THE COAST TO COAST HAS BEEN COMPLETED!

We’ve only gone and done it! But what a four days, and what conditions we had to endure – well enjoy when we stopped.

Instead of me waffling on about how the ride went I’ll just say a few words then leave the images to tell the tale.

The four days concluded with about 170 miles completed, shattered thighs, worn buttocks but with a feeling we’d achieved something we had been planning for a long time.

To some people it may not mean much, but to the four of us it was something we wanted to achieve and also raise some money for Cancer Research UK.

Due to the very high temperatures, the night time was very uncomfortable to sleep in, while most days it hit 20c before 10am.

We stayed together and endured, then enjoyed the climbs, while the longer sections of flat or fast flowing downhill bits were enjoyed all the way through.

Top speed was 45.4mph, while the quickest mile was done in just 122 seconds! That was downhill before you ask.

Thank you to everyone who has donated, or indeed is going to donate, we’re all very grateful for every penny, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Finally, before the picture story, thank you to Neil, Pads and Ian who formed a great team with me, which stayed strong and united all the way through. It was tough, very tough at times, but we helped each other through and formed a stronger bond between us as the days flowed.

THE START - THE IRISH SEA

 

FIRST STOP - KESWICK

 

SEEING MY DAUGHTER AT DAY 1 END

 

 LUNCH ON DAY 2 - HOT, HOT, HOT

 

SO HOT ON DAY 2 WE HAD A SWIM

 

THE START OF DAY 3 - SIX CLIMBS

 

LONGEST CLIMB DONE

 

 

ANOTHER CHANGE OF COUNTY & HIGHEST POINT OF RIDE

 

 

TIME FOR LUNCH ON DAY 3

 

 

END OF DAY 3

 

 

NO FOG ON THE TYNE - JUST HOT SUN!

 

 

FINALLY WE REACH THE NORTH SEA

 

HERE WE GO.....

So the day has come when the Coast to Coast team departs for Cumbria and tomorrow’s start of the bike ride.

Training has been completed and everyone’s weather prayers seem to have been answered – in fact the weather forecast couldn’t be better.

Last year we had wind, rain, floods and temperatures of about 12C, this week it looks like being 25C, sunny, dry and no wind.

The team, Pads, Neil, Ian and I, are really looking forward to the bike ride and on behalf of the team, I’d like to thank everyone for their support, donations, best wishes and reading my blog.

Whatever you have done it has been much appreciated – now we just have to go and do it!

We’re looking at starting the ride on Wednesday morning at about 8.30am from Whitehaven’s Irish Sea waters, arriving in Keswick for lunch, before powering on to our overnight stay.

The next two days are shorter, in terms of mileage, but could potentially take longer to ride due to the serious hill climbing that we face.

After those two days we face the final overnight stay in the pub and, as luck would have it, a steak night and quiz night all rolled in to one.

Then it’s one more climb, before descending the 48 miles to Tynemouth and the North Sea.

I’ll be trying to update on twitter, while I’m sure we’ll all be updating Facebook at some point, so stay tuned.

The highlight for me will be seeing my daughter on the route cheering us on – I’ve not seen her for almost a week as she is on ‘holiday’ with her grandma and granddad.

So here we go, wish us luck.

Finally, we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

A new appeal has helped boost the total and it’s now over £800, so the £1,000 target is well in sight.

FINAL STAGES OF TRAINING

This week has seen a hike in activity with five rides out, totalling a distance of 60 miles.

I’ve done the same route, just more laps of it as the week went on, and watched as my time dropped on each ride.

The lap times for the 2.1 mile circuit started at around nine minutes, but by the end of the week they had reduced to about eight minutes 20 seconds, even with the increased number of laps.

Indeed the last lap time I did, on the seventh lap of my last ride, broke the eight minute barrier.

My training plan is to increase leg muscle by constant pedalling over an easier course so I’m used to pedalling non-stop and my legs, and more importantly my bottom, get used to the long stints in the saddle.

