Ivana Falloffalot!

That was my name on today's ride! I've not fallen off this much in years, three times in one less than 15 miles ride!

I had hoped to do 20 miles but there were some very tired legs in our group so we did the short version of the ride. It was great to be out on proper Lakes bridleways, good technical riding and hard climbs. We have a regular ride that we do that starts at Wray Castle, heads up towards Iron Keld, down from there towards Little Langdale and Hodge Close, then back past Iron Keld then normally towards Hawkshead and up into Claife Heights. We missed out the Claife Heights section today.

Its a good ride, a bit of everything and not massively prone to being boggy. We were a bit later than normal setting off due to Jez's physio appointment, I don't think we started riding until after 11, there were 7 of us in total with 3 girlies riding.

First few miles were fine, my legs felt good after a full rest day of pigging out and I had to stop myself going off too hard at the start, it wasn't a local easy ride. It was really still but not massively sunny, which was suprising considering how windy it had been on the drive up. I ended up taking my waterproof off and putting my gilet on as I was too warm. I had my camera in one of the back pockets, there was some nice snow covering on the hills:

I hung back to take some pictures after we'd climbed up Iron Keld and were about to head down Arnside. I had a nice chat with a couple of elderly blokes, one of whom was fascinated by my bike, particularly the pedals. I then set off on the first part of the descent to catch up the others. This is one of my favourite Lakes descents, as it has a little bit of everything: rocks, rubble, ruts, sheep, grass, water spashes...

It was nice to do some more technical stuff though I had forgotten the rocky section at the top and just kind of blundered my way down it, I got better later.

We regrouped about half way down, just after the wall above. We continued down some more, I was in front for some reason and I was crossing a bit of a grassy plateau and looking well ahead as the track was about to split and there were quite a few line choices I could make.

All of a sudden I felt the front wheel slide away, now I've gotten lots of front wheel slides back before but not this one it went too fast and I slammed to the ground on my left side, still holding onto the handlebars wondering what the hell just happened. I had felt my head hit off the ground but as it was grass the helmet took it and I was fine.

My foot was stuck in the right pedal and I was tangled up with the bike, I shook my foot out and stuck my hand up to wave that I was ok. Then I realised that the ground was sopping wet and my kit was doing a fantastic job of soaking up the water, so I scrambled up. Fall No. 1.

In my world all this took a bit of time but according to everyone else I was only on the ground a matter of seconds before I jumped back up like a scalded cat. It was very spectacular and dramatic to watch apparently, particularly the bit where my head bounced off the ground. I felt fine, very wet and cold now but ok. I was very lucky a few metres further on and the rocks started again and it would have probably been a very different story.

We had a look to see what I had skidded on, there wasn't much but you could just see where my wheel had slid on a small rut (ruts and me at the minute!) hidden in the grass. I checked the camera and it had survived but I put it back in my bag and then proceeded to forget about it for the rest of the ride. I hate to think what I landed in but I seemed to spend the rest of the ride accompanied by the smell of sheep poo, though we were never far from sheep during most of the ride so I'm not sure.

I got back on and set off actually quite unshaken for me, rode the rest of the descent fine. Everything went ok for ages and I was generally riding well then we came to a "challenge" climb. It only a short but steep rise, it has a few rocks on it so you can't just take a straight line up it and you can't do it in too easy a gear as the front will wander but too hard a gear and you won't get up it either. Now I've cleaned it before but I think it has been on the Titus as on the On One the rocks were getting in the way of my back wheel.

On the second attempt I was really close but still had to unclip, but my left foot (normal unclipping foot) got stuck and I toppled over onto a big rock. It took me a while to wriggle it out. Fall No 2, not quite so dramatic. I've been having a few problems with unclipping since I changed the cleats but thought it was because the old cleats were so worn that I only had to think about unclipping and my foot was out, I obviously wasn't twisting out enough.

We continued, I was annoyed at this fall and was becoming sure that my brakes weren't working properly, I think the rear needs new pads and I wasn't imagining that one. I was also thinking that my forks were blowing through their travel and also rebounding very quick but I put that down to the gremlins getting into my head after falling off.

My legs were still feeling strong and I was generally riding better and better. I realised that my technical skills needed sharpening up a bit really but I was still trying to descend at a speed too fast for my current ability. I decided to slow my descending down a bit, until the next descent where I forgot of course.

On the evil climb back up to Iron Keld I had the tell tale throb of a forming bruise just above my left knee. I managed to clean the climb with a gear to spare which is the first time ever, it has a lot of loose stuff on it and some roots but I managed it all ok today, was puffing like a train at the top as usual though. I also noticed on this climb that the instep seem on my right boot was now unstitched, oh great, I hope I don't have to fork out for a new pair of winter boots. I didn't notice when setting off so may have done this in the first crash?

The track rolls along in a generally upwards direction, some technical sections I clean easily though they have filled in some of the bigger holes annoyingly. We were almost at the top where there is a bit of a rockstep, at least on the line I was on. I have cleaned it before but this time I didn't quite lift my front wheel high enough or something, whatever I stalled with front up step and back wheel still below it. I just couldn't unclip my left foot at all and I fell hard onto my left knee on the rocks. I was extremely peed off with this, I didn't spud myself (or should it be egg myself as I ride eggbeaters?) this much when I first had clipless! Well I did but that's not the point. Fall No 3.

