrs 30 mins (including rest stops)...

4 Counties 150k Audax

I went on the Herts Wheelers 150k audax yesterday which took in 4 counties - Herts, Beds, Cambridgeshire and Essex. It was a warm, sunny but windy day so I set off with the factor 30 on. I rode as part of a group of 5 club members (Peter, Jason, Brian, Alex and me), and was doing ok for the first bit, although I was feeling it after not having ridden for two weeks since Paris. As usual, come the half way point, no one really wanted to eat much, but we did stop a little while later to buy sandwiches from a shell garage. So by 70 miles I was in trouble finding it hard to keep up with the fast pace of the group. I was nursed into the 80 mile control, where I got a drink and had a snack. The others raced off, and I rode in the last 15 miles at my own pace, coming in at 5:30 pm and then having a celebratory lager in the Greyhound pub afterwards.

news article

turns out that it is a busy news week in Ware - what with the festival coming up etc., so my debut in the local newspaper was either postponed or dropped. C'est la vie. Looking forward to the Herts Wheeler's audax on sunday and am aiming to do 150k which should be ok given I have had 2 week's rest effectively owing to other committments preventing me from biking since I got back.

Local News

I was interviewed on Monday by the local newspaper, the Hertford Mercury, which comes out once a week on thursdays. Peter set up the call as he put in Herts Wheelers reports every week and mentioned that I had done the ride. The article made a few people smile - especially as I am described as 'A Man from Ware...'. I will have to buy the print edition tomorrow.

http://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hertfordshire/Ware-man-raises-1500-in-London-to-Paris-bike-ride.htm


Ware man raises £1,500 in London to Paris bike ride
By Ciaran Gold
A MAN from Ware raised more than £1,500 for charity after cycling more than 300 miles in four days from London to Paris.
Richard Henderson, 43, of Little Acres, set off on his gruelling bike ride from Blackheath Common at 7am on Wednesday June 16, arriving in the French capital on the afternoon of Saturday June 19.
He raised the money for Cruse Bereavement Care, as his father Kevin has been a volunteer there for more than 40 years.
In preparation for cycling more than 80 miles a day, Richard trained with the Herts Wheelers Cycling Club for five months, spending every Sunday on the road, losing a stone in the process.
He said: "I don’t think I would have been able to do it with all the help and guidance I got from the club.
"I had never ridden more than 20 miles before, just doing some gentle cycling in the summer after getting my bike for free through a cycle to work scheme.
"But I have wanted to something like this for a long time and starting to cycle to work a few years ago encouraged me to do it."
Richard’s first day took him to Dover, which he said was far busier than France in terms of traffic.
The next three days cycling through France he had a north-easterly tailwind winding down country roads, passing the great cemeteries and battlefields of the two world wars before finishing near the Effiel Tower in Paris.
He said: "The most hairy moment was getting off the ferry at Calais. The winds were very strong and blustery but it soon blowing from behind us."
Richard had been firmly bitten by the cycling bug and hopes to do more endurance cycles, family commitments permitting.

Cycled to and from Harlow on thursday - first time back on the bike since Paris. Was good to get going again, though only doing 8 miles in the morning and 8 miles back at the end of the day hardly gave me time to warm up.

London to Paris training and ride Jan to June 2010

June 21st: Back at work...

June 20th - Day 5: After breakfast, I went into Paris for a wander along by the Opera, Louvre and back up to the Champs Elysee. I had lunch near the Musee D'Orsay before heading back to the hotel to get my bag. I met up with a couple of folk and we took the number 42 bus from Balard all the way to the Gare du Nord passing most of the sights. A great way to end the trip, as it was cold, and trying to rain. For most of the trip, you wouldn't have thought it was june, which perhaps was a bonus. We didn't get rained on, we didn't get sunburned either. We just got cold when we stopped for breaks. The 4 days were excellent and really worth while doing all those preparations for as I was able to enjoy the cycling and the company of the other 76 riders. I got home by 8:30 after having to go to Welwyn on the train (engineering works on the hertford north line), and asleep by 10.

