Author Topic: Commuting start (again...) (Read 3403 times)

Marco Stefano · « **on:** 24 February, 2009, 08:38:31 pm »

My excuse for not cycling to work ends tomorrow; ~1000 lorry loads of sugar beet go to my workplace each day during the winter, but that's enough beet for this year. That's apart from it being 20 miles each way, covered in mud, dark, cold and a headwind on the way home. But it's the lorries that give me the willies.

Loins are being girded as I write. Waterproof has been waterproofed, p****ure repaired, chain lubed. I'm going for once a week to start with.

Wish me luck and / or give me a kick up the arse to get me going.

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 24 February, 2009, 08:41:14 pm »

Best of British!

Torslanda · « **Reply #2 on:** 24 February, 2009, 08:52:34 pm »

There's no shame in being nervous about mixing it with wagons on the road.

It gives the heebie geebies!

J

Wobbly John · « **Reply #3 on:** 24 February, 2009, 08:53:49 pm »

Marco, do you work at 'the Wissey'? I used to work there!

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 February, 2009, 12:46:22 pm »

Yes WJ, I'm at Wissington looking at where the beet was as I write; space for about 30,000 tonnes (about 36 hours-worth!). It's probably different to when you were here; what did you do here?

If you are in Prickwillow, perhaps you could do me a flavour and give me a push as I go past?

I've gone off using the road along the river to Littleport, too much traffic and too little room given. Mind you, there's still a bit of the Mildenhall road to negotiate either way, with school buses and Yankee SUVs...

The thing that makes the journey is the wildlife across the deep fens near Little Ouse; wildfowl, various reed-living birds, owls, deer, stoats / weasels, fish in the river, etc.

annie · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 February, 2009, 01:38:46 pm »

Well done and good luck.

Wendy · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 February, 2009, 05:02:31 pm »

Lorries, v. scary and I like to avoid:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Ua4VKKHpYEA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Ua4VKKHpYEA&rel=1</a>

Wobbly John · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 February, 2009, 07:44:58 pm »

Marco

I last worked there in 1983. I worked in the laboratory mainly, but have done everything - demolition, descaling eveporators, Fitting 3/4 tonne pipes 20ft above the 3rd floor, etc.

We didn't slice much over 12,000 tonnes a day when I was there.

I live in Littleport. and I've cycled to Wissey during the campaign - along the A10 and up the Feltwell road!

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 February, 2009, 09:26:01 pm »

Quote from: annie on 25 February, 2009, 01:38:46 pm

Well done and good luck.

Thanks Annie but, er... I haven't started yet.

Start next week (when it gets colder again).

A triumphant post will follow.

John, I think you'll find that you'd get lost there when you got into the car park, it's so different. And riding up the A10:

rather you than me. An extra 2.5 miles my way, though.

Mikey, the last time I cycled round your way it wasn't like that, but it was about 1975/76; cowhorn bars, singlespeed conversions and cycle speedway tyres meant loads of off-road biking over Hayes Common.

(Not that it was against bylaws or nuffink. Ahem.)

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #9 on:** 02 March, 2009, 08:17:32 pm »

Well, that was reasonably painless. 1hr 20mins on the way this morning, 1hr 30mins on the way back into the wind. And unlike a couple of years ago, no emergency stop at Waitrose 2 miles from home to drink a litre of anti-bonk ginger beer.

Stats:
pairs of mallard - several
herons - two
swans in fields - several (do they have to walk miles before they find water to take off from?)
fox - one, but not very alive...
close passes - two (thank you, Barratt Homes Transit driver

)
cyclists - several, including a roadie in Ely colours
extra breakfasts - none (missed the canteen

)
slightly soggy Digestives that I forgot I had in my bum bag for emergencies - 4

very courteous tractor drivers on singletrack roads - every single one (thank you, gents)
layers of clothes - too many, a bit hot (boil in bag Gill windproof the real culprit)
plates of last night's chicken risotto for tea - two.

All in all, jolly good. Roll on next week.

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 02 March, 2009, 08:21:25 pm »

Well done!

ed_o_brain · « **Reply #11 on:** 03 March, 2009, 11:45:57 am »

Quote from: BentMikey on 25 February, 2009, 05:02:31 pm

Lorries, v. scary and I like to avoid:

Mikey,

I think a shorterned version of that clip (from 51 seconds in up till about 1:05) would be great for highlighting the point about not going up the inside of large vehicles.

I can post a link from the Left for Dead face book group.

Incompatible Browser | Facebook

vorsprung · « **Reply #12 on:** 03 March, 2009, 12:01:17 pm »

Quote from: Marco Stefano on 02 March, 2009, 08:17:32 pm

Stats:
pairs of mallard - several
herons - two
swans in fields - several (do they have to walk miles before they find water to take off from?)
fox - one, but not very alive...

I live in Devon and leave the house at about 7:30 on the commute. Back at 5pm ish. I've found that the best time of year for wildlife spotting was January and February. There is more of it about at twilight. Now it's getting too late to see much in the morning or evening.
One evening I saw 3 deer in the road ahead...

annie · « **Reply #13 on:** 03 March, 2009, 10:00:43 pm »

That's excellent news Marco. Keep up the good work.

I only wish I had somewhere to commute to but I have to just make the effort to go out as and when. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #14 on:** 05 March, 2009, 09:17:30 pm »

Thanks Annie, I have that problem with indoor rowing. And well done Clarion on your return to daily commuting - 'Chapeau!'

