Recovery

Posted on 6 March, 2011 by doug

I was toying with calling this post “Injury update 3” but I’m feeling a lot more positive than that.

Not deterred by my unsuccessful attempt to buy some new running shoes from Arosports after work on Friday, I went for a run on Saturday morning.  Knowing I’m a little out of shape I decided to do my usual run, in reverse, meaning I would have to be running for 15 minutes before I started to climb, rather than the usual 8 minutes before I hit a really steep incline.

Once I’d got to the top I got the full effect of the cooling breeze and lovely views, albeit drab grey.  After 20-30 minutes I was feeling better than I expected and added on an extra mile and headed for a path that turned out to be rather “damp”.

The first part contained a few puddles which I delighted in running through, even though I could have gone around the edge – but I was out to enjoy the thrill of a run, not pussy foot around a puddle.  Further on it got really “squetchley” and I was all over the place, sliding around but grinning throughout.  Got home at 8.00am and hardly anyone was really up for the day so little competition for the shower!

Wow I felt so alive!  Out of shape, a little more tired than normal but so much alive.  Pleased I did my 7.5 mile run in spite of being out of condition.

Then this afternoon, I again could resist the opportunity of having a ride on my bike, to see how my hand faired.  The outcome, the verdict?  Well, not bad.  I think by next weekend I’ll be ready for a shortish ride and we’ll take it from there.  My hand is probably 95% healed.

By the way, you might remember I mentioned I was going to see my Doctor about my hand.  While he disapproves of any kind of self diagnosis, he did agree that I’ve pulled my tendons and ligaments about.  Also he suspects I have probably broken a bone or two after all, saying X Rays don’t always pick up whatever he was suspecting.  Owing to the passage of time, there is little point in another X Ray.

So, I had a good run yesterday and a short trial ride on my bike.  Things are looking up……

Posted in health, injury, running | Tagged | 2 Comments

Injury update 2

Posted on 27 February, 2011 by doug

It’s now about 4 weeks since I had that fall.  It has been a period of slow healing and frustration and rising stress levels.

Just to recap, I fell over while I was running and I landed by squashing the side of my hand under my chest causing it to curve inwards around the palm.  No broken bones thankfully but I reckon I’ve pulled the tendons / ligaments about.

Riding my new Thorn Audax Mk3 has been too painful and even running has been painful – yes, unlikely as it sounds, just the movement of my arm when I run hurts my hand.  I was starting to get concerned that the fitness levels I’d built up would just fade away.  Even going to the gym, DW Sports, seemed pointless.  Those stress levels that I have experienced over the years have started to rise and this has got me concerned.  The start of this keeping fit all started in 2008 when I was experiencing stress because of the complexity of work and moreover my capacity to handle it.

I was reflecting on those stress levels while sitting in Millbank Gardens in SW1 as I’d got to London with a little time to spare on Thursday.

Mulling it over in Millbank Gardens

So I decided two things.  Firstly this month of resting will have benefited me though I probably don’t appreciate it fully right now.  Secondly, I’m going to give running a go this coming weekend.  If that goes all right, I’ll have a gentle bike ride, maybe next weekend.  in the meantime, I’m off to see the Doctor on Wednesday about this.

Seeing the Doctor is relenting to those around me.  I’m not quite sure what to say and I’m certainly not sure what the Doctor will say to me.  My guess is that I should take it easy, rest it, don’t do anything that will aggravate it.
So, how did the run go?  Pretty good really!  Sure my hand was hurting by the time I got home but it was worth it.  I did an old run, about 6.5 miles and involves a couple of testing hills – short but sharp.  For anyone seeing me, I would probably have looked a bit awkward, running in a tired, lumpy kind of way, certainly poor form.  I felt a bit tired for the rest of the day and to be honest, a little achy.  But!  But I’m feeling pleased!  I managed it.  I haven’t gone back to square one with fitness, sure I’ve gone back a couple of steps but that can be regained.  The days are getting longer and hopefully warmer.  I feel determined not to let this hand business set me back too much.
I long for those days again when, after a really good run, I can feel unbeatable and on top of the world.  Stress?  I can handle this.  In fact, come to me with your problems, bring them on, we’ll handle it.
Oh, one thing I have now realised, is that my Asics Gel 1150 running shoes are well and truly worn out.  I’ll do a mini review soon, they’ve been pretty good though not quite as comfy as my Saucony Pro Grids.  I have my concerns about Asics following an article I read in the Ethical Consumer magazine a while back.
Worn heal following at least 800 miles
Asics Gel 1150 – around £70 from Arosport, Harpenden
Posted in health, injury | Tagged | 2 Comments

Dried Figs – Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference

Posted on 26 February, 2011 by doug

 

 

 

 

 





You might remember I commented on Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Dried Apricots a while back.  I have been really surprised at the high number of page hits, so I thought I’d have a go with these dried figs.

