London to Paris - Training 09

Pump it up when you don't really need it.
Pump it up until you can feel it. *

We have been following the suggested training plan from The Stroke Association religiously thanks to Mary. Last Sunday morning before our BBQ we were out of the house at 07:40 to do 2 hours round Richmond Park before breakfast. Then the rides and gym during the week.

This weekend (Monday was a public holiday in the UK) we did 2, 3 and 5 hours - 30, 40 and 70 miles respectively. Cyling round the New Forest with fellow entrant Lynn it was a far more scenic ride that the environs of London. We were averaging 13-14 mph which we were pleased with, all the training has paid off. Honourable mention should go to Lynn who came with us on the latter two rides despite a raging sore throat which meant broken sleep and hardly any food.

A month back I treated us to a proper stirrup pump only to discover that my hand pumping had only inflated the tyres to about 3 bar (45 psi). At the recommended 6 bar (90 psi) for the hybrid it was like having cast iron tyres. You feel every bump and pot hole. On the road bike the pressure was 8 bar (120 psi)! Going over the cattle grid it was definitely as case of "Gentlemen please be upstanding" though Lynn said she quite enjoyed the rumble strips :-O

* Pump It Up - Elvis Costello