With just over a week to go until Pads, Neil, Ian and I go to Cumbria to start the Coast to Coast bike ride, I’m planning on getting 100 training miles under my belt.

The weekend before we go I’m away for three days and can’t train, so I’ll be putting in the miles before then and having one big run afterwards.

Fingers crossed the weather will be better than the last couple of days!

 

As mentioned on a 'few occasions' we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

A new appeal has helped boost the total and it’s now at almost £600, so the £1,000 target is well in sight.

TRAINING ENTERS THE FINAL STRETCH

The weather has been kind for most of the last week and I’ve managed to get some good practice rides completed.

I’ve been out four times, covering about 50 miles, each time increasing my average speed. I know this because I’m doing the same route each time.

The main aim at the moment is to build up fitness levels and increase my leg muscle strength, while bedding in the new tyres and inner tubes on my bike.

Next week I hope to cover about 40 miles in midweek, followed by 45-50 miles next weekend. The ride itself is split into specific sections to ensure that we finish each day in good time, even if the weather is poor or we encounter fitness or bike problems.

I’ll be writing just two more blog posts before the ride itself, so if you would like to wish the team (Pads, Neil, Ian and me) good luck just add your comment below – it will be much appreciated.

I have three major concerns for the ride, although I’m sure all will be fine in the end. The weather is something we just can’t control, my ‘tennis elbow injury is not getting any better so will have to be controlled with ibuprofen and my fitness is probably not as good as the others.

But as we’re a team we’ll be riding together and if I continue to increase my fitness that should be at a faster rate than last year. I’m hoping to average 8mph on day one, 5mph on days two and three, with 12mph on day four.

Tune in to my Coast to Coast bike ride post-event post on this blog to see if we achieved these targets!

As mentioned previously we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

A new appeal has helped boost the total and it’s now at almost £600, so the £1,000 target is well in sight.

NOT LONG UNTIL THE COAST TO COAST ADVENTURE

A mixed week with punctures, poor weather and work taking its toll on my training regime.

I decided to change my rear tyre from a full off-road version, to one that offered more grip on harder surfaces, while still giving grip off-road.

Since then I’ve devised a shorter route that covers both on and off-road surfaces and I can certainly see that my speed over the harder surfaces is increasing without too many problems for my speed on the rougher terrain.

In the next week or so, after a few more test rides, I’ll change the front tyre and see what happens. The Coast to Coast has a good level of harder surfaces so I suspect I could be slightly quicker.

The new route is 5.5 miles long and to increase the length I just do two laps or redo the road section a couple of times, which includes a couple of inclines.

In the last week I’ve done five laps of the 5.5 mile route, with a couple of additions on the road section. As the weather is due to get better this week I hope to do a few two or three lap rides per night.

It’s only three weeks until Pads, Ian, Neil and I head to Whitehaven and I want to be able to do four laps of this route in one ride, before we go.

I can certainly feel a difference in my legs and fitness, particularly when doing a second lap of the 5.5 mile route, as this is always quicker. Perhaps it takes me a while to warm up and then I’m fine to continue at a good pace for a while.

One final addition will be a good 40-50 litre rucksack to carry all my clothes on the ride. If anyone can recommend a good one, for reasonable money, please let me know.

As mentioned previously we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

TRAINING IN THE SUMMER IS FUN, WELL MOST OF THE TIME!

This week has been good for training as I’ve managed to complete over 30 miles in two rides.

The second ride didn’t end in good news as I experienced yet another puncture and had to spend the final three miles pedalling furiously and stopping three times to inflate the tyre.

There is good news in all this; my fitness levels and times over the same routes iare increasing, but for the puncture I would have managed an average speed of over 12mph on the regular 15 miles route I do.

Considering I started on this route about two months ago and was managing an average speed of about 10.5mph, I’m pleased with the progress.

The first ride out this week I managed to increase the average speed to 11.7mph from the previous high of 11.1mph, so I’m hoping once the puncture is sorted I’ll be out to break the 13mph barrier and have fitness levels that give me a good chance of surviving the Coast to Coast bike ride.

