The Old Impetuous Days

It was very nice to get back on the bike today and also to hit the pub for lunch where I add another new beer to the trail, Flipside Chocolate Penny.

It’s not quite as nice when I snap the front dérailleur cable on the way home which means only half as many gears to play with.

L has a consultation on her back with her boss who diagnoses a facet problem, whatever that is, and suggests she sees a physio. Whatever it takes, we need to get her sorted.

Despite her dodgy back L is looking for a half marathon training plan, one that doesn’t centre around 30 minutes runs, long weekend runs of up to 4 miles and a bacon butty. A tad too gentle perhaps although I added the last bit.

I send her one that’s a little bit more interesting and demanding. I also offer to run with her tonight, if she doesn’t mind the company. She agrees and it appears we have a date.

We do a short-ish run into Wollaton, around the Admiral Rodney and back. It’s a loop we’ve done many a time in the past, in the old impetuous days. After which we’d end up first in bed and then in the pub before I sent her home to relive her babysitter so that I could order a sneaky takeaway curry. Those were the days... but obviously things have changed for the better. 

(Wednesday 18^th January)

Some Sort Of Exercise

The big day arrives... and we could have kicked it off with a parkrun as they always put on extra ones on Christmas Day. However the brutal 9am start is a good reason not to, along with the persuasive argument provided by the several pints of Gorilla that were consumed last night, then there's the weight of dog across my ankles and finally there’s the inviting female body beside me. Best stay in bed me thinks.

Later we open some more presents before heading off to meet my folks for a lunchtime pint in the Admiral Rodney. L walks MD there, chucking balls as they go. The two old men, Doggo and I, take the car.

After a couple of drinks we head back home for Christmas lunch where Daughter awaits and Son and his girlfriend soon join us.

Some juggling and oven rotation is always required for cooking large meals and this year even more so as we also have a veggie option to cook but I think we pull it off.

Its Stilton pate to start, then goose and\or Quorn substitute with Sage and Onion stuffing for main. This is my first attempt at Sage and Onion, as I usually make the stuffing with sausage meat, but it seems to be a success. L has done homemade Christmas Pudding and Apple Crumble for afters.

Naturally once the dinner is all done we all sit around not quite knowing what to with ourselves, as is the way on Christmas Day.

Son is on a bit of a tour, having spent last night and this morning at his father’s. He had intended to stay over with us tonight before heading to his girlfriend’s parent’s in Stoke in the morning. However, in the end the pull of a longer lie-in if they go to Stoke this evening prevails and they leave us early evening. They leave armed with full squash and badminton sets as his gf is desperate to get him involved in some sort of exercise. We wish her every success. 

(Sunday 25^th December)

Minding Our Own Businesses

The weather teases me with just enough fine weather to get me on the bike and then rains on me. Apart from getting soaked again it was actually quite a good ride in but tough. It's amazing how hard it is to get back into it after a week off. At least it stays dry for the ride home.

Later I am sat in the Admiral Rodney with my old dog at my feet, drinking a surprisingly nice pint of Shepstone’s Nut Brown Ale and reading a copy of the Nottingham Drinker magazine. We’re totally minding our own businesses when this sweaty woman breezes in. She starts buying me drinks albeit with my own money. You just couldn’t make it up. Sadly she has a yappy dog in tow but then she takes me home with her. Every cloud has a silver lining.

(Thursday 4^th February)

Christmas Is A Time For Complex Arrangements

Christmas is of course a time for complex arrangements. Son’s seem to have bypassed us, not for the first time. Drastic measures are called for and we step in where National Rail don’t and offer a decent service from Stoke to Derby.

He is in Stoke at his girlfriend’s for Christmas, so we transport him over to Derby where he is heading for his father’s via his grandparents. By taking him there we not only get to see them both but also to exchange presents in person.

Then we drop them at his Dad’s before hot footing it back to Nottingham where we meet my parents in the Admiral Rodney before we take them back to our place for a roast beef lunch and more Christmas present opening.

(Sunday 27^th December)

Cycle Derby Sportive

Today the inaugural Cycle Derby Sportive from outside the brand new Pride Park Velodrome, which isn’t open yet. Which I’m sure must have been the original intention. So it's a rather large publicity own goal as the Velodrome isn't due to open until January, I’m not sure a January sportive would have been that much fun. 

Both L and I have opted for the 50 mile route and as it’s a mass start, we start effectively hand in hand. We are waved off by the compère who does Ironmans, Derby County’s Rammie who showed up late and my father who has come to document the event.

There are over a thousand cyclists and it’s turned out to be a really sunny day to take on the Derbyshire countryside.

It’s an interesting course and they take us through Derby on coned off roads. It isn’t quite the city centre route that was promised on the map but it’s not bad. The first challenge is a lap around Carsington Water and the climb up to Middleton, albeit from the gentle side.

I reach the first checkpoint just past Middleton, 21 miles done, in 1:20. The feed has the usual energy stuff but no cake, only haribos and bananas. L texts to say she’s lonely and quite possibly the Flame Rouge. I attempt to raise flagging spirits.

There is cake at the second stop at Coxbench, yay, 36 miles down in 2:22. The cake is appreciated as there’s been some interesting climbs around Crich and Heage which made Middleton Top look like a molehill. It’s also a nice touch to have Derby College students filling your drinks bottles for you. Apparently James Corden did the short route (the wimp) but didn’t stop at the feed station much to the students’ dismay.

L texts... shoot me now. I’m sure she’s enjoying it really.

After Coxbench, I finally get down on the aeros and blitz the last bit. Job done, 52 miles in 3:14.

Overall I thought it was a good route and well organised. The only criticism really was that the direction arrows were plentiful but a bit small. Quite a few folk took wrong turns and had to yelled back onto route by the rest of us.

L texts... go home I’ll be hours. Hmmm, bit of chivvying required. I pedal back to Locko Park which is on the route and only 3 miles as the crow flies from the finish. Then I ride the route with L, another 10 miles in all.

A very good day, although it does take several pints of Directors in the Admiral Rodney later to get over. We take the dogs for an evening there and had planned to eat there but the menu is so uninspiring that L proposes a curry from the Park Tandoori. Who am I to refuse?

(Sunday 21^st September)