Cycling

[Northerner]

You're one more Robin. Other than @HOBIE and @Northerner and Alan has to read everything. 😉 I usually try and put a few photos in to make it interesting (and when I'm taking them it gives me time to check my blood and have a rest 😉). Definitely need to invest in a new phone at some point though.

There are some threads I enjoy reading Matt, and this is one of them! 🙂 Always a great, positive post, with pictures of countryside I am most envious of 🙂 I've often toyed with the idea of getting a Go Pro (action camera) so I could post some of the sights from my running, but I suspect the novelty would wear off within minutes (if not sooner! 😱)

Keep up the good work in 2017, stay fit and healthy 🙂 3,000 miles is fabulous, and yes, it is inspiring 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

There are some threads I enjoy reading Matt, and this is one of them! 🙂 Always a great, positive post, with pictures of countryside I am most envious of 🙂 I've often toyed with the idea of getting a Go Pro (action camera) so I could post some of the sights from my running, but I suspect the novelty would wear off within minutes (if not sooner! 😱)

Keep up the good work in 2017, stay fit and healthy 🙂 3,000 miles is fabulous, and yes, it is inspiring 🙂

Thanks Alan. The weather has been reasonably kind in 2016 and I've managed to get out almost every week throughout the year. Know what you mean about Go Pro and the novelty factor. Thought about one myself but battery life only seems to be around 1 to 2 hours. I'd then have to edit it all. Not sure I've got the time and patience to do it and they're not cheap. 🙄

 

[HOBIE]

I have done coast to coast 3 times & what a sense of achievement it is. c2c is the hardest but you know you have climbed so many feet in a day. Sea level to whatever ? Hadrian's wall is flatter but lots to see & I am a "Boarder Reviver"

 

[Matt Cycle]

I have done coast to coast 3 times & what a sense of achievement it is. c2c is the hardest but you know you have climbed so many feet in a day. Sea level to whatever ? Hadrian's wall is flatter but lots to see & I am a "Boarder Reviver"

Well done! The classic C2C is St Bee's Head to Robin Hood's Bay but I've been searching through possible routes for a while and saw an organised one run every year from Seascale to Whitby (150 miles). I prefer to do my own thing so thought I could 'borrow' their route and add on St Bee's and Robin Hood's Bay (an extra 17 or so miles). After delving into it it seems the person who organises that event is T1 himself and offers free entry to T1's without the pressure of sponsorship that these events usually require. It's booked up for 2017 but I may have a think about that one for 2018. It does however include both the Hardknott and Wrynose passes in the Lake District!! Both have gradients of over 30% (1 in 3) in places. A lot of people would struggle to walk up them never mind cycling. 😱 Luckily they're towards the start of the ride.

http://www.opencycling.com/coast-to-coast-in-a-day/type1.php

 

[Radders]

Well done! The classic C2C is St Bee's Head to Robin Hood's Bay but I've been searching through possible routes for a while and saw an organised one run every year from Seascale to Whitby (150 miles). I prefer to do my own thing so thought I could 'borrow' their route and add on St Bee's and Robin Hood's Bay (an extra 17 or so miles). After delving into it it seems the person who organises that event is T1 himself and offers free entry to T1's without the pressure of sponsorship that these events usually require. It's booked up for 2017 but I may have a think about that one for 2018. It does however include both the Hardknott and Wrynose passes in the Lake District!! Both have gradients of over 30% (1 in 3) in places. A lot of people would struggle to walk up them never mind cycling. 😱 Luckily they're towards the start of the ride.

http://www.opencycling.com/coast-to-coast-in-a-day/type1.php

We used to do Hardknott &Wrynose on motorbikes in my uni days and some of us struggled: if you have to stop for a sheep or something you have to slip the clutch something chronic to get going again! Can't imagine being able to cycle up those, and down would be even more scary.

 

[Matt Cycle]

We used to do Hardknott &Wrynose on motorbikes in my uni days and some of us struggled: if you have to stop for a sheep or something you have to slip the clutch something chronic to get going again! Can't imagine being able to cycle up those, and down would be even more scary.