Some quick factoids:

– They cost £1.69 for a 250g pack.

– They are produced in Turkey

– Using the “traffic light” system, 4 out of 5 is green, the other is amber.  Therefore a 40g serving is healthy

– No preservatives or additives; they’re preserved using a steam process

How do they taste?

Two words: pretty good.  Probably what I notice the most are the tiny seeds which are quite hard and seem to be distributed throughout each fig.  They’re crunchy and add an interesting, if unusual, texture.  I always tend to think of figs as being a bit on the dry side and happily these aren’t at all.  They’re moist and very gooey to look at – perhaps not the most attractive of fruit – and are pleasantly different.

Are Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference dried figs good for you?

I believe so.  Figs in general certainly are and there’s no reason why these shouldn’t be.  After all they are free from any nasty additives and the drying and partial re-hydrating process seems to bring them to a nice condition.  A quick look around the web indicates they’re a rich source of Vitamin A, B1, B2, calcium, iron, phosphorus, manganese, potassium, phenol and Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids.  Amazing; all in one fruit!

Various sites talk about different benefits, right from improving sexual performance (ahemmm), rest and sleep, through to the more obvious benefits of digestion, the role of antioxidants and they’re reputed to have a role in respiratory problems.

So yes I do buy these from time to time.  Sometimes as a little treat for myself (nobody else in the house is at all tempted) and sometimes because I know these are simply good for me and add to the variety of foods that I eat.

The retailers

The more I think about these figs, the more I think I’ll track down some others from the likes of Holland and Barratt (not seen any in there so far but the website says £4.99 for 500g), Tesco (who do sell them) and maybe Waitrose.  I must again place a Goodness Food Direct order; they sell dried figs for £2.23 for 150g.

I do wish that the likes of Sainbury’s, Tesco and the other major supermarkets would take some of their responsibility further.  What responsibility is that, you may ask.  Well, if each aims to have a large market share they will, by default, have an impact on the diets of their regular customers.  At the checkout I often watch the person in front of me unload their trolley.  You can tell by glancing at the customer what their shopping is likely to be.  So often obese people will be loading on prepared ready meals, white breads, beers and lagers and so on.  Others who are well presented and appear more prosperous will often be buying the more upmarket, better quality foods. It wouldn’t hurt the Sainsbury’s or Tescos of the world to promote healthy eating in more proactive ways.  Sure, they do some but much more could be done.

Please take a look at my previous blog on apricots – just click here.

Posted in food, health | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Reasons to Cycle

Posted on 19 February, 2011 by doug

You might remember I enjoyed writing a blog post on why I like running.  So on this dreary Saturday in, mid February, I thought I’d reflect on why cycling is so goooood…..

Because it’s healthy
Low impact exercise – kinder on joints compared to running
Good aerobic exercise – a more gentle way of getting my heart and lungs going well
Nicely tones leg muscles
Burns around 300-500 Calories per hour
People who regularly ride a bike are more likely to live longer
A brilliant way of de-stressing

Because it’s green
Virtually no greenhouse emissions
Extremely energy efficient
Petrol costs £1.28 a litre (is that about £5.84 a gallon?)
Bikes don’t cause traffic jams

Because it’s an efficient form of transport
Urban journeys are faster by bike
You don’t have to ride around looking for somewhere to park
You can ride right up to the building
Getting two pannier bags of groceries keeps us going for several days
It takes me 40 minutes to drive 13 miles to my office, cycling takes 45-50 minutes

And just because….
It’s satisfying
It’s fun
It’s cool
It’s cheap
Bikes are nice machines and last a long time
It gives me a nice feeling of independence
Feeling the breeze in my hair
Every ride is an adventure
It makes me appreciate my car for when I really do need it
It feels fantastic whizzing down hill at 40mph

This is the link to the parallel blog post “Reasons to run”.  Take a look….
http://ramblingsofdoug.blogspot.com/2010/11/reasons-to-run.html

Posted in cycling | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Apricots – Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference

Posted on 17 February, 2011 by doug

In all fairness to Sainsbury’s, these ready to eat Apricots are delicious and in my view the nicest tasting I’ve tried.

They’re very soft compared to other dried / semi dried apricots with no chewing at all.  Just pop one in your mouth, push it around with your tongue and enjoy the lovely sweet caramel-like flavour – they really are nice!  According to the blurb on the packet, they are sun-dried and preserved using a steam process that is chemical free.  That’s brilliant – none of that ‘orrible sulphur you get with those chewy, bright orange ones you can also get.

