So I’m 5 working days into my new adventure. It was a strange week last week; it was odd not to race around at a crazy pace going from one location or one meeting to the next. It was strange not to think about work and whilst friends refer to it feeling like a holiday its totally different. On holiday I’d forever be looking at my phone just to see what was going on, see who was after me and above all wondering what I’d be going back to. Like an idiot I even interrupted a holiday to fly back for something “important”. Never again.

So there’s been none of that stuff. Its mainly been about the ride albeit the start of the week was a bank holiday which meant time in the garden chopping stuff down and working on ensuring my lawn is significantly better than the neighbour from hells. He tries every year but his looks nothing like mine – bless him.

On Tuesday I went to collect the bike from Fred Williams cycles in Wolverhampton. Paying for my own petrol for the first time in 4 years was a shock! I’m really pleased and have had the first ride out on the bike – it great.

There was a problem though – my back. I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling as though a red hot poker was been pushed through my hip. There’s no way I could ride again – what is happening to me? You see my problem is that I still think I’m in my 20’s – its only my body that tells me that I’m not – so I spent the whole of Wednesday working out my routes see https://jondear.co.uk/the-ride/. if you know anyone that can help validate this please ask them to get in touch. On Thursday, I turned to the cricket club physio Pete Boyle and an hour or so later I was back on form. Gardening was the problem – never again!

A short 25 mile ride followed – a longer ride cut short by monsoon conditions across Worcestershire. Friday was more like it. 53 miles around Breedon Hill again but this time with a good lunch at the Queen Elizabeth at Elmley Lovett. Its a lovely looking village where the pub and café are owned by 26 of the locals – great idea to keep the village pub open.

Myself, RJ, “My Pal” and Seb went to watch the mighty Warriors crush London Scottish on Friday night which was great followed by Military Fitness at 9am on Saturday morning (a great cure for “one beer too many” the night before). Saturday afternoon ended watching Lou play cricket albeit he was grumpy at just getting 21. Rugby reality dawns on Sunday – we now have to beat Bristol in the play offs.

Sunday afternoon was a short ride of about 11 miles with Seb (Buddha Wiggins) who had to be refuelled with an Oreo ice cream after 4 miles. He seems to really enjoy it

I’m feeling back on track now – just need to raise some money now – so don’t be shy!

Thanks

Sebbie was not an easy baby. Moan, moan, moan. Morning, noon and night. You name it – and he did it. He was the best form of contraception ever and the thought of a second Seb under the same roof was just too much to consider and as a consequence I ‘d started to think about finding a more permanent solution to the “breeding game”.

Off I toddled to see Dr Chan (name changed for fear of litigation!). Working in Financial Services I am no stranger to policies, procedures, regulations and laws. These are things we are obligated to do……but when it comes to medical matters, I’m a complete wimp. I just don’t do blood – the sight of my own sends me faint. Visiting a hospital sends shivers through me…. But I had a need so I took a few deep breaths and went to see Dr Chan. 

I explained what I was after and Dr Chan said he could help me. “Don’t tell me what is involved” I said. “Tell me the absolute minimum you need to, to discharge your responsibility and not one aspect more. I don’t want to know where the needle goes.” (At this point male readers will either break into a sweat or will be wincing at the thought).

The day of reckoning came. I remember that it was a lovely hot day and it had been for a while. As I lay on the operating table we discussed Dr Chans wilting plants and I recall laughing nervously just as Dr Chan was about to do his stuff. As the surgery commenced I passed out but woke a few hours later – permanent solution in place.

In my state of convenient deafness during the initial consultation I didnt hear some of the warnings……or if I did I probably thought it wouldn’t happen to me but unfortunately if does periodically. As a consequence sitting down has been a struggle this last week and sitting on the bike saddle has been totally out of the question. As a result I’ve not been on my bike for 8 days now. I’m even more behind as a consequence……… hence Dr Chan has a lot to answer for. But after 10 days of antibiotics I’ll be right as rain – unlike those that receive news that they have Cancer.

A former colleague has given me a different saddle to try and that has kept me occupied for most of the day. I can’t run the risk of this flaring up when I’m on the ride….that’s probably the biggest concern that I have right now.

I expect to ride every day this week. I really have got to get some miles in my legs. Hopefully I’ll pick up the new bike tomorrow!!

The day started really well. I’ve a new play mate who I’ve just been introduced to – another new cyclist which is always good. JB (my new training partner) has committed to do a charity ride with a difference – 200 miles in a day. He signed up when he didn’t even own a bike……and we’ve had 2 rides out already! He’s naturally competitive so JB will be great to push me along and I’ll do the same for him.

Most men love data and competing with themselves. This mornings ride was much faster than our first ride – but that’s no surprise.  It’s JB’s first road bike and he literally had to start from scratch – like how to change gear! We did 28 miles in 1 hour 47 minutes – and average of 15.47 mph. Our previous ride on this course albeit clockwise was 1 hour 55 minutes and a good enough pace to make you thirsty.