Sod next week, I'm off again tomorrow. It is at the other end of the week from the last one so I should be recovered, and it's supposed to be nice weather again here (but cold), so why not?. I might even get the clothing temperature right this time...

annie · « **Reply #15 on:** 05 March, 2009, 10:00:43 pm »

Quote from: Marco Stefano on 05 March, 2009, 09:17:30 pm

Thanks Annie, I have that problem with indoor rowing. And well done Clarion on your return to daily commuting - 'Chapeau!'

Sod next week, I'm off again tomorrow. It is at the other end of the week from the last one so I should be recovered, and it's supposed to be nice weather again here (but cold), so why not?. I might even get the clothing temperature right this time...

Just go for it and see what happens. Don't overdo it though.

I have a rowing session in the morning, sprints for me I think. 5 x 100 m sprints with 100 m at steady state in between. Not sure if this is ideal but it seems to be helping my overall speed.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #16 on:** 06 March, 2009, 08:26:21 pm »

Well, that was good. There & back, feeling fresh as a daisy (nearly). Bloomin' cold this morning but really lovely, thick hoar frost on everything. Cambridge eight on the Ouse on the way there (big day soon), two barn owls on the way home. Glass of Ricard to celebrate, and... relax.

The main road bits (about 2 x 2 miles in all) turn the ride into UT1 cruise with AT on-the-drops-and-get-it-over-with-as-quick-as-possible intervals. Only black marks were a close pass by an agricultural lorry (there, winter non-commuting sadly vindicated) and my Dinotte front light developing a mind of its own on the way home - more bother.

That's a short & sweet rowing session, Annie; make sure you're really hot before you do those. It will help if you do such short interval really eyeballs out fast and hard, and such can also help endurance, bizarrely. I'd give yourself more recovery time, though. Back on the river tomorrow at 7:30 for me, racing Sunday (well, we call it racing...); no peace for the wicked.

Have a good weekend everyone.

annie · « **Reply #17 on:** 06 March, 2009, 08:41:05 pm »

Quote from: Marco Stefano on 06 March, 2009, 08:26:21 pm

Well, that was good. There & back, feeling fresh as a daisy (nearly). Bloomin' cold this morning but really lovely, thick hoar frost on everything. Cambridge eight on the Ouse on the way there (big day soon), two barn owls on the way home. Glass of Ricard to celebrate, and... relax.

The main road bits (about 2 x 2 miles in all) turn the ride into UT1 cruise with AT on-the-drops-and-get-it-over-with-as-quick-as-possible intervals. Only black marks were a close pass by an agricultural lorry (there, winter non-commuting sadly vindicated) and my Dinotte front light developing a mind of its own on the way home - more bother.

That's a short & sweet rowing session, Annie; make sure you're really hot before you do those. It will help if you do such short interval really eyeballs out fast and hard, and such can also help endurance, bizarrely. I'd give yourself more recovery time, though. Back on the river tomorrow at 7:30 for me, racing Sunday (well, we call it racing...); no peace for the wicked.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Well done, sounds terrific. The frost here was amazing. I just hopped onto the MTB and rode to the gym, then home again when I realised that I had forgotten my trainers. I got very little room on the main road, never a problem on the Sunday but on the MTB I appear to have been treated quite differently, not to worry though.

I agree about the longer rest periods with intervals on the rowing machine. One problem I have is that I appear to be on the verge of taking flight, well coming off the seat, what is the solution?

Good luck Sunday. I will be in the hills in Kent.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #18 on:** 07 March, 2009, 01:34:02 pm »

Quote from: annie on 06 March, 2009, 08:41:05 pm

I agree about the longer rest periods with intervals on the rowing machine. One problem I have is that I appear to be on the verge of taking flight, well coming off the seat, what is the solution?

Try moving you feet up (more holes showing above your feet); low feet allow you to push upwards on the drive, rather than horizontally. If it helps, I have size eight feet, don't do enough stretching and have two empty holes (i.e. locating pins in hole no.4) above my feet on my C2 (the holes on my stretcher are labelled 1 to 6, bottom to top).

You should reach the catch (start of the stroke) with your shins vertical. If you are nice and bendy it's easy to over-compress at the catch, a weak position (try squatting down and raising yourself, from a full squat the first bit is hard & slow). So, raise your feet a little (bit of trial & error required), and concentrate on driving flat, going a little light on the seat when really pressing on.

Hills in Kent sounds lovely (says a Kentish Man); have fun.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 March, 2009, 08:58:12 pm »

Into the 3rd week of two days-a-week commuting by bike; last night was a 1hr 9mins (17mph) record.

The weather is helping; no March gales yet...

I've found that my new Fizik Pave saddle doesn't fit my bum (or the other way round), so the B17 has moved from the Royal to the Pompino. Then hopefully I won't need to stop for relief of numbness of the parts, but I will have to buy another bleedin' saddle.

I know I'm getting hooked 'cos when it was mentioned at the office in P'boro' today as I scoffed a huge muffin (cue sideways looks at the mention of 20 mile cycling...) I started thinking "it's only just over 30 miles here each way; must get the maps out to find a quiet route...".

Author Topic: Commuting start (again...) (Read 3403 times)

annie

ed_o_brain

annie

annie

annie