In terms of their nutritional benefits, they’re packed full of goodness; low in fat and fairly high in fibre (5.4g per 100g).  According to my wife’s excellent “Eat for Immunity” book (by Kirsten Hartvig), apricots provide Vitamins A, B2, B3, B5, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, zinc and a variety of sugars.  Their effect is one of detoxifying and are an antioxidant and stimulate the immune system.

Additionally, according to the book, they contribute to efficient antibody production, help stabilize blood sugar levels, keep muscles, nerves and hormones working properly and facilitate the release of energy from food.  The list goes on….

While not exactly cheap on the face of it, when you consider the wide ranging health benefits these do become impressive snacks.  In some ways, because they are so sweet, eating them is almost like having chocolates!

Highly recommended for anyone taking care of their health in a delicious kind of way!

Please take a look at my blog post on Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Dried Figs – just click here

Posted in food, health | Tagged , | Leave a comment

I’m really needing to run and ride!

Posted on 13 February, 2011 by doug

Here’s a quick update, or perhaps more of justifying a lack of action over the last week or two.

My hand
Yes my hand, that mishap I had a couple of weeks ago is still causing much pain in my left hand and I’ve just not felt able to go cycling, let alone grasp the handlebar.  Although the hospital A&E Doctor said I hadn’t got any broken bones, it still hurts badly when I try to do things.  Drying my hands with a towel is really painful – this is an example of an everyday activity that just tells me I’m still healing.

Another clue is the need for Ibuprofen, which seems to work really well by deadening the pain and dealing with swelling.  It’s now two weeks and I was hoping I’d be better by now.  I know progress is being made in that the bruising has subsided and I have a little more movement in my fingers and wrist.  I’ll just have to be a more patient patient!

Work
My work seems to have got pretty busy of late and I’m quite enjoying it, though not much time is now spent at my desk to deal with the never ending list of things-to-do.  I had planned to visit Avon & Somerset Probation Trust last Friday but owing to a ministerial visit my plans were thwarted so Plan B was hastily arranged and saw me heading off to West Mercia Probation Trust instead.  Monday and Tuesday, I’m in London again and it now looks hopeful that I’ll have most of Wednesday at my desk.  Having put in a lot of hours this last week, I’ve been mentally so drained it has made me physically very tired.

Oh, does all that sound like a moan?  It isn’t meant to be, far from it.  In these days of massive public sector cut backs, nobody is safe and I’m ever grateful I have a job and even more so, a job that I really like.

So, I’m still trying to be philosophical about this; it happens for a reason.  Perhaps that reason is about me needing to have rest (albeit an enforced rest) both physically and mentally.  It doesn’t take me away from those thoughts of feeling frustrated and in fear of losing all my fitness.

Posted in health, injury | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Cycling in East Africa, 1984

Posted on 3 February, 2011 by doug

That’s me!  This was taken on my first ever trip to Kenya and an amazing cycle ride that was a journey of discovery – about the land I was riding through, myself and my faith.  As you might know, I’m having an enforced rest from cycling having had a fall last Sunday.  My hand is getting much better and I hope to go for a cycle ride on Sunday.  In the meantime the Thorn Audax Mk3 will have a return trip to the bike shop for an initial service – spokes and cables bedding in.  I also thought it might be a time to reflect on an earlier bike ride.

I was determined to do a trip like this alone, as a kind of post-college gap year.  I took my bike to Nairobi, headed south into Tanzania, around Moshi, Arusha and almost fell off my bike at the truly inspirational sight of Mt Kilimanjaro before heading south east towards the coast.  I spent a few days around the coast in the company of some frightfully English nuns who allowed me to pitch my tent in their grounds (and near some bee hives if I remember correctly).  Then back up to Mombasa, Kenya along a nice coastal and where this photograph was taken.

After a few days in Mombasa it was a hard 3 days riding to Nairobi (300 miles and climbing 6,000ft) before heading into the more temperate highlands and the Rift Valley.

I sold my bike while I was there to stretch out my time a little further.  It was a BSA steel frame heap I had while I was at school with hilariously high gears.  I still have the sleeping bag, and Karrimor bags.

For some black and white photographs, take a look at my flickr photostream:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28353520@N03/2683598070/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28353520@N03/page5/

I could “wax lyrical” about that East African journey for ages.  Instead a few reflections.  It was something I had to do; call it some kind of compelling wanderlust having had a taste of Egypt a couple of years beforehand.  I had no ties, no idea what I wanted to do in life, no idea where I was heading in life.

While I was there I knew my parents were praying for me, I had a feeling of being cared and loved.  It was a huge step forward in my faith from just being a nominal believer in God to then knowing there was far more.  So that was the start of another kind of journey that led me to becoming a Christian, though it wasn’t a sudden ‘Road to Damascus’ type of conversion.  Instead a gradual period of asking questions, reading books and talking to people.  In other words, working it out.