Cider Saturday is steeped in history. Its origins can be traced back approximately 10 years when the bar at Worcester Warriors ran out of lager during the last game of the season. “We’ll have to drink cider” said RJ and it was as simple as that and Cider Saturday was born. Ever since then, the last home game of the season has been christened Cider Saturday and it’s obligatory to drink cider. Certain more sensible individuals claim to partake in Cider Saturday but can be seen drinking “the black stuff” or lager…..sensible may be but against tradition.

Cider Saturday lived up to all expectations – I just wish the same could be said for the Warriors. Yet again they came up short in front of the 6 ways faithful. It doesn’t look good for the play offs – let’s hope that Bristol have peaked too early and we don’t throw away the opportunity like we did on Saturday. 

I was glad to see my bed at the end of Cider Saturday and it was up early for a rugby festival at Telford on Sunday. The guys at Telford did an excellent job with a great mornings rugby for all. There must have been at least 300 kids their from age 7 to 12 all appeared to have a great time. 

Alas, cycling missed out again. I’ve done no more that 105 miles this week. I need to step the distance up to 105 every two days. On the ride I need to be doing 90 miles a day so I’ve a lot to do when I finish work……feels like I’m climbing a mountain. 

I was concerned how the legs would be on Monday following the 50 miles on Sunday – but that was the least of my worries. My day started with a 2 hour drive to Altrincham where our staff were to find out the outcome of the “Strategic Review”.

Many people were put “at risk” with a lot surprised at how many roles are potentially affected. I’m prevented from writing too much about this but it’s a brutal reminder of the reality of corporate life.

No cycling on Monday as a consequence. I got back to find a massively upset Sebastian. He was in tears – hysterical in fact, the tears were rolling down his face and his verbal abuse was delivered at machine gun pace. For Seb, his Dad being late back meant that he may not get a yellow boat at the canoe club. For him this was everything. Nothing else mattered. There were about 8 other boats available at the club – all the same of course but they were all white and Seb can’t paddle those (there is literally no difference aside of the colour), but to a 10 year old nothing else in the world matters. I managed to cook him spaghetti, find his kit and get changed myself within 5 minutes. I was multi tasking like a mother would when getting kids ready for school

I dropped Seb off at the canoe club at 6.05. The coach helped Seb get a yellow boat with one of the others kids kindly vacating theirs.

On to the water they go and before to long they are off paddling up stream. The river becomes silent again as the young paddlers disturb the serenity of the River Severn further upstream. They absolutely love it; The guys at Worcester Canoe Club do a fantastic job with the kids. There are too many volunteers to mention personally and I’ll run the risk of forgetting one of them if I mention names – but we are grateful to them all.

The river is a great place to think. It’s calming and helps you reflect. What a contrasting day. Delivering life changing messages to work friends and colleagues and letting down my son who couldn’t get his yellow canoe ……. which for him was of equal magnitude.

Note to self – put the boys first.

Yesterday was glorious across Worcestershire. Wall to wall blue sky’s. 18 degrees. T shirt weather – some hardy souls even had shorts and flip flips!

I watched the weather last night and it was forecast to be cold over night, but would then rise to 14 degrees through the course of the morning. Another day like today I thought.

I got ready in my shorts but had the sense to put on long fingered gloves and a gilet. It was a wee bit cool as I left the house. It will warm up soon I thought.

How wrong was I. It was bloody freezing!  When I cycle I find that it’s my feet that feel it the most. Without overshoes on that’s exactly how it was today – for 3.5 hours. Feet like blocks of ice or to be accurate, toes like ice cubes! (Garmin recorded an average temperature of 7.5 degrees which explains a lot).

It was windy too and it just felt as though every direction I rode in, I was riding into the wind.

So it was a brutal reminder today that preparation is key. Know the conditions and dress accordingly!

For the stato’s:

Distance              50.49 miles

Average speed   14.79mph (disappointing)

Time:                   3 hours 24 minutes

Its easy to get distracted. There is always another excuse. Yesterday we had Louis playing cricket all day and Seb sailing. Yesterday’s excuse for me was military fitness.

For my part I’ve not been on the bike as much as I would have liked since Christmas. In January it was icy, cold and dark (note the excuse) so I needed something else to shed my excess pounds. I’d weighed myself on New Years Day – not very sensible I know. Anyway I was the heaviest that I’d knowingly been at 15st 8lb, which is over 100kgs if you are that way inclined.

I needed a drastic solution that didn’t involve:

• Eating less
• Drinking less

Around the same time in my inbox popped my daily email from Groupon. I’ve come to really love my daily dose from them and invariably scroll through their daily offering as I have my first cuppa of the day whilst waking up. A rather well timed advert caught my eye one day “Xtreme Boot Camp”. That’s it I thought – I’ll give it ago. After all my weight had become extreme and my work shirts extremely tight.

It’s been fantastic and I’ve really enjoyed my regular beasting from Her Majesty’s Forces people. I was looking forward to my Saturday doseage but something was wrong and they didn’t turn up. They must be human after all. Perhaps they’d had a night on the piss, a second bottle of wine or a crap curry at 2 am?

Unfortunately it was nothing like one of my excuses and nothing more than a simple double booking. So I did nothing yesterday and have to make up for it today with at least 50 miles.

So it’s round Breedon Hill for me.