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Well that was a canny month, got way more miles in than I expected, didn’t quite make it to 500 but as I hadn’t planned on that from the outset I’m not too disappointed, original plan was for 300, averaging 10 per day as that’s my short after work route.

I had some good rides out this month, not only my normal routes but some longer ones too, had some climbs I wasn’t expecting and some segment records to be proud of (Ashington to Amble 2nd best time overall) I just missed out on passing 50 miles in one ride when the Strava app corrected my mileage from 50.2 down to 49.9 after upload, so I have that one to crack yet.

I got my new bike on the Cycle Plus scheme this month and love it, it’s a Giant Talon 29er 2, pic in the gallery below. It’s a mountain bike so I can head offroad and use the tourer on road, so far it seems a really good choice.

I’m taking a couple of rest days now as I think my legs are suffering from trying to do too much without a breather but will be back on it attacking May very soon.

Hopefully in May I will get my camera out on rides with me and can get some photos of the Northumberland countryside, took a few on my phone while out and about but it’s not the same. Here’s a couple anyway (from previous posts but will stick them together here)

Zero = The power in my legs today, they felt empty

Hero = Getting 21 miles out of them, no idea how I did it.

Bev booked me in for a spinning class on Monday night, didn’t enjoy it, worked my legs OK, but I found it boring, too hot and stuffy and the music was crap, give me the open road and my bike any day. I didn’t have sore legs after doing spinning but it seems I had nothing in them at all the day after.

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A quick blast before work to knock some more off the total heading towards 500 miles.

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Wet and windy today but managed to get out for 2 rides today, a 21 miler this morning and a 14 miler this evening (when Bev put BGT on), took me over 100 miles for the week and boosted my chances of hitting 500 miles for April, wish me luck!

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Wasn’t out tonight, Bev was and I was taxi so I decided once I dropped her off that I’d have an hour on the bike. Thoroughly enjoyed it until I got home and realised the segment I’d slowed down for some dog walkers on I got 2nd overall, if I hadn’t slowed for them I’d have been King of the Mountain (KOM). Ah well, always next time :-)

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Went out for what was meant to be a 10 mile leg turner just to keep my legs moving after yesterdays longer ride, ended up going a little further, then waiting for Jade to get ready before escorting her to work as she rode there tonight. The extra bit I did was Bothal Bank, a twisty hill, not to be taken lightly, my legs were burning by the time I reached the top ;-)

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Took a couple of days off the bike, Monday because it was Bank Holiday and Bev met me at the football at half time and we had a few drinks before coming home. Tuesday as it was my first day back at work and no matter how much exercise I’ve done on my week off my legs always feel like lead after my first day back. Meant by my day off on Wednesday my legs were fresh and I headed out for a longer ride. Weather was fantastic, shorts and t-shirt riding day, went to my mams for coffee and up to Felton where I stopped for my dinner sitting on a bench overlooking a field and the hills in the distance. Headed back as I had to pick the car back up from the garage so decided not to go for 50 this week. Excellent day though :-)

It was cracking in more ways than one, not only did I set a few PB’s on segments I smashed my previous time for Ashington to Amble, which was previously just over an hour, by doing it in 44mins and jumping from 9th overall to 2nd overall, new target acquired ;-)

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Headed out this morning for a blast of my loop before Sunday Dinner,  was ready for it when I got back in :-) Went on the MTB, wind in my face all the way out, should have been on my back all the way home but it was swirling in places, it’s a bugger when you have to pedal to keep speed up on downhill sections.

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Was chillin’ at home and getting prepared for a cracking night at The City Hall in Newcastle watching Bessie & the Zinc Buckets when I decided it was too nice a day to waste, so headed out on the bike. Decided to give the MTB a run around my 20 mile loop as I wasn’t going to go hard, ended up doing a couple of PR’s on segments, almost wish I’d taken the other bike ;-)

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Went out for a short bimble again with Jade before she went to work, but left her as she turned for home and headed off on my usual loop.

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