The Iron Horse

Big bike day that almost fell apart…

My work often does clothing collections for a fantastic charity called ‘Smart Works’, which helps women get back into work. For the last week, ahead of International Women’s Day today, we’ve been taking part in their ‘Cycle for Smart Works’ event. Basically teams of five have been trying to ride an aggregate of 100 miles in the week. Now my normal training would get me close to that, so doesn’t feel like it was something that warranted donations - so I decided to do the hundred in a day.

I’ve done a few centuries, but they’re never easy, so using one of my available volunteering days from work to do it seemed fair. It had been intended to get a whole team together to do it, but the logistics were difficult. But it’s just as well I decided to do it solo…

“The best laid plans of mice and men…”

Not one but TWO broken spokes in the rear wheel and a puncture in the front less than ten miles in and just ‘urgh’. Spoke key in the bag so managed to stop the tyre rubbing, but had a ‘bouncy’ wheel. So I sorted the puncture and limped home (over the nearest hill). Shifting to a morning on the turbo, I then swapped over the cassette and discs onto the cross wheels (couldn’t be bothered swapping over tyres) and started a loop around Dollar - Alloa in the afternoon.

That morphed into pushing on to Stirling, then down to the Kelpies into a truly awful headwind, and home via Clackmannan Tower. I had to get back in time to freshen up for a Scottish Wildlife Trust committee meeting at 5. Which means…. I’m 2.41 miles short!

Ten minutes on the turbo will sort that (though I’d done 60 miles or so in training in the last week, so I’m well through the overall 100 mile mark, but I’d promised it all on one day!).

Tell you what though, I’m definitely not as young as I used to be….