The Ramblings of A Cyclopath
Frequently and at some length, I bemoan the shortcomings of my slightly wonky brain and body. Enough! Credit where credit is due - some achievements they have each independently or jointly completed since lockdown first started a year ago. Understanding the challenge they face to simply chop vegetables, set up a chess board, use a… Continue reading Credit Where Credit Is Due
Cycle with Friends + Glorious Sunshine + Stunning Countryside + Cake & Coffee Break = Reignited Passion for Cycling. A beautiful, easy paced, slightly hilly (despite Caroline's assertions otherwise 😆 ) 40km route, a coffee and home made cake stop before the downhill route home. A perfect morning!
There are so many reasons why sleep can be a major problem for those of us living with Parkinson's. I can't remember a night in the past few years when I haven't been awake at 3am. Counting sheep doesn't help, so last night I tried counting the reasons why people with Parkinson's typically don't sleep… Continue reading 3am and Counting…….
Having successfully resisted all attempts to lure me onto the indoor turbo trainer over the winter months, as spring starts to bring a warmth that has been sorely missed, I don't need much persuading to get out on my bike in the great outdoors again. Tempted out on five of the past ten days, I… Continue reading Back in the Saddle
As you know, memory is a concern for me. Nothing wrong with my memory this morning I thought smugly as I remembered to apply the correct HRT patch at the correct time, on the correct day of the week. I am to apply one twice a week. For some reason, the process - one on,… Continue reading Bemused & Confused!
Had I doubted my slightly wonky brain and body's ability to execute an emergency stop when needed, I would have given up my driving licence without hesitation. By the very nature of an emergency stop, they were recently, unexpectedly put to the test. I found myself strangely proud of my slightly wonky brain's performance. I… Continue reading Testing, Testing…..
The third in a series of short blogs, sharing some insights into the trials and tribulations of driving with Parkinson's. I used to drive a 40-mile round trip to work. On the way, I'd drop my youngest son off at school first. We'd listen to the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, chatting and singing along to… Continue reading Cider with Rosie
The rain has stopped. It is ten degrees warmer than it was a couple of weeks ago. The spring flowers are beginning to show their colours. The sun shines with a new warmth. The easing of lockdown restrictions is in sight. Cycling outdoors has regained its appeal. No more excuses, time to get fit again........… Continue reading A Spring in My Step
For a long time, I have found it a challenge to get my keys out of a bag or pocket, fit the key into the lock and turn the key to lock or unlock a door. Imagine my dismay, earlier this week, to have eventually got the key in the front door lock only to… Continue reading Jumping to Conclusions
Visual-Spatial Awareness The ability to comprehend and conceptualise visual representations and spatial relationships in learning and performing a task. I mentioned visual-spatial skills in a recent blog and the fact that these skills can be impaired in people with Parkinson's. This started me thinking about how (and just how often) we use our visual-spatial skills and… Continue reading Now, Where Was I?
The second in a series of short blogs sharing some insights into the trials and tribulations of driving with Parkinson's. Back in the '70's I remember watching the Magic Roundabout, a children's television show featuring (L-R) Ermintrude, Florence, Brian, Dougal, Zebedee and Dylan. The opening scene showed various characters on the Magic Roundabout, going round… Continue reading The Magic Roundabout
The first in a series of short blogs sharing some insights into the trials and tribulations of driving with Parkinson's. Image Source: ClipArt Library Back in the Day I'm driving down a narrow, single track country lane with occasional passing places when I meet another car coming from the opposite direction. My friendly self smiles.… Continue reading Two days
I have recently started to use Amazon's Alexa device to compile my supermarket shopping lists. It has proved to be successful in ensuring I return home with at least 90% of the things I need. It probably goes without saying, that just because an item is on my list, that is no guarantee that it… Continue reading Alexa, Where Is My Car?
For a Christmas gift, I had ordered each of my three boys a personalised calendar for 2021. The calendar featured Willow, our dog. As everyone's favourite family member, I was certain this would be a hit. I carefully chose twelve of the best photographs I had of Willow and uploaded these to Photobox. Photobox had… Continue reading A Little Lockdown Laughter…..
