Cycling

[Matt Cycle]

It was one of those glorious early Autumn days we sometimes get but I was busy this morning so didn't manage to get out until this afternoon for a blast into Cheshire. I headed towards Byley and Knutsford. It was sunny, dry and warm (but not too hot) - perfect conditions. No mists but plenty of mellow fruitfulness with blackberries in the hedgerows and overhanging apple trees and damsons in gardens bending with the fruit. Loads of wildlife in the country lanes - including rabbits, squirrels , butterflies - seemingly oblivious of my presence until I was almost upon them. Saw a bird of prey as well (not sure what type - if it was a kestrel I'm not sure if Billy Casper knows but make sure that b**tard Jud keeps away 😉) - it was probably eyeing up the rabbits. Make the most of it as the light was just starting to drop slightly on my return at 5.30. 🙄 All in all though it was just a great day to be out. 🙂

Strava has it as 60.9 miles completed at an average speed of 15.4mph and elevation gain of 2000 feet.

Swapped over to Tresiba last week so there have been a few adjustments with that. Plus I've still got a bit of a cold which has been messing with my levels (I'm blaming @Northerner at the Birmingham meet because no-one at work or in my family has it 😉). However I invoked rule 5 of the cycling rules - (MTFU ).

Levels using the Libre were fairly steady throughout the ride between 7 and 10 mmol/l (no 10 mile spike on this one) and I returned on 6.2 mmol/l. So fairly pleased with that. I had my powdered energy drink in my bottle, malt loaf and 3 gels.

Gawsworth


Looking towards Bosley - light just starting to drop


Garmin stats - (average speed, distance and moving time) - there are sometimes rounding errors of 0.1 miles or mph compared to Strava

 

[HOBIE]

Once again good nos Matt & pickies 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

Once again good nos Matt & pickies 🙂

Thanks Hobie. I noticed it's just over a year since I started this thread. I've checked on Strava and in that time I've done 2850 miles which sounds a lot but isn't really - it works out at just under 8 miles a day. I only tend to get out once or twice a week and missed some at the end of last year due to bad weather. So number of rides in that time is 57 which works out at an average 50 miles per ride.

 

[Marsbartoastie]

Lovely light touch with the prose Matt...you've come over all lyrical. I always enjoy your reports and look forward to many more. Now that the days are closing in take care to make yourself highly visible when you're out on your trusty steed.

 

[Matt Cycle]

I spent yesterday cutting the hedges (hopefully for the last time this year) and mowing the lawns in very nice weather. This morning was cooler and wet - a complete contrast 🙄. It started however to brighten up before another load of showers came through. I finally got out this afternoon for a ride but because of the time I had to make it a shorter, quick one (2.5 hours) so headed on one of my usual routes into Cheshire. Almost half way round I could see dark clouds appearing and I got caught in a shower where I had to shelter under a tree. I put my rain jacket on but decided not to risk any further wet weather and headed back but it started to dry out and I arrived home in sunshine. 🙄 Hopefully we haven't seen the last of any pleasant Autumn days.

Strava shows it as 37.9 miles at an average speed of 15.7mph and elevation gain of nearly 1700 feet.

I spent part of yesterday cleaning and lubing my bike. After today's wet roads I'll have to do it all again. 🙄

I'm back on the strips as the Libre sensor ran out last week so levels were as follows - at start 10.3 mmol/l, after 11 miles 6.9 mmol/l, after 25 miles 8.0 mmol/l, after 30 miles 5.4 mmol/l and after 35 miles 6.6 mmol/l. Back home it was 7.6 mmol/l. I had one gel and my powdered energy drink. So, all in all, not too bad.

Sun shining down on Rudyard lake


Here's what the Garmin says

 

[HOBIE]

Well done ! I don't bother with the weather forecast now its a joke !

 

[Matt Cycle]

Now, after a BBC article last week regarding unhealthy lifestyles in which 'diabetics' were mentioned and which generated some discussion on this very forum I decided to redress the balance so I ditched the chip butties for the day (could have done with them actually 😉), put the woodbines and cans of special brew to one side and decided to haul my huge 66kg, 6' 1" frame around the highways and byways of Cheshire. 😉

(Actually as you may have guessed some of the information in the last para was not exactly correct - yes, they were actually capstan full strength not woodbines ).

Onto more believable matters and the ride itself - the weather was great with warm sunshine but an Autumnal chill in the air. Still fine wearing shorts and with the weather like it was loads of riders out and about. I headed to Byley and then to Knutsford before returning. Perfect day for riding and helps take my mind off other things.

