Exercise & Diet - the ongoing saga

Here I intend to track my fight against chocolate and exercise. This has been inspired by a suggestion from the svelt Mr Smith that sits opposite me at work!

So starting with this week:
Monday, 22 Feb 2010
Single twix, creme egg and wispa.
Badminton match burned 771 calories

Tuesday, 23 Feb 2010
creme egg, wispa, creme egg
gym burned 642 calories

2 mile walk

Wednesday, 24 Feb 2010
twirl
4 pancakes
1.5 mile walk

Thursday, 25 Feb 2010

chocolate cookie (was going to waste...)
mini mint aero
2 mile walk

Friday, 26 Feb 2010

mini roll

thought about gym...

Saturday, 27 Feb 2010
twix, curly wurly, choc gateau (only a quarter btw)
7+ mile walk - 3500 cals - think balances out some of the choc

Sunday, 28th Feb 2010
Choc muffin x2
Did a bit of dancing at Edd & Claire's wedding - does that count???


MARCH

Monday, 1st March 2010
It's 15:40 and no chocolate so far....I can see a light. I want to go towards the light. It's the light on the vending machine. It's so pretty...
Psychotic behaviour, coma, die - symptoms of altitude sickness, or lack of chocolate in one's life.

Badminton tonight - going to use that to justify choc later as going around Tesco and not buying any choc may just cause the world to implode. 400 Cals burned, followed by 8 biscuits and a choc mousse.

Tuesday, 2nd March 2010
Pete's birthday, so several mini choc chip muffins and a wispa today, but since I didn't purchase, I don't think they count....
Gym (weights & cardio) = 500 cals. Flipping 1 hour to burn 500 cals.
2 mile walk.

Wednesday, 3rd March 2010
So far (15:15) no choc. I am longing for a choc bar.
Spinning class booked for tonight. If I can hold out til I get past the shop after spinning, I'll be fine. We shall see.

Spinning = 400 cals

2 mile walk
NO CHOC - miracles can happen.

Thursday, 4th March 2010
Surprise choc bar donated to the cause
Badminton match - 1 won a game - yippeeeeeee!
2 mile walk.

Friday, 5th March 2010
Few bourbon biscuits followed by evening at La Tasca in Brum.
No exercise...

Saturday, 6th March 2010

2 mile walk and meal at the Old Town Restaurant in Stratford.

Sunday, 7th March 2010
The weather was dry and sunny. Flipping freezing, but a good opportunity to get the bike out and test the winter gear. Had lovely pootle along the canals for a few hours and popped into Cadbury World also. Managed not to fall off despite using SPD's as well - that's a first...
Did have fry's peppermint cream though...

Monday, 8th March 2010

No choc all day and badminton practise in the evening. Not bad - it is possible then...

Tuesday, 9th March 2010

Adam's birthday = 1 double choc chip muffin and 2 cookies. Cancelled out Monday's good effort me thinks...

Gym after work = 300 cals and felt like death afterwards.

2 mile walk

Wednesday, 10th March 2010

Craving choc. It's 15:20 and I've got this far, but I am weak.

Spinning class completed (though it is getting a bit tedious with the beegee chemical brothers remix every week) and as a reward, I had 8 choc biscuits - each the size of a dinner plate though... I have also decided that lack of chocolate is sending me loopy. As I accidentally used toothpaste instead of shaving gel on bikini line. Stings a bit but minty fresh! This was all clearly Legends fault though, as if their showers had been working (4 cubicles, at most 1 shower that is remotely decent, 3 that never get warm and all 4 flood if in there for more than 2 mins), I wouldn't be showering again at home after walking home and really tired.

2 mile walk

Thursday, 11th March 2010

Today is a day off. Wispa has been provided for my enjoyment and tonight Graham & I will be partaking in a Chinese takeaway. mmmmmmm.

2 mile walk. I must do something Friday though.

Friday, 12th to Saturday 20th March 2010

Quite frankly rubbish attempt at sticking to diet and exercise regime!

Sunday, 21st March 2010

Midland 3 Peaks

Monday, 22nd March 2010 to Friday, 26th March 2010
Days orf from training, though I was still walking to and from work

Sarah & Tom's Wedding
Friday, 26th March 2010

Saturday, 27th March 2010
Walking, followed by McDonalds. Wedding night before meant I had no time for food shopping and I was too shattered to cook.

