Monday 12 December 2011

Fixed Ambitions


Wear the right gear and cold mornings can be a pleasure to ride.
 Riding to work on a bicycle through the warmer months is a healthy and enjoyable way to travel.  You tend to arrive at your desk smelling fragrant (if your work has shower facilities) and feeling wide awake.  And a well paced commute also justifies the odd dietary breach...

However, once the clocks change, the warmth bleeds away and the light fades. The fields become barren and colours congeal into greys and browns. And you get to work rattling with images of potholes looming out of the dark, cars kicking grit off the road, arctic winds and slushy puddles. But all these brutal experiences are tempered by the grim satisfaction that you’re as hard as nails.

Sunday 11 December 2011

How to Lose 2 Stone in 2 months. Week 2

Two weeks ago I set myself the target of losing 2 Stone in 2 months. Last week I completed the first weekly update. I managed to lose just under a kilogram in weight.

This week my goals were:-

1. Give up lunch club.
2. Run at least 3 times this week.
3. Eat sensibly.
4. Drink no alcohol whatsoever.
5. Cycle extra miles on the way to work for at least 2 shifts.
6. Do 100 sit-ups every day (by way of punishment for my terrible performance in week 1)

This is how I got on .......

Sunday 4 December 2011

How to lose 2 stone in 2 months. Week 1

Starting Weight                                                                    Week 1 Weight

In order to start my preparations for the 2012 Wiggle Dragon Ride, Last week I started on my mission to lose 2 stone in 2 months. This is my first weekly update.


WEEK 1

I set myself a number of goals:-

1. Start giving up smoking.
2. Get (completely) pissed only once.
3. Cycle 50+ miles on friday.
4. Do 50 sit-ups every day this week.
5. Purchase some annoyingly expensive trainers.
6. Run a few miles on friday and sunday.

Here is how the week went.....

Hope Vision 4 and Fibre Flare combo

Funky!

Since November 2010 my commute has increased from 6 miles to 11 miles each way. At night, my former city commute had been illuminated by street lights. So, a cheap and cheerful front light and a flashing rear one was all I needed to keep myself visible to other road users. But rather than cruising through the well-lit streets of Coventry, the bulk of my journey is now along country lanes. All well and good in the summer months, but in the middle of the toughest British winter in years, the ride is considerably more perilous.