Strava has given the ride as 69.2 miles at an average speed of 15.0 mph and elevation gain of just under 2200 feet.

No Libre at the moment so still on the strips and the levels behaved themselves as follows: started at 6.1 mmol/l, at 12 miles 6.6 mmol/l, at 22 miles 5.9 mmol/l, at 32 miles 7.1 mmol/l, at 46 miles 6.3 mmol/l, at 57 miles 4.0 mmol/l, at 62 miles 5.7 mmol/l, at 66 miles 6.7 mmol/l and on return 7.5 mmol/l. Had a fair bit on this one - energy drink I'd made in the bottle, 4 gels, energy/protein bar and malt loaf.

Loads of what I think are geese at a glorious Tatton Park



Here's what the Garmin said

 

[Northerner]

Good stuff Matt 🙂 Shorts and tshirt OK for me today. I managed to warm up fairly quickly, except for my hands, so it might be gloves next week! 😱

 

[HOBIE]

Good numbers Matt. Like the stuff about the woodbines

 

[Matt Cycle]

Similar weather to last Sunday, dry and warm-ish in the sun but a bit chillier in the shade and I headed up in the big hills of the Staffordshire and Derbyshire Peak District - White Peak country. I went through Ilam, Hartington, Sheen, Longnor and Flash. Definitely cool up on the tops even in the sun and quite hard work with all those hills. I had long sleeved base layer, short sleeved jersey and shorts on but the time for tights may be coming soon. 🙄

I didn't feel 100% on this ride but still always enjoy getting out.

Strava has it as 48.2 miles at an average speed of 13.2mph and elevation gain of just under 4000 feet.

Levels behaved themselves again as follows: at start 8.4 mmol/l, at 10 miles 8.5 mmol/l, at 16 miles 7.1 mmol/l, at 25 miles 5.5 mmol/l, at 30 miles 8.6 mmol/l, at 37 miles 8.0 mmol/l, at 44 miles 6.4 mmol/l and on return 4.9 mmol/l. Had powdered energy drink, 2 slices malt loaf and 2 gels. Stopped at Flash Bar Stores for a latte. 🙂

Barn near Alstonefield


Looking back on the road towards Alstonefield


Sheen, nice views but took the shine off me as it's another climb to get there 🙄


Garmin stats

 

[Matt Cycle]

Heavy rain this morning and early afternoon so I decided to sit it out and watch on TV the men's road world championships in the searing heat of Doha, Qatar. Mark Cavendish was unlucky and just missed out on the title and got silver. The race was won by Peter Sagan of Slovakia for the second year in a row. After the race finished it had dried up outside but by that time it meant I could only go out for a short ride. I headed to Gawsworth in Cheshire and it felt quite pleasant in the late afternoon sun - although the wind was quite strong. However, it's still shorts weather at the moment. 🙂

Strava stats are 28.4 miles completed at an average speed of 15.8mph and elevation gain of just over 1400 feet.

I treated myself to a new helmet last week, reduced in price from Wiggle as my existing one was showing it's age - the new one is more aero so I'm expecting faster times. 🙄🙄🙄

Levels as follows: at start 9.4 mmol/l, at 12 miles 9.4 mmol/l, at 20 miles 5.3 mmol/l, at 25 miles 7.0 mmol/l and on return 7.1 mmol/l. I had most of my energy drink and a gel.

Photo opportunities were limited so I'm afraid you'll have to put up with another one of Rudyard Lake. 🙄


Here's the Garmin

 

[Northerner]

Rain was torrential here too Matt, so had to delay my run for a couple of hours. I don't mind a bit of rain, but not that much! Unfortunately, I had lost my enthusiasm by the time it slowed down, so just did a short, but quite quick 3 miler! 🙂

I saw the end of the race too - I still don't really understand it, I must admit - all that way, all those riders, all for it to end with just 3 or 4 people deemed to have a chance of winning and then it gets decided in the blink of an eye! What??? 🙄

 

[HOBIE]

25mile is very good ! Its that new Skid lid (always put mine on). Did we have a summer ? It seems that long ago

 

[Matt Cycle]

Rain was torrential here too Matt, so had to delay my run for a couple of hours. I don't mind a bit of rain, but not that much! Unfortunately, I had lost my enthusiasm by the time it slowed down, so just did a short, but quite quick 3 miler! 🙂