I've read accounts of people doing it - following cars and the smell of burning clutches. It looks fairly brutal on google streetview and that doesn't always give the same sense of perspective. 😱

 

[Northerner]

Well done! The classic C2C is St Bee's Head to Robin Hood's Bay but I've been searching through possible routes for a while and saw an organised one run every year from Seascale to Whitby (150 miles). I prefer to do my own thing so thought I could 'borrow' their route and add on St Bee's and Robin Hood's Bay (an extra 17 or so miles). After delving into it it seems the person who organises that event is T1 himself and offers free entry to T1's without the pressure of sponsorship that these events usually require. It's booked up for 2017 but I may have a think about that one for 2018. It does however include both the Hardknott and Wrynose passes in the Lake District!! Both have gradients of over 30% (1 in 3) in places. A lot of people would struggle to walk up them never mind cycling. 😱 Luckily they're towards the start of the ride.

http://www.opencycling.com/coast-to-coast-in-a-day/type1.php

That would be a fabulous achievement Matt! 😱 I've walked Hardknott and Wrynose and it was very hard work! Good to have them near the start - as long as they don't wear you out for the rest of the way! 🙂

 

[HOBIE]

We used to do Hardknott &Wrynose on motorbikes in my uni days and some of us struggled: if you have to stop for a sheep or something you have to slip the clutch something chronic to get going again! Can't imagine being able to cycle up those, and down would be even more scary.

I have done those passes on my Motorbike, A 1200cc BMW GS & I am tippytoes its that high .

 

[Matt Cycle]

First ride of the year and I decided to head for the hills this afternoon for a shorter ride. Although I had full winter gear on it was absolutely freezing and at one point my head started to ache from the cold. Patches of ice across the roads made conditions difficult as well - had to take it steady. At on point I got off to wheel my bike on a country lane past a whole sheet of ice caused by field run off! Let's just say it was er, bracing. I went on a reverse loop and headed through Thorncliffe and up to Flash before returning through Hollinsclough and Longnor.

Strava has it as 28.3 miles completed at a rather steady 12.2mph and elevation gain of just over 2800 feet.

Levels as follows: at the start 6.7 mmol/l (had a few top up biscuits), then using the Libre it was hovering around 8 and 9 before shooting up into the teens 😱, I did a blood test and it showed 9.3 mmol/l 🙄. I'm not sure if the cold was affecting it. I then struggled to get blood results because of the cold although the Libre was showing high teens. On return the blood result was 10.0 mmol/l. A bit high but should drop over the next few hours. Not sure what was going on with those really. It was shorter ride and I didn't have anything to eat. Overdoing it with the biscuits at the start/ liver dump? Oh, I know - it's diabetes!!

Looking towards the Roaches from Morridge (I'm heading towards the right and following the road around for the photo below)


Looking back towards the Roaches


Garmin stats

 

[Northerner]

Glad I did my run yesterday when it was a bit warmer! 😱 🙂 Beautiful pictures Matt 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

To quote Steeleye Span it was a misty, moisty morning. Damp in the air that turned into drizzle but it wasn't cold. I headed to Tatton Park at Knutsford for a 100+km ride. I came back via Congleton and over Biddulph Moor. The drizzle eased off and towards the end the sun made an appearance. The bike definitely needs a clean. Surprisingly, considering the damp conditions I saw plenty of other riders - possible new years resolutions after the excesses of Christmas?

Strava stats are 63.4 miles completed at an average speed of 14.2mph and elevation gain of just under 2600 feet.

Bit disappointed with the average speed as at the half way stage at Tatton Park it was 16.1mph. Struggled a bit on the way back - the climb up Biddulph Moor is hard work but I'm blaming the diabetes. Well, if you've got a poor time just blame the diabetes. 😉 I can't wait for the pump now as I'm just finding it incredibly difficult sometimes trying to successfully manage exercise like this using a 24 hour injected basal (Tresiba). The Levemir was no different. For me when it works it's more luck than anything and there doesn't seem to be any pattern to it. It's not just on the ride there's all the hours afterwards as well that are affected. Anyone using pens to control your diabetes and wishing to exercise then I certainly don't want to put you off as it is more than possible as I've been doing for 30 years but it just takes a bit of planning.

Levels as follows: (all blood as the Libre sensor finished earlier today), at start 5.2 mmol/l (had a couple of biscuits), at 11 miles 9.6 mmol/l, at 20 miles 8.1 mmol/l, at 30 miles 8.2 mmol/l, at 41 miles 6.3 mmol/l, at 46 miles 3.8 mmol/l (that was the reason I was going so slow 😉), at 51 miles 7.9 mmol/l, at 56 miles 6.6 mmol/l, at 60 miles 4.1 mmol/l and back home 6.2 mmol/l. On the ride I had energy/protein bar, malt loaf and 3 gels.