Sunday, 28th March 2010
Walked around NEC and Brum city centre - but did have a Burger King

Monday, 29th March 2010
Badminton match night - I played appallingly. Chocolate bars are 3 for £1.

Tuesday, 30th March 2010
I'm still catching up on sleep. Walked 2 miles, but no gym.

Wednesday, 31st March 2010
It's 18:00 and I have 562 calories left of daily allowance. I have gym kit so just need to get there and not eat anything when I get back and I'll be on target.
Walked 2 miles.



APRIL


Thursday, 1st April 2010
Walked 2 miles.

Friday, 2nd April 2010 to Tuesday, 6th April 2010
Ate loads of Easter choc. I also ate Helen's Easter choc.
Piglets were born on the farm.
No exercise!

Wednesday, 7th April 2010
Back to work - struggling to get back into the routine.
Walked 4 miles

Thursday, 8th April 2010
Badminton match, 2 choc bars.
No calorie count as HRM has died.
Walked 4 miles.

Friday, 9th April 2010
Lunch at the beefeater with Sarah and Kirsty where they force fed me chocolate brownie after I consumed massive chicken, cheese and bacon burger.

Saturday, 10th April 2010
See Les Miserables at the Birmingham Hippodrome, so didn't eat all day, but then managed to pig out at the chinese afterwards. Not good.

Sunday, 11th April 2010
Walked The Berwyns.
Back on a mission after weighing self and nearly falling off scales in shock.

Monday, 12th April 2010
Walked 4 miles.
Played badminton and burnt off 565 calories
4 Choc biscuits consumed.

Tuesday, 13th April 2010
Walked 4 miles.
No gym tonight as going out for meal - Hand & Trumpet.
2 Choc biscuits, 1 slice of ginger cake and a choc mousse.

Wednesday, 14th April 2010
Walked 4 miles
ate 4 tonnes of junk

Thursday, 15th April 2010
Had a childs (Ana Paiva's daughter) Easter egg.
Walked 4 miles

Friday, 16 April 2010
Had fantastic dinner at Jeannie's.
Followed by profiteroles and cheesecake.
No walking

Saturday, 17th April 2010
Turned 34
Depressing
Lunch at Ha Ha Grille in Brum, followed by pamper session.
Walked 4 miles in new trainers.

Sunday, 18th April 2010
Gardening and gym - burned off 501 calories at the gym.

Monday, 19th April 2010
Walked 2 miles
Badminton
Birthday sweets though, so lots of sugar consumed.

Tuesday, 20th April 2010
Walked 2 miles
Gym - 500 calories.  legs are still aching from Sunday.
170 sit ups.  In agony after 30 so had to keep stopping for rest.
1 dairy milk but quite a few toffees....


Wednesday, 21st April 2010
Walked 4 miles
Spinning & Gym - 808 calories. 40% fat

Thursday, 22nd April 2010
Walked 4 miles


Friday, 23rd April 2010
Walked 2 miles


Saturday, 24th April 2010
Gym - 639 calories 45% fat

Sunday, 25th April 2010
Climing Tryfan - 5283 cals

Monday, 26th April 2010 to Tuesday, 4th May 2010
NO exercise - not good.  Period pains from hell!



MAY


Wednesday, 5th May 2010
Walked 2 miles
Gym (spinning class full) and managed 1hour 10mins of cardio and weights.  I even did 10 mins on the rower.

Thursday 6th, May 2010
Walked 2 miles
Gym again

Friday, 7th to Sunday 9th May 2010
No exercise but visited helen so ate healthily and didn't dip into emergency choc stash either.

Monday, 10th May 2010
Badminton tournament burned 863 calories

Tuesday, 11th May 2010
Walked 2 miles

Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Gym burned 610 calories
Walked 2 miles

Thursday, 13th May 2010
Walked 2 miles.
Mowed lawn until wheel fell off.  Had massive strop.  Vegged in front of tele for the rest of the night.

Friday, 14th May 2010
Thought about the gym.  I thought about it long and hard, but due to the stress of having to pay out for new garage roof, I couldn't risk the stress of exercise as well.

Saturday, 15th May 2010
Cycled 22 miles.
Freezing cold.  Used garmin for the first time - love it.
1900 calories

Sunday, 16th May 2010
Walked snowdon via Rhyd Ddu path.