I’m learning that fatigue can be debilitating, in a way I never thought possible. Indeed, I confess that prior to experiencing Parkinson’s related fatigue, I was definitely in the ‘pull your socks up, stop moaning and just get on with it’ school of thought. I say this a little flippantly and I am more sympathetic… Continue reading Shutters Down
Image Source: Typecast As a child in the ‘70s, I remember being taught the Green Cross Code. It was a sequence of six simple but important steps to take to keep safe while crossing the road. I remember the Green Cross Code Man and I seem to recall being a member of the road safety… Continue reading The Green Cross Code
In my efforts to get back into an exercise routine, I arranged to cycle with a friend earlier this week. I have cycled many, many times with this friend, including the 1053 miles route we rode from Land's End to John O'Groats a couple of years ago. We have cycled in every conceivable weather condition… Continue reading ‘Phone a Friend’
Views from Walks or Cycles Around Gloucestershire in 2020 I'm grateful that even during months of lockdown, we have always been able to exercise outdoors. I'm grateful we live in such a beautiful area where social distancing can require no effort at all. I'm grateful that, whatever the weather, we ventured outside and took the… Continue reading Social Distancing the Scenic Way
After giving myself a severe talking to, having received many lovely messages of encouragement and support following my 'CBA' blog and with a ray of sunshine sneaking through the clouds, I finally donned my cycling gear for the first time this year and got on my bike. Now, I'd like to give glowing reports but… Continue reading New Day, New Start…….
I can’t motivate myself to do much exercise at the moment. Instead, I find myself taking a robust ‘I would rather stay at home in the warm’ stance. It’s not like me at all. I suspect there are many of us feeling the same with the cold weather, the dark, short days and the social… Continue reading CBA?
Living with Coronavirus - A bit like Living with Parkinson's? We all understand that Parkinson's is not contagious and self isolation will not protect us from getting it. I'm not seriously suggesting they are in any way similar diseases but like Coronavirus, Parkinson's has been described many times as a global pandemic. With both conditions… Continue reading Something in Common
With cafes and pubs shut, sadly our usual refreshment stops during our cold, wet, winter cycles are no longer an option. There’s only one thing for it......!! There's a solution for every problem!
I was thinking recently about the many times over the past five years when I have told a friend or acquaintance that I have Parkinson's and the varied responses I have received. For the most part, I've had a huge amount of support, and compassionate responses when I tell anyone. I understand that it can… Continue reading RSVP
I never used to be late for anything. I was always on time, no matter what the occasion. I could always manage a last minute rush if I needed to but for the most part, I was organised, in control and easily on time. I confess to having had a sense of frustration with those… Continue reading The Time Thief
Image Source: ClipArt Library In the past five years, I don't recall ever having more than three hours unbroken sleep in any single night. It is one of the consequences of living with Parkinson's. One of the many aspects of living with the condition that at first might seem unmanageable but which gradually become the… Continue reading 03.30hrs
'When you blame others you are avoiding some truth about yourself' Deepak Chopra I was recently asked how long before diagnosis did I start to notice something was wrong. The short answer is three years. However, that doesn't make for a blog, so a more comprehensive explanation is that for those three years, I did… Continue reading (Don’t) Blame It On Me……
During my nursing career, I spent many years working as part of a cardiac rehabilitation team. My role involved exercising with people who were recovering from a heart attack or heart surgery. We would teach them to exercise safely and effectively. We exercised with them to help them gain the skills and confidence they needed… Continue reading Exercise Matters!
Like many of us, I have spent many years juggling work, family, home, socialising and the numerous other demands on my time. Time pressure made multi tasking the norm. Again, like many of us, lockdown has imposed a slower pace of life on me. However, in truth, my slow down started long before lockdown. Parkinson's… Continue reading Speed Awareness?
I recently wrote about the effort involved in trying to appear 'normal' and it got me thinking about what exactly is 'normal'? So, I checked the definition and I'm not sure that it is something I actually do aspire to be. 'Normal' Conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected BUT, if I don't aspire… Continue reading A Little Pizzuberance!
