Pedalling pinders...Will we make it in one piece?: Training update #7: Stat alert

I was having a ponder about what was missing from this blog. It just didn't seem, I don't know, serious enough. Or geeky enough. And then I realised....it needs STATS! Every good training blog needs some stats, and preferably some charts and graphs as well. Colour coded if at all possible. That way, as well as being mildly amused/bored by my cycling chat, you can also be dazzled/bored by numbers too! Hurrah!

So after popping out for a 45 mile cycle with Dulwich Paragon again on Saturday ( i finally got over the shame of my previous pedal fail and returned. Turns out they still talk about my big ice slide back in January, I think it has entered into club legend), I took myself off to the bike shops and bought myself one of these:

A cycling computer!

I know. It's exciting isn't it. Please contain yourself.

A sensible human bean would have bought one of these at the very start of a training regime, but I thought that if I got too hung up on average speeds and such like too early it might get a bit dispiriting if I didn't improve as fast as I hoped. However, on my ride on Saturday morning I noticed that I was actually starting to feel pretty good out there on my bicycle. The 'steady' group at the back of the ride that I usually join was feeling a wee bit, shock horror, slow for me and I ended up riding up with the intermediates. It felt good. So, I thought if I was to continue to improve, and to motivate myself when I was out on my own, I needed to be more aware of what I was doing. And the only way to do that is with some good, solid stats!

So, i strapped the pooter on my bike and on Sunday went out on my ride with technology on my side. I cycled the same route as we did on Saturday (ish...so I avoided one of the massive hills...sue me ) and my legs were a wee bitty tired but having the computer was a brilliant way of keeping me going without the club riders for company. I set myself a challenge of keeping above 14.5mph average and it made a huge difference. As did the fact that it was a beautiful day. Although i was a little less than impressed by many of my fellow cyclists I passed out on the wee country lanes. You'd think a wee nod, wave or a "good morning" wouldn't be too much to expect but I got blanked by at least 75% of them. Bah and indeed humbug. The nice chap who spoke to me from West Wickham to Elmers End round-about made up for it though... I was starting to flag and his company got my speed back up to (stat alert!) 23mph in a jiffy. Anyway, after 2 1/2 hours, a couple of big hills and a snickers (or marathon for the purists amongst you) I got home and check the numbers. Time for the big reveal!!

Distance: 36.6 miles
Time: 2hrs 26mins
Ave speed: 14.7mph (tried desperately to get it up to 15mph but I was just too slow on the hills)
Max speed: 31mph (Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!)
Min Speed: 6mph (damn you 15% hill up to Downe)
Calories used: 1,165 (I took this as an excuse to eat like a horse yesterday)

So, you'll be excited to learn that from now on, my blog posts will include some exciting stats.

Lucky you!

Oh, quite a few folk have asked where I cycle to...I only know where I turn left and right, not actual names but you can see the route I did on Saturday and Sunday (it's a red line) here if you so desire!

Thank you so much if you've already sponsored us. And if not, you can still do so here! www.justgiving.com/pedallingpinders. All the money raised will be helping to send books to libraries and resource centres in sub-Saharan Africa. Like this one!