Review

So we did the Team Ventoux thing .. it was a marvellous holiday and including the gift aid we raised over 1400 quid for The Dougie Mac, which is marvellous.

I am still doing my best to keep fit ... 

onward and always upward ... 

Training

Team Ventoux update ..

As some of  you may know my mate Mand suggested that she would cycle Ventoux with me this summer as an incentive to get me out of my post-op bed and onto my bike.  It is a worthy notion and I embraced the idea with pleasure.  So did her husband, Pete ... I think.  Actually I think there was not much pleasure or embrace in it, but he did agree to do it with us!

Obviously Brigid would do it and Sam said she would love to do it too and have it as a focus for her own health goals this summer.

We've all been training, each in our own way:  Pete by kicking his bike, and swearing a fair bit, the rest of us by more traditional methods.  I think we will all be able to get to Chalet Reynard.  I think at least one of us will be waiting there will the rest complete to to the very top ..but it is all good.  The rain has slowed us a bit, but I think it'll be good and now it is only a couple of weeks till we do it.

We decided that while we were doing it we could raise some money for The Douglas Macmillan Hospice.

You can sponsor us via this website, the money goes direct to the Dougie Mac:


http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserPage.action?userUrl=SusanWilde&pageUrl=3

Cycling

I am pleased to report that I am cycling quite a bit now.  Yes, a couple of my plans for Sunday rides have had to be cancelled for health reasons, but overall I am regaining some strength and had a lovely run out with Mr K yesterday, enjoying the unseasonable WARMTH!

We left here at 12 and got back at 6.30.  We managed to get to West Kirby.  On the way back we used a train for about 15 minutes, and did some dossing about and very slow peddaling, but feel really good to have been able to manage this ride again.

 It is largely flat, along the West Wirral way which is pretty, great views out across the estuary to Wales as you get near to the end but there are some grimmer bits to do around Ellesmere Port.

Reckon we must have done about 40 miles.

Last Tuesday Mr K introduced me (and B) to a ride back from B's school along the River Weaver and the Whitegate way to Cuddington, and then we came back through Norley and Kingsley.  It is my new fave ride around here, the Whitegate track is lovely.  B and I did it after work on Monday too.  I have left the odometres at home, but is must be at least 20 miles round trip with a few bits of climbing on the sections nearest to here.

B is delighted to have had two rides after work with me ... and we are thinking that when I am stronger and the nights are longer we can extend this ride through the Delamere forest and up Dark Ark Lane.

Gently does it ..

I ducked out of the first planned training ride with the whole Team Ventoux -- I was too tired, etc etc weather etc. etc and then  Mand and Pete ducked out of it too .. although the mighty B and her faithful acolyte, Sam, soldiered on through the snow up on Axe Edge.

hope to get a little video of this here soon ...

This week, Andy and I went out on Tuesday March 6th.  Just a little run  out on the path to the other side of Chester.  Nice, but tired me, really a LOT!

Stats:
2 hours 36 minutes,
46.3kms (for some reason the odo is in kms?!? that is nearly 30 miles) 
average 17.7.kph, which is only 10 mph .. rather feeble!  
max 44 kph (about 27 mph).

Longnor Ride

This is Sam's mapmyride version of this training ride, not sure she has allowed public access, though
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/71131550

Training Rides

As a personal goal and motivation to keep up my fitness we are aiming to do Mont  Ventoux again,  this summer. We will be doing it  as a team with Sam,  Mandy and Pete, to raise money for the Dougie Mac hospice.

Over the Feb 1/2 term B and I did a few miles in Wales.  Felt very good considering I've been  three months more or less off the bike. Not to forget the major lung surgery in January 2012.  haha ..

Sat Feb 25th:  Sam, Suze and B went out to Longnor for my first climb.  Doing hard battle with the wind we managed up to Axe Edge from the village  ..  it's a lovely circular ride, only 12 miles all in, but it is a slow steady climb and perfect starting point  for the big ride in the Summer.

Training Ride profile

eating the rainbow

Cycle medals

B and I are really excited that Aaron has taken up cycling in a big way. He is very keen and has started to race. He cycled in the Kilmallock Hub 10km recently and came 4th!

That was his first race, and apparently he went pretty much like a bat out of hell for the entire 10km. He has been shopping around for a new racing bike, and we hope he has many happy hours cycling, ahead of him, racing and otherwise!

too hard

So nothing, nothing much through most of March or April ..

a few walks, but no classes and no cycling .. :(

I've had illnesses, infections and chemo-induced sickness and lethargy .. grrr ....

BUT only two more to go, and then I can pick up again .. I hope!

Move it in March

Monday 1st March - aerobics class

Tues - Thursday 2nd - 5th March inside

Fri 6th March prostrated by the chemo and anti-emetic drugs.

