I didn’t get an opportunity to start training until Wednesday club night as I was enjoying the sights and food in Liverpool and London for work. What a transformation of Liverpool since I was last there seeing my cousin which must have been 20 odd years ago when I was seeing the city through cheap student union beer and probably kebabs !

Highest weekly mileage of the year but short on hours. 73 miles mainly thanks to 3 rides in only 7 hours. No pool time this week though which I have missed.

As almost half the club members were racing at the weekend so it was a main session of 2 minutes x8.

Thursday lunchtime I managed to get out on the Felt for the first time this week, dry roads, sunshine, daffodils flooding the verges and actually quite warm. Then again on Saturday I got another hours ride in and then to top off the week and get 3 road rides in I managed 2.5 hours in the sun riding with Debs. I decided it wouldn’t be fair to take the Felt when she was on a hybrid so pulled the old Le Monde out of the garage. This was a good choice as our winding village route went past many dairy farms and so we had to pick our way through the muck and mud. Took in half a dozen villages north of the M4 circling Hullavington airfield, went on many new roads to us so great ride. Only had to ask for directions twice, second time form a pair of cyclist who were clearly enjoying their ride with cans of Fosters beer in their bottle racks !

Took on little tumble in to grass verge, but landed in stinging nettles – ouch 😦

Thursday night was a classic old-fashioned circuit  training session – lunges, squat thrusts, skipping, step ups, push-ups, planks, burpees, star jumps etc.

No long run this weekend as Karen doing Bath half but managed a Friday night hill rep session with Vic and Karen followed by fresh handmade pizza from wood oven on bypass, washed down with a bottle of Crabbies Ginger Beer – nom, nom.

Went on shopping trip with Mike to get my birthday pressie   – a nice pair of Oakleys for riding, but Mike ended up with more stuff as he found two half price bargains,  a new pair of walking boots and a ski helmet. So that’s his birthday pressie sorted as well !

My National Lottery Olympic Park run race pack has arrived – t-shirt, access wrist bands for Mike & Sue, number, maps, bag tag etc. Number 3425 will be tearing down the last 100m on the olympic track on 31st March – can’t wait.