This Year is a Year of CHANGE

I keep hearing that phrase. It's kind of true. Things are changing, and ever-moving.

After settling into life as a cycle commuter in a 9/5 job local to me, my job situation went awry, with the (un/fortunate) result of me being back on the job market. The 'nicest commute in the area' is no more.

The change has, however, given me a renewed sense of self, and a desire to 'go-get' and put myself out there to find the next steps of my career, either as a salaryman or as a more free-roaming creative/entrepreneur. For all the faults that job had, it felt like people were more entreprenurial, scrapping at ideas and side-hustling - being among that 24/7 is quite good for you.

Since leaving, I've had some promising 'big career' job leads, but I've also started a course, am building my online portfolio, creating a local flyer for tutoring/services and networking to find 10 small jobs rather than 1 big job. I've also started thinking about my own business ideas too - and, always, my dream of working in something related to cycling. I've started filming (and learning!) to kickstart a YouTube channel, something i've wanted to do for a long-time, mostly held back by lack of confidence.

For now, it's back to enjoying the good weather, and how fortunate I am to have choices and nice bikes. Ciao.

Life Updates / Next Events

I've neglected this for a while - life has been ever-changing, weird and stressful.

After finishing up the Scarborough Shores event (last post) unfortunately I had Covid (which I didn't realise) which turned into a chest-infection, likely due to the sloggy rides I've been doing.

Thinking whatever I had would naturally clear (I have a pretty good immune system and know my body well), I carried on cycling, doing two 100k rides out to Belvior and Melton Mowbray - one as support for a club training ride, and another at a tempo intensity. The days proceeding that I could feel a lot of lethargy, struggling to do most things, and finding my muscles cramping a lot, even with time off the bike. It's been a weird weather season, so I put it down to that and just slacking on nutrition/water intake.

It's taken quite a while to get over it - I've just finished a long course of anti-biotics, although I haven't rested as much as I would like because... I got a new job!

It's a big life change from being a freelancer - I'm now in a 9-5.30 office-based job, local-ish to me in Peterborough. It's a 30-mile round journey, which is fine distance wise and is mixed terrain - fun in the dry, less so when it's been raining and sloppy! I'm finding a balance with it, riding Tues, Weds & Thurs, and car-sharing Monday and Friday. The weeks are tiring. I received a great comment on Komoot from a follower saying that my route is the nicest commute possible around here, so yes, a lucky man.

I'm also bereft of new challenges, rides and events for the future. With work, training for events becomes harder, but i'm determined to get something diarised so I can look forward to something big. Unfortunately the job (with a long-probation) means it's unlikely I'll go cycling abroad this year (again, sob), but next year I'm targeting *something*. I'd love a short trip out to Girona, so i'm going to look into that and see who wants to go.

For now, when i'm not commuting, i'm going to focus on enjoying cycling, feeling good health wise and enjoying the summer while it's here. Over and out.

Delayed Post: Scarborough Shores!

The highlight for June - the Scarborough Shores gravel ride.

Sherwood Forest glorious gravel was tough for loads of reasons - my longest ride on gravel, the weather was all over the place (sweating, hailstones, super early morning start in the car) but this was tough in the opposite way - longer, steeper, and far more solo riding.

I travelled up to Scarborough by train the day before, staying at my friend Will's for the weekend, a good friend and housemate from university. Will was chaffeuring me around, so real luxury for a non-driver! Weather good, no hiccups.

After a very comfortable nights sleep, a prepared breakfast and a drive to the start, I felt pretty refreshed, despite a small niggling cold (which actually turned out to be Covid).

The ride itself - brilliant. I started out riding well within myself to get through the initial blast of the winds along the coast front, before we started climbing into Newby towards Hackness. The route itself started out a fairly half-half mix of road and off-road sections, with a very steep 15% climb after the first feed stop.