Sat 7th March - managed a pub lunch and a walk round Hanley! haha

Sun 8th March - woo , the sun, exercise based around gardening

Mon 9th March

Move it in March

February Fitness FACTS

Appear to have lost 2 pounds in January. Not bad considering the lethargy of being in hospital twice, and strong pull of comfort eating in the winter snow and hearing friends with bad health news ...


Monday 1st Feb Did an hour's aerobics class this morning.

tues 2nd - thurs 4th INSIDE

Friday 5th Feb did the spinning class.

Saturday 6th Feb, bike ride out on the Tissington Trail,
Time: 1hr 30minutes
Dist: 14.5 miles
Ave: 9.7 mph
Max 20.1mph

Sunday 7th Feb, walked around Upton Hall and Carsington Water, tho not that much, v. tired!

Monday 8th Feb, aerobics class

Tuesday 9th Feb walked round Trentham Lake with Mr Woolf

Wednesday 10th Feb DROVE to Brum, not much walking!

Thursday 11th Feb Shopping and stuff, probably quite a few steps, need to get a new stepper!

Friday 12th Feb. Tired after hard night. skipped spinning class. .. . .. :-(

Saturday 13th Feb bike ride along mainly canal to Rode Hall to see snowdrops
Time: 2hr 40 minutes
Dist: 28 miles
Ave: 10.4mph
Max 23.1 mph

Appear to have put back on previously lost 2lbs ... hey ho, all this activity is being offset with pub lunches and bagels!

Sunday - 14th Feb - Romantic Valentiene's Day in Llandudno. Cycle round the Orme, by the coast to Conwy then inland towards Betsy Co-ed! Lovely lovely lovely
Time 2 hours 24
Dist 23.9 miles
Ave 9.8
Max 32.3 (steep descent off the Orme!)

Monday 15th Feb would you believe my blooder computer packed up, but we did the same as yesterday only went to Conwy marina instead of inland, got wet so only did 20 miles in total.

Tuesday 16th Feb. Amazing ride out from Conwy on B road all the way to Betwy Coed. Brilliant ride, some cheeky hills incl 1 in 9 out of Conwy. Computer still not working, but B clocked it as 38 miles. Mr K joined us and it was a fab day out. We even got a bit of sun on the return.

Weds 17th Feb. Bit too icy to risk the Orme on bikes, so we walked up there and yomped about for an hour before breakfast.

weds-fri 19th back inside - very poorly and actually had to stay in until saturday to re-hydrate .. this set the tone for the next week .. not very well really

DID, however go round Trentham in Monday 22nd Feb

Tues 23rd went out to Rode Hall with B's mum, shortish walk.

basically pretty rough for the rest of the week and not able to exercise - Feb was not a Fab month for exercise!

.

bike stats

Sunday Jan 17th -
at last, some sunshine and the end of that endless white stuff ...

managed to do some climbing today, for the first time since September! - ok not much, but up Ash Bank and along a few ridges up there in the direction of Longsdon .. then back thro Bagnall (stopping at the pub for lunch!!) and home downhill.

Time: 1hr 28 minutes
Dist: 14.5 miles
Ave: 9.7 mph
Max 29.7 mph

sweet .. going to have a nice bath and then B will give me a massage, later ... even better!

Monday 18th Jan -
same route as yesterday, but with no doubling back .. so a mile shorter!
Time: 1hr 24 minutes
Dist: 13.5 miles
Ave: 9.6 mph
Max 28.8 mph

feels great to be doing a bit outside, it wasn't exactly sunny, but at least it didn't rain!
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Friday 29th Jan. Only 2.25 miles on the real bike, but that took me there and back to the gym where I did a spinning class for 45 minutes .. which was good, cos it was BITTERLY cold and I doubt I would have got out without the indoor element !

January stepper

Friday Jan 1st. Didn't have stepper on but must have done over 10,000 as we walked up to the Memorial Park from my brother's house and all aroudnthe edge of the park itself.

Saturday Jan 2nd too much of a snowstorm here to encourage venturing out!

Sunday Jan 3rd 16,400. Long walk up to Bagnall and back over the Wetley Moors. Very beautiful in the sun and crunchy snow.

Monday Jan 4th 4,300 unable to go out due to serivce ppl visits .. interviewing cleaner and getting gutter fixed (At last!!)

Tuesday Jan 5th 4,500 -- looks like just over 4000 is what I do when I just potter around the house and run up and down stairs a few times! Today was a weird day, should have gone in for chemo but they LOST it .. and then I couldn't go for a walk in the fresh snow, cos they might have found it, but they didn't ....

Weds Jan 6th - 6,300 quite surprised as I was mainly doing more pratting about waiting for the chemo transport problems to resolve .. grrr..

