The wall.....

Had felt I had hit a wall riding wise but the last few weeks of longer riding is starting to make a difference and the weight loss is starting to kick in again. The downside of having OA and riding more is the swelling after and that I don't rest much really but I really want to move forward.....

 Have had some great riding lately locally thanks to dry dusty trails with a few groups of mates and have really pushed my switchback and descending technique. Riding the bamboo regularly has now brought some new found confidence and made the wall at Swinley feel easy peasy! The bamboo angle is slacker and has totally changed my riding for the better. The bonus of all this is more comfy clothing becoming looser too :0)

Have planned an all day loop this week as I have some well deserved holiday time, a short ride Wed and a medium ride Sat too....there may be a Southern XC entry on Sunday if I'm not working just to get a race in really,as the next race is AYTE in July after travelling back from Scotland on the train the night before not the best race prep but hey I'm not an athlete! 

The photo are courtesy of Claire Conway Birds on bikes

Upping the riding

Apparently summers here...I did get a brief glimpse on Sunday, have to really start pushing the amount of riding up, although learnt my lesson about tiredness and illness now. Worked all night at work on Wed then decided in my wisdom to ride Thurs daytime on a single speed chasing my mate Kevin up to Swinley and back.It was nice to be a shown a different way up but was hanging on my coat tails on the 29er single speed on Swinleys fast trails they're great fun but I can see how many get caught out crashing at speed, sleep deprived and seeing stars I called it a day at just under 30 miles.

I have also joined 2 sites Birds on Bikes on Facebook and Totalwomenscycling.com to get me out a bit more with the ladies, and turned up at a Surrey Hills ride on Sunday laden with cold , damn those hills are brutal when wheezing but so worth it, really loving Summer Lightening its been yonks since I've ridden it. Most people say rest is the best medicine but I say no pain no gain and it was great to get the bamboo bike out for the dry season although I've heard enough wood and panda jokes to last me a lifetime! I'm still not 100% but the opportunity of night riding tonight is there and as its such a rarity I've gotta grab it! 

Let the good times roll...

Exciting times coming up..Back from sunny Kos with a tan but an extra kilo of personal baggage due to all that lovely food! I have vowed to get bike motivated and have squeezed in 2 single speed rides on the 29er...it's given me a real want for my own 29er or 650b! In the meantime I have joined a couple of women riding groups to get me out more and am planning to meet some new riding buddy's on Thur after my night shift how motivated is that!

All paid up for 3 races now so best get riding, the Bamboo  bike is ready to ride and very kindly Bamboo have agreed to let me be a team rider, I have sparkling new kit, which I would love to show you but am waiting for the photos and a press release eeeekkk! I'm feeling pretty nervous that I need to improve my riding now so fingers crossed. Also got the great news I have a selection interview to work as a medic at the commonwealth games I am super excited ! Looking forward to my Swinley ride on Thurs then totalwomenscycling.com group ride at surrey hills on Sunday!

Holidays....

Thought I would use the above title as I feel like I've had a hols from cycling lately with gulp....other commitments and trying new things (and the minor fact we are off to Kos next week)

Have been out with Jay a couple of times and enjoyed a long swinley ride boy the trails are fast good fun but already have braking bumps?! On a professional level at work I have seen the negative of Swinley lots with some nasty fractures and dislocations.....People check your speed and look up there as its faster than you think!

So I went to the darkside and did some off road running and assault course at the brill Henfold
Lakes Dorking talk about black and blue but I loved it and now want to deco build up my off road running bravery here is a sample of me and the work gang who were all troopers. Was really chuffed at the gym got a surprise award for doing so well, and I finally broke 80 kg am now 77kg whoop whoop. Planning to run on my hols hopefully then start preparing for AYTE in July, Torq 12 in Aug and maybe the Nuts Challenge in Sept..... And on a signing out note my poor son has a broken collar bone a real bikers injury bless him but no bikes involved yet he's far too young lol will get a picky of his X-ray for him I'm a very proud mum of my brave soldier

time management...or should it be lack of??

things hve been a bit hectic now my very mobile toddler is wanting to do things constantly, I have managed to ride a bit but it takes the precision planning of an army major!! Did try out a bit of Swinley with the phillipino boys recently but it was bloody freezing and full of slush with the temp at least 0 degrees so found it hard to enjoy a 5 hr jaunty. The night riding has been sparse due to work constraints but hoping to do the old men and womens ride with THT tonight. Managed a 3.5 hr blast yesterday of Caesars, Ash and through up to Porridge just mainly hills to get faster and fitter. I can really see a difference from the gym work now with the start of abdominal muscles on me which is worth the hard work. Have also crossed to the dark side of Protein Shakes to try to shed more weight off. As for racing no time and am away in Kos for the ones I planned to do (what a shame lol) but am toying with doing Erlestoke either 6 or 12 hours not commited yet will decide after a nice Sunny holiday I think!!

It's oh so quiet shhhhh

I have finally got my butt in gear and got out at night the last couple of weeks everything seems so different at night, a quick bash round Southwood & Minley last Wed after my circuits, myself and Rachy had the pleasure of chasing after another THT group out. I forgot how fun Minkey can be at night and finally conquered the exit of sponge bob speed is my friend..It's so funny how we spooked each other out though towards the end due to some reflective eyes in the woods, I rode home pronto funnily enough. Monday saw me join the old gits ride for Caesars last time I rode there was a quagmire at Brass Monkeys and what a difference in conditions, it was fun to go out with the group and also not be stuck at the back for once which was quite a confidence booster.
I also managed to up my running speed massively on the treadmill with my PT which is a massive breakthrough, having invested in compression socks has really helped although I do look like Pippa Longstocking!
Lastly please support my gms local charity drive to raise Money for charity the aim is a million miles by Kinetika gyms :
http://www.justgiving.com/gayle-wells

It's been a while....

Hi all, so slow to post lately as life's been busy when you get a poorly toddler. Finally my bamboo bike was ready to ride, so in honour of this myself and Jay decided to ride Surrey Hills. I have to confess being a wuss with my old lady knees I have only ever managed 2 hills in one ride, so the 3 hill challenge of Pitch,Holmbury and Leith was on...... We started at the youth hostel climbing up to Holmbury first and I was astonished to find that I rode in the middle ring climbing a very unusual thing for me, this in turn was thanks to the lightweight bamboo which made a huge difference to my riding. After yoghurt pots we headed towards BKB, the work the guys at Hurtwood have done is commendable, BKB was fast and fun I even got air eekkk but there's a lot of braking bumps going on....climbed up Pitch next and over to Winterfold near the gorgeous Windmill Jay pushed me to do new trails and steeper trails, having never been here before it was fun albeit a bit gloppy, back up to Pitch down a T trail (not sure which) we then stopped at the bottom at Peaselake stores for a cuppa
The bamboo turned a lot of heads there as u can imagine and we bumped into Lesley and wheezy so had some company to slog up to Leith throwing in yoghurt pots and telegraph en route, I have to be honest I was just at the limit coming up to the tower but because of the cold we didn't hang around too long!! Back down and up Holmbury once more and another spin on telegraph at a quicker speed the new bike was amazing flowing off the steps really well. I was pleased to find 3000 feet roughly of climbing done, there was the odd steep trail that spooked me but a good ride! Have managed to get out yesterday briefly now my son is better also and a family ride before work tonight is due, I decided not to race today as I can't justify spending the money on short racing at the moment