Monday, 17th May 2010
Walked 2 miles
Played badminton for 2 hours

Tuesday, 18th May 2010
Walked 2 miles
Mowed lawn - flipping hard work especially the last bit which had been left from the previous week.
Went out on Harley Davidson - most exciting.

Wednesday, 19th May 2010
Spinning class- 500 calories
Walked 2 miles

Thursday, 20th May 2010
Body Conditioning - 204 cals.  Not impressed with class.  I will give it another go though.  I didn't feel like I'd worked at all.
Walked 2 miles

Friday, 21st May 2010
Gardening & washed car

Saturday, 22nd May 2010
Gardening again and Kirsty's 30th birthday party so did a bit of dancing.

Sunday, 23rd May 2010
Bacon Butties for brekkie (cooked by Allen)
Mcdonalds for lunch
Wander around Go Outdoors and Cheshire Oaks.
Evening spent practising getting new waterproof trousers on and off whilst wearing walking boots - my life on the edge...

Monday, 24th May 2010
Walked 4 miles
Badminton 683 cals

Tuesday, 25th May 2010
Walked 2 miles


Wednesday, 26th May 2010
Walked 2 miles.
Spin class followed by abs = 562 calories.  I did go into the gym afterwards to work on arms and chest, but had wussy weak moment and couldn't lift anything.

Thursday, 27th May 2010
Walked 2 miles.
Body Conditioning - worked harder this time, but still not convinced... burnt 402 calories, but did go to gym afterwards.

Friday, 28th May 2010
No gym
Have lovely meal at Sarah's - 3 courses, so well stuffed.
Had bikey serviced.

Saturday, 29th May 2010
Tidied up house, went to cotteridge and got drenched.
Went out in Warwick to Ask and had fantastic choc pudding (for free).

Sunday, 30th May 2010
I was due to do the High Ropes Challenge in Streetly today with Spice.  It was cancelled.  Gutted.  Spent the day in the garden.  Was good to do, but not as energetic.  Mum came over as did Mark and Lydia.  Wandered around the Green and looked at the buildings that won on the restoration tv programme.
Took tonne of garden rubbish n garage junk to tip.

Monday, 31st May 2010
Working hard as per usual, followed by 2 hours of hard badminton.  Quite enjoying the fact that only 4 of us turn up as I get loads of games in and some 1:1 coaching to boot.

JUNE
Tuesday, 1st June 2010
4 miles walking
no gym - aching from gardening.

Wednesday, 2nd June 2010
4 miles walking

Thursday, 3rd June 2010
4  miles walking
I now have got a boarded loft - so exciting.

Friday, 4th June 2010
Drove to mum's and sat in garden eating sausage sandwiches - important training for kili!!!!

Saturday, 5th June 2010
Spent day in garden burning some cals tidying up, planting, sweeping and clearing dead stuff away.
I was booked on a Spice cycle ride around Chasewater which I was looking forward to for so many reasons, but it got cancelled.  I really am doomed with this stuff at the mo.

Sunday, 6th June 2010
More gardening and cleaning.  Started to clear out junk from loft and wardrobes.  Packed piano away :-(.

Monday, 7th June 2010
Back to work.
No badders as had baby shower for Rachael who does look like she's fit to burst.  Gorgeous house though.  Loved it.

Tuesday, 8th June 2010
Walked 2 miles.

Wednesday, 9th June 2010
spinning
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 10th June 2010
walked 2 miles
drove back to brum for bike ride prep

Friday, 11th June to Monday 13th June
prep, perform and recover from Shropshire cycling.
loved it and definately will be doing it again.

Tuesday, 15th June 2010
walked 2 miles

Wednesday, 16th June 2010
walked 2 miles
spinning

Thursday, 17th June 2010
walked 2 miles
gym

Friday, 18th June 2010
day off from any exercise

Saturday, 19th June 2010
Race for life in Sutton Park
walked 1 mile from Four Oaks train station to start.
I was extremely late (15mins) due to the poor organisation of the event (people everywhere and no signs)
Couldn't run most of it, due to pushchairs, dogs, kids and smokers getting in the way.
Managed 44 mins - not happy.  I won't be doing Race for Life ever again.  The only one that was well organised was held at the NEC.

