The Willy Warmer - Done

The Willy Warmer was a popular Audax, with over 60 entrants. It was a great crowd with many familiar faces. The event was extremely well organised - thank you to Manotea.

My sister commented that this could be called The Willy Colder. Which is very true. The last section after the Sainsbury's stop was very cold. I get bouts of 'white finger'. On a ride, it usually starts when I take a break and while it hurts, it hurts even more when the circulation kicks in again. This is what was happening in the next hour after Sainsbury's.

The second half was tough because of the headwind. I still made good time - which is what counts really. You soon forget how you felt, as long as 'the job is done'.

On the train home I received a phone call from my mum, saying that a Belgian friend had made a very generous 100 euro donation on the LEL JustGiving site. What timing to receive that news! It brought tears to my eyes.

I tried to reduce non-cycling time, so my stops were brief. I only took a couple of picture at the end. Here they are:

Does Sarah Cycle?

On rides, I am often asked if Sarah cycles. As you can see in the photo, she does, but not the distances I like to do.

Indeed, this was taken at Camp Bestival 2008. I can't believe Rob Da Bank put back the festival by a week for 2009. It was going to be ideal: the weekend before LEL, go down to Lulworth, chill out for a long weekend with great music, great company and great food. But no, now Bestival coincides with LEL. This means I don't get to go to Camp Bestival AND and nobody will be around to take me to the start of LEL.

31 January - The Willy Warmer 200

The Willy Warmer will be the second of this year's 200km bike rides. Willesden Cycling Club organise the Audax, hence the name!

My light brackets have not arrived yet. Should be anytime now, that is either tomorrow or Friday. Otherwise, I'll have to rethink my setup and resort to battery lights and backpack.

Friday update: still no brackets and the car is out of action. Its been a great week! Even my communiting bike needed work on the freewheel, so I was without for a couple of days. I felt like an alien, walking out of the office without a helmet on and I was doing a Ellen McCarthur on public transport.

I didn't want to post anything on YACF, until my lights were sorted out. I'm itching to register my intend to cycle this event. Its all part of the ritual.

Bees for Development (BfD)

BfD is an organisation who enables people to use bees as a food source and livelihood. Below are some examples to illustrate the extraordinary powers of beekeeping in developing countries and the need for NGOs' assistance:

* Disease: In the 80-90s, the Thai Sac Brood virus wiped out an estimated 89% of colonies in India. NGOs can provide training programmes on early detection, treatment, bio-security to prevent re-infection and queen-rearing to assist quicker re-population.

* Women in Afghanistan: Because bees can be kept within the boundaries of the home, the Taliban regards beekeeping as an acceptable activity for women. They need equipment and knowledge to get setup.

* Iraq: UN sanctions ment the beekeepers could not get hold of treatment against the varroa mite, leading to 15% loss of colonies. BfD raises awareness of such issues.

More examples to come ...

What is FNRttC?

FNRttC stands for Friday Night Ride to the Coast. They are rides starting from Hyde Park Corner at midnight on a Friday, with a coast as destination. Organised by Mr Simon Legg of Morden and Cheam CTC. Its a no frills, turn up and ride affair. Not quite, Simon keeps tabs on who will turn up, with a list of names, phone and CTC membership numbers.

They are absolutely fanstastic, my favourite last year was the Whitstable run.

Simon wrote an article for the Guardian, worth reading for its style, even if you are not a cyclist and will never do a moon lit ride on a Friday - Clicky

The Poor Student - Done

Thank you, thank you to the fantastic Fabulous Faccombe Four - and Mercury! No way would I have completed this ride without them! Navigation, company, chats, light! I have only ever cycled at night in a group: Dun Run, FNRttCs and this one, and although I love it, I also find it scary at times. The thought of night riding on my own scares me a lot. Maybe the Willy Warmer will provide me with an opportunity to overcome my fears?

It was a great route, weather better than expected, hills not as bad as expected. I am very pleased with how it went, but it was tough. Its only the first in the season, and fitness and endurance will get better. But for now, I don't know how I will ever do a 400.

We started at 8 AM, cycled from Oxford to Shrivenham, to Malmesbury, to Chipping Campden and back to Oxford arriving just before 9.30 PM. The final control closed at 10.25.

I am very tired. Didn't sleep very well - how is that possible?

The Faccombe Four

LEE and Mercury

LEL Profile

It starts off flat, then you cross the Pennines ...










and towards Edinburgh it looks like this:









Source: http://www.freewebs.com/lel-gps/stageprofiles.htm

11 January - The Poor Student 200

This is the first of the training rides and the first time I will be doing 200km in January. It will not be easy, its a long way, it will be cold and it is a shoestring event. A shoestring event, means there will not be the usual Audax controls where you can get a morale boost by seeing friendly controllers and have a cup a tea with a piece of cake. Either you carry all supplies or stop at bakeries, petrol stations, Tescos, etc.

However, several of the Fabulous Faccombe Four will be riding, and that already provides for plenty of morale support. The Faccombe Four are Keeks, Urban_Biker, Chillmoister and LEE whom I met on the Faccombe Haul, last year. We have met up again on various rides since then.

Wizzbike in Brentford serviced my bike. There was a bit of work to be done, because I wanted lower gearing and they found the back brake to be faulty. I rode the bike home along the canal and it was running beautifully. Top marks to the mechanic Karim. He seemed very knowledgeable and quite a perfectionist.

Training Plan

Main training Audax events:

200km - The Poor Student (Oxford) - 11 Jan - DONE
200km - The Willy Warmer (Chalfont St Peter) - 31 Jan - DONE
200km - The Kennett Valley Run (Grazeley) - 28 Feb - DONE
300km - The Denmead 300 Perm - 21 Mar - DONE
400km - The Denmead 400 Perm - 4 Apr - DONE

400km - Brevet Cymru (Nouvo) (Chepstow) - 02 May - No longer doing because expecting new bike when I'll do two 200s.
200km - ? Repeat of the Poor Student?
200km - ? Repeat of the Faccombe Haul?

619km - The Brian Chapman Memorial (Chepstow) - 16 May

June needs some more thoughts, I mean miles.
200km - Winton (Kings Worthy) - 14 Jun
400km - Denmead SR Series (Denmead) - 20 Jun
Dun Run and Back - 3/4 July - No longer doing because teethgrinder suggested no night rides in the month of LEL
200km - Six Counties (Hertford) - 19 Jul
1400km - LEL - 26 Jul

Why LEL?

I don't know - it has to be done. The event is only every 4 years, and I couldn't wait till 2013. That is a year after the London Olympics!

And because LEL is such a challenge of endurance, self-sufficiency, fitness and partner relationship (!), I am going to raise funds for Bees for Development.

What is LEL?

London-Edinburgh-London: 'The international flaship event of Audax UK', a 1400km endurance cycling event held every 4 years.

In 2005, 276 riders started the fifth London-Edinburgh-London. 246 completed the event, a 14 per cent drop out, similar to PBP (Paris-Brest-Paris) on what is, a more demanding event. LEL is 200km longer than the French classic and the northern half is hilly and cold!

On 26th July 2009, 600 riders from 30 countries will be starting, aiming to complete the ride in 116 hours.