It looks like it is going to happen!

Oo-er - this is getting serious now. Have just been advised by the trip organisers that the trip is confirmed so we can arrange the flight home from Geneva. So Geneva-Luton booked for 14/9/2012. Then a night's sleep at my Dad's place before getting home on the Saturday morning.

On the training front, a good session last night under Amy's eagle eye. Some routines that were particularly testing and I knew about them this morning in my shoulders. Just hope it all pays off in 5 months time (is that all it is?).

Fundraising has started but there is some way to go. Please read the previous post and donate now to encourage me.

The reality of MND

Here is an example of why I am trying to raise money and awareness of MND. Last weekend I join a facebook group call ‘Motor Neurone Disease together we stand’. This is being maintained by a lady in the Bournemouth area who has Motor Neurone Disease and is something of a blog of the way it is shaping her life. Please take a look.MND Together We Stand

As a result of my post on her wall, another young lady made a donation on my JustGiving page. Her mother had died of MND, a week before. Today I have learned that her sister has also just died (2 weeks after her mother) of MND.

It is over 25 years since I lost my mother and father-in-law to MND. Research has made progress and some gene abnormalities have been established as probable indicators. Maybe a breakthrough in cure or even prevention is on the horizon. But research costs money.

It also costs money to support sufferers and their families. Expensive equipment may be needed as the strength to walk goes. Constant care is needed when the ability to feed oneself goes. Some people suffer for many years (a near neighbour of mine was diagnosed about 6 years ago and MND is making slow progress).

Please help by making a donation.

The art of balancing

There is a lot of balancing to do when preparing for a charity ride. Training, fundraising, family and church commitments are all vying for their piece of time. This weekend the fundraising had its turn and the total has moved off zero. Thank you to those who have now contributed - I shall be after everyone else in due course. The MNDA craft fair at Canford Cliffs was busy this month which was good to see. The cake was the usual standard as well and is going down well. The next couple of weekends see family and church commitments taking the time. So training may have to take a back seat for a while. Then the plan is that training gets its turn ready for the first long ride in the Fens on 21st April.

It's good to be back on the road

The gym is good and I feel the benefit of spending time there. But you can't beat getting on the road on a sunny Saturday. And, fortunately, we have had a run of good weather on the past few weekends. This weekend was no exception so following two Saturdays at 30 miles and one at 35, it was good to get in the first 40 miles nailed yesterday. This is a lovely part of the world and you don't have to go too far to find good views without leaving the boundaries of Poole and Bournemouth. There are some testing little hills as well which serve as a gentle warm up for what lies ahead next month. So a trip round Sandbanks, along to Hengistbury Head and them back along moreorless the same route brings up the 40 miles. Mileage is gradually building up and I've just been persuaded (didn't take too much) to sign up for the IOW Ferry 100 arranged through Wiggle. That will be pretty hilly in the middle section the other side of the Solent. Got until 7th July to be ready for it.

First 30 of the year

Saturday saw the first 30 of the year completed. The question is 'Which 30?' I considered claiming this was an age thing, but didn't think I could get away with that now. But it leaves at least three other possibilities, all of which are true.
The first is 30 mph gusts. It was very windy. And I am convinced that at least 80% of the ride was against the wind.

The second is 30 miles. It may not be much, but after four months with virtually nothing, it was good to get back on the road bike on the road and get a few miles done. And it did included Boscombe pier three times which gets the heart rate going for a few minutes. It was a good start, but don't ask about the time. So I hope the weather continues to keep up and allows a few more Saturdays to get the distances up to around 50 miles before the end of March. If 100 in April is going to happen, this seems to be the minimum target.

The third 30 is speed. As I came up from Boscombe pier for the second time, heading round the back of San Remo towers, someone came down the hill. He obviously went straight back up the other side of San Remo Towers and as we met, he was still catching his breath. So I went past him. Then about half a mile along the front he went past me. I'm not really competitive(!), but there was a target, which is just what I needed on the first outing. So I tagged along behind him while he upped the ante. By the time we got another half mile further along, we were clocking 27 mph on the flat. So heading down towards Hengistbury head, we easily cracked the 30 mph barrier.

What does PT really stand for?

Amy's business card proclaims her to be a PT. So after another hour of being asked (very nicely, I hasten to add) to do many gruelling things on Friday evening, I fell to wondering what PT really means. A quick google and up pops good old Wikipedia to say that it can have several meanings. 1) Pacific Time zone, 2) Pro Tempore (with the translation 'for the time being' for those us without a classical education) 3) Physical Training. I can relate to the last one. There was a time when PT was on the school timetable when I was younger. If I remember correctly, it was preceded by PJ (Physical jerks) and superseded by PE (Physical Education.

Further down page 1 of the google results, it turns out that it could be Prothrombin time (don't ask) or Portugal Telecom to name but a few.

My own thoughts are that it means Painful Torture. But the aches have gone and (though I'll say it very quietly) I did quite enjoy it.

Back to work .. and the gym

This is not our turkey - just one I saw on a google picture search. Ours was a bit smaller with only four of us to get through it. It was a very good time with family and we enjoyed it immensely. We sang plenty of carols at the chapel of course. I don't think I over indulged and did keep going to the gym. Fitted in a few sessions on the turbo trainer as well and so felt ready for the next appointment with Amy. Unfortunately she had read my previous post and so the weights were a bit heavier. But that is what it is all about, I suppose. Unless you push yourself, you don't know what you can do. And I don't ache nearly as much now as I did after the first session so I do feel the benefit.