Sunday, 20th June 2010
nowt

Monday, 21st June 2010
badminton

Tuesday, 22nd June 2010
night off - getting lazy again
walked 2 miles

Wednesday, 23rd June 2010
had afternoon off due to footie match.
walked 2 miles, then walked around Cheshire Oaks all afternoon / evening.
McDonalds also came a calling, along with the Cadbury shop and ice cream

Thursday, 24th June 2010
walked 2 miles
gym

Friday, 25th June 2010
Swan Lake - the traditional version
Tepenyaki for dinner - mmmmmmmmm

Saturday, 26th June 2010
not much

Sunday, 27th June 2010
Walking walking walking

Monday, 28th June 2010
Badminton

Tuesday, 29th June 2010
walked 2 miles
nowt - need to snap out of this....

Wednesday, 30th June 2010
Spinning
walked 2 miles



JULY

Thursday, 1st July 2010
practised putting up 4 man tent again
walked 2 miles

Friday, 2nd July to Sunday 4th July 2010
camping and walking in the cotswolds

Monday, 5th July 2010
Badminton

Tuesday, 6th July 2010
walked 2 miles
no gym - again

Wedsnesday, 7th July 2010
spinning
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 8th July 2010
walked 2 miles

Friday, 9th July 2010
had to stay in for water meter man. 
gardening

Saturday, 10th July 2010
navigation course - walked over sutton park for 5 hours.
came back and had DVD night with Emm, so stuffed self silly with junk food

Sunday, 11th July 2010
Cycle ride - did 'chocolate trail' with Skyride - great fun
http://www.goskyride.com/

Monday, 12th July 2010
badminton

Tuesday, 13th July 2010
walked 2 miles

Wednesday, 14th July 2010
practised putting 6 man tent up and my 2 man tent up
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 15th July 2010
First Hoola hoop lesson.  http://www.hooperactive.com/

Friday, 16th July to Sunday 18th July 2010
Camping in lakes - Gillside Campsite in Glenridding
Saturday = Scarfell
Sunday = Helvellyn to Red Tarn

Monday, 19th July 2010
Interview so pottering around in the garden / tip / cleaning house in the morning
Afternoon visiting Ruth in Stafford Hospital after interview.  Wore heels so worn out stomping all over the place.
McDonalds consumed - not good....

Tuesday, 20th July 2010
Walk 2 miles

Wednesday, 21st July 2010
Walk 2 miles

Thursday, 22nd July 2010
walked 2 miles
Hooping.  shattered.  sweating.  bruises on hands as now swinging hoop above head.

Friday, 23rd July 2010
Lunch with Ana and Kirsty.  Had fudge cake pud.
Visited Ruth in hospital, Mark treated me to icecream.
Popped into mum's then home.  Got home late - no time for relaxing.

Saturday, 24th July 2010
Doc's to check all jabs up to date and get Diamox.
Apparently I now need Meningitus - great!

Sunday, 25th July 2010
Yorkshire 3 peaks - shattered and I only managed 2.  Also just found out that cafe wanted £6 to log the time!  cheeky.

Monday, 26th July 2010
Intended to use the day off to clean tent, dry tent, clean groundsheet and dry groundsheet, do gardening in crewe etc.  It rained all day, so cleaning was done in the bath and drying using teatowels.  Not the most fun a girl can have.  Lawn didn't get mown either.

Tuesday, 27th July 2010
walked 2 miles

Wednesday, 28th July 2010
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 29th July 2010
walked 2 miles
hooping - outside throwing hoop up and catching it - bashed hands again

Friday, 30th July 2010
transferred cash to Allen for the Kili balance - now it's real.

Saturday, 31st July 2010
Travelled up to Fort William.  Martin drove.  Long day of travelling including Burger King and pub meal.





AUGUST

Sunday, 1st August 2010
Burned off a few calories walking West Highland Way - weather was due to be better tomorrow for the Ben Nevis climb.
Pub meal (inc pud) to rebuild energy stocks.

Monday, 2nd August 2010
Ben Nevis
Pub meal

Tuesday, 3rd August 2010
Travel home. chips at Tebay services. Intended to get jacket spud at Loch Lomond but they ran out of potatoes.

Wednesday, 4th August 2010
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 5th August 2010
walked 2 miles
hooped. inside this time. lifting off hoop above head and putting it back on waist again. bashed head a few times.

Friday, 6th August 2010
bbq at Claire's on the smallest BBQ in the world ever.