Thursday Jan 7th - 2,300 in the hospital, so hardly able to notch up much.

Friday Jan 8th 1,600 - still in hospital, spent most of the day in bed!

Sat Jan 9th. 13,000 Nearly two laps of Trentham lake in the sun .. you might wonder how you can do a partial lap, it's by going up and down on the sunny side rather than another full circuit!

Sun Jan 10th 10,100 - chilly walk along the canal for a pub lunch in Stockton Brook, Lovely. We got a cab back cos it was dark and I was too tired, really.

Mon Jan 11th, 3,4oo. Just walking about in the house .. like a captive.

Tues Jan 12th 4, 600 also just in the house, but doing a few more chores!

Weds Jan 13th -- 4,000

Thurs Jan 14th 3,700 :-(

Fri Jan 15th - 7,800 shopping mainly!

Sat Jan 16th -- 7,300 up in Manchester

Sunday Jan 17th - 15 miles on my bike!

Monday Jan 18th -- 7, 800 AND 15 miles on the bike - slept like a log!

-----------
Tues 19th, Weds 20th Thurs 21st - in the hospital .. very little movement

then my stepper got lost in transit, so I dunno what steps I've done over the weekend.

Friday 22nd -- Did some walking around the shops and Sainsburys

Sat 23rd walked out up Eaves Lane, across the bottom the moor and down Ash Bank,we were out for 90 minutes so reckon that'd be a good three miles.

Sun 24th 40 minutes each way up to Birches Head to see our mate. Reckon that must be another three miles.

Mon 25th First Aerobic class today ... walked there and back, and did an hours class. YAY!

Face the Fat FACTS!

I'm sure it is better to get back on track asap rather than put my head in the sand for another few weeks of the winter and let the chub build up to epic proportions! .....

so today I braved myself to get back on the scales, and as I feared ..... 12st 7lbs!

I think an honest reflection on why this has happened will help me to sort out what to do ... so here's my december review.

It IS partly cos of my treament, but I cannot let that stnad as the whole story, cos that would be to ignore these other facts, so here it is ...

Puddings: several consumed, lemon tart with icecream, xmas type with brandy butter .. hmm

Christmas cake: not huge amounts, but the wife eats more of it and she has put on 9 pounds so that's a clue!

General portion size: neglected altogether where scrupulopus care is needed on carbs and BUTTER!

Eating out: far too often and choosing things that don't really fit in the programme,.

Cheese: I am going to stop buying this again, I eat it when I get out of hospital when my taste buds are all askew and I feel really sick, but I need to find something with less calories to fill that need.

Drinks: - I still dont touch alcohol, but think the sugar in the cordials I've been getting is probably an easy thing to cut out again.

Sweets and chocs: far fewer than most years, which makes me think I ususally put on more than 1/2 a stone in December!

Meat: far more than usual, immediately bumps both calories in itself compared to a veg-based meal, and seems to encourage more fatty accesories ..

post-chemo cycling stats

Nov 30th - first ride out on my own, along canal to Etrutria museum
Weather: blue sky, might have collected some vitamin D!
stats:
9.78 miles, ave speed: 10.6, max: 19.9, time: 55 minutes.

Weds 2nd Dec. along to cousin Poe's, across rough track to Fenton, bobbed into college, down to canal and home. Sunny again! Whoo, nearly took my gloves off (but resisted)
11.16 miles, ave speed: 9.3, max: 20.6, time: 1hr 12 mins.
Feel great.
----------------

Tues 8th Dec. Due to domestic-fire-drama we didn't cycle together at the weekend, but I resolved to go to the hospital for blood test on bike today. Worked out really well.
Took direct route down Leek Rd, through Stoke and up Clayton Lane to the hospital, but chose a great scenic route back. Down through the lane to Trentham, across A34 to the cycle path they've made which joins to the Canal .. along the canal to the station, then a bit on Leek Rd before diving off on the urban park and lanes from Joiner Square to Berryhill. I hope to do this every time I'm going for blood tests . . . it was really lovely.

16.6 miles, ave speed: 10.6, max: 25.1, time: 1hr 33 minutes.

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walking wellie-count

Slight variation on usual style, am going to keep editing this thread to tally up my stepper for a month .. then do one a month during the treatment ...

Went in for first chemo treatment from Tues - Thursday 24th 26th Nov

Number of walks round lake since operation = 4
1. on me own, b4 chemo Mon 23rd Nov.
2. with Mand on Friday, 27th Nov.
3. with B, Sunday, 29th Nov.
4. on me own, Tuesday, 1st Dec.
(I thought it was going to be icy, but by time I got out, could really have gone on bike: no ice left! but had eye on Christmas shopping too!)