After that, we were firmly into mixed off-road terrain (near Low Dalby) towards Langdale End, and onwards towards Whitby. As I set off fairly early at the start, with many 'early' people doing the medium route (and me the long), I ended up riding solo for a lot of miles, enjoying a mixture of the woods, open plains and the moors while also wishing I could sit in a wheel from time to time to take respite from the wind. This section had a cutting headwind which made the ascent and final topping off of an 8-mile gradual climb through the moors tough (and tougher than I hoped!) but satisfying to complete and made the descent (out of the wind) like a warm hug. I hid in the draft of two friends (doing their first Glorious Gravel ride) for a while, before the route turned back towards Scarborough. The view of Robin Hood's Bay was worth the slog for sure!

From there, the route moves along the old Cinder Track (a disused railway track - Moors to Sea route on a map) which was technical in places - both through mud, concaves, dog-walkers and other cyclists.

Once back into the Scarborough New Town, we finished the route with a climb back to the beginning (up Quarry Hill). Many could've done without it - a finish on the beach would've been nice!

We settled for a beer and a hot wrap, a clean shower and then to the pub for the Champions League final. Great weekend.

A Cotswolds Classic Round Up... Next Up, Yorkshire Shores!

May has been a scorcher! It's been a long time since I rode with the fear of sunburn and the smell of suncream all around...

Most of my riding focus for May (and April, to be honest) is on club's second training ride in the Cotswolds. I've never been to the Cotswolds (especially as a non-car driver, it's difficult to get to) so I jumped at the chance of a free trip - the weather was definitely a bonus! The route, starting outside of the Cotswolds in Burton Dassett, took us to the popular town of Broadway, before coming back up through Bourton-On-The-Water. 

What a day. Beautiful views, challenging hills, good company, great coffee - cyclist's live for these days. It was not quite the rolling country I was expecting from pictures (our local Leicestershire rides are far more undulating) or one similar to the Yorkshire Dales ride we did last year, which, despite the high elevations, felt much more relaxed. It was a scorching day, adding to the difficulty, one of my longest days on the bike, definitely my steepest, and to top that off, we ticked off two of the UK's Top 100 climbs. 

What was also great about the route put together was that it left a lot of the South and West of the Cotswolds to explore for another day, so I'll definitely be back, and hopefully with even better fitness and maybe a tent, a book and a gravel bike...

High up in the Cotswolds, with lovely greens and yellows everywhere

A good group of us, some sporting our new club jerseys!

Since the Cotswolds ride I've been giving more love to my Standert and doing some mixed-terrain rides at a slower pace. The next challenge ride (#3 of the year) is the Yorkshire Shores ride up in Scarborough, again with Glorious Gravel. I've opted for the medium route, 84k at just over 1000m of climbing - it'll be similar to the Sherwood Ride, but I aim to relax and enjoy it more - it'll most likely be a hot day! I'm still considering doing the long-version and relaxing more, but will make the call on the day.

Outside of the Scarborough ride, i've also planned a couple of multi-day bikepacking trips, but all dependent on work, money and how much freedom i've got. Happier days.

Summer Is Upon Us...

April is done.

The weather change has been dramatic, to say the least. Saturday and Sunday - wet, gale-force winds, all cyclists sweating away on indoor trainers and in gyms cursing their luck. Come Monday, there's an extra 6c in the air, the gravel bikes are out, and we're on (oddly) dry trails, bibshorts on and arms out. 

In a day it feels like Summer is upon is - insects are out, farm animals are out grazing in force and everything is looking green and lush.

The main excitement for this month has been new kit day - our new club kit has finally arrived! It's such great quality, everything fitting exactly as it should, feels light and the finishing on the bib shorts and arms of the jersey is top notch. It has a great ride feel - one to test out on a long training ride this weekend. There are definitely some improvements in the graphics, but for a first attempt, it's pretty great.

Vibrant and visible - a bee attractor!

Looking forward to a warm May - first weekend, the Cotswolds!

April: Week One Check In

April is the deep breath before the plunge (to quote Gandalf), a slightly odd balancing act, a lot of umm'ing and err'ing on my part with my eye on events in May and June.

After booking a non-cycling related camping two-nighter (for my partners birthday) I've dusted the tent off and started rifling through my bikepacking gear, salivating at the thought of a few wild-camps this month, with my eye on a few spots in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. 

