A Chilly Ride with Iceman Frost

10/12/11 @melcastle69 (me) and @icemanblueboy (Ben Frost) decided mid week that there was a gap on a saturday morning between getting up and going to watch the Blues for a spot of training. I was well up for it all week, up until the point that I opened the window and thought that Iceman Frost was trying to sabotage it by a sheet of frost everywhere.
I tweeted that I was still going out training and my followers tried to put me off, went round to my parents to borrow my Dad's car to get Faith into the back to meet Iceman and my Dad laughed -'that's a tenner you owe me' he said to my mom. They had a bet on whether I would still be going or not. My thought process was that if I allowed this bit of frost to put me off from training I would always find an excuse not to go.

First of all apologies that we have no photos - we were layered up for winter so there was no way the gloves were going on and off and layers moved in order to get to the phone - not on your nelly!

I pulled up at the meeting spot, got Faith out the back and started to get all my gear on when a bright gust of high viz cycled in towards me - Iceman had arrived and the poor bloke had already rode 6miles to come and meet me. After many false starts with Endomondo we set off, I still think something went wrong as it is stating that our first mile took 18mins!!! I could walk a mile quicker than that.

I have got to admit cycling with someone else is so much easier than by yourself, more so for the amateurs that we are as you have someone to motivate you and you naturally go at a quicker pace which quickly becomes your 'steady pace' My parting words to Iceman was that the hills didn't seem as bad when you are riding up them with someone else - see my first blog post regarding hills!

So we're cycing along averaging a 4.4min/mile and there is this robotic woman's voice in my ear 'are you looking at Icemans arse' I nearly fell off my bike laughing and obviously had to tell Iceman what I had just heard in my ear. The thing is with Endomondo is that your 'friends' can track your route and follow you whilst offering typed 'pep talks' that come through your headphones, however Brian's (@bcfcboz) idea of a pep talk is different. He even asked if I was going backwards at one point.

This outing in the cold has taught me a lesson - I definitely need protection for my ears, and my sports glassses I bought was a god send, and a bargain at £3.99, Iceman said he would send his wife out that afternoon to get him some. They really do make a difference as it protects your eyes from the wind and when its as cold as it was today you need them.

The ride itself went along smoothly, no punctures, no stops just straight through for 14.2 miles, even the cars seemed more courteous than before - I think that may have something to do with the size of Iceman, I shall now train with him at all times for protection!

By the time we got back to the car I actually felt like I could continue cycling, my legs felt good and my stamina intact, not sure how Iceman was feeling, he had now done 20miles and had another 6 to go to get home. I think the thought of the bacon buttie that awaited him spurred him on though.

You can check out our route including the mysterious 18minute mile here:


http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/


So to all those doubters out there especially my mom -the cold and frost has not put me off - I have a challenge in front of me that I am determined to complete for Harry - so I'm not going to let the cold get in the way - except maybe over xmas, and new year, and in the snow, and..........