Have got a battery and resurrected the stepper - ridiculously low score, cos I didn't really go out, Thursday 3rd Dec .. 3,300 ... need to do better than that!

Friday 4th Dec: 10, 800.First walk around lake with stepper on ... Not bad but thought it would be more!

Sat 5th Dec: 6,500

Sun 6th Dec: 4, 200

Monday 7th Dec: 7,200 - good considering I didn't go out!

Tuesday's score went over 14,000 - but that wasn't really walking, cos I was on the bike .. so the count is unreliable, sometimes pedal strokes count, and sometimes they dont -- hmm, might work better with counter on sock instead of waist-band ... ?

Wednesday 9th Dec: 10,700 - pretty good, amassed in car parks of various shops and around town.

Thursday 10th Dec: only 3,500 -- but I was very low-key cos the last two days and the 2nd swine flu jab really wore me out, and I needed to rest today.

Friday 11th Dec: 10,700 -pretty good, and goes to show how much walking I do when I pop up town.

Sat 12th Dec: 9,200 - this included a delightful little climb up on the Roaches, such a bright sunny day, and with lovely friends too.

Sunday 13th Dec: 12,300 - round the Italian gardens and 1/2 the lake today. More sun and more great fun with the two jays.

Monday 14th Dec: 7,500

Tues 15th Dec: 4,300 - in hospital, dunno how it got so high?

Weds 16th Dec: 1,200 - in hospital, in bed mostly!

Thurs 17th Dec: c. 3000? can't remember, but we did walk a bit when I got out of hospital

Fri 18th Dec: 7,100 ... seems low considering Mand and I went round the gardens and the lake and the shops today, at Trentham!

Sat 19th Dec: 10,200. Good walk up the back to Thursfield's Garden Centre, to get replacement mistletoe. Lovely walk with bits of snow and ice on the roadside, but not too treacherous underfoot.

Sun 20th Dec: 9,700 another good walk up the lane and yomping over the moors in the snow. A big YAY for ski pants! They almost looked at home with snow on them!

Mon 21st Dec: 3, 300. Paltry, was quite tired again today

Tues 22nd Dec: 9,100. Mainly accumulated doing our "big shop" in Sainsbo's!

Weds 23rd Dec: 6,800

Thurs 24th Dec:

Fri 25th Dec:

Back on The Bike

Yay - not quite 6 weeks since the operation, but thought it was OK since we were only going on the flat ..

We drove out to Okeover and did ten miles up the Tissington Trail ... took about an hour and there were very few other people about.

We had lunch at the Okeover Arms, a great pub with a lovely landlord and landlady if you are ever near Ashbourne, their food is excellent.

This week my weight was still 11st 12, which is GOOD.

I celebrated this with cheese and bacon oatcake for breakfast and panini and chips for lunch at the pub!

.. oh well, I wont be eating much this week when I am in hospital for nearly three days!

Other major news this week is that I drove myself out to Trentham and walked all around the lake, proving to myself that I CAN go all around very easily AS WELL AS the great issue of getting myself out on my own too .. so YAY!

A good week ...

progress

Five weeks since the operation.

Pleased to note that I am still under 12 stone and not piling weight on due to inactivity .. it's hard when you're at home all day not to snack a lot .. I keep saying I'm going to eat fruit if I want to snack ... hmmm

My target weight is 11 stones and I really would like to get there, it's important when you're losing weight to have a goal, and that is mine... even though progress has been slowed right down the past three months or so, it is still going down, bit at a time.

We walked a fair bit in Llandudno this weekend, several times up and down the promenade, and one long haul up the gardens (Happy Valley, is it really called that!?) and along the top of the Orme to the very summit ... it's not exactly Mont Ventoux, but it is quite steep, in parts and I enjoyed the climb. Even better: it was sunny and we didn't need the ski pants!

What is amazing about eating out is the way menus conceal huge amounts of calories. OK - you expect cream if you order a pudding but when you order salmon and cabbage you dont expect the cabbage bit to be more bacon and cream than cabbage, do you? Well I didn't .. on reflection it did say "creamed" cabbage on the menu, but literally two spoons of shredded cabbage and three spoons of cream ...

on the other hand it was delicious and went amazingly well with the fish!

:)

moving

OK - it's not much on the great scale of things, but I am determined to keep moving more through this lot of treatment than I did last time, for all sorts of reasons.

To this end I need to go out on my own and walk, and when I am fit enough to ride again, to ride on my own.

I managed to do get out and walk on Monday and again today. This is a massive achievement because getting myself up and out on my own is hard for me. I feel VERY GOOD!

I try to kid myself it's cos I am sociable and like a companion for my activity, but I think the truth is that I quickly revert to lazy when I am on my own without someone encouraging me to move!

haha ...