Exploring

So as many of you noticed in my last post, I have bought a bike! I bid for it on ebay, and won it for a bargain price of £32. I had to drive just over 50 miles round trip to pick it up, but I still think it was a good deal.

So on Tuesday I went for a little ride to check it out, and to also explore the local cycle paths. As sson as I started cycling, I realised that the saddle was too low, so I didn't go too far as my legs felt quite uncomfortable. Pete helped me raise the saddle later, and on Friday I managed a longer ride.

This time it felt great. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and I just followed the cycle path signs. It was great. Everything was so clearly signed. In Scotland, our local cycle path was very badly signed, so if you didn't know where you were going, you would just suddenly come to a dead end. Here though, it is difficult to get lost. I had no idea where I was going, but every turn and junction was marked so I didn't have a problem. I can't wait to explore more of the fantastic network of paths round here.















On the way home, I had a craving for chocolate milk, and I knew there was none at home. So I took a small diversion to the local supermarket, bought a bottle, and wedged it in my brilliant bottle holder that came on the bike. What a great feature!

As for running, it was a really good week! On Wednesday morning I ran my fastest 5k for a while - 26m37s. This was an average pace of 8m35s per mile - a huge improvement on my recent times around 9 min miles. I must admit though, it's a lot flatter than my usual route in Scotland!

Then on Thursday evening, Pete managed to get home from work on time for once, and I went to try a local running club. It was great - we did a hill session, which I always enjoy, and it was very friendly. As usual, I found that running with others made me push myself more than on my own, and I really attacked the hills. I definitely want to go regularly, but as Pete is working long hours at the moment, I probably won't be able to go for a few weeks. Hopefully his new job will settle down soon...

On Saturday I had a plan - I wanted to run at a slower pace and do about 5 miles. We were going away on Saturday night and I knew it would be hard to fit a run in on Sunday. So I set off at about 9am, and tried to keep my pace around 9min miles. It started off sunny, but I soon got soaked in two heavy showers. Anyway, I did what I wanted - 5.1 miles at 9m08s average pace. I was really happy with that.
















I'm looking forward to exploring more in the next few days on the bike and on foot, and adding to my distances as well.