June 19th - Day 4: Usual routine, 6:30 wake up, breakfast at 7 and setting off by 8am. A good flat 10 to 15 miles to warm up and then a nice big hill up to the water stop at 20 miles. It was a fast run to and early lunch through some lovely straight road in the forest of Dermenonville before heading near Charles de Gaulle airport and then down into the suburbs of Paris (av 15 mph). At that point the traffic and traffic lights slowed us down. The suburbs seemed to go on a long while but then we hit the Seine near St. Denis. I missed the turning, so instead of going more or less due south to the finish (we were told it was a park), I followed the Seine (adding rougly 5 miles to my route) and ended up in the Bois de Boulogne near a boating lake. So I phoned to find out where the finish actually was (Parc Monceau) and asked for directions "just go around the Etoile (Arc de Triomphe) and down Avenue Wagram and you should find it" . So I did. I went out of the park and up Avenue Foch and 3/4 round the Arc de T which wasn't as scary as you would expect, before finding the finish point a few mins later. A celebratory beer was had, and after about an hour, we were given yellow t-shirts for those who didn't have their own one, and off we set (extremely slowly) to ride back up Avenue Wagram, round the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs Elysee before peeling off to the Champs du Mars in front of the Eiffel Tower for the official finish. After a few photos, we cycled a few miles to the Hotel Pullman for a cup of bubbly, to hand over our bikes and off to rest, and change for the celebration meal that evening. The next door bar was clued in as he had a live band on and came into the dinner to invite us all over....

June 18th - Day 3: This was a fast day with only a couple of hills. We set off through the battlefields of WW1 and passed numerous cemetaries and a beautiful viewpoint overlooking the Somme. After this, the countryside got a little dull, but the route was fast all day (ave 15.8 mph). Arrived at the lunch stop early, where it was cold and windy, so a group of faster riders skipped lunch as they were cold and wanted to head on. After the water stop, I made one wrong turn and found myself going up a longish climb to meet 3 others who had made the same mistake and were working out how to get back on the route. The bonus was we were able to go down a fast road down hill (38 mph) straight and clear. Sadly this meant another short sharp climb back onto the route and a pleasant ride down into Compiegne where the hotel was a long way from the centre of town. After supper, someone organised taxis and most people went into town (the Shamrock bar) for the England/Algeria match. Fortunately the company was a lot better than the football. We struggled to get home as the one taxi stopped his day around 10:30, but someone persuaded a local bar owner to become a taxi for the evening, so he made a tidy profit doing 4 or 5 runs out to the hotel.

June 17th - Day 2: Alarm call 6:30, breakfast at 7, briefing at 7:45 and on the road by 8am, through Calais and onto Ardres with the wind behind us. A flat first hour before climbing out of Ardres into a forest (not the route of the Ardres 100k) for a water stop at 22 miles. I rode the next 30 mile section mainly on my own through nice roads, some good down hills and long up hills, through some villages I recognised from our visit in May. It felt quite warm and so i drank loads. Several people were catching the sun. It was a good 22 miles til the water stop with one long hill in between but mainly riding along a valley. After the water stop it was a 10 mile run into Arras where I arrived by 3:45 (ave 13.2 mph) before taking 15 mins to find the hotel. After a shower and a rest I joined some folks on a terrace bar for a beer before supper at 7pm. The last rider made it in by 6:45pm.