After various people had finished laughing at me I realised that my left foot was still stuck in the pedal and I couldn't move. I couldn't seem to get my right foot to a position where it would help me get up. In the end after a bit of pointless flailing of limbs, Jez had to lift my bike up a bit and Ed had to help me up a bit before I could free my foot.

I sat down at the side of the track and had a look at my shoe, the cleat had moved. Jez got the multitool out and one of the cleat screws was really loose. What cretin put them on? Oh, that would be me! D'oh. It was tightened up for me. I was annoyed at not getting up something I'd managd in the past so as everyone else continued on I pushed back down a bit so I could ride what I'd just messed up and cleaned it no problem at all, typical.

Downhill for a bit as I caught up with Pam and cruised downhill, her back tyre rolled over a rock which threw her back wheel seriously sideways, almost level with the front. She calmly just kept riding, when we got to the bottom she said she had quite a scare! Didn't look like it from where I was though so well done to Pam.

After that is was a short slide along a muddy track then back along the road for a bit to the cars. We packed up and decided to head to Wilfs for some food, I was wondering how I was going to find room for some food as I'd had energy drink in my Camelbak and we hadn't really been out that long. As we set off driving I was soon starving. Even though we had done quite a short ride we had been out for quite a while, actual moving speed was about the same as normal but there were a lot more rest and faff stops (and not just me falling off) than normal which I hadn't taken account of.

Having had a think about my forks, the last time I can remember that I put or messed around with the air in the forks was when the On One was built. I can't remember exactly when that was but it was built around 8 - 9 months after the Titus was built. The Titus was built in August 2005!

I run the Revelations at 115 mm on the On One and over the last couple of months I've been gradually unwinding the UTurn doofer to keep it at 115mm, so I think its about time I looked at what the settings are. The Rev forks have been utterly fit and forget.

Oh, MTB gods..its someone else's turn to fall off!

Short Evening Run

For the first time in a very long time work got in the way of my lunchtime run. I was in a (very informative for a change) meeting until just after 12 and by the time I came out I was starving as I hadn't had my mid morning slice of cake. I wasn't the only one, I could hear lots of rumbling tums in there.

I decided to go out in the evening, but for a short one. I'm feeling a little tired and constantly hungry so doing a hard tempo run wasn't high on my agenda today. After work I got changed, faffed a bit but then headed out the door. It felt weird to be running in the dark. I planned to do three miles, as that would take me to 100 running miles for the month (no wonder my legs feel battered).

My legs actually felt quite springy, I took it easier on the first mile, speeded up a little on the second and pretty much continued for the last. However, there were a few places where it was difficult to run due to rubbish streetlights, or non - working street lights. A couple of short hills as well to break things up a bit.

The last mile was through the centre of town so a bit of faff dodging people and crossing roads. I actually stopped running a little earlier than I intended (still over three miles) as for some reason none of the streetlights work near the entrance to my estate. I couldn't see the ground at all as my night vision was constantly disrupted by car headlights blinding me.

The mile splits:

8.50
8.29
8.43

I have to say the 8.29 felt really quite comfortable, maybe the intervals/tempo are starting to have an effect though its also likely to be the fact I was doing such a short run.

My plan is for a much needed rest day tomorrow then mountain biking in the Lakes on Saturday then some offroad running fun on Sunday before getting back to the serious business of road running again. As I'm a bit ahead of my plan I am intending repeating the last few sessions rather than ploughing on.

Consolidation, that's the word I was looking for.

Night Ride

A bit of last minute e-mailing found us agreeing to meet at Abbey Village at the usual time last night for a bit for spin. Weather was best its been in a while, not raining, pretty still but misty. Usual setting off faff and the usual suspect being late meant we set off at a slow pace until he caught us up!


The tracks were quite stodgy and my legs felt pretty tired, though I was expecting them to perk up a bit later as that's the way riding seems to be going for me at the minute, except they didn't. We rode along chatting for a bit and decided against the boggy fence track as judging by the state of the main trail it would be a mess.


We were all together by the time we headed out across the road towards Dean Lane, my legs were heavy as lead. As we set off down the descent I thought things were going dark! By the time I got onto the really bumpy cobbles I couldn't see much ahead, my front tyre and the ground underneath the bike was being illuminated in glorious detail though as my light had swung down on the bars (I didn't put it on I hasten to add).


No point stopping until the bottom but it did make it somewhat interesting as I couldn't see any of the waterbars/trail obstacles until I was almost on them, resulting in a lot of frantic attempts to lift the front wheel before I catapulted myself over the bars - as it turned out this would be a recurring theme for the evening!


At the edge of Earndale Res I sorted it as the others rode off ahead. By the time I'd finished their lights were no longer visible and it was very dark! I caught them up and we headed across the field to the bottom of the long climb to the tower. I set off onto the field and almost immediately nearly fell off as the back wheel slid. I managed to pretty much ride all the rest of it but it wasn't elegant and I was feeling quite weary. I rode the little drop out of the field badly and only just manage to haul my front wheel up to stop it stalling on a pointy rock, oh dear.