A few months ago I was contacted by a young woman who had recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's. She was keen to meet and I was keen to support her in the way that I had been supported in those early, very difficult days. We arranged to meet in a local cafe. I remember doing… Continue reading Making an Entrance
Image Source: http://www.epclibrary.com My turn around time to respond to a text message, WhatsApp, voicemail or email, averages about six hours and has been known to stretch to 48 hours at times. I've not suddenly become antisocial, uncaring or any less interested in your messages but these days, I need to put some dedicated time… Continue reading Snail Mail
And just as quickly as I found my mojo (see previous blog), I appear to have temporarily lost it again! https://videopress.com/v/YPsU21lG?autoPlay=true&posterUrl=https%3A%2F%2Ftheramblingsofacyclopathhome.files.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F10%2F01b34ca2-e269-4f17-8452-db64a8e222c5_1_201_a.jpeg&preloadContent=metadata
I was beginning to lose the motivation to exercise every day. Exercise was beginning to feel like a chore, a daily hurdle to be overcome as quickly as possible. I was beginning to prioritise other things over exercise and to make excuses to escape the exercise sessions that least enticed me. Where exercise is concerned,… Continue reading Finding My Mojo!
'Acceptance doesn't mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there's got to be a way through it.'Michael J Fox I read about people 'battling' and 'fighting' Parkinson's and I understand and respect the sentiment. The terminology alone, however, exhausts me. I don't wish to spend my days battling and fighting.… Continue reading Acceptance
In his role as Marty McFly, in the 1985 hit movie 'Back to the Future', Michael J. Fox travelled between the past and the future. Diagnosed with Parkinson's, in 1991, at the age of 29. I feel it is reasonable to assume therefore that he is something of an expert, on the past, the future… Continue reading Words of Wisdom
I find when talking with other people about our respective experiences of living with Parkinson's, we don't need lots of words or explanations, we have a connection, a bond, brought about by our shared experiences, a shared understanding and a shared uncertainty about our futures. We rarely struggle to find words to describe our experiences… Continue reading Strange
Prior to diagnosis, I started to notice that smiling had begun to require a lot of effort. Over time, this has become more and more noticeable. Smiling is no longer a spontaneous occurrence. There is a time lapse from my wanting to smile until my facial muscles respond. To compound matters, when my facial muscles… Continue reading Let’s Face It!
In a recent blog 'The Elephant in the Room', I commented on the fact that when we are out together, people often ask my husband how I am, rather than ask me. A very astute observation by my husband was that 'I don’t mind being asked about you, but I am not always sure I… Continue reading Who Knows?
Exercise is never an option for someone living with Parkinson's. It has been shown time and time again to ease a wide range of symptoms, improve mood and it is thought to slow progression of the disease down. It is the single biggest thing we can do to help ourselves. If a neurologist told me… Continue reading Easy Like Sunday Morning
'Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes' For many years, a gentleman would walk past our house each day. He occasionally looked up but rarely smiled, waved or spoke. After a while I concluded, despite his relative young age, that he was a 'grumpy old man'. One day he stopped by… Continue reading Walk a mile…….
I've been pondering......... Parkinson's can sometimes feel like the elephant in the room. Image Source: rawpixel.com Sometimes after meeting a friend, I realise that we have discussed life, the kids, the universe, my friend's health, the health of our respective ageing parents but not my health. I sometimes wonder if I don't make it easy… Continue reading The Elephant in the Room
I've learned that, understandably, many people can't imagine what living with Parkinson's is like, so this is my attempt at welcoming you to my world..... I've had to learn to create lists for everything (sometimes multiple lists for the same thing) and yet discover it is still possible to forget things! I've learned not to… Continue reading Lessons Learned
In the five years since my diagnosis of Parkinson's I have learned a number of new skills to help me manage an ever changing range of symptoms associated with the condition. These new skills include: Yoga To combat the stiffness, rigidity and reduced range of movements. Boxing To improve my balance, co-ordination, response time and… Continue reading What’s New?
Determined not to allow our hilly cycling to be thwarted by the cancellation of both our Alps challenge in June and our modified Alps challenge in August, we set off to conquer some UK based roads and hills instead. This week was... Not quite the Alpine challenge in terms of people. From the original group… Continue reading Challenge? What Challenge?
