I can again it's fabulous. The cold weath has had be bouncing off the limits of my usual Salubutamol, Symbicort cocktail Asthma medication. I picked up a prescription for a Beta Antagonist (Singulair) yesterday, first dose last night, regular drugs back down to summer level oxygen debt headache and bad mood gone, plus I can breathe in cold air without taking ten minutes to get my breath back. Now I just need the ice to thaw a bit and I can think about riding bikes again!   Read the rest of the entry...

Well that was not great but not as bad as expected... Back on the bike yesterday, it was time, well I was getting bored and grumpy nothing earth shattering just a fifteen mile offroad pootle round Epping. I managed to stick to my plan of not getting out of breath at any point and not pushing at all, which I was pleased with, it's all too easy at times just to want to go that bit harder, so I was pretty please with my self discipline. The amazing thing was that turning over 32x16 on the Kona didn't feel hard really at any point, I slowed for hills and just ground over them, despit this I still managed to pass at least a couple of riders. I stopped for a chat with a couple of old Polish chaps at the top of Pole Hill. Once again I failed to find High Beach I suspect I was very close, but ended up chasing the light so I didn't want to have to retrace my way, I still got lost, resoring to sun navigation before I realised I had my GPS with me, reassuringly my sun navigation had been spot on, which was ace. Gentle commute ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Of coughing up bright green and minging weather, still a nice new Audax bike with guards it only a couple of weeks away now...   Read the rest of the entry...

Well since I've last written I've ridden in the Chilterms and Northumberland with friends, and now I've got a horrid cold thing.... Chilterns was a good days riding with Nicky I've now fitted Trailrakers to the Kona after riding in Chiltern mud. The Chilterns are lovely I suspect that in the summer a road ride out that way could be just the ticket. Last weekend was Noirthumberfest up in Rothbury, so beer friends and riding about ace, I came back feeling quite fit and relaxed, last week was going well till Friday afternoon when I started feeling that sore throat tired thing, so I rested yesterday although I felt a bit rough I thought it would pass. Todays ride proved I was ill when I just died, nothing at all, well that's not entirely true, legs great, lungs broken... I'm hoping it goes as quickly as it came......   Read the rest of the entry...

Well the past three weeks of fending off a cold, recovering and not stopping riding finally caught up with me yesterday, getting up at my usual time and post breakfast and showering I was just shaky and week, so I had a day off of work sick, the minute after I'd called in at 9.15 I got back into bed and slept until 2pm, I guess sooner or later fatigue just catches up with you. I had an early night as well, and a bit of a lie in today too. My North Downs trip canceled I decided that it was too sunny not to ride especially when I actually wasn't feeling tired or sick for the first time in ages, so I rode in Epping doorstep CX riding is just ace I've found a new way into the forest as well which means that I now ride about half a mile on road to the start of my ride which is ace oh and my new entry point means a start with an offroad downhill, I'm really getting the hang of just skipping the Scottt over obstacles as well, just lifting and hopping it's very satisfying just to hover effortlessly ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Back from work a bowl of pasta and out the door at ten past seven, two and a half hours in Epping Forest followed, just riding whatever I saw and trying to do as much climbing as possible, booyah I feel proper ace again, well apart from my ankle which is a bit sore. Ooh and I saw a fox and a couple of bats and USE Joysticks are really quite good as well. It's been said before bikes are ace!   Read the rest of the entry...

Been off of the bike since last Tuesday, bored, fed up and generally miserable, ankle is feeling at least alright for walking which is cool, I'm going to try for Epping tomorrow night, I need to get some dirt sorted under tyre and get my xc rage on. I really need to get out on a bike, tomorrow's plan is for quick past, I know what I'll have and then a good hard ride.   Read the rest of the entry...

Well Nicky came over for Curry on Wednesday which turned out to be fantastic, my local curry house, Priya on Hoe Street in Walthamstow really is fantastic, they've got a huge range of southern Indian vegetarian food that's all fantastically cooked, the Paneer Tikka is marvelous though. Bargainous prices too three of us for less than £40 which is incredible really, meat dishes and traditional pisshead dishes are considerably more expensive, which is an eminently more sensible approach although no more than usual. Before curry though I managed to fall down the three inch step outside of my flat and land twisting my ankle, it's nastily sprained I can't stand and this is my second day off of work, I've got a huge black egg shaped bruise on my foot which hurts when I stand on it, no riding for a while as I can't imagine clipping in and out of pedals is going to feel even remotely pleasant..... Time with my feet up is letting me catch up with reading I'm currently working through Will Self's The Book of Dave, which I have to say is certainly less Ballardian than some of his other work, and is fantastically dark, as well ...  Read the rest of the entry...

It's been ages since I've updated really, sadly after the long Essex ride I did, I got sick and after forcing my body to ride after it I had the inevitable forced lay off because I couldn't breathe. It looks like I really need to follow this up with the doctor and try and get my medication reviewed again. The first day back on my bike yesterday was great I felt really fresh and my lungs were working better, the drag down Leabridge road was going well until the funneling for road works when some delightful tradesman decided to empty his lungs out of the window and into my face. I'm beginning to really struggle with this country, I'm not quite sure when we became so awfully uncouth ill mannered and generally quite abhorrent, courtesy and manners cost nothing and make everyones life just that little more pleasant, it really is a sad reflection of the state of our nation. The ride home this evening was hard in the wind but it didn't slow me, I really need to try and get some more miles in this weekend, into Essex again on the cross bike, it'll be hard with the wind, ...  Read the rest of the entry...

Well Saturday saw yet more North Downs fun, the trails were pretty dry with just the odd horrid muddy puddle, annoyingly my lungs were really misbehaving, requiring lots of medication to work and even more when I got home which was a bit of a worry. I'm guessing that it might have been a combination of fatigue and really cold air. Still that wasn't enough to detract from the fun that was had clear blue skies and sunshine really are a treat this time of year, The ride was completed with a pint of Pickled Partridge in the Volunteer pub in Holmbury St. Mary. Sunday was a rest day and I wanted to see if me breathing worked it's way out, it did so I treated myself to TV and beer with a helping of apple crumble and cream. All in all another really fun weekend, big thanks to Phil for coming to visit and driving myself and Philly D to the trails, the warmth and comfort of the car pretty much compensating for the three hour return journey, if I ever see Croydon again it'll be too soon.   Read the rest of the entry...