Saturday, 7th August 2010
visited mum, so ate all her teacakes.
used paul's stepper machine. the first 10 mins were agony so I had a rest, then got back on it. did 25 mins in total - pants.

Sunday, 8th August 2010
cleaning, washing and ironing. great fun...
allen pays off the full balance for all of us for Kili. now its real for everyone.
used paul's stepper for an hour whilst watching vertical limit - killed me

Monday, 9th August 2010
badminton

Tuesday, 10th August 2010
walked 2 miles
lazy evening

Wednesday, 11th August 2010
stepper during QI
walked 2 miles

Thursday, 12th August 2010
walked 2 miles
Hooping - stepping in and out of hoop.  blinking hard work.  whacked legs loads

Friday, 13th August 2010
walked 2 miles
lugged junk down tip
pudding club - ate 5 out of the 7 puddings - wasn't impressed.  had good laugh, but could have done that for half the price.

Saturday, 14th August 2010
rushed around trying to get stuff done. 
bought new laptop, set that up,
started some card making,
put some stuff ready for loft. 
farmers market so purchased the compulsory brownie.

Sunday, 15th August 2010
Mark and Lydia came round to help me sort out garage doors.  New boards put up, painted with 2 undercoats and 1 gloss coat.
sausage sandwiches for lunch but healthy stir fry for dinner.  then massive portion of choc pudding.

Monday, 16th August 2010
walked 1 mile - but then had magnum for lunch....
badminton - 2 hours - shattered.  played level doubles (with 3 men).

Tuesday, 17th August 2010
walked 2 miles
lugged in gym kit, but now just can't be bothered to go to gym.  will lug it home again.

Wednesday, 18th August 2010


Thursday, 19th August 2010


Friday, 20th August 2010


Saturday, 21st August 2010


Sunday, 22nd August 2010

Skyride - The Chocolate Trail

11th July 2010

I found a website called http://www.goskyride.com/ and was intrigued to see if what they claimed was true. 
They offered free guided bike rides across the country and all you had to do was register and turn up.
I got confirmation email of the ride I'd booked myself on.  Details of where to meet, what time, names of the guides and the grading of the ride were all on the website when booking.

I booked 'The Chocolate Trail'.  It was to be a 6 mile 'steady' ride around the Bournville area. 

I turned up in plenty of time and cycled around the park we were due to meet in.  I'd never been to this park and although only 2 miles from my house, I didn't even know it existed.  It was Rowheath Park (B30 1HH).
Approaching 2pm, more and more people were turning up.  There were only 20 places, but there appeared to be more than 20 people with bikes.  It turns out, while most had booked their place, many (18) had just decided to turn up.  The leaders (3 in total) had to turn those 18 away, as they just wouldn't be able to cope guiding 38 people around paths and roads without causing major havoc.

One of the leaders quickly went through checking bikes were road worthy.  The leaders were all volunteers and locals which had planned the routes themselves.

The route was quite easy, mostly traffic free, through parks and along trails (including NCN 5 back to Kings Norton) and most pretty.  I've recorded on my Garmin for future reference.
We took 2 hours to pootle around.  Some people looked like they had never been on a bike before, while others forgot the highway code and were a right pain.

On the whole, the event was organised very well, I really enjoyed it and wished I had more time to do further rides this year. Next year, I hope to become a volunteer.

The Cotswolds

2nd to 4th July
Mayfield Park Campsite
Elaine, Kirsty and I in our tent set up.
The Graingers plus Di and Sylv next door.

 

Eeyore's house

Di & Sylv throwing Kai around!

check out Elaine's fishing shelter

Matching tops!

Sexy!!!!

Cnicht

Date: 27th June 2010

Location: Snowdonia (again)

Time: Approx 6 hours walking and 2 billion hours of driving

Weather:  Forecast was 28°C and sunny.  Actual was -400 and cloudy - thank god, but bit nippy in just my shorts and t shirt.

Target:  The summit of Cnicht.

We set off and I was all set for the sun.  There was a bit of scrambling.  As usual I found the descent hard going on the knees and just wanted it over and done with.  I am however getting the hang of this going to the loo behind a busy quickly, malarky.  I'm trying to drink more, especially of the energy drink I carry.  I just need now to work on eating whilst walking.  Little and often is clearly the way forward, but I just feel sick when I try to eat and walk.

