Week 12 - A very valuable lesson - the taste of victory is often shortlived

Forgive me readers for I have sinned, it has been four weeks since my last update! I'd like to tell you it's because I've been too busy transforming myself into the next Mark Cavendish......but alas.....holidays, work trips, choir appearances and visits from family have all got in the way.

In short, too much of this:-

And not enough of this:-

And to say I'm now slightly panicked is an under statement. This time in 11 weeks, all being well I will be waking up in Paris.....no doubt with a very sore bottom......and if this is to become a reality, I need to get said bottom back on that bike and start some serious training. 11 weeks, blimey, that's less than 3 months, in fact only 2 more pay days for you lovely lot to hit that donate button - and for me to get all my kit I need - and believe me, each time I go out with experienced cyclists, my shopping list gets longer and longer - it's not a cheap business this cycling lark!

Anyway, I've got lots to update you on about my travels over the last few weeks - but that will come later this week (along with some very cool pictures of cycling in South Africa) but today I want to tell you about my experience yesterday - the first time back in my saddle for four weeks. If you read my last post or have chatted to me over the last few weeks you will know and be totally bored by my bleating about my cleats and will know that my first try did not go well.........so with all the worry I've built this up into a HUGE thing - they are no longer a tool to aid my cycling they have been invented to break me, ruin my confidence and basically put my life at risk. I have completely demonised them in my head & am dreading getting back on the bike.

So my debate is - do I go to the park on Saturday and try and get the hang of this pedal malarky, thus losing valuable mileage or do I just bite the bullet and get on with it. The alarm goes off at 6.30am on Saturday morning & I have the usual devil/angel internal chat in my head "you don't need to go out this early - have a lie in, do it tomorrow" counteracted by "get up, go out, you only have 11 weeks left" in the end the voices are so loud, either way, I'm not going back to sleep so I may as well get up & go out.

Meeting up with the guys from Big Foot Big Club in Hayes, I knew I had made the right choice, Sandra our leader for the morning was fantastic and full of lots of useful pointers and tips about riding my bike better. Riding with more experienced riders than myself means I pick up so much more than just going out and pootling around on my own. Within 30 minutes of the ride, I'd learnt the reason why my back light falls off at the slightest bump (it's placed too close to the reflector, which needs to be taken off) & the reason my hips ache all the time (my saddle was set too low), plus helpful tips about the cleats & lots of encouragement. Mind you, when I told them I was planning to cycle to Paris in July - I can't say the looks on their faces filled me with confidence - but never mind!

Cycling along the beautiful country lanes of Kent & the North Downs with the sun shining, I realised that I have been stupid to miss all this and if I put the hours in over the next few weeks - Paris could even be enjoyable. The ride was allegedly flat......I beg to differ......again what I class as a hill is apparently an "undulation", having experienced 3 miles of undulations, the guy in front of me shouts behind him "it sounds like Thomas the Tank Engine is behind me" no it's just Gill who has been enjoying the marlboro lights again on her four weeks off - better get back on those nicotine lozengers.

Yes I struggled, and yes I did notice I had had four weeks off, but blimey did I enjoy it, and riding back home with only half a mile back to the cafe for a well earned coffee and cake, I actually started to feel confident in the cleats - what had I been worrying about? this was easy, on a complete high I started to congratulate myself and started composing the victorious blog post I was going to write to you all that very afternoon. Yes I stopped concentrating on the job in hand and allowed my mind to wander. My biggest worry about the cleats had been, if it hurt so much when I fell off in the park, what was it going to be like if I fell off at speed...........I was doing about 10-15 mph when I took my mind off the cycling and decided that after all I was Mark Cavendish and could do a little victorious bike wiggle - my bike didn't like it and decided to let me know who was boss again - I can't honestly tell you what happened, but all of a sudden it was like my handlebars had turned to rubber and I was no longer in control, the next thing I was in the middle of the road on the floor with two lovely guys who were riding with me helping me up and a Renault Clio emergency stopping across the road to stop the traffic (whoever that driver was - thank you, you were amazing!) - everyone was fantastic, I got up dusted myself off, no real harm done - just a little bit of a mashed elbow and a dented ego (again). My biggest concern was actually had I ripped my lovely gore cycling top (no - phew!)

Whilst falling off is never pleasant, all I can say is, it's so much better to do it in a group than on your own, the other cyclists are watching out for you, they help you & look out for the dangers (oncoming traffic) that you couldn't do by yourself. They also offer encouragement and help you get back on, and yes this morning, I ache a little, but it didn't ruin my enjoyment & has just made me even more determined to become better & fitter for next time........so it's out again this afternoon to get in those all important hours in the saddle - I'll let you know how it goes!