I was really touched by people’s hospitality and generosity throughout my time there.  Somehow I think that travelling alone seems to open more doors and more conversations spring up naturally than compared to travelling with another person or indeed a group.

Looking back I’m amazed I actually got round on that bike.  It was heavy and not very suitable for the trip, though the wheels were especially strong and new.  The wheels with the (then) Specialized Expedition tyres were the only bit of new or decent kit.  As far as I can remember I only had two punctures and I think one of those was sabotage!  The lowest gear was probably in the region of 42×28 which isn’t great for hauling such a heavy load up some of those endless hills which involved some dreadful road conditions.

The climate was great and as it was in February / March I was just seeing the end of the rainy season.  I must have become pretty fit while I was there although looking back, I paid no attention to training, nutrition or my health.  I did suffer a bit health-wise but that was all part of the adventure.

Those feelings of wanting to travel, see places and to do it under my own steam are still with me today.  While I contain those feelings, I don’t think I’ll ever shrug them off completely and neither do I wish to do that.  Without wishing my life away, I do look forward to retiring and then being able to travel, leaving my career largely behind.

The images below can be seen on my flickr photostream and I’m afraid the images below have pasted across very poorly but better full frame versions

Posted in cycling, great rides | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Injured – withdrawal symptoms kicking in already!

Posted on 30 January, 2011 by doug

The photo doesn’t really show the bruising very well but let me assure you it flippin’ hurts!

This morning I went for a shortish run prior to a bike ride this afternoon.  While I was out I took a tumble and landed on some rough frozen ground.  To be honest this is the first time anything like this has happened while I’ve been out running.

I managed to land awkwardly on my left side with my shoulder, arm and in particular, my hand taking my fall.

Back home Rachel suggested an ice pack and maybe a trip to Accident & Emergency.  Naturally I’ve tried to shrug this off and I’m trying to convince myself I have sprained my hand and it’ll be better soon.  My family helpfully reminded me of the time I broke my wrist almost 5 years ago and put off going to A&E for 4 days as I emphatically denied any possibility of a fracture.  Even when I was at A&E I wanted to check the X-ray myself!

What bugs me the most is that there’s no way I can ride this afternoon – I’d been looking forward to that for a few days now.  Even more frustrating is that the weather is getting much brighter and nicer outside.

Our Sunday afternoon routine generally involves a trip to see my Mother in Law.  These days I normally find my own way there under my own steam and this is when I was planning my Sunday afternoon ride.  Door to door, it’s about 6 miles and there are a number of other reasonably quiet and scenic routes to take, adding a few more miles.    Even for me, cycling is out of the question today; it would be too painful if I were to try and hold the handlebars with my left hand.

I suggested to Rachel “well, at least I could run up to your Mum’s this afternoon and see you there”

“Honestly – MEN!”

So, I’m really suffering withdrawal pangs this afternoon.  I was so much looking forward to clocking up a few miles this afternoon.  How depressing.

I always remind myself, as I often hear myself saying to the girls, let’s keep a balanced view on this.  It could be worse and it could be for the better.  Oh, it did mean I could settle down and listen to Desert Island Discs  earlier – the guest was Jon Snow, broadcaster, journalist and a big cheese in the CTC.  Excellent chap.

Update
OK I went to A&E.  Almost certainly a bad sprain diagnosis based on having a feel and seeing if I yelped.  A consultation with a Doctor was on offer if I was prepared to wait a few hours.  So I got sent home with some painkillers which is fine by me.  Coming home that is, not the need for painkillers – I was issued with four Diclofenac Sodium which are pretty useless but fine with a recent dose of Ibuprofen.  The Triage nurse said I can expect it to get worse before it gets better but in any event to go back later if I need to.

What was really depressing at the hospital was the sight of people puffing away smoking cigarettes near the entrance including a man in his hospital pyjamas sitting in a wheelchair.  He must have been freezing cold – it has been only 1 or 2 degrees today.

I felt so pleased for being so healthy, albeit out of action as far as cycling for a few days.  Just wondering how I’ll be able to drive tomorrow but we’ll just have to wait and see.  All for now…..

Update 2

The general consensus in the office was that I should go and get checked out again; my hand was not a pretty sight with a nice bruise coming both sides and very swollen.  I could hardly swivel my wrist at all and probably shouldn’t be driving.  Rachel and Becky kindly took me.

I decided to present myself as someone who had only a really minor injury and surely it would be quick dealing with me.  It worked although the LED sign suggested they aim to see people within 4 hours.

