I missed all the good cycling weather on Saturday and Sunday, I was sick as a dog all weekend with my stomach ulcers killing me, then I felt too weak to go out yesterday after hardly eating anything over the weekend due to said ulcers and stomach acid. I felt ok to get out tonight and really pushed myself harder, after not being out for a few days, the old legs were hurting after 3.5 miles, but doing some sprints soon sorted that out, I was keeping the pace pretty high and averaged 15mph for the 11 miles, I'm very pleased with that as it's the best average speed I have done when doing my 10 miles or so night rides, the best previous was 14.9mph.

The weather forecast is supposed to be low winds tomorrow, so I am going to try to go beyond Eastbourne and reach the top of Beachy Head further down the coast, that should be about a 50 mile or so round trip.

I am starting a set routine for June onwards, which is to do at least one 50 - 60 mile ride per week and add 5 miles to the distance every 2 weeks, or sooner if I feel I can do it sooner, gradually increasing the distance over several months until I can hopefully hit the 100 mile mark for a single ride, that's my goal, the other rides in the week will be around 30 - 40 miles, and night rides of between 10 - 15 miles used as speed sessions.

May 31st & Jun 1st & Jun 2nd: No riding, I was sick with my ulcers over the weekend and didn't feel like riding yesterday

Jun 3rd

Top speed 24.2 mph (flat cycle path)
Avg speed = 15.0 mph
Distance = 11.06 miles
Time 44:11:4

Pulse before ride = 66 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 116 bpm's 11:14pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 90 bpm's 11:24pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 82 bpm's 11:34pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 74 bpm's 12:14am

Total miles ridden = 874.00

Posted: 03/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I didn't get to do my long ride today, the wind was blowing fairly hard, gusting up to 20mph from the west, meaning I would have been riding in to it all the way to Beachy Head, and I didn't fancy a battle with the wind after having had those days off over the weekend, I would try again tomorrow when it's supposed to be a very low wind, but it's my boys 7th birthday tomorrow as well, so finding a suitable time time to get out will be awkward, anyway, I just had a run over to the end of Bexhill and a run along the promenade here, log for tonight.

Jun 4th

Top speed 26.2 mph (cycle path & road)
Avg speed = 14.4 mph
Distance = 14.65 miles
Time 01:00:49

Pulse before ride = 66 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 102 bpm's 10:03pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 86 bpm's 10:13pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 80 bpm's 10:23pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 74 bpm's 11:03pm

Total miles ridden = 888.65

Posted: 04/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I went out today with the intention of doing the long ride, but the bloody head wind was doing me in right from the start, so much for the forecast low winds, it felt worse than yesterday, by the time I got to Pevensey, I'd had enough of it, so I started making my way in the opposite direction towards Battle as I hadn't been along that road before, I got a fair bit along the road before turning back to the Pevensey roundabout and headed home from there, got my 30 miles in anyway, that will do for now, tomorrow is another day.

I have not seen much worth taking a photo of on my last 2 rides, I have startled a couple of herons in roadside streams, but they are gone in a flash, I did take a photo of an old church I pass on my rides, I only noticed today that it was the first Norman church built in the UK in 1090, I took a few shots of it, log for today.

Jun 5th

Top speed 28.3 mph (cycle path & steep road)
Avg speed = 13.6 mph
Distance = 30.68 miles
Time 02:14:56

Pulse before ride = 64 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 100 bpm's 9:00pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 86 bpm's 9:10pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 78 bpm's 9:20pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = bpm's 10:00pm

Total miles ridden = 919.33

Some photos from todays ride, the original 11th century entrance to St Mary church in the village of Westham, East sussex:

4 other shots showing side view, another early doorway added at a later stage and shots of the tower:

Posted: 05/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

Today was the day I rode 50 miles for the firs time 8), but it wasn't as nice as it could have been, there had been none of the forecast light showers all day, so of I went out for my ride, I got half way along the back roads to Pevensey and the heavens opened up, it only lasted a few minutes, still got me pretty wet, though, soon dried off and I reached Eastbourne.

At the end of the Eastbourne seafront, is the rise up to Beachy Head, I didn't realise it was so steep, it's a grassed slope with a narrow worn track on it from hikers walking up it, no way it can be ridden up, I'm not sure why, but I was expecting something with a gradual slope, I couldn't be bothered pushing the bike up it, so I went along a road thinking that must bring me out somewhere near the top, and so it did, except it was like climbing a road in the Alps, constant zig zagging climb, got there after having to stop about 4 times for breathers and I then had a mile to travel from the top to Beachy Head, it was well worth it in the end, I took quite a few photos up there whilst standing near the cliff edge, which as you may or may not know, is a notorious suicide spot, I was getting vertigo and the wobbles just looking over the edge, reminding myself to throw myself backwards if I happened to go forward lol :).