Cyclists love a bit of Strava and now there's a little bit more to love with the introduction of 'Local Legends'. 'Local Legends' are individuals who have cycled a stretch of road (segment) more times than any other Strava user in the previous 90 days. 'Local Legends' are awarded a golden crown for each segment… Continue reading Local Legends
I was asked recently if I could share my top ten tips for living well with Parkinson's. I remember reading a Top Ten list compiled by the late Tom Isaacs when I was first diagnosed and finding it really helpful. The experience of living with Parkinson's differs from person to person. This is my list......
Recently, for the second time in as many weeks, I forgot I had arranged (less than 72 hours earlier) to play bridge with friends. Learning bridge was my way of protecting my slightly wonky brain, in particular, my memory, from the ravishes of Parkinson's. The irony that it should be bridge games that I forget,… Continue reading All in the Mind (Or not..)
World Parkinson Congress (WPC) Ambassador - Barcelona 2022 I am thrilled to be chosen as one of the fifteen Ambassadors for the World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona in 2022. WPC Ambassador Announcement It is a privilege to be working alongside these inspiring people from around the world, some of whom I had met at the… Continue reading World Parkinson Congress 2022 Ambassador
I met Jonny in Kyoto last year at the World Parkinson's Congress. He too has Young Onset Parkinson's and he cycles, so naturally, we've followed each other on Facebook and Twitter ever since! He recently tweeted this story and it brought a smile to my face and warmed my heart. I felt compelled to share… Continue reading A Heart Warming Story
'The Final Nail in the Coffin' "An event that causes the failure of something that had already started to fail" It was perhaps inevitable but after a full 12 months and 7,500km of training, 90,000m of hill climbing and being as ready as we've ever been, we've had to cancel our challenge in the Alps again.… Continue reading The Final Nail in the Coffin
A hilly ride yesterday with the Sunday morning group. Lovely company, glorious sunshine and a beautiful route but hilly and I found it really hard. No personal bests today and the rest of Sunday was a write off for me as it's taken me 24 hours to recover! Doesn't bode well for The Alps....! I… Continue reading A Few Hills Too Many
This week saw me reach a milestone. This year, I've cycled over 5000km on this beauty. During the same time, I've only driven 500km in this beauty! Strava Stats! Hard to justify keeping the car.......
It doesn't feel right to consider my last few rides as training. They have been in beautiful sunshine, with great company, fabulous cake stops and some of the most stunning countryside. I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. Getting faster and fitter is the added bonus! 1. To The Blue Zucchini in Tetbury… Continue reading A Little More Training….
24 Days A few days rest after The Raid Local and already we need a new challenge. A 'Covid Compliant' Alpine Adventure .......in 24 day's time. 777km Cycling 777km from Lake Geneva to Nice. 13,000 13,000 metres of climbing Six Cols Col du TelegraphieCol du GalibierCol de L'IseranCol d'IzoardCol du Cormet de RoselendCol de la… Continue reading And Counting……
Great to be out with the Sunday Cycling group again. A lovely route out to The Old Prison at Northleach. The company was great, the rain held off until the last ten minutes and the bacon sandwiches at The Old Prison were fabulous. After two weeks away from my bike, the hills felt hard, so… Continue reading A Sunday Cycle
Having recovered from the Raid Local challenge, spent some time with my family, caught up with some of the things I had neglected whilst training and taken some time to reflect, it's time to put pen to paper and, of course, it's time to get back in the saddle again. But first, once again, a… Continue reading ABC
Doing the Raid Local challenge would never have been possible without the support of so many people, so I'd like to say 'thank you' to everyone who trained with me, encouraged me, supported me for months while I prepared for the challenge, supported me on the day, donated to The Cure Parkinson's Trust and to… Continue reading A Team Effort
The challenge, in reality, was not nearly as easy as I had dreamt it might be! (See Previous Blog) In reality, it took me a lot longer, it was a lot harder, my average power output was a lot lower and I didn't see Rowan Atkinson at all! My stats came in four parts: Until… Continue reading Not So Easy!
