Check out what I did with my blog content in Wordle:
Fun, huh?
If you fancy doing the same to any of your writings, you can do it at http://www.wordle.net/ and you can choose your preferred layout, colours, etc.
The charity I'm riding for, Mind, the mental health charity, has been really supportive via their emails and facebook page, as have all the other riders taking on this challenge. I've decided I have to complete the course because then I can legitimately go to the reception afterwards and get myself a massage :-) It will be lovely to meet some of the Mind supporters in the flesh too, having shared our training stories online!
When logging the miles in my training log today I realised I've ridden over 1,000 miles since I started this blog. I could be in the South of Spain by now! Not bad for a complete couch potato :-)
So, today was effectively my last major training ride before the big day!!!
I did 42 miles and worked on my speed - I'm currently averaging 14.5mph out on the road - a long way from the 8.24mph I started out at on 5th May!
I hit a 22mph split for mile 9 (don't tell anyone though - there is a 20mph speed limit in the park!). Yes, it was a downhill, I'm hoping there will be more of those than there will be uphills on the course next Sunday...
The trouble with speed practice in Richmond Park on a weekend is the many and varied human obstacles - if I could've won nectar points for people I might have mown down I reckon I would've accumulated enough for a year's supply of shopping today! You'll be glad to hear that I didn't hit a single toddler, pedestrian, cyclist, or any other road user though, and nobody hit me. I've done practically all of my training so far solo and my biggest fear about the day itself is that I will cause an almighty pile up at the start and ruin the day for thousands of people. My flatmate, Emma, has very kindly offered to practice riding together so I can get used to riding in tandem and overtaking safely. This has got to be of some help when I've got the prospect of riding in a group of 20,000.
Some sad news - Twitchy, my bike, lost a toe clip today :-( I have absolutely no idea at what point it went walkabout, but apparently my left foot will have to cope without until I can get a replacement. Trouble is, if I go into a bike shop I just know a toe clip is not the only thing I'll be leaving with. I'll want new cycling shorts (with extra padding), water bottle, gloves and helmet too, to go with my new Mind cycle jersey!
I told my Dad this week that this blog has had over 800 visits since RideLondon mentioned it across their social networks (currently at 922 so I'm aiming for the 1,000 now!). He subtly told me he wanted a credit - "remember who taught you to ride a bike?!" So, thanks Dad, your efforts all those years ago are about to pay off in a very big way :-)
Both of my parents are coming along to support me on the day, and my sister and her family as well as quite a few friends have said they'll be cheering from the side-lines. I can't wait to see everyone along the route. Tip - if you want to make sure I don't flash by in the blink of an eye, position yourself at the top of a hill ;-)
Well, my lovely readers, it's that time of the blog when I beg for your cash again. C'mon, who hasn't gotten around to it yet (you know I won't stop nagging!). Click here to donate a couple of quid, and I'll love you forever ;-) http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CathyHyland
Cheers, peeps,
C x
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