I was seen fairly quickly, perhaps 15 minutes or so, by a triage Doctor.  Without any hesitation he requested an X-ray and sent me to the nearby department.  After 5 minutes the images were emailed back to the Doctor who said it didn’t look like I had any fractures which was a brilliant result.  Grinning like a Cheshire cat I shook his hand and thanked him and was on my way.  He did say, however, that the Radiologist hadn’t checked the X-rays and so they would phone me if anything else came to light.

So that was a quick win for the hospital, as I’d been processed through really quickly and probably helped their performance measures in my own small way.  Others were having to wait, some looking in a pretty bad shape for other kinds of treatment and patching up.  While I was wondering if I should feel guilty, I knew that I had taken so little time to deal with and had I not been seen to quickly, I would have helped clog up the whole shift.  All in all I’m delighted: no fractures, less painful and today the healing has been noticeable.  Soon I’ll be out running and cycling again.

I couldn’t help marvel at the X-ray.  What an incredible design the hand is.  It looks so simple and yet it can do so much with such precision.  Amazing, utterly amazing.

Posted in health, injury, running | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Cyclist’s Breakfast

Posted on 29 January, 2011 by doug

I remember being taught as a child that the most important meal of the day is breakfast.  A few decades later I have come to eventually agree.  It’s important nutritionally but also for us as a family (see below).

The food, the nutrition….in a normal week, I have this mega mixture for 6 days….

Museli – from Dorset Cereals, Goodness Foods etc.  Typically these will contain ingredients like Oat flakes, wheat flakes, barley flakes, sultanas, sunflower seeds, dates, Brazil nuts (a real mega super food) and hazelnuts.  All this together contains Vitamins E, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, biotin, folate, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, iron, zinc, complex carbohydrates, fibre, protein, sugar.  There are many benefits but include anti-cancer, anti-oxidants and lowering cholesterol.

Linseed (flaxseed) – just a desert spoonful mixed in.  Contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and some protein.  Helps in keeping cholesterol under control and assists the immune system.  It is also suggested it helps maintain healthy blood-fat levels and maybe protective against cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

Wheatbran – just a spoonful sprinkled over.  Also contains Vitamin B2, B3, B5, B6, calcium, magnesium, manganese, potassium, copper, iron, zinc and of course, lots of fibre!  Naturally this helps keep “me moving” and also is an antioxidant and helps detoxify the body.

And then a piece of fruit mixed in.  Normally just one, but maybe two.  I try to have a good variety but normally the fruit basket has a choice of:

  • Grapefruit – just half a grapefruit contains a good dose of Vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, bioflavonoids, citric and phenolic acids, lycopene, pectin, sugars and some fibre.  All this adds up as a powerful detoxifyer, assisting the immune system and blood pressure.
  • Orange – also contains Vitamin c with some B3 and B5.  Helps maintain healthy blood cells, skin etc.
  • Banana – contain Vitamins C, B3, B5 and B6, biotin, magnesium, fibre and sugars.  Bananas are said to help with keeping skin, hair, nerves and bone marrow in good order together with being such a good fuel in their own right.
  • Kiwi – Vitamins A, C and B3.  Kiwis have an antioxidant effect and also encourage the health and repair of body tissues and promote the release of energy from other foods.
  • Melon (Cantilupe) – Vitamins A, B3 and C, cartenoids and sugars.  This fruit may help prevent cancer cells developing and otherwise help in the repair of other cells in the body.

Other fruits that we often have include pears, blueberries, prunes, grapes and dried apricots.  We normally have a small glass of smoothie and again we have a wide variety.

I would normally mix up my breakfast and let it soak for about 20-30 minutes in ordinary tap water.  That helps it become more digestable (especially with the bran in mind!).  All in all this is an incredibly filling breakfast and helpful in having lots of different kinds of food and nutrients all in the same meal, albeit in relatively small quantities.  It gives me plenty of energy through until lunchtime and fantastic for cycling.  There is no way I could go for a run with that inside me!  If I run in the morning my intake is straightforward…. just a cup of tea and then I’m off and run best on an almost empty stomach.  When I get back, that’s when I have my mega mix.

When we’re in a “normal” routine, we will always have breakfast together.  It’s a chance for the four of us to be together ahead of the business and hectic happenings of the day.  It’s a social time, a chance to talk, swap ideas and share what is happening for each of us during the day ahead.  A chance for a short Bible reading and a prayer time together.

Often on Sunday, I’ll have something different, normally to fit in with the rest of the family as a way of pretending I’m not totally weird in the eyes of the girls!  Often we’ll have a boiled egg with toast, or maybe a croissant or something like that.

So that’s my ideal breakfast – a fantastic meal any day but if it’s ahead of a bike ride, well, it’s fantastic!