Having lived cycling, talked cycling, blogged cycling, thought about nothing but cycling for the past few months, I have now started dreaming cycling. If I believed my dreams, I would be cycling ahead of the rest of the team, they would be shouting 'Slow down! We can't keep up! When did you get so good… Continue reading Easy!
When I learned that exercise is the only thing that has been shown to slow the progression of Parkinson's, I started cycling, overcoming the numerous obstacles that Parkinson's puts in my way. Amongst many other symptoms, Parkinson's affects my balance and coordination, causes dizziness, muscle cramps, dystonia, rigidity, stiffness, pain, slow movement, tremor, fatigue, poor… Continue reading The Peculiarities of Pedalling with Parkinson’s
My fourth 'first' for this week was to cycle Sudeley Hill today without stopping. As part of a hilly ride today, after Harp and Ham hills, I finally did it! At 2.5km long, with an average gradient of 8.4%, a maximum gradient of 18% and a total climb of 215m, it was a tough one.… Continue reading Fourth ‘First’
Humour me.... Available for 24 hours only! https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000k6yz/points-west-evening-news-18062020 From 22 minutes 50 seconds.........
Some of The Cure Parkinson's Trust (CPT) team, Will Cook (CEO) and Mike Tindall (Patron) are used to being in front of the camera but for me, as one of CPT's ambassadors, my first 'first' of the day was being filmed by the BBC. The three of us were talking about the exciting Raid Local,… Continue reading Three ‘Firsts’
100 Mile Monday We've often said "If it's not on Strava, it didn't happen' but despite only recording half my ride, my aching limbs are testament to the fact that I did indeed complete a 100 mile ride yesterday. With a ride time of 7.5 hours and an average speed of 21.5km, it was a… Continue reading Mission Accomplished
A 100 mile cycle with friends. What a way to start the week. What a way to 'celebrate' five years since my diagnosis of Parkinson's. What a way to support the relaxing of lockdown requirements. What a way to train for the Raid Local. What a way to enjoy the great outdoors. What a way… Continue reading 100 Mile Monday
What a joy to cycle with our Sunday morning group again this morning after three months of lockdown.....
My mission this week was to cycle a total elevation of 3,700km from the vast range of Cotswold hills that surround us. On the 28th June for The Raid Local, I shall have to do this in one day. I cycled six days out of seven. My training was to test a few things that… Continue reading Testing, testing……
Today's ride was always going to be a little different. I had arranged to meet with Will Cook, the CEO of The Cure Parkinson's Trust, and Mike Tindall, a Patron of The Cure Parkinson's Trust to do some hilly cycle training in preparation of the Raid Local which we are all taking part in. It's… Continue reading A Day with a Difference
On Monday, it will be exactly five years since I was diagnosed with Parkinson's. I'd prefer to let the day pass by without reference to this fact but the day is imprinted on my memory and there is no hope of Monday, coming and going without my acknowledging this. So, how could I mark my… Continue reading An Occasion
Hills, hills and more hills...... I sincerely hoped I'd eventually learn to love them by now but......I'm still waiting for this to happen! Gloucestershire hills can be unforgiving: steep, sharp turns, uneven surfaces, gravel, pot holes, flood water, debris, branches, narrow lanes, to name a few of the hazards. So despite trying, I'm finding it… Continue reading Again & Again
The tallest building in the UK, The Shard stands at 310 metres tall. Last night, I cycled up hills totalling twice the height of The Shard, covering 620m of elevation and found it exhausting. On 28th June, for The Raid Local, I need to cycle up twelve times the height of The Shard........ That's a… Continue reading The Shard
The Raid Local challenge is to cycle 137km and climb 3700m of hills on 28th June 2020, to raise awareness and funding for The Cure Parkinson's Trust. This is a colossal challenge for the fittest of cyclists. 137km is hard enough but add in hills totalling nearly half the height of Everest in a single… Continue reading Raid Local Challenge
After so many weeks of lockdown, it was truly wonderful to meet up again with some girlfriends for a socially distanced, sociable cycle. These girls can cycle far and fast but today there was an equal emphasis on cycling and socialising and I was reminded of how much I love: The girls!Their friendshipTheir laughter The… Continue reading A Sociable Cycle
I've grown to love a challenge and I'm so disappointed not to be setting off on our Raid Alpine challenge this year to raise funds for The Cure Parkinson's Trust. So, I am delighted to be invited to do a local challenge on 28th June, the day we would have started The Raid Alpine challenge.… Continue reading Challenging Times
