Today, I Have Been Mostly... by Rob_Barber

Well, that's what they call it.

I've happened across a great idea for a new show for Saturday nights on the Beeb - "Biking On Ice" - trust me, it's got potential, there's definite comedy value there .

I found several sheets of ice today. I also found it to be horrendously wet and cold out there. My brakes don't work in the wet. At one point, I came to a road that was closed, but it was a steep one I was heading down, I couldn't do anything, I tried to stop, but no, brakes slowed me down yes, but they couldn't stop me, ended up bouncing horribly downward through some drain laying works .

I was having a good exploration of lanes in the Clwydian hills I've never been down before. Every road I went on the hedges had been cut, bloomin' farmers! The wind made mockery of my best thorn dodging attempts. Every road I went on was frighteningly narrow, even for one accustomed to life on narrow lanes, but these were something else. Had to be alot more cautious than normal what with the narrowness, the ice and the lack of brakes.

I hadn't fancied it today, mind wasn't into it, body neither, and it was one of those days (rare now) where my knee was playing me up, must be the weather . My plan said a 50 miler. My body said "day off", head said "get out early before the bad weather comes" but Mrs B called it first and was out on the horse when it was decent.

I got the rain. In 2 and 1/2 hours I got 30 miles done in the rain. Slowest miles I've done so far, but even so, I noticed climbing the hill from Loggerheads there is improvement, I'm going up there in 3rd gear now, it was 1st last time . I actually felt like I could have done more, quite alot  more, but, finding myself close to home I had to assess how everything was, and my hands and feet would not have thanked me for staying out longer, so home I went.

In these conditions, I'd like to say that home I went cold, wet, and thoroughly miserable, but it would be a lie. I actually found some enjoyment out there, not in the places I would usually find it, but nonetheless it was there. Very glad I made the effort.

Should ignore myself more often maybe ?

Oh, had a lovely run yesterday too! That was sunny, and warm, and lovely, and a beautiful winters day, almost a perfect winters day, and I ran in total for almost 40 minutes on the country park on top of our hill, one of my favourite places to run, and everything was good. The subtle shift in my technique does seem to be working .