Related: Runner’s Lunch (aka Compost sandwich)

Flaxseed (small), wheat bran (medium) and museli
Posted in food, health | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Week 2 with the Thorn Audax Mk3

Posted on 19 January, 2011 by doug

Audrey the Audax and I are getting to know each other quite well nowadays.  I guess we’re still on our honeymoon and yet there have been a few “words” between us (mainly me muttering about her performance).

With my excellent Cateye Strada wireless computer I know we’ve covered 95 miles in the last week. That was a birthday present from my wife.  She said I could have anything for my new bike, gizmo wise.  That had me thinking of  whether to go for GPS, heart rate monitors etc.  In the end my choice was something more down-to-earth and straightforward.  Part of this was nor knowing quite what I wanted and perhaps the best would be just speed with distance functions.  Too many other things would have me taking my eyes off the road too much.

Most our miles has been commuting to work – a round trip of about 25 miles from one town to another via A roads.  Each ride has been different and compelling.  Here’s how it went:

Monday morning.  We finished reading “Ee By Gum Lord”, ready for me to return to my colleague Sonia at work.  It were reet grande.  Almost every morning at home we have a bible reading around the breakfast table.  The ride itself was fast, quite warm and very wet.  In fact I didn’t care after a while how awful the weather was as I was enjoying it so much.  That gave rise to those feelings of being unbeatable and just didn’t care how bad the conditions got or about the amount of spray being generated by passing trucks.

It was an experience that was more than just a bike ride to my office.  It was an adventure that is hard to describe and one which none of my colleagues would ever understand, though some might come close.

Audrey was going great, no issues.  Just fast responsive and comfortable, even with the new Brooks B17 saddle.

I’m fortunate enough to have an office for myself in a largely open plan building.  That made me feel OK about draping my wet socks over the radiators.  I only had one meeting during the morning and that was with a partially sighted colleague who probably wouldn’t notice my socks!

Going home, the weather was damp and the ride was reasonably brisk with no headwind.  Then to my complete surprise I realised I had a puncture!  This is not the first puncture I’ve had with Pasela Tour Guard tyres and I wonder if they’re really as good as we’re led to believe.  Hard to measure something like puncture resistance.  As I was mercifully just 1 mile from home, I tried pumping the tyre to see about riding home..  Within 100 yards the rim was starting to bump along the ground.  Audrey and I walked home, had tea, fixed the puncture.

Tuesday morning
A beautiful clear sunny day and again a brisk ride.  Starting to get into the pattern the journey taking 45-50 minutes (barely any slower than it takes in the car).  The day actually started with going to the Dentist for a check-up, which I decided to take Doreen the Dawes for the ride into town.  As Audrey the Audax is about 2 inches shorter, I could see why there is such different handling.

I felt so aware of my surroundings and how there was so much I would miss if I was in the car.  I go down hill as I approach my office and as I slowed there was an awful banging from the back wheel.  What could it be, had I caused a problem in fixing the puncture last night?  It turned out to be a small blob of metal that somehow had wedged itself into the wear indicator grove of the rim.  At home it was prised out with a screwdriver.  It seems a strange thing to happen, probably totally unrepeatable.

Wednesday morning
A crisp cold frosty morning which had me riding really gingerly until I reached the main roads.  We have a friend, Mike McK living nearby and I said “hi” as I passed him scraping the windows of his car.  He couldn’t quite believe anyone would be on two wheels until he realised it was me!

Oh, a colleague of mine, who is a bit of a cyclist (he has a cheap mountain bike that occasionally comes in) got into a conversation about Audrey the Audax.  Although he’s a bit of an outdoor type and has a loaded looking motorbike and a coupe car, he was gobsmacked at the cost, even though I played the true costs down.

As this was the forth successive day I have cycled, I felt my legs were getting accustomed to it better and spinning faster and taking the short inclines faster.  Toes and thumbs cold coming home.

Conclusion
A fast, brilliant all-rounder.

Posted in Thorn Audax | Tagged | 2 Comments

Brooks B17 saddle – a 27 year love affair

Posted on 15 January, 2011 by doug
My 27 year old Dawes Galaxy (with Argos respray), complete with the much loved Brooks B17 saddle

We’ve ridden thousands of miles together and its been such a great saddle, Brooks was simply the most obvious choice for the new Audrey the Audax.

I did toy with the idea of a different Brooks, after all there’s quite a variety but the B17 is, I think, the cheapest and the most logical choice.

I remember being really disciplined with using Proofhide in the early days often applying it on both sides.  To be honest in latter years its only been applied to the top but I have left it for a few days to soak in.  You know, treating it with Proofhide is all part of the charm and enjoyment of nurturing a saddle like this.  It becomes like a favourite pair of jeans; the older it gets, the better it becomes.  I even remember it cost me £17.00 back in 1984 and although £65 seems a bit steep, its not too bad, especially if it serves me another 27 years.

