29th Sept Just 36 days to go - Fundraising & Training

Well, It's getting closer now. It's a scary thought that it's just a little over 5 weeks now until I go.

I've started working down my kit list, I got my vaccinations today...my arm isn't that sore. But I still have to get my visa. I would have done it weeks ago, but the Vietnamese embassy isn't yet in the 21st century, and only takes cash or postal orders, so I need to get myself down to the Post Office and sort out Postal Orders I guess. Luckily it appears that it doesn't take too long to process, so I'll sort it out in the next few days.

Fundraising has been going well. I had loads of donations of things to sell at car boot sales, and so far made £340. That leaves me only a little way short of the minimun sponsorship that we need to raise, however I'm aiming for more than that, so will keep going. I have a few things donated that I think will fetch more on Ebay, than a car boot, so I'll see what I can do there, and then do another (and final) car boot sale in about 2 or 3 weeks time. It'll be an 'everything must go' sale.

The training was going well, and then I stopped for a week, but now I'm back on it. I cycled my Killer ride on Saturday, and was in the saddle for 6 hours and covered 62 very, very hilly miles. I have still to work out why the South DOWNs are so names, they were most definately the South UPS on Saturday.

I nearly wimped out at Horndean, and called for a lift...I was tired, getting cold, and a little bit bored...but then I remembered there was only 1 more hill, and the rest was either very flat, or very downhill....needless to say, I cycled the last 10 miles, felt very proud of myself, and collapsed in the bath when I got home.

The ride totally took every last ounce of energy I had, but on Sunday morning, I felt wide awake, and quite capable of riding again (despite a couple of minor tendor points). But Sunday was a fundraising day, so I was up early, ready for the Gosport Car Boot sale. Afterwards I spent the afternoon at the pub......well I had earned it, and it was a lovely sunny day..what else was there to do!

The healthy eating isn't going as well as it could, I've eaten probably a few too many chinese takeaways...however, they are carb rich, and to be honest, I'll be living on a noodle diet in Vietnam, and cycling on it, so it's just as well to get used to it now. I think I had better look up some Vietnames recipes though soon, and make my own, it might be a bit more realistic.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Training - 59 Days to go 5th September 2008

Hi,

I've been pretty rubbish at maintaining this blog, but I'll quickly update you on what I've been doing to train since my last entry.

Until the end of June, I hooked up with Hayling cyclists most Sunday mornings and tagged along on their training rides. They were in training for Hayling-Paris circular ride which averages similar distances to the Vietnam ride, although for less days. Hopefully I'll join them for their ride properly next year. On the last ride I did with them I covered 67 miles...very very hilly miles. I wasn't in agony the next day, so for the first time I actually felt that I might be up for this Vietnam ride after all.

At the beginning of July I spent a week in the Quantocks in Somerset, and spent 5 days offroading in the hills. Generally I was averaging about 20 miles a day..which doesn't seem much until you see the nature of the terrain. Lots of hills, rocks, loose stone and earth, tree roots, and on the last day lots and lots of mud. This was the first time I had tried several successive days hard riding, and so I came away feeling pretty pleased with myself.

Unfortunately after I got back there seems to have been something going on every single weekend, and I haven't been out on my bike for a proper ride since.

So now we are back to the present day.......

I've now sent in the 80% of my sponsor money that guarantees my place, and I still have to send off for my Vietnam Visa and get my vaccinations. I also still have to raise just over £500 in sponsor money, and I'm coming up with ideas for raising that.

It is now 2 months until I go, and I am now back into training mode. Skyline Events that organise the trip sent me a training schedule which looks something like this.

Cyclists/Moderately Fit (That's me)

Ride 3 times a week - 25 miles each, and up to 40 miles on Sunday (for 4 weeks)
Next 3 weeks, add another ride and each ride should be 30 miles each with 50 miles on Sundays
The final week should be 3 10-15 mile rides only.

I'm glad I got a lot of distance in earlier in the year, as I'm not sure that in September & October that I will be able to get all that riding in. However, I do intend to supplement the training with regular visits to the gym (especially if the weather is bad) and swimming..to give my poor old joints a rest.

Good diet also starts now...High protien, low fat, high energy foods, upping the carbohydrate at weekends in readiness for Sunday rides. Minimum alcohol, which means I'll be drinking my red wine in very small quantities and only on social occassions.

My stats today are
Age 42
Weight 145 lbs
Body Fat Index 29% :-(, (which apparently weighs in at 19kg)...Damn I hate that machine that works that out.

Aim by the end
Age 42 (well I can't do anything about that can I?)
Weight 133 lbs
Body Fat Index below 20%

BTW - I started well, went to the gym for an hour after work yesterday, and will keep my gym gear in the car so if the weather is bad, I can go to the gym instead of a bike ride.

That's it for now. Keep checking this page for my progress...and nag nag nag at me if it doesn't look like I'm working hard enough.

Ciao
Marcia