Shropshire Cycling Weekend

What the hell am I doing????
I sign up and actually pay for this form of torture.
It's the 8th of June and my cycling weekend with complete strangers is looming.  I haven't been on my bike much at all this year.  This is partly due to the lack of good weather, walking activities, laziness and the fear of my SPD's.
I have been to spin classes.  I'm not sure how much that will prepare me for 50 miles per day, of the Shropshire roads though...  I may never walk properly again after a weekend of cycling that far each day.  You don't know until you try and I would never push myself to do 50 miles on my own, so fingers crossed that I don't make a completel pillock of myself or worse, die from exhaustion!!!

Date: 11 June 2010 to 13 June 2010
Forecast: dry on Saturday, showers on Sunday
Actual:  dry but cold on Saturday, cold with torrential downpour on Sunday
Team:  Lead by Denzi, supported by Tim, consisted of Sandra, Judith, Helen, Alice, Stephen, Will, Jamie and myself.
Met up in the Green Dragon in Little Stretton for dinner on Fri.
141Km over the 2 days.  73 on the Saturday.




Set off Saturday morning:

I forgot to switch it back on after climbing to top of the massive hill so I lost about an hour of recording and approx 6 miles of info on the map.  Hey ho.  Must also remember to next time take the charger....
The massive hill was called The Burway.  It was very steep and long and great fun coming down.  It was a shame to share with cars and potholes.  If either were guaranteed not to be there it would have been more fun on descent.
At the top of the hill, we had a stop for snacks and one girl (Helen) had come a cropper courtesy of her spd's.

The weather was warming up nicely and we set off for the next stop.  Coming down the hill, I was mostly alone.  I got to a cattle grid and decided not to cycle over it.  My feet would not release from pedals and I fell sideways.  Luckily for me, this was into the grit box so a relatively soft landing and also one I could recover from quickly before someone came around the corner and caught me.  At the bottom of this hill was the first time I noticed white arrows marking the road.  It did cross my mind that they were there for us, but I decided that bit much to spray paint the road.

The journey continued winding around lanes and the arrows were always there.  At the next stop (a YHA with toilets - useful) it was pointed out that the arrows were for us.  I didn't like to ask how they were painted on the road though.

At the lunch stop (the square patch of grass in Clun just after the posh toilets with classical music playing), I did notice one of the guides filling a water bottle with flour.  Apparently, the flour arrows do last quite well even in torrential downpours.

My mind now at ease with the road marking we got back on our bikes.  I was stuffed.  I had eaten too much of the basic buffet and eaten it too quickly.  My bum also hurt getting back on the bike.  I hadn't noticed it hurting prior to lunch but now it was throbbing.
The rest of the hills and snack stops were all quite relaxed and I was shattered as we cycled up to the pub.  We pre ordered our meal for later on that evening (steak and chips mmmmm) and went back to the B&B for shower and a nap. 

I didn't dare lie down incase I didn't want to get back up.  It was the night of our first match for the 2010 World Cup.  I expected the pub to be packed.  We drew 1:1 against USA - pants.  The pub wasn't as busy as expected, but our meal was very late.  I was starving.  I followed it with pudding but was ready for bed by 10. 
We all had a good laugh and were all set for Sunday's ride, though my bum did really hurt.
Sunday morning arrived far too quickly for my liking.
I woke up, went down for brekkie.  Again the girls were dressed ready to go with stuff in tow.  The men had come down in their jeans.  Most odd for a quick get away.
Today was intended to be a shorter ride due to people having trains to catch back to London.
It still ended up being 41 miles though.

We got ready to set off and today I had the radio cable tied to my seat post.  It started to rain, but soon passed.  My bum was very sore on the saddle but I tried to forget about it.
The first stretches of the ride were lovely.  Great views, a big hill requiring the pushing of the bike yet again, and a nice stop at the top where I took a few group pictures. 
The stretch up to lunch seemed to drag on forever.  It was a slight incline that went on for miles.  The road was a 'B' road but people were swerving around me.  I was riding wider than I normally would due to horrendous pot holes, but there was still plenty of space for people to pass, but they still seemed to feel the urge to scare the living daylights out of me.