I was realising I was more than a little tired now so I thought I would put it in the granny ring and spin up the climb to the tower, about a minute after setting off I got bored with twiddling and put it back in middle ring (I cannot spin to save myself now!). The boys were riding at a pretty nice pace so I just tagged along behind. Some parts were very soft but it was generally ok.


Almost at the top where the track disintegrates and it gets interesting I managed to jam my back wheel in between two rocks and had to unclip, I knew that I was tired when I couldn't be bothered going back to ride it again. I felt like I used to at the end of a hard 30 mile Lakes ride, which was a bit worrying as we'd only covered about 4 miles.



I managed to get going again and rode the rest. We were now well in the mist, but it was drifting a bit so it would clear a little then mist up again. You could see the beam of lights really clearly. The upshot was you could make out the trail but not the detail, so more bouncing around off rocks but at least I managed to actually stay on. I had a gel at the top, then Ed offered round some tablet. The sugar boost really helped and I managed to get some concentration back.





Which was just as well because the next section was just porridge, slow, slow, slow. Lots of skidding and sliding and peering through the mist. I did somehow manage to find a completely clear and dry line up the last little rocky climb to the Witton Weavers Way. I normally can't do that when I can actually see!





We set off again and I manage to sail past Jez and Stu as they had ridden into a really soft rut while I took the higher line. It was great until I was dropping down and the mist meant I couldn't quite make out what the track was like. It was either a tyre track or a narrow tyre width rut, I decided it was a track but it wasn't. My front wheel clipped the edge but I managed to get a foot down before I tumbled off into the heather, hee hee. A bit of a push up and more slip, sliding over the top of the moor.


We decided to take the more direct track towards the road then onto the singletrack at Hollins Head Hall. The track was quite stodgy but off we went and the mist had cleared so visibility was excellent on the way down. It was still clear as we got to the singletrack past the Hall. Now, there is quite a bit of marsh grass at the side of the track and my light was reflecting off it like lots of little sparkles, I've seen it before and its fascinating.





So fascinating in fact I didn't notice the deepish, just wider than tyre width rut that had opened up in the middle of the track until I heard the noise of my front wheel sliding along the edge of it, oh b*gger. I got the rear brake on, tried to unclip, couldn't, braced for impact but then managed to pull the front wheel out and carried on my way....eejit.





I need to rememeber to get the camera out here but I do wonder if the light has to be moving to ge the full effect of the sparkles. One stodgy climb later and its time for the fast descent. The mist still seems to be sitting in this area so a combination of mist and mud/spray being thrown off the front tyre meant I couldn't quite see anything so I just pointed the bike downhill and hoped. I do remember it absolutely walloping off a large rock in the midle of the track, the front wasn't too bad but I felt the vibration from my back wheel hitting it all the way up my legs and back.


Last fast, swoopy section through the woods and then throw the bikes in the car and get some food from the Chinese then home. I'm normally a very slow eater but tonight I couldn't shovel it in fast enough, starving.

Cycling In

My legs felt a little dead setting off this morning, after about 20 minutes I decided I was quite hungry. I dawdled in my own little world for about half of the ride until someone passed me on the Marsh Road making me jump. Then I started concentrating on riding. The last 8 miles or so felt fine so maybe I just needed to warm up a bit.

There was pretty much a tailwind all the way in, if it had been a strong headwind like Friday I'd probably still be out there such was my lack of oomph. 1 hour 10 minutes today.

I think I'm going to have a fair old headwind on the way home, not like Friday. The strong tailwind, and the fact I didn't leave work until close to 6pm meaning Warton was quiet, gave me an average speed of 18.01 mph at Lea Gate, just over half way home. I didn't think the Spesh was capable of trundling at that speed for any length of time.

By the time I had gone through Preston the average had dropped down to 16.5 but still quite fast for the ride home, there will be none of that tonight.

More intervals

Yesterday I did the interval session I had postponed from last week. Not surprisingly it was hard but I did enjoy it, was a good idea not to do it last week though I would have been on my knees.

I was for 5 x 1K intervals, 400 metre recovery or as I couldn't be bothered changing the units on the Garmin 0.62 mile intervals and 1/4 mile recovery.

My legs still had some stiffness in them from Saturday so a slow two mile warmup. The first interval was by far the hardest, took me a while to wind my legs up. The fourth one was also slower as I had to slow right down to take a corner and dodge a dog that came flying out of the dunes to run next to me. It was just a pup so obviously a little overexcited but it was still a big dog (Old English Sheepdog I think) and nearly tripped me up.

I did all five ok, I could have probably managed a sixth if my life depended on it but was actually really glad to stop. I jogged back to work quite smoothly (but slowly) and suprisingly my legs felt great after hammering them.

Average paces for the intervals:

7.42 7.34 7.35 7.43 7.38

For once I didn't seem to have to constantly adjust the pace either, apart from the last one where I set off far too fast. Still not looking forward to doing a whole mile interval.