Having worked pretty hard over the spring and summer, the time has come for a well earned holiday. An opportunity to find some Sun and forget about the abysmal summer we had in the UK. Originally I planned for Espe and I to take a road trip around Belgium, Holland, Germany, France and Spain visiting as many friends as possible. The plan was to be in Valencia for a wedding two weeks into the trip. I had a long list of people and places to visit but due to the lack of money and, more importantly, the lack of a car, I had to abandon this idea a couple of months ago and buy some cheap flights to Spain instead.
Discussing the doomed plan with work colleague Ants, she suggested that I just jump on my bike and disappear for a couple of weeks. I got quite excited by the prospect but then kind of forgot about the idea in amongst the busyness of flat hunting and a move. With less than a week to go until I fly, I figured I’d better look into my options before I end up spending three weeks lying in the sun, reading books and over indulging in great food (not such a bad prospect actually).
Anyway, after spending the evening researching I’ve discovered that I can take my bike on an Easyjet flight for £16. All I need to do is dismantle it and put it in a box. A bit more research showed that there are some good Mountain Bike routes north of Madrid. But… a few routes north of Madrid won’t fill the holiday… What I need is a bigger challenge. Something that I don’t know I’m capable of or not. Something that will let me see rural Spain. Realising that I fly into Madrid and out of Valencia, an idea started to form. Why not cycle from Madrid to Valencia (a mere 350 kilometres), and to make things more interesting, crossing every mountain range I can find on the way?
I have five days to figure it all out and try to make it happen. Watch this space…
Shortly after moving to Bristol, Espe suggested that we take part in the Ashton Court Cancer Research 10k Run. Although I did a fair bit of cross country running at school, I’ve not done any since and never done anything as long as 10km. It may not sound like much, and is positively short compared to the half and full marathons but having completed it, let me tell you, it wasn’t easy.
Along with our race numbers, the bods at Cancer Research gave out dedication banners to be pinned to the t-shirts with the message “I’m running for” and space for you to write a dedication. I’d signed up for this run because it seemed like fun and a good way to get fit. Most of the people running it though, had dedications to people who’d been affected by or had died from cancer. Upon seeing these messages I was struck by how many people had been affected and how most of the people running were doing so for exactly that reason. By raising money for the charity they are furthering research into cancer with the hope of helping the many sufferers out there. I have to admit, seeing so many dedications, a large proportion to Mum or Dad left me quite emotional and for that matter, proud to be taking part in something that will hopefully make a difference to people’s lives.
I had been in training but due to a minor knee injury I’d stopped running, relying on cycling and swimming to stay fit. My recent cycle incident left me in doubt with whether I’d be able to run or not. Fortunately I was but it is amazing how quickly ones level of fitness drops off.
There were about 1000 runners present so setting of from the start line was quite memorable. I was in the first 200 or so to start, and looking back down the hill to see a sea of some 800 blue t-shirts, realising I was part of something pretty big felt good. After running 5km up hill I have to confess I didn’t feel so good… but, driven on by encouragement from the marshals and spectators motivation was not a problem. I was given an extra boost by Rob from our Running Club, who’d come along to cheer on club members. It is surprising how much extra energy one can find when given encouragement. Further drive came from the knowledge that a special marshal was waiting for me at marshal point number 16. Espe was unable to take part in the run due to a knee injury she sustained over the summer, but keen to still be part of the event she volunteered to help out.
After a big hug and some personal encouragement I set of on the second half of the run. Although I was now running on the level I really struggled. I’d set too higher pace going up the hill and was now suffering as a result. I came pretty close to walking pace but just managed to keep running (without others around me I would have given up).
The last two kilometres we down hill, but once again I couldn’t run too fast, inhibited by a stitch caused by drinking too much water during the cheesy group aerobic warm up that my ego just wouldn’t let me join in with. Coming round a corner about 1km from the finish, though, I felt incredible, all the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
Coming round the last corner, a chap in a yellow t-shirt passed me. We’d been passing each other for the whole run, as we each had highs and lows, but as he came past me this close to the finish I thought I wouldn’t stand for that. I picked up my pace to pass him, but he had a different idea. As we gradually picked up our pace to full on sprint, passing about 15 people in the last 100 metres we raced to the finish, pushing harder and harder I was amazed how much more I had left in me, only because I really wanted to beat this guy. A good friend, Natalie, always said I was massively competitive and I think she is right… I beat him.
One in three people are touched by cancer (i.e. someone close to them affected) while one in four are touched fatally by cancer. Giving this some thought, I’ve not been touched by it, but one of my best friends father’s was, who sadly passed away last year. Thoughts still with you Sir.
Cancer Research carry out, erm, research to improve the understanding of cancer and find out how to prevent, diagnose and treat different kinds of cancer. This research has shown that the solution is as much about prevention as a cure.
At the time of writing, I’d raised £95 for Cancer Research. A huge thank you to those who have sponsored me. I hope to increase upon that with your help. If you’ve taken the time to read this then I ask you please to donate some money to Cancer Research. Even if it is as little as £2, it will make a difference to the work they are doing…
A good friend from childhood coffee mornings / Halfords / faffing about with cars came over to visit me in Bristol the weekend before last. As someone who was always into mountain biking we jumped onto the bikes and headed up into Ashton Court and Leigh Woods to have a go on the purpose built trails. Halfway up the hill to Ashton Court I realised that I’d forgotten my helmet and my gloves and I remember thinking, today will typically be the day I need them.
We were blessed with beautiful weather and the trails were the driest I’ve seen them allowing one to forget about lethally slippery roots and rocks. We were out for a good three hours, sustained by H30 isotonic drinks and protien bars (no apologies for the plugs commercial plugs), and a fantastic three hours it was, gradually building the confidence and pushing more with quite a few airborne moments. This Mountain Biking lark is great fun and I recommend you give it a try.
After a quick sightseeing visit to Clifton Suspension Bridge we planned to pop down to Aldi to buy some beers and then head over to Adam’s for a barbecue, which would have been a perfect finish to a great day.
Riding down the hill from the bridge (at quite probably the fasted speed I’ve ever been on a push bike) I started braking to take the left onto the tow path. These Hydraulic disk brakes on my Cube are phenomenal allowing me to scrub off immense speeds very quickly. Unfortunately, Anthony behind, didn’t have disk brakes and wasn’t able to scrub off so much speed, rapidly closing on me,and thinking that I was slowing down to follow the road right, he went to my left to avoid me just as I turned left…
Our handlebars collided, both both bikes turned right, and not for the first time that day we were both airborne, but this time out off control and without the bikes. We both hit the ground pretty hard. Anthony coming off at a greater speed than me, bent his thumb back, hurt his wrist and ripped of lots of skin off his hip, shoulder, arm and back. My back was fine as my rucksack protected me, but I was much the same on my knee, hip, elbow, shoulder and… erm my head.
With my right arm in rather a lot of pain and swelling up rapidly, as time went by every movement became more painful. We decided to head on up to the Hospital to get it checked out. After a lot of waiting around I got given a sling, x rayed and finally seen by a Doctor. She told me, thankfully, that there was no fractures or breakage, but it was badly sprained / bruised. She cleaned up my wounds and then put two staples into my head to help that wound heel. Standard practice apparently.
The head wound hadn’t hurt that much, and seemed minor compared to my arm, but on going to the nurse to have the staples removed, what should have been a five minute job, turned into a three hour affair involving a lot of pain, more blood, nitrous oxide and anesthetic injections into the scalp…
If there is one thing I’ve learnt from this, it is not to forget your cycle helmet!