Speaking of which it’s only four weeks away and I’m hoping the summer weather continues to last until after the ride is completed. Of course I know this is not going to happen!

As mentioned previously we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

IS THIS SUMMER WEATHER GOING TO LAST?

Summer seems to have crept up on us and the warm weather is very much appreciated by me and the Coast to Coast riding team.

In just over five weeks’ time, I will be joined by last year’s team, Neil and Pads plus new for 2013, Ian, as we hope to achieve our goal of riding from Whitehaven to Tynemouth.

While the main focus is trying to increase our fitness levels, all of us are aware that the weather will play a crucial role again this year, particularly after the floods forced us to abandon the ride in June 2012.

This week my bike has had a pre-event service, which included a new chain, back brake and a new lower gear ratio fitted – this should help me a bit more with the uphill sections.

I’ve completed over 30 miles in the saddle this weekend and I hope to achieve a similar amount this week, although a family wedding next weekend will temporarily stop training.

I think we’re all hoping for little or no rain and westerly winds – to help push us along – for this year’s attempt, in fact the weather we have at the moment would be ideal!

So onwards with the training and let’s hope the UK actually has a summer this year and we can all benefit.

As mentioned previously we’re riding the Coast to Coast for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to an excellent charity that has helped millions of people and will hopefully help many millions in the future.

TRAINING BOOST AND CHARITY FUNDRAISING UPDATE

The weather has allowed a few opportunities to train out on the bike, with Neil joining me on 11-14 mile rides around the area.

We’ve found a couple of new routes which can be varied to be shortened or lengthened depending on weather conditions and how hard we want to push ourselves.

It’s been good to get out twice this week as the weather and family events will inevitably reduce the amount of time in the next couple of weeks.

Once the second weekend of June is over I’ll be aiming on getting out almost every evening for 10-15 mile rides, while upping the game to circa 25-30 miles at the weekends.

Obviously this will be reliant on the weather, work and family commitments.

The Bank Holiday weekend looks like giving me enough time and good weather to get out at least once and perhaps twice.

The team I’ll be tackling the Coast to Coast bike ride with is also training hard, no more so than Ian, who is putting in some serious mileage at the moment.

Neil is still in training for a couple of half marathons, so riding his bike is helping to train for the Coast to Coast and the running events.

Now I’m starting to promote the charity element of the ride and we would all appreciate help in reaching the £1,000 target.

If you would like to donate please go to http://www.justgiving.com/mydadgrahamknowles

Any donation is very much appreciated and will go to a very good cause of Cancer Research UK.

HAS THE TRAINING BEATEN THE WEATHER?

The weather hasn’t been giving me a proper chance to train properly over the last week or so, although arriving back late from work most nights isn’t helping.

There is a positive from the lack of time in the saddle and that is letting my elbow injury heal more. I’m certainly feeling that it is getting better, although still a way off being 100 per cent.

With only eight weeks to go until the bike ride time is critical if I’m to be in good shape for the four days. The weather isn’t helping, but my body just doesn’t seem to want to work properly for me.

Ah well a few very early mornings should do the trick and get me in better shape; while my younger team mates have age and no children to help their fitness regimes it’ll mean that I’ll be setting the pace during the ride!

If anyone who is reading this has any tips on riding with ‘tennis elbow’ and other dodgy joints, it would be most welcome,

Let’s hope when I’m  writing my next entry I’ll be on the road (literally) to some increased levels of fitness.

TRAINING IN THE SUN

Due to the fact I was working at Oulton Park yesterday, I decided that it would be best reducing the cycling element of getting there to ensure the warm weather didn’t arrive covered in sweat and not smelling very nice!

I did manage 12 miles after parking near Delamere and riding the rest of the way. It wasn’t ideal as I would have liked to ride for longer and with more miles, but at least it was something.

