Easy rides and accidents

6th & 7th August 2016

With Andy still away and Lara busy with even more art exhibitions I was yet again left to my own devices and riding alone. After last week’s puncture I decided that I would have an easier weekend and the plan was to ride about 80km over the weekend.

I had changed my focus this week and had been running as I am training for the Cardiff Half Marathon on the 2nd October. This showed itself on Saturday when I set out for my ride and my legs felt heavy. Usually a Saturday ride is shorter and this week wasn’t going to be any different.

When I am riding by myself I always try and ride at a pace quicker than 25km an hour but I was struggling to ride at this pace. I had decided that I would ride over Lisvane and Thornhill before heading towards Rhiwbina and Whitchurch and then home.

The pace was really slow at the beginning and my legs really heavy, it took me about 20km before I started feeling better and then the chase was on to make up the time. Luckily for me my legs had come back to me at the right time and I ended up riding over 25km an hour for my 30km ride.

On the Saturday night I had worked out a route for Sunday and was looking forward to the ride. The route took me out through Whitchurch to Tongwynlais and onto Taffs Well before heading up the A4054 towards Llantwit Fardre. Although I was feeling much better it was really windy and the wind was in my face all the way to Llantwit Fardre, as I was going through Taffs Well I was overtaken by another cyclist and this gave me something to chase for a few km’s.

As I approached Llantwit Fardre I turned off towards Creigiau and out of the wind for a while, which was a relief. This didn’t last long as once I was through Creigiau I turned onto the Llantrisant Road and back into the wind. I continued on the Llantrisant Road for a short while before turning off and heading towards Peterston-super-Ely, St.Brides-super-Ely and then home via Whitchurch.

When I got to Peterston-super-Ely the wind was finally on my back and I was able to pick the pace up for the final leg home. The ride home was a lot quicker and I just put my head down and rode as fast as possible home. The ride ended up being at a good pace and much faster than the Saturday ride.

A couple of days later I heard from both Andy and Lara who had both had accidents on their bikes although Andy’s was funnier compared to Lara’s. While on holiday Andy had managed to drop a bike on his head as he was hanging it up for the evening, he cut his head and Anna had to steri-strip it up to stop the bleeding.

Lara's accident was a little more serious as she came off her bike in the wet and ended up visiting A&E, luckily she has not broken anything but has badly strained her groin and hip area and is hobbling around on crutches. She is having physio this week and will hopefully be back on her bike soon.

With only 38 days to go until our September riding challenge from North to South Wales I have set up a Virgin money giving pageand if you would like to support me the page can be accessed via the following link:

I am raising funds for Mind and my Virgin Money Giving page can be accessed via http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MikeShevyn

All donations are appreciated and you will be helping a very worthy causes.

Keep reading the blog for more cycling adventures .....................................

#WInd #Accidents