A New Year
I really do neglect this site which is strange as I do want it to compete with Dick’s site. Yet doing an update has been on my to-do list for the last two months and here we are in March 2023.
I do have more time now as I was effectively sacked from a local role and so the least I can do is use the time I would have used on that, to try and bring this site up to date and to regularly update.
What’s been happening?
Cycling disappointment
I had determined to do a 100 mile bike ride in 2022 but taking part in Paddle4Rob and other things meant that I was very late getting into training. This meant that daylight would be limited in November and December. I did start to do some longer rides, mainly on the Audax bike with a plan to cycle into and through Birmingham on canal towpaths. I even did a couple of train journeys to Wellington and Wolves to ride back or to explore. The most interesting ride was the one from Wolves to near Birmingham Airport which involved dazzling sunlight, muddy diversions, Sunday afternoon shoppers and pouring rain. I discovered that I cannot cycle through a canal tunnel and some interesting parts of Dudley after I found the canal was closed. Also a couple of falls on muddy grass.
By early December I was doing a 50 mile ride at least once a week and despite several spills on uneven towpaths I had planned my route. Then the weather intervened and although I did do a 70 mile ride out past Ellesmere but that was my last outdoor ride of the year.
I did however find a new favourite ride and actually became the Strava segment champion for the section of canal between Garthmyl and Welshpool. This is a beautiful section of the Montgomery canal even in winter. The featured image for this post is from that section of the canal.
Golf – up and down.
I failed to keep up with my recording of my golf at Arscott particularly when Roger left for South Africa in November. Prior to that, in September I had my best round of golf ever with a gross 93. With my newly assigned handicap of 28.7 this was a net 65!! For some reason, for once I was able to pitch and putt consistently and this led to the great score.
Sadly after that it all went downhill and my last few rounds were back over 108 with lost balls, missed greens and general rubbish. Sadly my form seemed to spread to Roger so I can only forgive his patience. I think the annoying thing about my golf is the sheer inconsistency.
I also had a mad morning in American golf and I now have my own electric trolley so hopefully this will help once I get back out on the course. I have played once this year (111) and did a practice session with pitching wedge and chipping onto the green. Once the Mammathon is over, I shall try to play a couple of times a week.
Current target
Last year I entered a walking event – the Mammathon which is taking place on 1st April from the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre in Craven Arms. The event is marathon length and so for the last few weeks I have been trying to build up my walking stamina with increasingly long or hilly walks. This haven’t been too bad and hurt less each time although I have missed many of the shorter week’s walks due to work or other commitments. I have certainly enjoyed somme time and scenery on the Long Mynd.
I am hoping to build up during March and have been encouraged by the fact that Gemma has managed to get a place on the event and so I shall have company on the event. It will be good to walk with her again as our last walk together was the annoying over-distance Wye Valley Challenge in which we ended up doing 65 miles instead of 62.5 die to poor marking of the course.
Today I did a downhill Metric Marathon into Shrewsbury and currently feel OK so fingers crossed more training over the next few weeks. You can follow my exploits on Strava and I shall also aim to post on Twitter and Instagram.
Old Stuff
I am hoping that I can find time to update the history section of this site with my records from old diaries as I begin the great declutter / electronic memoir. As part of this I sorted out all my event tee shirts etc the other day so shall be doing a bit of a fashion show with each of them and any of the medals. I also want to scan in my old bibs etc and for a small fee I may even put on my extensive collection of event swim caps – thank you Always Aim High.
Planned events for 2023
Mammathon on 1st April
Weston Park Sprint Triathlon in May
Dragon Ride (100k) in June
Olympic Length Shropshire Triathlon in September.
Other targets include:
a three day ride to London from Newport by canal;
a century ride before the end of June.
God willing, if I am spared and able my long term goal is a half-Ironman next year when I am 70.
Who knows, but until then
Keep Plodding,
AJMB