The training must now be more regular and with the lighter nights I aim to make the most of it. I’ve started playing badminton again so that will help with the fitness, but it’s time on the bike that I need to help build my leg muscles.

My arm is getting better and isn’t hurting too much after today’s ride, and the injury was another reason why I decided not to ride the whole journey to and from Oulton Park.

The weather has not helped us this year with training so I’m hoping that summer actually delivers some good sunshine and warm, not hot, temperatures so we can enjoy the Coast to Coast bike ride and the wonderful scenery we’ll be riding through.

In nine weeks this blog will (hopefully) have the final preview of the ride and will show we’ve had the right training to prepare us properly.

The one thing I hope for above everything, is my arm, hip and knee all behave and don’t cause me problems before getting on the bike and riding up those steep hills. Ibuprofen will be with me just in case!

FIRST RIDE OUT FOR MONTHS RESULTS IN INJURY!

This week the lighter nights and good weather gave me a great opportunity to go out for a ride.

Neil joined me as we climbed and descended Helsby and Frodsham hills, something I knew would be tough, but didn’t anticipate coming back injured.

The route is mainly road uphill, while the downhill sections are navigated on steep paths with tree roots, sharp drops and big rocks part of the track.

It was on one of these sections that my front tyre didn’t quite get over a particularly large tree root and this twisted the handlebars, jarring my arm and causing my ligaments and muscles in my lower arm to feel the strain.

At first I thought my tennis elbow would be badly aggravated but, while my arm is still very sore, the damage doesn’t appear to be too bad. I’ll be resting for the next couple of days and taking ibuprofen to ease the inflammation.

The next ride is planned for Monday and a 23 mile round trip to a day working at Oulton Park race circuit – although only if my arm is better.

Talking of which I must stop typing and rest it! More updates this weekend.

A WEEK AWAY DOESN'T HELP TRAINING AS SPRING ARRIVES

So the weather is finally is picking up and spring is with us, just in time for plenty of things, including training for the C2C bike ride.

This week I’ve been away for a few days with the family, so time on the bike has been zero. In fact I’ve probably had too much good food and drink, so need the training to shed a few pounds!

I think the first few times back in the saddle will be quite tough but I’m looking forward getting out and burning off those extra ‘calories’.

This weekend I’ll be planning those routes around Cheshire to enable me to train hard and give me a chance of keeping up with my team mates who will carry much less age to the C2C, and therefore generally more fitness.

My hip has been playing up a bit more this week and my left knee has shared in my hip's pain by providing ‘sympathy’ pains, although not as much pain as previously.

I’m happy that cycling will not make either problem worse, more likely better as they build muscles that will relieve tension on joints and ligaments.

It seems my team mates are having differing training regime successes as Ian has spent a good amount of time in the saddle of the last couple of weeks, while Neil’s training for various running events puts him way ahead in the fitness stakes.

As for Pads, well a week in Las Vegas celebrating a wedding wasn’t 'filled' with C2C training, and much like me training has taken a back seat (literally) for the time being. 

How will we all getting on in the next few weeks? Stay tuned for more updates.

TRAINING ON HOLD AS WEATHER FAILS TO SPRING IN TO ACTION

Following a weekend of trying to fix a boiler leak and working away, training for C2C bike ride took a back seat.

The weather isn’t brilliant at the moment so perhaps it was best I couldn’t go out, but it was still frustrating – particularly as the dates have now been set for the second coming of the team!

Last year April was mainly lovely weather, probably the best month of the year, while in June – when we first tried to complete the C2C bike ride – it was one of the wettest on records.

This year I’m hoping the poor weather so far in April is a sign that come late June and early July, we’ll have at least acceptable weather to ride the route.

Even if we don’t I’ve set the four day course to ensure we have shorter riding days and should be able to complete it within the time frame – subject to a lot of crossed fingers and toes plus touching wood and carrying as many lucky charms as possible!

Of course the most important thing, apart from our safety, is raising money for Cancer Research UK. I know many people have donated and every penny is gratefully received, but if you could spread the word to all your friends and family we can together make it to the target figure of £1,000.