June 16th - Day 1: Arrived at the hotel, walked to get some cash, then settled down for a nervous night's sleep. Alarm call at 5 am and down to breakfast for 5:30 am. Final preparations and then down to get my bike from the storage room, and register on Blackheath Common. We set off just before 7 am after a team briefing, heading west towards Dartford (7:48am). The first stop was at 20 miles around 8:30am after a steep hill. Another 30 miles before the lunch stop arriving at 10:40. We ended up having an hour long break as we had to wait 30 mins for lunch to be laid out. The next section was not so nice, with some long and steep hills. Also the cross wind from the north was picking up. There was one big hill before the final water stop at 64 miles. We left with the words 'only sixteen miles to Dover' in our ears and into two very steep and very nasty hills. The second one beat me and I had to walk for two mins. Then back on the bike and rolled into Dover arriving at 2:30 (Regent St Car park, ave speed 13.7mph). A few of us arrived at a similar time, and we went to the White Horse pub, where we could take our bikes and sit in the beer garden protected from the wind to wait for the rendez-vous time of 4pm. The last person rolled in around 4:15 and finally we rode the couple of miles to the docks, to wait for Sea France to give us our tickets, and then round to the dockside and the passenger services for a coffee and sandwich before boarding around 6 pm. Supper and snooze on the ferry before disembarking into a very strong wind in Calais, Fortunately once we were out of the harbour, the wind was with us for the 5 miles to the Holiday Inn in Coquelles. Shower and bed.

June 15th: I go to the hotel tonight ready for an early start tomorrow - meeting at 6:30 am. I am taking a pen and paper to make notes at the end of each day and will update this after I get back sometime next week.

June 7th: On the advice of friends from the Herts Wheelers, I did a very gentle 30 min ride this evening as a recovery ride from yesterday's 100 miles. I may go out one more time at the weekend for something a little longer, but basically that's it until next week. I have cycled just under 1000 miles since January when I signed up for this challenge.

June 6th: Completed the Norwich 100 today. We started at 7:10 in fresh but dry weather heading north west out of Norwich to the coast, doing the first 40 miles at a very fast pace. I suffered for this in the middle coastline section (Sheringham to Sea Palling, 45-70 miles) but we had a break so I could stretch, closely followed by Mark having a puncture and then the obligatory june hail storm arrived when we were 200 metres from the 75 mile feedstop, and the heavens opened. So we stopped. After 10 mins or so and some food, I was re-energised and we raced back for the last 25 miles in a shower at first but with the wind behind us, stopping briefly after 15 miles to take off the rain coats and arriving into sunny Norwich at 2:30 pm (6 hours 10 mins of cycling time). I left Mark's house at 4 pm heading back home into the really heavy thunderstorm just as I reached the A11, so all in all we were lucky that the worst weather held off during the day!

June 4th: Off to Norwich tomorrow for the Norwich 100 on Sunday http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-kingdom/norwich/272505268704. First time back in Norwich since 1995 I think, so am looking forward to the trip and catching up with old friends. BBC forecast is for heavy showers though....

June 2nd: A 2 hour ride on a 29 mile circuit with the Herts Wheelers on a June evening that was perfect for cycling. I was given plenty of top tips for Sunday's Norwich 100 event and more importantly what to do on Monday to loosen up.

May 31st: Went on a 32 mile ride on my own on the bank holiday monday afternoon. I did my Ware to Moor End circuit in just under 2 hours (1h 59) which is 10 mis faster than last time I did this route on Easter Monday.

May 26th: Wednesday evening ride and I went with the Herts Wheelers this week. 23 miles in 90 mins or so. A pleasant ride on a cool evening.

May 23rd: Had to miss the wednesday night ride last week, but was able to go on the sunday ride. We started from Tempsford (near Sandy, Beds) and we rode to Grafham Water and back on a 50 mile route. It was very hot and sunny (28°C) so excellent practise for a possible hot few days in June (start is looming - 3 weeks tomorrow I head to london). Also I have now done over 800 miles since January. It's possible that I will have done 1000 before I go to Paris.

