I was running through Greenham Common yesterday when I came across someone who was Bikejoring on a scooter. He basically had a husky tied to a scooter with large wheels. He was scooting, the dog was pulling and they were going along.
I read up about this and saw that you can also do it with a mountain bike. I have all the other kit that I needed so I gave it a go this morning. I went out first with Tango, an English Setter that loves running. It was a little bit tricky getting started and after 100m or so we came across a mad black lab. After a bit I let Tango go and they played for a while. Then it was back to the bikejoring.
This went well-ish for 400m until we got to the woods. Then he stopped quickly and when he restarted the rope was on the wrong side of the handle bars and as I pulled it lose it snapped off the bit that indicates what gear I was in. Then there was a lot of tricky, fast riding through lot of chicanes with holly bushes, low branches and big tree routes. At one stage Tango veered off suddenly to get a drink from a tree that holds water. I survived that and got back ok.
Next up Sparkie. Another English Setter who loves to run. He’s probably not as fit as Tango but he pulls harder. The start was better and I got better control of what the rope was doing. We were probably going faster through the woods as I was putting effort in so that I stayed with him. Then we got to a chicane bit that has lots of lefts and rights and at the same time lots of little up/down bits. I was doing well to start with and then I got to the hard left turn that was on quite a steep downhill. I overcooked it and came off. Blood all over my knee and hands. I got up and called Sparkie over. Then I straightened the handlebars and got on. Only to find ot that the wheel was back to front. Off again. Grip the wheel with me knee and turn them through 180 degrees and carry on.
Then on a shallow downhill bit I could see that there was a sharp left turn, around the roots of a fallen tree, then a sharp right across a bank about 2 foot high before a left back down the hill. Just before I got to it, Sparkie stopped. I braked hard and veered to the side to miss him. The brakes were too good. I went straight over the handle bars. Not a good plan.
So, no more bikejoring for me. It’s too risky for me and (if I don’t brake quick enough) the dogs.
I could see it being easier on a scooter with big wheels. As I can’t help as much, we would go slower and that would be safer.
If I ever do do it again. Remember to use gloves, long trousers and the back brake!
… so I thought I’d better pay attention to it as I’ve been ignoring it for a while. I had to look up the Andover Tri Club’s website to find out what distance it is. Turns out it is a 440m pool swim, a 30k bike and an 8k run. Hmmmm, I thought the run was shorter when I entered!
So the plan is to get there early-ish, ride around the run course to see what it is like and then get myself ready. The plan then is to swim hard, bike hard and run hard. Pretty simple really. I am not sure how hilly it is – there is a elevation profile on the map but it isn’t hugely helpful for me. I get the impression that it is rolling, with the hilliest stuff coming in at 14k, 21k and 24k.
The run seems to have a bit of a hill after the 1st km, then pretty much downhill/flat until the 4th km before being pretty much uphill after. Who knows though!
So far today I did a 67 min cross-country run with the dogs. They enjoyed it a lot. Oh, I also went wakeboarding. I did a lovely face plant!
I’ve been running with the dogs this morning. In fact that seems to be pretty much the only exercise I have done recently. It’s also been tricky running with the dogs because of the heat. It is too warm during the day time so most of the runs have been very early in the morning or late at night.
- Sunday morning: 50 min run with both dogs
- Saturday evening: 40 min run with Tango – late in evening as a little warm before
- Saturday morning: 25 min run with both dogs – cut short as sun came out and so I turned it into a run and then walk
- Friday evening: 30 min run with Tango
- Thursday: 45 min lake swim, plus MTB ride to/from work, with car left at the lake.
Hopefully this afternoon will be a bike ride.
My cough is still there but it is less intense than before. I’ve had some tests to see what it might be but I don’t know what it is yet. Hopefully will find out more by the end of next week.
Tomorrow is the Henley Swim. I’ve had four-and-a-half hours sleep for the last two nights (I am so shattered) and tomorrow will be even less. I need to be out of the house by 2am! Madness.
Last year it took me 37:13 to do the swim. I think I should be a little quicker this year but it will all depend on how much the Thames is moving (we swim upstream).
I’ve done relatively little exercise these past few weeks. I am really suffering from hayfever, which is giving me an annoying cough, and a lack of sleep. I have so many good intentions but they just do not happen. Eating is poor as well.
This morning I took the dogs for a run off lead. We did 50 minutes cross country and I think they enjoyed it. I did.
Well this week I have been a little poorly. In one night I managed to lose 4lbs! A lot of it has come back now but I was pretty ill. As a result, I did very little training this week. A ride to work and back on Monday before I was ill (it takes longer than I remember!), a 10 minute run on Friday.
Yesterday I did a 4 mile run with Sparkie but he is not as fit as I remember so we walked the last mile or so. Then I took Tango out for a short run and he was fine.
Today is going to be interesting. There should be a family run and two family bike rides – a short one in the morning and a longer one this afternoon. I don’t know what exercise I will do today. I’ll probably take the dogs for a run again, with Tango doing the longer one and Sparkie the shorter one.
I’ve also gone and entered the Andover Triathlon on the 19 July 2009. This is a pool based, 440m swim, 30k bike and 7k run.
Yesterday I did nothing. I got to the gym in the evening to do a run, only to find it just about to close. So I went home, via the petrol station and the shop and ended up doing nothing.
Today, I did well. 4hr bike ride averaging 28.0 kph. I got home and then went straight out for a run with one of the dogs. 40 minutes, but I will admit to finding it very hard and that I walked when Tango had to be on the lead.
… before Lanzarote.
How do I feel? Generally pretty good. I nearly always ache these days though. Sunday’s and Monday’s are probably the achiest days of the week but then again every day aches.
In terms of swim, bike, run?
- Swim: no worries. I am swimming more than ever.
- Run: I can do it. I am running more than ever too. The “average” of my runs is more than an hour (compared with 40 or so minutes last year). Also, all my running is being done at a much faster pace this year. However, most of it at the moment is on a treadmill. But that is getting me stronger in the mind.
- Bike: This is the issue. I don’t feel I am good enough yet. My legs just aren’t as strong as my heart and lungs at the moment. Also, I am not hugely comfortable in the aero position at the end of my long rides. But there is a lot of time to go yet.
Yesterday I did a 4 hour ride. I didn’t run straight after but I did a 50 min run later in the afternoon. This was cross country, in the rain and mud, with the dogs. They loved it! They slept a lot afterwards!