Those wishing to spread the word or donate to the Cancer Research cause can do so using my Just Giving donation page

So when will training begin in full? I suspect it’ll be the last couple of weekends in April when things start properly and from then on it’ll be using the light nights for short to medium rides and the weekends for 20-30 mile rides around west Cheshire.

Images of training and the views seen while out riding will go up in future post for this blog, but any comments, tips and words of encouragement are welcome.

THE 2013 RIDE IS BOOKED

So Easter weekend produced no riding due to family commitments and the weather not being great, but one thing has progressed during these holidays.

The 2013 C2C bike ride for Cancer Research is now booked. Pads, Neil, Ian and I will be negotiating the course from Whitehaven to Tynemouth in early July and hoping for better weather than last year.

We’ve delayed it a further two weeks from the 2012 dates in the hope that July has good weather this year, but only time will tell if we get decent conditions.

The accommodation and people I spoke to today booking it were all lovely to deal with and it was great to know people still go that extra mile to help you.

If anyone reading this is thinking of any accommodation to stay during the C2C then you should consider these four options:

Whitehaven – Glenard Guest House

Troutbeck – Gill Head Farm
Renwick – Scalehouse Farm
Rookhope – The Rookhope Inn

Anyone wanting further information on any of these places, or others that I have tried, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

So now we’ve booked it the training and further fundraising starts. All the money goes direct to Cancer Research and here’s where you can donate – Just Giving donation page

Any financial contribution is very much appreciated although simply telling someone about this blog and the donation website is more than enough.

I’ll update once more training is done and hopefully spring is with us!

TRAINING IN THIS WEATHER IS SNOW JOKE

The snow and ice have meant no cycling for two weeks, and while it would be good to get out, I’m not risking an accident in what can be treacherous conditions.

I’ve been maintaining my bike, but will send it for a service once the weather dictates I’ll be able to use it.

 
The only issue I need resolving is the rear brakes, which aren’t fully functional. I think it’s just a case of a slight adjustment on the cable, but I can’t seem to get it quite right – it’s either too cold for my hands or I’m not as technically gifted as the bike technicians.

As I look outside today it’s a little frustrating with the lovely sunshine, but even going a mile from the house on one of my training runs could lead to a much higher risk of ice and still some snow.

The other risk is the cold easterly wind that can easily catch you off balance, along with the chance of a sudden snow shower appearing.

Perhaps April we bring a relief from this late onslaught from winter and training can begin again for the re-run of the Coast to Coast bike ride.

Until then I’ll be booking the accommodation and spot places for breaks during our four day adventure, which will be in the first ten days of July.

 

As per last year we'll be raising money for Cancer Research UK, so if you would like to donate please go to my donation page

WINTER TRAINING KICKS IN AS DATE IS SET

Back to the winter again and a couple of things I can tick off as being completed this week.

Firstly it looks like the ride dates have been confirmed around the first two weeks in July, depending on when we can book into the accommodation.

It looks like we’ll have four riders, although one may be the support vehicle driver instead. The fact we’ve got an agreed date is fantastic as it’s taken a few months to organise.

Secondly my brother, his wife and their son bought me a pair of lycra cycling leggings for my birthday, which I was due to buy this week anyway. The timing couldn’t have been better, both on the return of winter front and me getting something I was about to buy, but before purchasing.

So onto the weather and injury updates; well everyone can see how the weather has returned to that of January and snow, ice and fog are affecting many people. The cold weather has meant my training regime has had a little setback, but armed with my new leggings I’ll be out this weekend, maybe even on both Saturday and Sunday.

 

Thanks to my mum I know have an O/S map of Cheshire so I’m beginning to plan routes that can become long term rides, all of specific distances.

This can enable me to plan rides around the time I have to do one, so if I have an afternoon to go out on my bike I can select the longer distance, but also have shorter distances that take  less than an hour or two.

My knee and hip seem to be much better and I’m thinking my football days could be over, especially if my cycling is both keeping me fit and not creating injuries like football is doing currently.