May 15th&16th: Herts Wheelers trip to Ardres in France. Got a lift to Dover on Saturday 10am where we gathered at the Docks before cycling onto the ferry. On arrival in Calais, we cycled the 10 miles to Ardres, met up with the two cars, checked in to our accommodation and went out for an evening meal. Next morning, I entered the 100k event along with 7 others from the club (others did shorter runs) on a sunny but slighty windy spring day. We headed south and up hill. We had a pleasant ride for the first 30k and then reached a very steep hill, however there was a food stop at the top. The next 20 k sped by with the wind behind us, some flat terrain followed by a big downhill. Unfortunately when you go down you must come up again, and there was a long slow climb into the wind. After another refreshment stop (60k) we were told there was one more big hill to go before the final refreshment stop. That was a brutal hill - steep climb with hairpin bends, and when we go to the top of that, a slow climb into the wind for another few km. After the 80k refreshments, there was a down followed by a short, very sharp up, and then mainly downhill for the last 20 k back into Ardres. The local hosts were extremely welcoming to their English visitors, and after a good break we cycled back to Calais (into the wind) and the ferry to England, getting home by 10:30 pm.

Click here to see some pictures: http://www.herts-wheelers.org.uk/pics/Ardres/index.htm

May 12th: Didn't go out on Sunday, as I was quite run down still trying to shake off the cold/flu/virus from the middle of April. No one from work was going on a road ride this evening, but the Herts Wheelers were, and 14 of us turned up for a quick 20 miles around the lanes near Ware. Broke through the £1000 target today! Fantastic.

May 5th: Evening ride with the work cycle club. A gentle 20 miles or so to Hertford, Tewin, Datchworth, Dane End, Sacombe and back into Ware via Hertford.

May 3rd: Was picked up at 8 am to drive to High Easter in Essex for the Eastern Counties Cycling Assocation 110 k ride. Typical bank holiday monday weather - sunny, showers, hail and a cold northerly wind. However, the 4 of us from the Herts Wheelers made excellent time to the first check point (33 km) keeping up with the fast speed of the main pack. We continued well through the hilly section until a mile before the second checkpoint (68 km) when disaster struck one of us, Pete, as his gear derailleur broke and he avoided a nasty crash. I rode on to tell Jason who was ahead, and Danny caught up with Pete and started to help. Jason and I came back (after a cup of tea and a sandwich) to continue the help, and Peter limped to the check point nearly an hour later. He had to abandon, the Jason, Danny and I set off at the back of the field by quite a long way. We cycled an extra few miles following a wrong turn, and finally got in just before 5 pm - probably 2 hours later than orignally planned. Still, I got through 75 miles with few problems and was able to manage my energy levels by eating and drinking at the right times - much better than the Stevenage event at the end of March. So I have now done over 600 miles since January.

May 2nd: Went on the Herts Wheelers invitational club run - a shorter ride to allow guests to come along. So we only cycled 27 miles in all and had a long stop at a church hall in Braughing where they do sunday tea and home made cakes all through the summer. Lucky this was in the afternoon as the morning was horrible - well it is a bank holiday weekend after all...

April 30th: After two weeks of being under the weather, I went back into the work gym to have a go on the rowing machine. Although I wanted to have another go at the Boat Race challenge (see April 7th) as I hadn't been able to have a second go for nearly 3 weeks, I only managed 10 mins on the rowing machine completing 2500m. Still my distance on april 7th was in the top 5 so I was very pleased - though its probably a legacy of technique from my rowing days winning over strength and overall fitness of some of the other folk....

April 29th: Went on my first Wednesday night ride last night with the work cycle group. Actually this week there were only two of us, but we did 25 miles in an hour and 45 mins, choosing a couple of particularly nasty hills between Sacombe and High Cross (villages near Ware), but it was good to do some decent cycling again. Also I have now cycled 500 miles since January. I have confirmed my entry for the 100k ride on the Bank Holiday Monday too and received the entry pack for the Norwich 100, so all the plans are coming to fruition....