I saw the end of the race too - I still don't really understand it, I must admit - all that way, all those riders, all for it to end with just 3 or 4 people deemed to have a chance of winning and then it gets decided in the blink of an eye! What??? 🙄

It does get very tactical. It's like the TdF, each team has a principal rider and the rest of the team supports that rider. The one who wins the general classification (GC) has to be very good at all disciplines - flat stages, mountain stages, time trial stages but doesn't have to be the best at any of them. The world road race today was a flat course which would favour the sprinters. GB has one of the best in Mark Cavendish and it's the same for most teams they would have one or two sprinters who if they 'deliver' them at the finish then the sprinter has an excellent chance of winning. It's down to build really, sprinters are usually powerfully built and climbers are light but not always. Obviously they all have to get around the course to be in with a chance anyway. The team would have been picked to suit the course. The problem with today's race for some was the early splits in the groups of riders with little chance then of them getting back. Unfortunately for them, the German sprinters missed out on the leading group and the two Belgians in the German group were neutralising any attacks from the Germans by not supporting them to protect the Belgians in the leading group. We only had two GB riders in the leading group in Mark Cavendish and Adam Blythe as the others also got separated. It was fascinating to watch - like a game of chess. At one point in the desert part they were averaging nearly 40mph. 😱

Good news as well as the 2019 road world championships are to be held in Yorkshire. As well as the mens and womens elite races, they have junior races, time trials and under 23 races. Starts are to be held in North, South and West Yorkshire. Champion.

 

[Northerner]

I think that's probably where I go wrong - thinking of it as an individual rather than a team event - thanks for the explanation Matt 🙂 Saw the news about 2019, my niece will be chuffed! 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

Right, here we go again. A ride out into Cheshire this afternoon and another 100km+ ride. The ride included Byley, Middlewich and Knutsford. It definitely felt Autumnal with a chill in the air and a cool wind although it was sunny at times. First outing for the bibtights and I'm glad I wore them as it felt quite cold on the way back. Top half I had my long sleeved base layer with short sleeved jersey over the top and my top half started to get a bit cold.

Strava has it as 67.1 miles completed at an average speed of 15.1mph and elevation gain of over 2000 feet.

Levels, ah yes, levels. Well it started at 7.6 mmol/l, after 11 miles 11.9 mmol/l, after 20 miles 9.3 mmol/l, 30 miles 5.6 mmol/l, 35 miles 4.4 mmol/l, 40 miles 5.1 mmol/l, 47 miles 5.7 mmol/l, 59 miles 4.6 mmol/l and back home 6.1 mmol/l. A few lows there bearing in mind I'm trying to aim for between 7 and 10 mmol/l. I was shovelling gels in like they were going out of fashion and in the end had had 7 gels, glucogel, energy drink and malt loaf. The cooler weather will have played a part as I need more to eat when it gets colder and my basal adjustments to the Tresiba must have been out this morning but as it's already in me I can't reduce it like a pump.....or it could just be one of those things. 🙄 I knew it was colder though as I had to stop twice for a comfort break at the side of the road otherwise known as a p*ss stop.

If you want to get involved in endurance exercise and you're a Type 1 diabetic - don’t let anyone try and make you believe you can’t. Give it a go because we’re Type 1 and we’re special. 🙂

Forever Autumn near Allostock


Sun going down, not far from home at Rudyard


Now just to prove that I'm not always that slow. This is the Garmin at 25 miles near Byley showing a 17.7mph average. And no, it wasn't all downhill to get there.


This is the Garmin at the end, well the low blood sugars were slowing me down and it was a long way. 😉

 

[HOBIE]

Did you not have ya ganzzy on Matt ? Was cool here ! Many miles again & well done 😎

 

[Matt Cycle]

Did you not have ya ganzzy on Matt ? Was cool here ! Many miles again & well done 😎

Could have done with one. It was chuffing freezing when I got back.

 

[Northerner]

If you want to get involved in endurance exercise and you're a Type 1 diabetic - don’t let anyone try and make you believe you can’t. Give it a go because we’re Type 1 and we’re special. 🙂

I wouldn't argue with that! 🙂 10.4 mile run for me, 1:33:32 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

I wouldn't argue with that! 🙂 10.4 mile run for me, 1:33:32 🙂

I've telled thi befoer, get thissen a bike. 😉 My average at 25 miles works out at 3:24 per mile - undulating terrain with a few hills with some traffic to negotiate but even at the end the average comes in at under 4 minute miles. Think I overcooked it a bit though on that first 25.