As for the new one, unpacking it was part of the pleasure.  A lovely card box with such quaint language in talking about the heritage of the brand.  Some of the text reads “A Poor saddle is Bad Economy” from 1906 and “Many kinds of leather would be utterly unsuitable for saddles, and of the correct kind, very great care has to be exercised to select skins suitable for Brooks tops” which was from 1925.  Inside there is now even a tensioning spanner; a thoughtful touch for a new comer (a tin of Proofhide too would have been nice).

So before I fitted it to Audrey the Audax, I gave it a good coating on Proofhide on both sides, having softened it by resting the tin on a radiator for just a few minutes. That lovely smell, nothing like it!  Even though its sometimes ages in between a Proofhide application, I have never forgotten that smell!

Once on the bike and in what seemed like the ideal position I gave it a gentle tap.  Certainly very firm and taut!  Just wondering now how long it’ll take to break in.  Becky and I went for a short ride this afternoon, about 3  miles.

Riding down the road I was very conscious of it, very firm and solid.

“So Dad, how long do you reckon it’ll take to break in properly” asked Becky

“Not sure, what do you think?”

“Well Dad, I reckon two days.  Easy, two days”

That had me thinking, it might apply to a pair of new school shoes but surely not this new saddle?  “Nah it can’t be that easy Becky.  I reckon a few hundred miles”

“Wow a few hundred miles?  Sounds agony Dad!”.

And so my journey with the new Brooks B17 has commenced….

http://www.brooksengland.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9w-y24Waz4

Posted in materials | Tagged , | Leave a comment

First week with the Thorn Audax

Posted on 14 January, 2011 by doug

The first week with Audrey the Audax?  So far, so good.  Brilliant in fact.  It’s nice it is getting a “used” look already with some minor – road grime.

I’ve been like a kid with a new toy and this has been compounded by some of my colleagues at work wondering if I had it for Christmas.  I don’t blame them for thinking that one bit.

Over the weekend I had a couple of short daylight rides, covering about 30 miles and then twice to work adding up to about 80.

My first impressions of it being quite a fast bike remain.  Fast but with really good stable handling.  Actually on my way home from work on Wednesday, I decided to go a slightly longer way avoiding some A roads and heading along some minor roads.  One bit involves a short down hill stretch which is steep and a poor surface complete with gravel.  Potentially it could have thrown me off with fairly slim tyres digging in.  No problem apart from a little hesititation, even at speed.

Credit also goes to Ian in the bike shop who got the handlebars and seat positioned in a near-perfect position.  All I’ve had to do is swivel the handle bars up a few degrees.

Changing gear has been like a dream.  It works so smoothly, quietly and without any fuss.  Even when there’s still some pressure on the pedals , keeping the chain fairly taut, it changed very well – both front and back.  In fact it’s remarkable.  Also having a fairly close ratio 9 speed cassette must help.  Also I’ve now got the hang of which way to pull or push the levers – it was far from automatic at the start.

The only possible gripe is with the bottle bosses on the seat tube being so close to the front mech.  You can see from the picture below that without some extra spacers (presta valve locking ring) it would be difficult to mount a bottle cage without interfering.  I’m sure SJS Cycles must have a solution.

I really like the understated look. OK the paint is a bit loud but it’s not complicated with silly stickers etc. Only those who are really in-the-know will recognise it for what it is.

Posted in Thorn Audax | Tagged | Leave a comment

New year, new bike!

Posted on 9 January, 2011 by doug

After much anticipation and even more faffing around, here I am arriving home this morning with my new Thorn Audax Mk3.  Hannah looks pleased too.

It was easy deciding Thorn bikes were good from the various reviews and general things on the internet.  Easy too deciding it was the Audax Mk3 was my choice.  Fairly easy deciding on the spec (to keep the price down).  The really hard part was deciding on the colour!  I had mistakenly gained the impression from the helpful Thorn staff that they had almost every colour and “guest” colour in stock in my size and there was much debate at home about this.  Should I go for this, or maybe that…..? So after deciding on British Racing Green, with Cobalt Blue as my second choice, I called late last year and placed the order.  In the end the choice was red or blue.  I really liked the blue.

I actually decided on getting the frame before the impending price rise and made it just in the nick of time.  I also propositioned a local bike shop by saying I’d committed to at least the frame and their challenge was to reproduce the basic SJS spec in matching the price or improving it.  They came up trumps and its nice to support a local bike shop too.  SJS were pretty relaxed about this and quickly supplied the frame.