April 25th: I cycled to Much Hadham for the Club Run, but was not well enough to do the 50 mile ride (I spent 10 - 15 mins coughing and spluttering at the meeting point), so cycled home again - only a 15 mile round trip. However the really heavy downpour cleared the air of pollen and possiblty any volcanic ash, which helped me tremendously.

April 24th: The first bad couple of weeks. First I was away for a couple of days in Switzerland, but was lucky to fly back in the evening before they closed the UK for a week, but then I came down with a heavy cold which has taken over a week to get over. So I haven't been able to go cycling in any of this glorious sunshine. Tomorrow I hope to go on the club run from Much Hadham and get back into the swing of things. However, I have planned a few things in the next six weeks - a 100k from Chelmsford on the bank holiday monday, a 100k near Calais in the middle of May, and I have entered the Norwich 100 mile event on June 6th. Perfect timing before the big day looms on June 16th....

April 11th: Club ride today from Hertford to Hitchin (a circular route which seemeed to take in most of the hills west of the A1). A nice run back where we managed to go down hill some of the time, but got into a bit of a head wind in the final run into Hertford. It was a nice day, but colder than it looked. All in all I did 54 miles.

April 9th: Didn't manage to get into the work gym on friday as I met up with my 'personal coach' instead at lunch time. When I joined the Herts Wheelers cycle club, I was told that there was a member who needed 2 volunteers to coach for 12 weeks so he could complete his level 3 (I think) coaching certification. This was an offer to good to refuse, so the 12 week period starts on Monday and will finish at the end of July. So far I have completed a 'lifestyle audit' and a 'rider profile' to give Steve (for that is his name) an idea of my goals and training history (a pretty slim volume for the last few years at least until January this year). We met up and chatted over lunch and discussed some basics for long distance cycling (don't over-train, make sure I hydrate properly - before, during and after exercise etc.). All good stuff.

April 7th: Back in the gym at work. They are doing a Boat Race rowing challenge in April - how far can you row in 16 mins 19 secs (the boat race record). So today I did 3841m. Will have another go perhaps on Friday.

April 5th: Didn't go on the shorter Herts Wheelers' club run on Easter Sunday - family committments. So I got up and did a 32 mile circuit first thing on monday morning. Fairly nice morning, so first time with only shorts on this year. I rode one of the work wednesday night group's longer rides up through to Standon and Puckeridge, across to Moor Green and Walkern, before heading to Watton-at-Stone and the fast road to Hertford and home by 9:15.

April 1st: In the gym at work today. 10 min warm up on a bike followed by 4000m on the rowing machine. I decided not to do 2000m at full pelt, but to go a bit slower and row for longer just to do something a bit different. Cheered up a lot by the Herts Wheelers email that awarded me the 'ride of the day' in Tuesday night's time trial for such an improvement in my time for the 10 mile time trial (but I still came 4th out of 4). Also the write up for Sunday's audax from Stevenage commented that the 'return was a bit of pig for all" on account of the head wind.

March 30th: I did another club 10 mile time trial on the same course as before (Cole Green - 3 laps). The weather was pretty horrible, windy and rainy, especially on the last bit of each lap coming to a roundabout for Welywn on the A414 into a headwind with the rain in your face. Only 4 people turned up to ride, with the 4th person arriving at the last minute - ruining my chances of coming 3rd ! However, I did it in 34 mins 17 secs - which is 2 1/2 mins faster than a month ago. Success. My feet were frozen by the time I got home and I should have worn my winter gloves not the summer ones which I used on Sunday as the weather has turned again...

March 29th: I could feel the effects of yesterday's 72 mile ride for most of the day at work.

