A Good Education!

The cold snap brought with it some sunny dry weather this week so the decision was easy to make to start some commuting on the bike again and to use the Giant while the Cube has its mucky parts replace after the cyclo-cross season.
The first commute gave me the oppurtunity to take the long route home and enjoy the sunshine.
The second was done over the shortest distance possible. I am curtrently doing the 5:2 diet(fasting on 2 days a week) and this was one of my fast days. Not easy but not quite as hard as I'd thought making the 24 mile round trip on a bowl of soup midday.
Anyway its all good practice for three weeks of commuting everyday while the school competes again in the Sustrans Big Pedal for three weeks. Crosshouse were the champions of Scotland last year and 3rd in the whole of the UK so here's hoping for even better results this time around. Also have two trvale plan conferences coming up where I get to showcase the fab cycling that has been happening in my school to local authorities in my area. All Good Education!
The Longer Commute
The Normal Commute

Sunday Dash

Nipped out for a quick 30 miles today. Took the opportunity to go on the road bike being that it was sunny and dry.
I need to start getting the longer miles in though. Further every week from now on!
Sunday Dash

Ready to Rock

Got the carbon machine ready for the road season today complete with new ultegra pedals and giro shoes.
Maybe new wheels soon?

Dirty Video

Here's a couple of video shots my dad took of me at Scottish Champs. One where I sneak in behind everyone from last place at the start and one where I am in last place thanks to a broken set of bike bits.

Scottish Cyclocross Championships

So the Scottish Championships postponed from December finally got going on Sunday. Snow and freezing temperatures made for some lovely conditions under wheel. On the second last lap the rear  hanger jammed up with mud and through the dérailleur into the wheel so a half lap of running ensued before making the transition to the spare Carrera mountain bike. It isn't the trustiest of steeds but it helped me complete the last lap to come 30th in the Scottish championships (out of 33).
So the CX season is over now and its back to taking 2000 calories and burning them slowly over 100 miles in 5 hours as opposed to taking the same calories and burning them frantically over 6 or 7 arduous laps in 1 hour.
More Shots of The Day

False Dawn?

So I headed out this morning for the 3rd attempt at starting my training this year. the two previous attempts were curtailed by illness and injury (and another round of antibiotics).
I headed up the big hill out of Galston. If I expect to conquer the Honnister,Whinlatter and Hardknott passes in April all on the one day I need all the hill training I can get.
I cant afford another false dawn. I am unfit, overweight, just over a sinus infection and carrying 3 or 4 niggling muscle strains.
Grim stuff aside it was a grand day, if cold, to be out and got 30 miles in including a stop at walkerts cycling where new shoes were purchased.....ssshhhh! dont tell the wife.
Well its of to the Chris Hoy velodrome tonight for the revolution series.A much warmer affair!
Todays loop with shop stop