Tragic Incident, only 25 years old.

Belgian cyclist Antoine Demoitie has died after a collision with a motorbike during Belgium's Gent-Wevelgem race.

The 25-year-old was hit by the motorbike after several riders came down in a crash as the race passed through northern France.

Demoitie, who was riding for the Wanty-Gobert team, was taken to hospital in Lille but died some time later.

Too many incidents like this seem to be happening in the professional races at the moment. His poor family. 

Great cycling today! 3 seasons in a day.

Back from a brilliant ride today - straight up "The Dumbers". This hill is made all the more difficult because it comes within a mile of leaving home - so no proper warm-up; felt shattered at the top, but did it! Went on to cycle more hills up out of Wincle Valley and then up Gun Hill (the easy side) to Tittesworth Reservoir for flapjack and coffee. Had done about 12 miles at this point, good job I noted it, 'cos after the cafe-stop my Garmin lost the data! AARGH!

So then it was of up The Roaches - couple/three nasty bits, must be approaching 20% in places - but I DID IT! Well pleased with myself! Then home with more climbing; lost my chain just as I was about to hit an uphill bit, average 9% - bit scary as there was a lorry behind me, but managed to unclip in time! THEN.... hail-stones all the way up the hill, NICE - NOT! In my face all the time, fortunately only 2 cars passed me so didn't have to worry about the traffic, just the weather!

The stats for the last 12 miles, including The Roaches:

52.4 % % climbing

29.8 % % flat

17.9 % % downhill

 

52% climbing - felt like it! Heart rate maxed at 170bpm; didn't throw up though! 28 minutes (32% of second half of ride) with HR in Zone 5 - working hard!

ZONE	%HRR	BPM	TIME	% ZONE
Z1	30% - 50%	98 - 120	00:00:07	0%
Z2	50% - 60%	120 - 131	00:07:16	8%
Z3	60% - 70%	131 - 142	00:15:08	17%
Z4	70% - 80%	142 - 153	00:18:24	21%
Z5	80% - 90%	153 - 164	00:28:12	32%
Z6	90% - 110%	164 - 186	00:19:36	22%

So, I had sunshine, cloud and hailstones and baby baa-lambs, some looked to be only a week old; they didn't have the hang of managing their back legs when running, cute!! So autumn, winter and spring in a day! Ace ride!

Jodrell BanK Classic Sportive

Well, what a ride! The wind was gusting 40 miles/hour at times - it always seemed to be in our faces especially when there was a little hill to get up?! I did the ride with a friend from church, Dave - he's training to do an "iron-man" event in September. He has to swim first (don't know how far) and then cycle 112 miles (hence the 80 mile event today) and then run a marathon!! Give me LEJOG any day!!

So, the ride today was 80 miles; mainly flat but with a sting in the tail, hills out of Bollington and Pott Shrigley, short climbs but 15% in places - so cruel to put that in after 70 miles!! Anyway, despite the wind, which meant in places even the flat felt like going uphill, I think we did a good time, 6 hours 40 minutes, waiting to see the official result - who knows may get a bronze level of achievement.

I feel completely shattered now, looking forward to a G&T in celebration followed by sirloin steak and salad, yum, yum!!

EASTER SATURDAY - Jodrell Bank Classic Sportive

Check this out: 80 miles of Easter Saturday entertainment!!

http://jodrellbankclassicsportive2016.blogspot.co.uk/

Will still have to do this with NO COFFEE; Lent doesn't finish till the next day, Easter Sunday. Have been struggling with cravings just recently, not long now..!

At least I won't have to cook my own porridge....

So now I know what it is going to be like on the actual LEJOG. Today I went out with Macclesfield Wheelers and cycled 72 miles..! Had a very early start:

• 6.20 am alarm went off
• 6.30 am snooze button turned off and leapt out of bed!!
• 6.31 am started cooking porridge
• 6.50 am finished eating porridge (got to allow an hour for it to go down BEFORE I start cycling) 
• 6.51 am started getting ready and hung around until time to go (leave the washing up for Geoff)
• 7.45 am set off to start of ride 
• 8.30 am started 100km ride with Macclesfield Wheelers - lovely day, sunshine +++
• 3.45 pm arrived home after ride.

Feeling a bit sleepy now (8.30pm) with aching legs and if it wasn't for "The Night Watchman" on the tele at 9pm I'd probably be in bed by now - especially if I have to get up and do it all again tomorrow!!?? Which I don't, but could be something I need to practise...But, at least I won't have to cook my own breakfast on LEJOG.

Anyway, the ride was good, started off at the back, but after the first cafe stop and an excellent piece of flapjack I managed to cycle near the front for a bit; another cafe stop and it was back to the back!! 

Very pleased with whole experience..

Cav & Wiggo - superb!!

What a race! The Madison, very confusing but awesome stuff, nail-biting when they were going for the "lap". Brilliant viewing, brilliant world champions!

The problem with number crunching.......

Have just worked out that in order to get to a healthy waist:hip ratio i.e. 0.85 (for women) I have to somehow have a waist measuring 29 inches and hips measuring 34 inches!!!  ARRGH! 

You may be wondering where all this interest in numbers and data comes from... well... at university I studied physiology then I went into healthcare - became a nurse; and during my career I spent sometime in Health Screening - so have always had a fascination with health & healthy numbers!!

Girth measurement coming down!!

Exciting news! I have lost 1.5 inches off my waist. Those of you who know me well, know that I am always bemoaning the fact that I do not possess a waist, never have. So to lose 1.5 inches off my girth is a wonderful achievement and to be celebrated - which I did with CHIPS and CHOCOLATE!! What! I hear you cry..... all within my calorie limits for the day I retort!! (Mind you won't be weighing myself for a while just in case!?).

Rest day for me today, which is a good job really, as we've had snow here in Macclesfield,  so I wouldn't have ventured out on the bike  today anyway - I've been out to visit my mum & dad in Romiley and the roads aren't too bad - bit slushy in places.

Have done 2 indoor bike sessions this week (one because of more snow); one was the mammoth 100 minute ride. The computer said I'd used up 845 cals (average watts 125) but as you can't put in your personal details I took that with a huge pinch of salt. Similarly I've just posted my BODY FAT and MUSCLE MASS data which looks OK but have to be wary about results as all sorts of things can affect the outcome e.g. how much water you do or do not drink and I'm sure I read/heard somewhere, how much coffee you drink! So as I am still not drinking coffee for lent maybe my results are pretty accurate - who knows; all you can do is follow the trend. My main aim is to either gain muscle mass or stay the same as I lose weight - certainly don't want to be losing muscle mass - I need that to get me up me the hills - POWER:WEIGHT baby!!

Success - Weight Loss!

Hurray - I've done it!! What? I've broken the 9 stone 3lb barrier! I've been stuck there for what feels like ages - I was 9st 3lb before Christmas and then 9st 3lb plus for most of January & February. But, yesterday I weighed in at 9st 1lb, relief - the "diet" and exercise are working. 

I've put myself on a calorie controlled diet based on my BMR (basal metabolic rate) - which means I can eat 1250 calories/day and then I add whatever I've used up exercising. So, e.g. yesterday I ate 1645 calories and today I can eat an extra 845 calories (!yum!) after the 106 minutes I spent on the exercise  bike today. That doesn't mean that I am pigging out on cake and biscuits, I've also put myself on a "wheatfree" diet - so no cake, bread, pasta, biscuits. So I tend to treat myself to an extra helping of porridge or nuts with dried fruit and seeds. I'm addicted to nuts with raisins - so much so I have to measure it out carefully or the calories would just pile up! 

So v.v. pleased with myself!