So only flooding and snow drifts can keep me off my bike, oh and the small matter of spending time with my family. Just remember, cycling is for life, not just the sunny, warm days…

WINTER BITES BACK AS TRAINING STARTS

The half decent weather over the last few weeks has given me the opportunity to go out on the bike for a few good long rides – I say long, they are long for the start of the training regime for the Coast to Coast bike ride!

This has been interrupted by illness, although I’ve done nearly 40 miles in the saddle in the last three weekends.

The first few miles on each go were very difficult, not only because I’ve not been on a ride for a couple for months, but because the first few miles from my house are always uphill, some fairly steep bits, well steep for me anyway.

My bike’s gearing doesn’t help with the climbs, while I uncovered a problem going downhill too quickly this weekend – poor back brakes! It was a bit of a shock at first but my front one is very good and I’ll be adjusting the back one until it’s working properly again.

In the meantime I’ll be taking the downhill sections a little slower.

We’ve managed to narrow down the dates for taking the re-run of the Coast to Coast, and it could even be the same week as last year! Surely the same thing can’t happen again…

I’m hoping to get out for longer rides on the bike with Neil in the coming weeks, so we can push it up to 20-25 miles in one go – with a few stops obviously!

In the next few weeks I’ll be changing the tyres from the proper off road ones I currently have to a medium pair that still give good of-road grip, but afford more contact with hard surfaces like roads. I’m hoping that will help improve my performances out on the lanes near where I live by about 10-15 per cent.

My injury problems seems to be going away with the more time on the bike, particularly my left knee, which flares up for days after playing football, but seems to calm down after 15 miles on the bike.

I’m thinking it’s the softer landing my leg has while pedalling, rather than the constant twist and pounding it takes while playing football or running.

The only negative thing has been that winter is showing its hand again just when I thought the weather was going to be getting better and making getting out on the bike easier!

BACK IN THE SADDLE

A week or so after the second cortisone injection in my left elbow I’m still wearing my pressure armband, although things are gradually improving.

I’ve stopped taking regular doses of ibuprofen and I’m planning on not wearing the pressure armband every other day until I feel confident enough to do away with it altogether.

The good news is I’ve been out on my bike and completed a 14 mile ride last Sunday with fellow C2C rider Neil. It was tough at first but I’m glad I pushed myself.

I thought I would be sore afterwards, but it wasn’t until after football on Monday that I started to feel it.

My knees appear to be telling me that football is not for me anymore; every time I’ve played in the last three months I’ve suffered with pain at the back of both knees, particularly my left, for a few days afterwards.

I suspect it’s something to do with my leg muscles not being in the best condition, although my hip problem surely plays its part. Then again maybe it’s just old age!

I’m still trying to confirm a new date for the C2C in 2013 and hope to have one confirmed in the next couple of weeks. This year is full of events so tying down a week that’s suitable for everyone is not easy!

The ride on Sunday was mainly dry and after little rain this week I’m looking forward to another ride this weekend.

There may have been no rain, but there’s been lots of cold weather and so I’ll be taking care while out. Perhaps Sunday will bring sunny conditions when the temperatures will rise a little!

INJURY AND WEATHER UPDATE

This week I’ve had to endure my second cortisone injection on my left elbow for ‘tennis elbow’. It has hampered me for about two months now and the injection is a last resort as it’s not good to have too many of them.

I’m feeling ok not and might even venture out on the bike this weekend as it’s the repetitive use of my hand/elbow that causes the problem.

After the weekend I’m going to step up the training, subject to my elbow feeling better and will book the hotels etc for the C2C this year.

That said the weather may spoil that as Sunday is threatening to snow and I’m full out of snow tyres!

The roads around my house that I’ll be practicing on aren’t in great condition, mainly due to the very wet weather, some harsh frosts and a little bit of snow.

I’m hoping to get one of the C2C team, Neil, to come out with me as it’s always good to get out on the bike with some company – it helps push you that little bit more.