I spent about 20 minutes at the top, the wind was howling and then the blackness descended upon me once again, the clouds let rip with all they had, it got pretty cold and the raindrops where huge and falling hard, I was completely drenched, it ruined my ride back down the hill to Eastbourne, which I was looking forward to, on the way down I had to stop a couple of times, my eyes were stinging so much from the rain and the spray kicking up in to my face from my front wheel, it was blinding, the clouds then headed off out to sea and it dried up as I got further along the coast, I'll post some photos later on, tomorrow will eaither be a rest day, or I might do s speed session in the evening, but for now, log for today.

Jun 6th

Top speed 30.1 mph (cycle path & steep road)
Avg speed = 13.5 mph
Distance = 50.20 miles
Time 03:42:55

Pulse before ride = 62 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 96 bpm's 8:47pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 90 bpm's 8:57pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 78 bpm's 9:07pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 80 bpm's 9:47pm

Total miles ridden = 969.53

Some photos from the ride, they didn't come out great this time, no idea why.

Towards the end of Eastbourne promenade:

Bottom of the slope that leads to Beach Head and the South Downs Way, it's actually a lot steeper than the photo shows:

After taking the long zig zagging uphill road, it brings you out here, photo of Eastbourne in the distance, this spot is 1 mile from Beachy Head:

Shot of the downs heading towards Seaford and Brighton etc:

Ahhh, there at last:

Commerorative plaque:

Shots of the sea:

The photos don't do it justice, it's a great view from here and one hell of a drop to the lighthouse below:

And on my way back through Sovereign Harbour, I spotted a Great Cormorant:

Posted: 06/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I was a bit sore the day after my 50 mile ride, so I had a rest day on the 7th, I didn't get a chance to go out on the 8th at all, had to look after my kid during the day and had to strip my computer down in the evening as it kept switching itself off, all the fans were covered in dust and cats hairs, that comes from having 3 cats and having the builders here at the moment, dust everywhere, seems to be working fine again now anyway.

Normal service resumed today, I went for a ride over to Pevensey, then towards Battle, back to pevensey and home, did just enough to get me over the 1000 miles ridden mark 8), I'll probably do a long ride again tomorrow, maybe head past Eastbourne towards Newhaven, log for today.

Jun 7th & Jun 8th: No riding, one rest day and the other day had stuff to do

Jun 9th

Top speed 28.5 mph (cycle path & road)
Avg speed = 14.0 mph
Distance = 32.58 miles
Time 02:19:37

Pulse before ride = 62 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 104 bpm's 8:49pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 88 bpm's 8:59pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 84 bpm's 9:09pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 78 bpm's 9:49pm

Total miles ridden = 1002.11

A breakdown of how many miles per month I have been riding since the start:

February = 34.69 miles
March = 197.93 miles
April = 286.61 miles
May = 343.63 miles
June = 139.17 miles so far this month

Total = 1002.03 (I must have hit a wrong key on the calculator as it's 1002.11)

Posted: 09/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I got another long ride in today, went to the top of Beachy Head again, then took a long downhill road further along the coast to Birling Gap, it was quite a fast descent, I was fast approaching 40mph when I hit a bit of rough road and I felt a lot of vibrating, I thought the forks might fall of, so I slowed down at that point lol :), Birling Gap is a tiny place, but it has great views of the Seven Sisters cliffs further along, wish I could have taken a photo, but the sun was very low and it was very hazy today. The climb back up the road to Beachy Head was a right bugger, not massively steep, just a very long constant climb, I had to stop several times, anyway, log for today.

Jun 10th

Top speed 36.0 mph (long hill down from Beachy Head)
Avg speed = 13.3 mph
Distance = 50.05 miles
Time 03:45:01

Pulse before ride = 68 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 96 bpm's 9:36pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 84 bpm's 9:46pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 80 bpm's 9:56pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 80 bpm's 10:36pm

Total miles ridden = 1052.16

Posted: 10/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

Just in from a run over to Bexhill, I didn't really feel like going out as my thighs were still sore from yesterday, also, the climbing around Beachy head must have taken more out of my lungs than I thought, because they were pretty tight when I first went out tonight, took about 2 - 3 miles for them to open up properly, I felt ok after that. Rain is forecast for some time tomorrow, I'll try and get a run over to Pevensey or Battle in at some point, log for tonight.

