13/366

Sudbury Hall

First ride in over a week, took a new route over to Doveridge via Duffield, Kedleston and nowhere else really, very quiet lanes of South Derbyshire towards Uttoxeter.  The section from Long Lane through to Doveridge really was beautiful, did myself proud with the route planning.  Of course the unbroken sunshine helped matters, a cold start was rewarded by wall to wall sunnyness for everyone of today's 108 kilometres.

I stopped at Sudbury Hall (above) to chomp my banana and fruit loaf seeing as I had full gloves on today and didn't fancy eating with them on.  Sudbury is where our good friends Emma and Andy got married last year, despite the early rain it was a truly magical day and it was a honour to be able to share it with them, as we have done many special moments since (Black Eyed Peas been my favourite) and I'm sure we will do in the future.

The only problem with stopping to eat is that I usually struggle to get going again, not today though, I was straight back into it and felt good all the way home from Sudbury via familiar roads around Repton, Swarkestone, Aston & Weston on Trent & Shardlow.

My stamina has certainly improved this year, I'm quite sure this is down to the running that I have been doing over the winter.  Hills don't take it out of me like they did last year, that'll be the running and the weight lost.  I'm in the best shape I ever have been, problem is weight loss seems to be addictive, I have lowered my target twice now!


Distance = 108.5 km
Time = 4 hrs 17 mins
Ave Speed = 25.2 kph
Ascent = 1088m (10.1 m/km)

2012
Road Bike = 771.7 km
Indoor = 313.5 km
Ran = 83.4 km
Total = 1168.6 km

I fancy a crack at the Hilly TT course tomorrow, not necessarily to put a good time in but more just to see how I go.  I reckon I can take 5 minutes of my PB this year, maybe a little ambitious but its a challenging target.

Getting the blog in early today as we have company this evening, it may not be a late one but there will be plenty of pots to sort out after.

12/366

View along the Trent this morning

Had the opportunity to ride with some clubs mates this morning which quite tickled my fancy, but with chores to be done due to our weekend away I just didn't have the time so opted for a 10k run instead.

It was a lovely bright and breezy morning, if a little on the chilly side.  The wind factor made me happy to be running rather than riding and I managed to put a decent performance in.  Today's was the furthest I have ran since taking it up at 6.4 miles and i managed it in 57 minutes, not great by any means but a good marker for me to chip away at before reaching my target of a 45 minute 10k.

Pedal power is the order of the day tomorrow, hoping to get three 100k ish rides in this week and one smaller one.  I have a 100k Audax on Saturday so three rides during the week will be enough!

11/366

Day 2 in London, visited east London and the Olympic games site, saw the aquatic centre and the main stadium from afar.  The area is still very much under construction so access is very limited.

From there we headed back into town for the science museum, the least said about that the better.... Bored me and the children almost to tears, it has to be said we are not at all scientifically inclined, but as with a lot of attractions in the smoke at least it is free to enter.

So why so many trips to London?  For a country boy I do seem to spend a lot of time down there.  There is so much on offer, there is always something going on, free places to visit, west end shows to see.  We really enjoy the shows and still have a few on our wish list so I'm sure it won't be too long before we find ourselves heading south again.

Off work this coming week so expect lots of talk of bike riding....

10/366

My small branch of the Hobbs family is down sarf in that there London again.  As usual we've took in a show, We will rock you.  Great show although not really suitable for the children, they found the story boring but did enjoy most of the music.

Off for a peek at the Olympic stadiums tomorrow before going back into town for the National Science museum.

I'm leaving you now tho for my cold Stella, contents of my hip flask and oh so comfy premier inn bed.

9/366

Did a bit of housework this morning and it was high time the bowl to the left was cleaned out of the junk it has accumulated over the past few years.  Hobbs Of Woodstock, my Grandparents business of chartered surveying and letting agency.  Based in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, I used to love our family visits to Woodstock to stay with Grandma and Grandad  before their divorce.  It was a lovely property on Oxford Street.  I always remember the spiral wooden staircase and the attic rooms, the place had real character and so did the residents. 

Grandad used to chase us round on all fours until we submitted and Grandma loved taking us out into the grounds of Blenheim for walks and feeding of the ducks and swans.  Now whenever we stay somewhere near a busy road the sound of traffic passing by and the pedestrian crossing bleeping occasionally always takes me back to Woodstock.

After my general cleaning/ironing duties it was time for a run, followed my regular 5.2 mile circuit of part of Attenborough Nature Reserve, I felt good throughout the run and realised that a PB may be on the cards... 1 min and 7 secs off my best, well pleased.  What's even more pleasing is that I'm knocking times of my runs and it feels as though less effort is going in to them.  Now I seem to have shaken my knee troubles off I really am enjoying my running. 

I have a possible target for later in the year, I'm keeping tight lipped for now about where and what it is as it's only an idea at the moment, but it will be for a very worthwhile cause very close to friends of ours hearts, and yes I will be asking you all for money if it happens.

Finally (if your still reading) I am preparing for another Hobbs weekend assault on that there London this weekend, I am rather miffed though that TFL have decided to close the Overground and Metropolitan lines this weekend for 'engineering' the two lines that serve our hotel, looks like we'll be using buses this weekend then!

Before I leave you, there is talk of a stag do in September requiring my presence and also Mrs H and Mrs F are plotting a trip to Ibiza this summer to see David Guetta, fun times ahead.

8/366

Long Eaton canal this morning

Well it was pea soup on my way to work this morning (never really understood why the term pea soup is used) but as the sun rose and burnt off the fog we were left with a beautiful day.  Today's picture was taken by the canal this morning as day broke.  That is one major bonus to my job, being out and about as the day breaks, it really is the best part of the day.

Since the age of 13 (speaking officially) I have loved the early mornings, a must really as paper boys who can't get out of bed aren't much use.  Even at that age I appreciated what a wonderful time of day it was.

It's hard to describe but I'll have a go..... It's as if everything in the world is as it should be at 4 o'clock in the morning, it is peaceful save a few birds chirping away, they signal the arrival of the new day and as lightness spreads the world awakes, it is only then that negatives start to creep in.  As people arise and set out on their daily routines they spread the grumpiness as they go if it is a gloomy day, but happiness if it a bright sunny morning.  As the world gets busy we lose the peacefulness as the hustle and  bustle takes over, peoples care free attitude turns to selfishness as the daily grind seems to wash there happiness away.  I wish it could be 7am all day. Chris Evans describes this much better than I can in his 'Memoirs of a Fruitcake' book.

One such example of people turning the day sour was my altercation with a driving instructor today, Malc's School of Motoring.  Now I admit I did dare to overtake Lord Malc but at no pint did I endanger his or my life, so I was quite surprised to firstly hear Malc's horn over David Guetta and then see Malc waving two fingers at me!  Now as a partly qualified driving instructor (yet another story for another day) I am well aware that the Driving Standards Agency are very keen on instructors teaching the art of Defensive Driving, within this element is a requirement not to display or be a cause of road rage.  Malc may have been having a bad day, he may have as happy as I at 7am and not let this incident bother him, I don't know, but please Malc, lead by example, what you did today was not a great advert for your services.