Training Log Archive: bradc

Back a bit fragile after yesterday - this helped. Ready to brave Tesco, now.

Family cycle/Elliptigo to Doune. Not so very long ago this would have taken all day, involved countless strops, tears and recrimination. But I'm much better behaved these days.

Carron Valley Compact Circular - clockwise.

Gorgeous route on a gorgeous morning - smashing to be breezing along on a bike in such glorious sunshine! All the car parks mobbed along the valley. And several cycle packs out... not the best...

Legs fine and knee OK (minor grumbling started a bit after the 60km mark) but my back was the limiting factor as always, despite the relaxed pace. Had to stop a couple of times to stump around on my feet for a few minutes to relieve the aching. Old git! But it's still worth it!

Milk run.

12yr old Bottomless Pit has drunk us dry again, so I had to go to the shop. Accidentally turned right at the bottom of the hill instead of left, so it was a slightly indirect route. Whoops. Legs on backwards, but what a morning to be out and about.

C • LOL! That's a serious detour for milk :-) 2

Back in the good ol' days, I had been heard to say that "mountain biking is a good hill run spoiled". That was as much a reflection of the paucity of my MTB skills as it was of my hill fitness. I did have the brute force to at least partially ameliorate my failure of finesse, but it was all much more fun on two feet than it was on two wheels.

With the intervening years of long-term injury and increasing decrepitude having completely robbed me of the ability and the opportunity to frolic on my feet over the fells, it stands to reason that my MTB mastery would have miraculously improved to fill the void. Alas, as today proved, that is not so. I am still totally sh*t. Armed, however, with over-confidence and the new normal of unreasonable denial of facts, I read Roger's write up of his recent ride, focussing on the words "great views" and "worth it" whilst ignoring the more awkward "tough" and "walking". As usual, reality is a b!tch.

It was a long slog up the nebulous track from the farm to the top of Glentye Hill. Any half-decent, moderately powerful MTB'er would have had a fair go at cycling it; I can boast neither description, and resigned myself to a push early on. Oh well, at least I got some time in the hills on my feet. And the descent on the wee sheep trod off Glentye Hill was very jolly, if distressingly short after all the uphill effort.

Duty bound as I am, in Boris' Britain, to be undaunted by the harsh reality of facts, I shall declare this short test of my eyesight (sorry, MTB prowess) to be an uncompromised success, and will carry on regardless. Those skillz are going to suddenly materialise. I'll have to Stay Alert for when they do.

Tour for All 2020: Stage 2 Longer Ride - "Rolling hills".
Final "make-up" ride - Tour now complete, all 5 stages ticked off with this last (short) one. Not much fun today; legs tired, and there were so few folk about that it was impossible to get any sort of group going. Oh well, the other rides have been mostly good craic and gave me something to target. Next.

Tour for All 2020: Stage 1 Longer Ride, 2x Tempus Fugit. Flat & steady = no broken knee (I hope). Nice wee group at just the right easy pace.

Wee spin out on a glorious summer's evening, very easy.

Morning ramble. Knee too cr*p to cycle. Muddy! Veg has suddenly got high, too, some of these paths will become overgrown soon...

Weights