Jun 11th

Top speed 25.2 mph (cycle path hill)
Avg speed = 14.1 mph
Distance = 12.63 miles
Time 53:32:6

Pulse before ride = 64 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 92 bpm's 10:54pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 78 bpm's 11:04pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 70 bpm's 11:14pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 68 bpm's 11:54pm

Total miles ridden = 1064.79

Posted: 11/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

The weather wasn't great yesterday, it rained a few times and then it was black clouds for most of the rest of the day, didn't fancy chancing getting a soaking, so I gave it a miss, had a little run out this evening, log for tonight.

Jun 12th: No riding, rained a few times followed by black clouds all day

Jun 13th

Top speed 21.7 mph (flat cycle path)
Avg speed = 14.8 mph
Distance = 11.34 miles
Time 45:40:7

Pulse before ride = 60 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 100 bpm's 11:09pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 80 bpm's 11:19pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 76 bpm's 11:29pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 74 bpm's 12:09am

Total miles ridden = 1076.13

Posted: 13/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I didn't fancy riding yesterday, it was pretty windy most of the time, watching cyclists struggle by outside my window was enough for me to give it a miss. Didn't get out during the day today, I was dragged out on a stroll around the area instead, then after that, I was going out and then it poured down as I was getting ready, typical, in the end, the sun came back out later on, and I went for a run over to my 8 mile point on the Pevensey back road, and home again.

Jun 14th: No riding, far too windy for my liking

Jun 15th

Top speed 28.7 mph (cycle path & steep road)
Avg speed = 14.6 mph
Distance = 16.12 miles
Time 01:06:06

Pulse before ride = 68 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 96 bpm's 8:12pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 80 bpm's 8:22pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 76 bpm's 8:32pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 72 bpm's 9:12pm

Total miles ridden = 1092.25

Posted: 15/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I have not ridden for a week, I was sick for a while and then the weather wasn't great with the strong winds, so I decided to take a time out. Got back on the bike today, apparently, today was a 7mph wind, I don't think so, I had to stop for a breather 4 times in the first 2 miles and at times I was struggling to get over 7mph average speed over the shingle track, not sure if that was all totally down to the wind, but I could hardly breath, lungs were hurting, most likely down to not using them for the last week and smoking heavily again, the lungs gradually opened up and I got to the foot of the South Downs Way in Eastbourne, I turned around there and made my way home, the return trip with the wind behind was lovely.

Jun 16th to Jun 22nd: No riding, sick for a few days and very windy the days after that

Jun 23rd

Top speed 27.9 mph (cycle path & steep road)
Avg speed = 13.3 mph
Distance = 40.22 miles
Time 03:01:29

Pulse before ride = 72 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 104 bpm's 6:30pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 94 bpm's 6:40pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 92 bpm's 6:50pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 90 bpm's 7:30pm

Total miles ridden = 1132.47

Posted: 23/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B

I didn't go out yesterday, after Mondays longish ride following 7 days without riding, I felt as if I had never been on a bike before, because yesterday and Monday night I felt crippled, thighs were killing me and I got cramp in both calves, never thought it would be that bad after having a little time off.

I went out for a short ride tonight, got to 9.5 miles and started getting a bad pain up the inside of my thigh towards the top of the leg, I have had that in the same place before, a groin pulling type pain, I had to stop pedalling as it was getting bad, I free wheeled for a bit and used my left leg to pedal, the pain eased up slightly, so I got out of the saddle to pedal and it didn't hurt at all, decided to call it a night at that point rather than pull something, hopefully it will be alright tomorrow, log for tonight.

Jun 24th: No riding, too sore to ride after previous days ride

Jun 25th

Top speed 21.6 mph (flat cycle path)
Avg speed = 14.8 mph
Distance = 10.31 miles
Time 41:34:9

Pulse before ride = 66 bpm's
Pulse after ride = 108 bpm's 11:06pm
Pulse 10 minutes later = 94 bpm's 11:16pm
Pulse 20 minutes later = 84 bpm's 11:26pm
Pulse 60 minutes later = 80 bpm's 12:06am

Total miles ridden = 1142.78

Posted: 25/06/08 By: O.G.O.A.B