Winnings, spinnings and trimmings...

Despite the major menace of Covid in recent times, life has been pretty good. It's always good to win, it's always good to spin and it's always good to have doses of adventure. I'm a happy boy.

SIKA have been very good to me. They sent me a lovely bottle of champers for being the Lantern Rouge in the SIKA virtual race 2020. Furthermore, they sent me a lovely gym towel just for taking part. Winner!

Have cycled quite a bit of late, mostly indoors and it's all been fun. Cycled to the top of Mt Ventoux only yesterday (virtually, on Zwift). Unlikely to cycle 10,000k by the end of the year which was my initial target. It's the end of November at time of writing and I've cycled 8,643k thus far. I would have to cycle 41k each and every day until end of year to reach my target. Tempted to complete the Rapha 500 again this year (500k in 8 days over the festive period), however, feel this event has lost much of the 'novelty' factor. Rapha have stopped awarding folk a woven patch for completion of the event and this year will accept virtual rides (which makes this challenge less challenging). Have started training for my TransAlba race next year and I just hope the event happens. Have also signed up for the Cotswold Cross 2021 event - a cyclocross event, just because I've never entered such an event before and want to tick it off my bucket list.

A much sooner event I've entered is a 60's Retro Run for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. This is a half-marathon affair scheduled to take place on the Winter Solstice. To be fair, it was the yellow submarine advertising that sucked me right in. Should you want to sponsor me and donate to a great cause, you can - just follow this link: DooRunGood. I best start running again, this event is in like 3 weeks time and I haven't ran at all the last couple of weeks.

Have been out for a walk or two with Ernie pupster though. He's been a lot of fun and now an established member of our household. Being so young, he can't walk for much over 1/2 hour at a time. His time will come and I'm sure adventure awaits!

Winner, winner, chicken dinner

Last month was pretty great and lots adventure was had that included running, camping and cycling. I had lost weight and was feeling generally uplifted despite all the Covid chaos. A particular high-light was the SIKA race that I had entered.

This month has started pretty great too. I have won 2 prizes for cycling related events - how cool is that? The first prize won was a pretty naff water bottle courtesy of Cycling Heroes. I started using this cycling app a while back as it helped with motivation. I think I had to cycle 50k, or an hour, or something like that to be entered into the draw.

The second prize was better yet, as it was completely unexpected. I've won a prize for being the Lantern Rouge in the afore-mentioned SIKA race. Y'know, the race where my mates dropped me on the climb of Alpe Du Zwift! Ha! Never have I been so proud and pleased as punch to finish last. Zero the hero! (Have no idea exactly what I have won, will reveal all when I know).

Took nearly 3 hours to climb this beast

I've been really quite pleased with my new smart turbo trainer. I've not had it long and already it's told me I have a FTP (Functional Threshold Power) of 245. An FTP of 245 is only kinda average but, hey, it enabled me to take a virtual place on the SIKA podium and we all know it takes a special kind of person to be a winner!