More training

Been off air for a while, but only because I've been doing lots of hard training. Well, not so hard, I guess.

In fact mostly very pleasant.

Last Saturday did a walk for about 5 miles or so in the beautiful coutryside outside Bath. Again without the benefit of John and his GPS everything is an estimate, but we did finish up by going up Solsbury Hill (625 feet, according to wikipedia, an ancient iron age hill fort, and scene of the 1994 protests against the A46 bypass). Also inspiration for Peter Gabriel's 1977 hit song, which rattled around my brain the entire time - I only wish I knew more than the first line.

Then it was off to Skomer Island, just off the Pembrokeshire coast, on Monday to see puffins - not strictly part of the training, as it has been on my list of things to do before I die for years, but the camping was really by way of training (the guy at the campsite sussed within seconds that we were 'not seasoned campers' - his words), and also taking photos (which I normally can't be bothererd to do, usually because they are so disppointing).

We got the damn thing up - now how do we get in?

 A short walk after the rain on Monday evening, followed by a 4 mile circuit of the island on Tuesday. Those puffins are really, really cute.

Is this cute enough?

Perhaps if I flapped my wings?

  Then a glorious 8 mile-ish trek along part of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path before setting off home on Wednesday. In the sun!



Wave goodbye to the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast



Summer came on a Wednesday this year in St Brides Bay

 And there's more.

Sunday, a proper serious training walk along the River Wye (part of it), starting and finishing at The Kymin, the National Trust property right at the top of a very big hill just outside Monmouth. At least 12 miles, Martin said. Although we did cheat a little at  the very end, and get Sarah to come in the car to collect us for the last mile and a half. (I wasn't going to mention that, but I feel a duty to my reader/s to be absolutely honest.)

Bridge over the River Wye - Kay gets nostalgic for Nepal

And it was hot! "Stay indoors" advised the tabloids to the elderly, obviously in serious danger death by heatstroke, according to them. I wonder what pleasure they get from terrifying people in this way. It's not sport.

That's probably enough for now.

Back soon.

Phew!

Overtook my first cyclist going home last night.

Uphill.

Makes a pleasant change.

He didn't know we were racing, of course.

Still, pretty impressive, I feel.

The sand walking was good - didn't have the benefit of John and his GPS, but reckon I did about 8 miles in 2 hours in one session - from Boscombe pier to Hengistbury Head and back. It really is much harder work on the sand, and uses a whole bunch of different muscles. I was aching from my little toe up the side of the leg - which is where I usually ache after ice-skating, so you might be right Leila, it could be good exercise after all. And I walked on the soft sand for most of it - not cheating by  walking on the wet sand.

By the way, does anyone know what the gear on the left hand on the bike is for? I have a grip on the right that has the numbers 1-7 on it, which I'm quite happy with, but the one on the left moves, but just has little lines on it - and seems to make no appreciable difference when I do twist it by accident.