Jodrell Bank radio telescope in the mist


On the climb up to Biddulph Moor


Enveloping mist returned right at the end near Rudyard (wasn't as dark as it appears in this photo)


The Garmin

 

[Rhapsody]

Well I can't compete with you cyclists but I'm looking forward to getting our exercise bike on Saturday. Also just finished an NHS exercise class lasting 5 weeks which has done my back some good, just need to muster the enthusiasm to carry on. Been losing around 1lb a week but went on a downward slope over Christmas. Haven't been on the scales since ..... Hope the New Year has started off on a good note for you all.

 

[Matt Cycle]

Well I can't compete with you cyclists but I'm looking forward to getting our exercise bike on Saturday. Also just finished an NHS exercise class lasting 5 weeks which has done my back some good, just need to muster the enthusiasm to carry on. Been losing around 1lb a week but went on a downward slope over Christmas. Haven't been on the scales since ..... Hope the New Year has started off on a good note for you all.

Good for you Rhapsody. Get some music playing or something to watch on the TV or tablet when you're on your exercise bike. Hope the weight comes off. 🙂 New Year is going okay for me and I'm up to 91 miles after 2 rides. I don't need to lose any weight though, there would be nothing left!

 

[HOBIE]

Well done Matt. Good pickies again. It sounded cool the post before last. Slippy is no fun even if you had 4 wheels.

 

[Rhapsody]

Good for you Rhapsody. Get some music playing or something to watch on the TV or tablet when you're on your exercise bike. Hope the weight comes off. 🙂 New Year is going okay for me and I'm up to 91 miles after 2 rides. I don't need to lose any weight though, there would be nothing left!

Had a good day yesterday, climbed on the scales and bingo, lost 2lbs this week so feeling on the upward slope again. Won't be hitting the carbs this week so hope for another result. Also managed to do 5km on the exercise bike and hope to keep building up every day. BS been a little erratic though and just can't get it down to where I would like to be. Think I need to see a dietician, All this reading of carbs on the packets and figuring out which to follow is seriously doing my head in!

 

[HOBIE]

Had a good day yesterday, climbed on the scales and bingo, lost 2lbs this week so feeling on the upward slope again. Won't be hitting the carbs this week so hope for another result. Also managed to do 5km on the exercise bike and hope to keep building up every day. BS been a little erratic though and just can't get it down to where I would like to be. Think I need to see a dietician, All this reading of carbs on the packets and figuring out which to follow is seriously doing my head in!

Keep going Rhapsody ! I always go LOW carbs if possible. Less damage ! Keep them legs moving 🙂

 

[Matt Cycle]

As it's my birthday I booked the day off work and took a ride out. With it all being perfectly legal and above board I thought I'd visit one of those erm, 'establishments' and treat missen to a nice tart. Anyway, after visiting such a place I actually ended up with a reyt pudding.

Yes, as most of you will have gathered I took a trip into the Peak District to the popular market town of Bakewell to the sample the famous Bakewell pudding. Very nice it was too and couldn't be further from your Mr Kipling rubbish. As to what the rest of you were thinking of, I'll never know. 😉

The weather was misty with damp in the air and occasional drizzle but no rain. Very murky conditions. Bakewell and back means hills so it was a tough ride but good to get out especially as I didn't get out at the weekend.

Strava has it as 50.5 miles completed at an average speed of 12.8mph and elevation gain (not surprisingly) a rather large 4400 feet.

Levels as follows: at start 7.4 mmol/l, at 10 miles 9.8 mmol/l, at 28 miles 6.2 mmol/l, at 35 miles 4.7 mmol/l, at 42 miles 5.6 mmol/l, at 47 miles 8.4 mmol/l and back home 9.2 mmol/l. Must have overdone the gels but the effects of the ride will have an impact on bg over the next few hours and through the night. On the ride I had the Bakewell pudding, energy/protein bar, 4 gels.

The old original Bakewell pudding shop (funny that as there another one around the corner that also sells original Bakewell puddings) - the phone camera makes it look like the window has caved in. 🙄


Part way through the pudding - yum yum


Patches of snow from last week still around higher up. This is near Longnor.


Garmin stats

 

[Robin]

Must have overdone the gels

Are you sure it wasn't the pudding?
Happy birthday, anyway!

 

[Matt Cycle]

Thanks Robin. 🙂 Don't think it was the pudding. They came in small, medium and large. The large was huge but I was very tempted by the medium but played it safe with the small. Plenty of climbing back out of Bakewell to home and didn't fancy a lot of it sitting in my stomach, nice as it was.

 

[Lindarose]

Happy Birthday Matt. Good idea to have a day off work 🙂. The shop looks very quaint.