Positively - I'm in good shape. April week one started as a tempo/threshold week, out on fast club and solo rides, which should probably be the flavour of the month - I probably do need to top up the endurance base with some extra gears, with one eye on the Cotswolds and possibly Norway in June. Those are going to be tough days, and the extra push now will likely pay off.

But - I'm tired. Mentally I'm fatigued with my career/future, and the thought of some slow cycling, phone-off, book and a spot in the woods/river would probably do me the world of good. I've got a weekend away at the Grand National with Dad this weekend, which will be a welcome (if not expensive) break from in-sanity. Decisions, decisions.

March - A Mega Month.

March - what a month! After taking winter training quite seriously this year (indoor FTP tests, intervals, and a lot more bike time), last month was the first real test of that. I'm really glad (and slightly relieved) that it stuck - my legs feel good!

The first and main highlight of March was my first gravel sportive, a long-route around Sherwood Forest with Glorious Gravel. It was a good first target for a few reasons - it's local(ish) to me, early enough in the year to encourage solid winter training, a push to get outside on the mucky stuff, and, as a by-product, creating and collecting some valuable routes for a gravel club I am (tentatively) putting together...

Off-piste in the fields, Ketton Quarry in view

Sherwood Forest Recap: After a super-early get-up time and a two hour drive we made it Sherwood. Initial forecasts in the week suggested the weather would be fair with some gusty winds. Well. I wish I owned a Dryrobe. Hailstones, rain, really gusty wind whipping across the field. Fun.

Excited (and chilly) at the start line

The aim was to have a fairly social paced sportive, going with some club members, many who prefer to take it easy and enjoy the views. With it hammering down at the start and very cold, I was really eager to setoff and warm up, but unknown to me, my club friends weren't behind me at all... I cycled on, setting a decent pace (aiming to meet them at the first feed stop), bumping into a chap called Mike, who, I could tell, was of a similar ability to me, and we paired up and got chatting. After a natter we kicked on, setting a great pace and I quickly decided (competitive streak activated...) that I'd race this one, and test myself, rather than wait around. After missing the first feed completely, hitting some CX-type patches and not wanting to stop for coldness, we literally caned it for the first 30 miles. It's hard to summarise the in's-and-out's, but everything about the cycling and route was brilliant - real mixed terrain, very stimulating and technical lines, something I just do not feel road cycling often.

Mike (who I met and paired with for the sportive)

We stopped at the second feed gasping for a coffee, some warmth and respite from the wind. Cafe legs kicked in back on the bike, and with the headwind in our faces again we pushed on pretty hard to to the finish. After picking up our medals, uploading to Strava and demolishing a hot breakfast wrap, it was a quick pack up and leave, which was a shame as the weather stopped the post-race enjoyment, which I'd heard was one of the best parts of a gravel event. Oh well, one goal ticked off the list.

Results: To my complete surprise - I did really well, coming 4th in my category, and only narrowly beaten by second and third place (although the guy in first place put nearly 30mins on me - machine). It's probably a bit arbitrary and silly to put that much credence into being '4th', but it feels like a really good payoff and dedication. As someone who considers themselves relatively new to cycling, and not very good at all, it has really encouraged me to train harder and see what I can achieve. Results really do help, no matter how they present themselves.

Outside of the result, I loved riding my new Standert. I'm so pleased with the way it feels (steel is probably not the obvious choice), with absolutely no issues in terms of speed, comfort and overall ride feel, with a bonus few nice comments about it from other participants making my day. Can't wait to do it again. Recap complete.

Nothing beats official pictures! 

Outside of the Sherwood sportive, the other milestone (and big test of the winter training) was our first structured club training ride, a really lumpy 100k ride at 1200m+. Knowing quite a few of these hills, and struggling up some of them last year on a similar ride, it was a pleasant surprise to really enjoy the day out, feeling strong and not suffering. With a few big days out in late April and May coming up (an Audax in the Peak District and our second club training ride in the Cotswolds), I feel i'm on the right track.

March also saw me complete my first Strava 600k badge; another pleasant surprise. Tick, tick.

Now to look forward to April. The days are longer, the sun is poking its way out more often and its finally warmer, so hopefully a fair few days in shorts and short sleeves and many evening rides in the light.