After weeks of cycling solo, the government guidelines have changed and with the change, I've found a new motivation to clock up those miles. My goal? To cycle 300km this week with friends whilst keeping within the slightly more relaxed Covid exercise guidelines. My first cycle of the week, was a 50km round trip in… Continue reading Guidelines and Goals
Despite the inevitable postponement of The Raid Alpine Challenge, cycling has still kept us Cyclopaths busy this year. This year, between us, we have: Cycled 15,306k Climbed 151,629 metres (17 times the height of Everest) Spent 717 hours in the saddle (Don't underestimate the pain & discomfort!) Cycled on 325 occasions Cycled in rain, hail,… Continue reading Still Pedalling
It's been a long time since I last posted. This blog black hole has been mainly because it was recently confirmed that The Raid Alpine challenge has sadly been postponed and won't happen this year. Given that the majority (in fact, possibly all) of my blogs have been about training for this challenge, there seemed… Continue reading Long Overdue
Walking in the park this morning with the dog, I started speaking to a lady I'd never met before. We exchanged pleasantries about the beautiful sunshine and how nice it was to be out. From our two metre social distance, it took me a while to realise this lady was close to tears. She was… Continue reading Walking and Talking
Cycling with friends is so much more fun than cycling alone and There are many wonderful people I cycle with regularly. This post is a shout out and huge ‘thank you’ to the other lovely people who have joined me for the occasional cycle ride over the last couple of years. To Alison, Michael and… Continue reading With a Little Help From My Friends
Anyone who cycles with us knows that when we cycle in a group, John and I rarely see each other. My average speed is half John's average speed. He is fiercely competitive and thrives on the challenge of being the fastest, going the furthest and climbing more hills than anyone else. Usually all three together!… Continue reading Cycling ‘Together’
For the first time in a very long time, I am finding it hard to motivate myself to keep exercising. The fact that exercise has been proven to slow the progression of Parkinson's is usually a pretty big motivator in itself and exercise is a great coping strategy. Obviously social distancing regulations have played a… Continue reading Motivation
During 2020, I've done three months of hard, hilly cycle training: 37 cycle rides, most of which I've arrived home exhausted from, nearly 102 hours (moving time) covering a distance of 1782km and climbing 22,200m of hills and yet..... I've climbed just over twice the height and twice the distance that we need to do… Continue reading Training Stats
Another sunny day, another day of social distancing and another day of 'stay at home' except to exercise. There is much concern about the impact on people's mental health and wellbeing of social distancing and isolation, amidst health, employment and financial concerns and so much uncertainty. My antidote to all things stressful is to get… Continue reading Snail’s Pace
With the go ahead from Boris to leave the house once a day to exercise, I yet again opted to cycle. None of my three boys are particularly keen cyclists. There are frequent mumblings that parental obsessions with all things cycling may have put off any budding Bradley Wiggins in our family! So it was… Continue reading Family Time
Amidst a stark 'Stay at Home' message from the Prime Minister, a little gift....we're allowed to leave the house to do one form of exercise a day. After debating for a nanosecond what kind of exercise that might be, John and I chose cycling! During these unprecedented times, it is lovely to be able to… Continue reading A Little Normality
Even in these difficult times, I have found a lot to be grateful for this week. I am grateful beyond words that my Dad is recovering well following his heart surgery. I'm grateful for the skill, expertise and dedication of the doctors, nurses and all the other NHS staff who made this possible during such… Continue reading Gratitude
For all sorts of reasons, we haven't cycled together since Lanzarote: Work commitmentsFamily commitmentsThe weatherThe CoronavirusEwan living 450 miles apart from the rest of us! So, it was lovely to cycle today with John A, John A, Roland and Caroline. A socially distant cycle - note the lack of team photos, no sharing of snacks,… Continue reading Some Normality
1. Uphill is Hard, Downhill Terrifying! 2. The Heavier We Are, The Harder It Is 3. Regular Rest Stops are Essential 4. The Cycle Tracking App Relates To Your Menstrual Cycle Not Your Bicycle! 5. Rehydration is Vital 6. Team Kit = Team Work 7. Style is a Personal Thing 8. You Can Never Carry… Continue reading Lighthearted Learning from Lanzarote
I thought 'Bloody Hell - I'm going to have to wait for Alison again.......and there she was, right behind me!' Anonymous Either, I'm getting quicker or everyone else is getting slower.......sometimes I'm even at the front! Great to have the support of these fabulous guys.