As this is a rather short post due to my one hand typing, I’ll put another update up once the weekend is over and my elbow is feeling good.

TRAINING PLAN BOOST FOLLOWING SNOW MELT

So the weather is making training on the bike a little difficult. I don’t have much spare time at the weekend so rely on the roads and lanes around my house to enable me to get straight on my bike and not use the car to travel somewhere.

The last few weekends have been hectic with birthdays and a wedding, so the first weekend I have free to get out and one day it’s covered in snow, slush and ice, the other day it’s flooded everywhere.

Maybe I’m a fair weather cyclist but my time constraints mean I need to make the most of being on the bike and not sacrificing that to scrape mud and dirt from all my clothes and the bike. Of course that will happen, just when I have a little more time to do so.

So the route has been planned for the C2C bike ride as the team plan what we hope to be a successful event, unlike last year and the floods!

We’ll start once again in Whitehaven before taking the roads, lanes and mountain tracks to Keswick and on to the first overnight stop in Troutbeck.

A shorter second day will see us pass Penrith before stopping for the night in Renwick. The third day sees us take on the biggest climb of the whole C2C ride and before resting and sleeping in Rookhope.

The final day will see an hour or so of climbing before the relatively easy, and mainly downhill, section to the finish in Tynemouth.

Whether we stay overnight in Tynemouth depends on if we have a support team following us and what time we get there.

At present we have the same three team members as 2012, myself, Neil and Pads, although there is the possibility of at least one new addition, plus a support person or persons.

Final details will be decided in the coming weeks, as we book the places we want to stay. Stay tuned for updates and training news.

NEW YEAR, NEW C2C ATTEMPT

First weekend of 2013 and I missed out on training due to the annual Frodsham Beer Festival and my first football game of the season.

While the Beer Festival wasn’t exercise, playing football the next day certainly shed the cobwebs and excesses of the alcohol.

This weekend I have a wedding which will be a full on day and night event, so my plan of a ride on Sunday may well be scuppered, not just by the celebrations, but also the weather.

Ice could well be a threat as most of the lanes around my house are still damp, so the frosty nights we’ve been promised could be a problem if daytime temperatures fail to melt the ice build-up.

January will be more of strategic planning as three weekends every year are taken up by birthday celebrations, with the only spare one this year being taken up by a wedding.

If the plan for the overnight stops, routes and back-up team are organised, then I’ll be happy. February will see the start of training properly for the C2C bike ride, with the odd long distance ride to build up stamina.

On a positive note I’m still playing football at least once a week and badminton is now becoming a weekly event, so fitness is being maintained at least.

This month will also give me feedback on my knee/hip problems, so keep your fingers crossed for some positive news.

In the meantime the team is showing signs of growing to almost double the size it was for the attempt last year. Hopefully this will be confirmed by the end of January, when the bookings for accommodation will need to be made.

2013, PLEASE LET 2012 KEEP ALL THE WET WEATHER

Goodbye 2012 and goodbye to all your wet weather, particularly the weather that meant the Coast 2 Coast bike ride I had planned for almost two years, had to be abandoned after just 40 miles.

The plan for the 2013 attempt is still being confirmed, but I hope to have things in place soon, once Neil, Pads and I agree on dates etc.

I’m also hoping for a support team including all our partners, who will go on to the lunch and evening destinations with food and overnight things.

The initial weather forecast for early 2013 is good, although I’m expecting snow and icy conditions to soon come around and prevent training, until then I’ll be out when I can on the bike getting ready.

I’m still struggling with my knee and hip, but it’s going to be a case of taking all the necessary precautions and treat my joints correctly, to ensure they can take me all the way.

This year’s adventure is something I’m looking forward to as I just want to complete it for the huge amount of donations that have been given for Cancer Research UK.

Whether I do another epic exercise event like this for charity is something I doubt, but I will be looking at another charity challenge, perhaps for 2014.

Training updates will be coming throughout January and beyond.