I opted for the Dura Ace bar end shifters as a long term bet.  The STI combined gear / brake levers do look and feel nice though.  Balanced against the attraction of keeping it simple and a tad cheaper, bar end shifters would be a safe choice.  In the bike shop there was some debate about the wheels, suggesting the standard DeOre hubs could be improved on and as I like the idea of happily riding this bike for the next 25 years, some more up-market Miche sealed hubs were selected – they’re very smooth and I think worth a little extra and accept Shimano cassettes.  Sticking with the wheels, the same Pasela puncture resistant tyres are used, together with 32h Mavic Open Sport rims.  These rims aren’t top-of-the-range but still very good with an interesting cross-section (need to see more detailed Mavic information for these details). There’s a wear indicator engrained into the braking surface which for me is something totally new to me – I’ve never worn a rim out although I’m sure my old ones are a much thinner nowadays.

The bike shop has used Cinelli bars and stem, a Nimrod rack, Shimano brake levers and brake calipers.  They ordered me a Brooks B17 saddle which didn’t arrive in time so for now I’ve got my old B17 on.  Pedals are my existing Shimano SPD clipless ones (they’re the sleek looking single sided tourist model).  A 12 LED Cateye rear light (already got one – no qualms about getting another) and that almost completes the bike along with some comfy gel-filled cork tape and a lightweight Specialised bottle cage.  That was an interesting challenge to fit: the position of the boss was very close to the band of the front mech (Shimano XT).  Some spacers – about 3mm – had to be used to make the bottle cage stand proud enough.  That was a curous thing, particularly as the XT front mech was part of the Thorn spec.  The DeOre chainset came with a chainguard.  Without apology, it was unscrewed.  It just didn’t look or seem right.

Had lunch, quickly noted the serial number under the bottom bracket shell) and got ready for an “introductory” ride; to get to know the first bike I’ve bought for myself in 25 years.

All in all, it was superb!  I noticed quite a few differences from my c1984 Dawes Galaxy.  Some were anticipated, some took me by surprise, some just slowly unfolded.  The positioning of the pedals seemed much wider: the MTB style cranks are designed to offset your feet outwards by a few mm.  That combined with the bottom bracket appearing to have an external bearing arrangement, adding a further 5mm on either side.  Quickly I got used to this.

The frame.  The frame – wow! As anticipated it is a lot sharper to ride, much faster compared to the Dawes Galaxy.  From the start it seemed to just get the balance right between being a fast responsive frame and yet gave that comfort you come to expect from a classy steel frame.  Being a tighter, shorter wheelbase I was expecting a ride that was a little more fidgety which to a certain extent I got but within a couple of miles I found I’d adapted and really there is no issue.  The real test was a nice downhill sweep where normally I’d freewheel down at 25-30mph.  To my surprise it was completely stable and felt very sure-footed: this really was a sign of a great handling bike.

The frame itself is finished off flawlessly – I went over it pretty thoroughly and it is without any blemish and each of the welded joints are very clean and neat.  I like the detailed touches, even down to the way the mud guard can screw neatly into a little tube just behind the bottom bracket – not a hole to put a nut and bolt through, but a threaded socket.  Getting a little bottle of touch-up paint was thoughtful and without doubt it’ll be useful in the fullness of time.

Once again I’m in the cool position of having a bike worth more than my car and I can say with real conviction – IT FEELS GREAT!

I’m really looking forward to getting to know the Audax Mk3 better over the coming weeks.  Today’s 10 miles has been a good start but just that, a start of what will hopefully be a long and healthy relationship.

Mechanic Ian greasing the seat tube ready for
the supplied Thorn seat post
Great having a triple chainset for once but I don’t need those
ultra-low gears on the standard SJS spec
A reminder why mudguards are a must, no matter how naff they might look
While out running I noticed this road was closed
during the recent wintry weather
Perhps the most boring self-timer picture of all time.  Nice bike though.
Posted in Thorn Audax | Tagged | 8 Comments

Watercress

Posted on 2 December, 2010 by doug

 

 

 

 

 

Frosty watercress growing in our pond; it all started a few years ago when Rachel said one day “that looks just like watercress” as we sat on the side.

“try tasting it” I suggested.

“Errr no thanks, not my cup of tea”

And so I tasted it and sure enough, watercress it was.  Lots of it, taking over in fact.

Rachel had a while beforehand, planted some cress in a near by pot and all we can guess is that some of those tiny seeds had drifted across and got established before our very eyes.

So it seems that our watercress is really good for us.  Having circulating water helps by means of the pond pump and its always nice in a salad, or as Rachel puts it so nicely, a compost sandwich.

I have blogged about this in more detail on one of my other blogs, why not click here and take a look?  Alternatively why not take a look at my infamous compost sandwich?

http://www.watercress.co.uk/health/superfood.shtml

Posted in food, health | Tagged | Leave a comment