A bit of a mixed bag today. The main news for this bike weight loss based blog is that I won't be commuting until Monday now. I should be back on the bike today, but since yesterday afternoon I have been feeling like crap, with a massive banging headache and generally feeling very tired. I haven't been sleeping right since I started this rest period either. Maybe it's the lack of pedalling? Who knows.
Anyway, wifey talked me into having the whole week off the bike and coming back on Monday. I have a very successful marriage. Mainly because I don't argue with wifey! So Monday it is.
My Dad only ever gave me one bit of marital advice, and I follow it religiously. Please take note fellers 'cos it's a brilliant bit of wisdom. "Son" he said, "anything for a quiet life."
Onto other stuff, I very foolishly a while ago let myself get talked into Phill's July 150 challenge by Matty and the Phill himself during a Facebook conversation.
If you recall I did the June 100 mile challenge off road on my MTB not counting extended commuting miles and to be truthful, I don't think I would have achieved it if it wasn't for a week off work where I could MTB every day. That enabled me to do 163 miles.
July is looking impossible though. If I stand any chance at all I'll have to count extended commuting miles and try to rack up road mileage of a weekend as well. I don't think the MTB will get a look in. Also I won't be starting don't forget until July the 12th!
Just to add insult to injury, I can't even edit Phill's Googledocs spreadsheet due to some unfathomable IT mystery.
The only problem I have with it is the whole concept somehow changed why I was pedalling, instead of enjoying the ride I was concentrating on racking up mileage, not what I'm here for. Knowing my past history if it becomes a chore I'll knock it on the head as it takes the love out of it. So an announcement, the July challenge is my last mileage challenge. I'll enjoy watching the scrap from the sidelines with the fat wheezy boys with a note from their Mom during the August 200 instead!
Just as a bit of completely off topic news (I said it was a mixed bag today) yesterday while driving back home I was going over the Waseleys where I saw a big bird of prey soaring very low over a field. That's completely normal, we have got almost a plague of Buzzards, Kestrals and Sparrowhawks around where I live, indeed I never go a day where I don't see one or more Bird of Prey of some description.
As I got closer I realised it didn't look quite right and when I passed as close as I was going to I saw why, angular wings, distinctive V tail feathers, it was a Red Kite! The first I've seen in the area! Absolutely brilliant! I pulled over and watched it for a while, a beautiful sight. I see them regularly in Gwynedd where my folks live and down by High Wycombe on the M40 but this is the first in the Midlands where I live. Where there's one, there must be two, unless of course it's an escapee from the couple of Bird of Prey sanctuaries in the area. I hope not, I'm hoping their area has now extended to the Waseleys and I see them regularly now.
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Sorry for dragging you into the #July150! Promise I wont do it again, I know these things can become a chore and loose the fun :)
ReplyDeleteBest bit of marriage advice I got was from a couple that had been married for around 70 years, the chap said "The secret to a long and happy marrage is 2 litttle words, Yes dear" Still to this day I have a little smile thinking of that one :)
Red kites are fantastic, we have them over hear a lot. I understand from a friend in the High Wycombe area that they are actually a pest now, you struggle to have a BBQ without them coming and pinching the meat.
I'd like to see anything try and nick my meat! Grr, confirmed carnivore me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the 150, wharever will be will be, I'll give it my best shot though.
Getting a headache when you stop riding just isn't good enough you know. You need to turn into fully fledged psycho man like my hubby - then the rest of the family will be pleading with you to get back on the bike again ;-) His minimum for exercise is about 3 times a week. Any less and the mad glint returns to the eye, irritability flares up, and we're practically packing his climbing gear for him, or fixing the bike rack to the car, LOL! What is it with blokes and exercise, eh?!!!
ReplyDeleteEnvy you the red kite experience! Although we do have them round here, I've never managed to spot one for long enough to get a good look. Beautiful birds they are :-)
There is only room for one fully fledged psycho in our marriage Christie!
ReplyDeletePriceless advice from your father. I once asked a older friend of mine how he was doing? His reply was "I don't know, she hasn't told me yet"
ReplyDeleteAnd they have a wonderful relationship.
ROFL Mr DaveyGie!
ReplyDeleteThe rest will do you the world of good mate - you'll now get on your bike on Monday and smash every target known to man.
Thanks for joining up Clive. I'm going to delete a few people from the spreadsheet tis weekend and re-invite them (including you) after a day or so and just cross my fingers.
ReplyDeleteAs you say, wharever will be will be, we just do what we can and try to enjoy the miles!
Loving the marital advice. None of it worked for me first time round!
Great to hear you have a red kite in your area, I so very agree with, " anything for a quiet life", but despite it, the last 38 years, have been anything but quiet. My domestication, is still very much a work in progress, but I still love her to bits.
ReplyDeleteWell I injured my ribs playing football on June 30th just before completing my final ride for the June100. I thought it would be a push to get 100 but managed 200 in the end.
ReplyDeleteI'm still in agony with my ribs and the pain got better and is now worse again. I've only managed 7.28 miles for the July150 and that was my first 'test' ride after I hurt my ribs. I'm not a big mountain biker so most of my miles are on road or trail. I enjoy a challenge but if it was a chore I wouldn't do it, but that wouldn't stop me commuting.
I never see many birds of prey but there are a number of herons locally. Amazing birds.
Hi Clive, it's been a couple days since I checked in with you. Thanks for the marital advice....your Dad is a wise man.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can rack up the mileage for July, but also enjoy your ride at the same time. I know what you mean about sometimes focusing on the task and not enjoying the moment.
Darryl