Guest Blog by Ewan Mac<ean Preparing for the Raid Alpine 2020 0-10%: An honest assessment of how prepared I felt arriving at our Lanzarote training camp to cycle previously unattempted distances and heights over consecutive days in a totally new environment. 25%: Approximately the number of the Cure Parkinson's Trust Raid Alpine group that met… Continue reading A Small Matter of Percentages
With everyone feeling at least a little better, we set off with some optimism for our last day's cycling. Optimism proved an essential component for our longest day in the saddle...... The Challenges of the Day With different bikes, I struggled to clip into my cleats and should have guessed I would struggle to clip… Continue reading Longest Day
The Plan 9am start prompt - 'No pfaffing'!160km route (100 miles)2300m climbTo complete within 8 hoursA few brief stops onlyCycle all day with the wider group The Reality 9.30am start Lots of pfaffing (mainly me)80km route1454m climbCompleted within 10 hoursLong lunch stop and frequent other stopsCycled for 20 minutes with the rest of the group… Continue reading Plan, What Plan?
(Just Realised I Hadn't Posted Sunday's Adventures!) Our plan today was to have no plan today. To keep things flexible, have a range of options and see how we felt as the day progressed. Ewan has the same stomach upset that John had, so couldn't cycle this morning. Miraculously, he joined us mid afternoon, feeling… Continue reading No Plan!
20km into the windiest cycle imaginable, I completely lost my bottle! Having been swept across the road more than once I couldn't do today's route. John, putting aside his competitive streak, had the patience of a saint and stayed with me. Finding a roadside cafe, we stopped for a drink, some respite from the wind… Continue reading Too Windy
Guest Blog by Lucy Ferrier Well, where to start? Growing up as the eldest of three girls, Alison always had a sense of responsibility and she embraced her role as the elder, more sensible one! She took her role seriously and enjoyed keeping her younger siblings in check. Alison was kind, fun and as I recall,… Continue reading My Big Sis
For the first time today, twelve of the Raid Alpine team are getting together for some training in Lanzarote, many of us meeting for the first time. After an easy journey, we arrive at the resort reception and only half an hour later, with our hire bikes fitted, we were ready to cycle together. With… Continue reading Team Training
TRAINING & TEAM-BUILDING by Ewan MacLean The Cyclopaths have all been training in our own way: individually, in pairs and in a variety of groups. We are only one small part of a much bigger 'Raid Alpine' group who have all been doing the same across many different UK geographic locations. Between us, we have… Continue reading Guest Blog
Keen to have one more training ride before heading off to the sun for our 5 day training camp, I set off for a hilly few miles. Cycling with Roland who thankfully was happy to take an easy pace, we set off up Harp, Ham and Castle Hills. It could never be considered an easy… Continue reading Wading Through Treacle
Cold, wet, windy, hailstones, headache, hangover, tired, torturously slow....... On reflection I was wise to go out alone, I wouldn't have kept up with the Sunday morning group today. Today's effort is definitely not one to dwell on, so, I got to thinking...... So far this year, I have cycled 1060km, burning approximately 34,000 calories.… Continue reading One of Those Days
The Ups Another training ride completed50km cycled894m of elevation climbedBeautiful sunshine for spellsFabulous stop at The Prison in Northleach for coffee and bacon baps Beautiful countrysideLovely villagesA new routeLittle traffic Lovely company Home just as the rain and hail started904 calories burnedOff to Lanzarote next week to cycle in the sunshine The Downs A slow… Continue reading The Ups and Downs