March 28th: I entered the Stevenage Start of Summer Audax event which is a 115 km (72 mile) ride from Stevenage where you have to stop at several check points to get a stamp to prove you have done the ride. On the way out we headed north east and went through the highest point in Hertfordshire (not that high an altitude really), then east over to Clavering and on to Thaxted (36 miles) where we turned back west and rode into a strongish head wind for 20 miles to Great Hormead (55 mile). That was the worst bit, suffering from lack of energy and riding up hills into a head wind was quite sapping. At Great Hormead, there were plenty of refreshments on sale (sandwiches, bananas, cakes, cups of tea) which were essential for the last 17 miles back to Stevenage. I rode the first 36 miles with 2 of the Herts Wheelers (Peter and Jason) but they left me at Thaxted, and I rode with Danny from the Herts Wheelers for these 20 miles and we helped each other up all those hills. On the last leg I followed a couple for most of the way until Whempstead where there were a couple of long hills where they left me behind. I managed to get into Stevenage completing the course in under six and half hours. I was exhausted and had an early night.

March 25th: A quick visit to the gym and the rowing machine (2000m in 7 min 57 but up from level 6 to level 7) and some weights to strengthen my arms and shoulders.

March 22nd: I had an all day meeting in North Mymms training centre, so I cycled the 13 miles from Ware in the morning (1 hour) and 13 miles back again at the end of the day (50 mins - there's more down hills on the way back especially the hill at Essendon). This was the first time I had got on the bike the next day after a long ride the day before, but I felt ok despite having to carry a change of clothes and my laptop on my back, so I felt that I earnt the good lunch provided at the meeting. Thanks to the folks at North Mymms for providing access to changing facilities to enable me to do this.

March 21st: 50 miles with the Herts Wheelers today. Cycling from Ware to Puckeridge where the club run started, then from Puckeridge to Wheathamstead over the next 2 hours or so. It was a sunny day but cool out of the sun. I am learning to judge a bit better how much I need to eat to keep my energy up during the rides (need to buy energy bars for the rides), and I need to buy a second water bottle now it's getting warmer as a I finished my bottle 5 miles before the cafe stop. Three of us came straight back to Hertford and Ware on the way home rather than going to Puckeridge with the main group. The fair was in Hertford today and we had to take the kids to the fair - Dodgems and the big trampoline were the highlights!

March 16th: Back in the gym today. 2000m rowing (7 mins 51 sec - over 10 seconds faster, so I must be getting fitter), followed by more cycling and basic weights for my upper body strength. I got some advice from the instructors that I should also be doing lots of stretches and exercises to strengthen my back muscles. I am sleeping really well most nights now.

March 14th: I ended up cycling 62 miles today. The Herts Wheelers' club run started in Much Hadham aiming for Thaxted (a village north east of Stansted Airport), and that was 48 miles. Plus I cycled to Much Hadham and back home to Ware, adding another 14 miles to the total. The longest I have ever cycled and I felt it on the last seven miles home. It was a nice day but there was a cold head wind from the north west which only really hit us hard just in the last few miles before arrving back in Much Hadham. One of the people suggested I join the Stevenage start of summer audax event on March - "Celebrate the start of summertime on the Ugley-Nasty ride - a classic 115k run to Thaxted and back through the rolling Herts & Essex countryside" - so it looks like I will be retracing my steps in two weeks time but starting from Stevenage and going due east to Much Hadham and on to Thaxted!

March 11th: finally got to the gym this week for my usual rowing (8 mins 2 for 2000m - getting better slowly) and cycling.

March 7th: Competed in my first 10 mile club time trial. It was something called a 72" restricted gear event, which means that you can only use low gears i.e. you have to pedal faster to go faster. The weather was sunny but cold with a head wind for the first hill up. We did 3 laps of a circuit starting at Cole Green in Hertfordshire. I came last with a time of just over 36 mins, but that was not bad really for a first effort. I was however consistent at 12 mins per lap. Later we took the girls for a 2 mile walk near our house on a sunny sunday afternoon.

March 5th: Managed to get a 3rd gym session at work. Same routine: 2000m rowing machine (8 mins 5 secs), shoulder presses and 15 mins cycling up hill programme.