The lunch stop just didn't seem to get any closer.  Eventually, I reached it on a side road.  I wasn't hungry for the wholemeal rolls left over from the previous day (clearly everyone like myself, had opted for white on the Saturday).  I ate about half.  Knowing that I should be eating but not feeling like it was not good.  Also today's rides didn't have the toilets stops that the previous days had.
I needed the loo but there were no decent opportunities.  Hey ho.
After lunch, I got my oomph back and we set off again. 
The last stop with the support vehicle was 3 miles from the B&B.  It had threatened rain all day but nothing serious had happened, so with everyone else, I opted to leave waterproofs in the support vehicle.  He literally set off and the heavens opened.  A few of us sheltered for a few minutes under the trees hoping it would pass, but it wasn't looking good.

We set off.  The rain had increased my oomph, but the downhill bits were a bit scary and slippery.  My hybrid bike seemed like the far superior option now. 
I got back before 3 other girls which I was surprised about and very pleased about.
I was soaked through.  A car had overtaken me and also drowned me.  I was not only soaked with rain water, but drenched with muddy water also.  Nice.  My shoes had given up when the car drenched me.
I have put that bike in and out of that car a billion times.  Would it go in now during the rain????
I shoved it in and went to the room to shower hoping that they others would be almost done.  Somehow I ended up at the end of the queue.  I was too tired to argue, showered, and drove home. 
I was shattered, but overall had really enjoyed the entire experience.

Snowdon - The Rhyd Ddu Route

The Plan
Walk: Rhyd-Ddu Path
Distance: 7¼ Miles
Morris Rating: 4

Depart: 7.30 from Crewe
Start: 10.00
Finish: 5.00
Home: 7.00
Weather Forecast: Sunny spells with rainy showers

Actual
Walk: Rhyd-Ddu Path
Distance: 7¼ Miles
Morris Rating: 4
Depart: 7.45 from Crewe
Start: 10.00 - near enough.  had good run from crewe
Finish: 5.30
Home: 7.30 - via scenic route

Calories Burned: 3516
Weather: Dry and cloudy. Cloud cleared as we came back down (typical).
Team: Allen, Martin, Kirsty, Liz, John and Me

 

I made good time getting up to Crewe.

Phil had given me some energy drink to try out so I'd made that up Fri night in preparation.

I packed my 'journey to' food (drink, hob nobs and banana), lunch and 'journey back' food.

The team gathered at the Allman Close residence and we set off in 2 cars.

The carpark was found without issue and contained toilets (always good).  It was next to the Rhyd Ddu railway station - so steam trains are still haunting me.

The weather had rained on my drive to Crewe and looked cloudy and threatening, so I did put on the ole waterproofs.  Within 5 minutes of setting off, I was sweating buckets so the top layers came off but I kept the bottoms on just in case.  In future I might wait until it starts to rain.  Or I could purchase some that are easier to get on....

The path was laid out so easy to follow if a bit steep in places.  The views would be stunning in the right weather.  The cloud covered the tops of all the surrounding hills and we couldn't see the summit (which was probably a good thing as so far away).

It started to zig zag whilst following a fence and then we got to the ridge section.  Not far, only approx. 300m, but enough to set my heart racing.  It was a bit windy and exposed in a few small sections, but these places seemed to be when people wanted to stop to take pictures, run past with dogs or just stop and admire the view.  The girl that ran past with the dogs looked particularly barmy.  Corned beef legs (very small shorts n tiny top), and 2 collies.  I could barely walk along the section how about run along the uneven path.  Kirsty's dad (John) informed the girl he was 'impressed'.  I miss heard thinking he was saying something about her breasts.  I'm still not convinced!!!!

We got along the ridge, and climbed the last few bits towards the café. We approached from behind it and could hear the train.  Stomped upto the trig point, had a photo taken, then made our way down a bit for lunch. 

I got very cold very quickly stopping for lunch.  My fingers were freezing.  I must get thin waterproof gloves!!!

We then entered the café to use the facilities and have a hot drink.

I was surprised how empty the whole place was.  I had expected the summit to be more busy generally.

We made our way back down as the weather cleared up.  By the time we had reached the bottom, we had a clear view of the top and the train.

I do think that the energy drink (psp22 or something) helped.  Also having hobnobs and a banana on route to the base also helped.  Snacking on hobnobs now and then certainly boosted energy levels, so I must remember to do that again.













All in all a good day and the time it took to walk the route was less than advised.

The drive home was long though.  I dozed off straight away, woke an hour later, to find we were in Llangollen and therefore not even close to England.  Apparently Allen has a splinter in his hand and this affected the sat nav performance.