March 3rd: Another gym session at work. I have a quick routine developing - 2000m rowing machine, 20 shoulder presses then 15 mins on the cycling machine (up hill programme).

March 1st: Last week was difficult - my daughter came down with chicken pox, so that meant I worked at home for a couple of days, then it was so miserable and wet on sunday that I did not go cycling. I bought new tyres with more puncture resistance and managed to put them on over the weekend without levers - the course tips worked (though it still took quite some time....). So I went back into the gym and did my rowing (2000m 8min 12sec) shoulder press and cycle machine for 15 mins, to do something again.

Feb 25th: Went to a bike maintenance talk at the cycle club - where I got lots of top tips about basic maintenance to keep me going for the next few months including changing a tyre without using levers to put the tyre back on...

Feb 22nd: Went to the work gym today - 2000m on the rowing machine in 8min 11 sec - a bit faster than before. Also did 15 mins on the cycling machine at level 7. Legs aching tonight after not doing anything for a week....

Feb 15-21st: Half term taking my children to their grandparents in the north east. No training this week. Need to make up for it next week. I did give my dad some sponsorship forms so he can get support from his friends and colleagues.

Feb 14th: A 45 mile ride with the Herts Wheelers starting from Hertford. I got a puncture on the way after about 10 miles, and got some help and top tips on changing inner tubes. The ride was ok apart from one long hilll just before the cafe stop which was hard work. After the stop it was mainly downhill for the last 15 miles which was much better. I need to buy some mud guards for the bike before the next outing.

Feb 9th: Cannot get to the work gym this week as I am too busy, so I used an indoor cycle thing called a turbo trainer (you put your bike on it and the back wheel sits on a roller which provides resistance) before breakfast. 40 mins indoors makes you realise how much free wheeling you do when actually cycling.

Feb 7th: Joined the Herts Wheelers for their sunday ride from Much Hadham to Clavering Lakes. In the end we did 45 miles. I got some help to stop my gears slipping and raised the saddle an inch which made a big difference on the way home. I felt much better this week as it wasn't so cold, and I have done a week's training already. Bad news was that someone took my wing mirror off while we were out cycling, so will have to phone the garage tomorrow to book the car in.

Feb 4th: Lunchtime to the gym at work. 2000m on the rowing machine then 30 mins on a cycle machine. Rowing was a bit better this time.

Feb 3rd: Received an update email about the challenge, restating that although the challenge is classed as 'moderate', the cycling is quite tough especially the first day. Also came with a route and hill map. There are a lot of hills between London and Paris...

Feb 2nd: Went to the gym at work for the first time in 18 months. Spent some time on a cycle machine and then on the rowing machine. I used to be able to row when I was a student. It's much harder now!

Feb 1st: Aching a bit, but not as much as I had expected. Ordered a hat and a bike carrier for the car.

Jan 31st: Joined the Hertfordshire Wheelers for a ride from Hertford to Hitchin and back again. I was quite nervous beforehand, as I haven't cycled since September, so wondered whether I would be able to keep up. However, everyone was very welcoming and the pace wasn't too fast (typically 12-14 mph). When you add the couple of miles from Ware to Hertford, that was almost exactly 40 miles. The back roads were icy, so we rode along the B1000 to Welwyn and then up to Hitchin, stopping in a cafe for refreshments before heading back home. I managed ok, but was slow on the hills, but it was really cold. I had enough layers on, but I need to buy a skull cap to go under the helmet and perhaps some overshoes to keep my feet a bit warmer. When I got home I was absolutely shattered and it took a while to warm up

Jan 30th: Contacted the Hertfordshire Wheelers cycle club to inquire about membership as they are based locally, and have regular Sunday morning rides of about 40 miles or so. Bought some winter cycle gloves.

Jan 29th: Got my information pack about the London - Paris trip with some suggestions for a 20 week training plan. I need to get on the bike as I haven't cycled anywhere since September