Sleeping my way back to fitness

I've woken up early today, and actually feel refreshed after last night's sleep. Phew.
I've felt really rubbish for the last few days. A week ago I did a record time for my 20 mile route to Niton and back, but it left me feeling heavy-legged. Then I did a moderately-paced 60 miles earlier this week and have felt tired and lethargic ever since. I'm not sleeping well, and have a sore throat. I'm pretty sure I've been overtraining, so I've done nothing since, and have been getting to bed as early as I can.

It's quite interesting the way I'm able to write that 'I did 60 miles earlier this week ' almost as if it's nothing. It's an indication of how far I've come since I entered the Etape in march. We were having some brickwork repaired by a friend at the time, and I remember coming back from a 40 mile ride one day and virtually collapsing on the garden bench. My mate asked me how far had I been, and he was amazed when I proudly replied,'40 miles'. It seemed like such a massive distance! I can also remember hobbling about like Ken Dodd's granddad, and having to lie on the settee for an hour before dragging myself upstairs for a soak in a hot bath. Clearly, I now consider a 40-miler to be little more than a gentle warm-up, or at least, a distance that I can ride at pretty much full chatter in little more than two hours. It really is amazing how the body can be adapted for a purpose, and let's hope my body remembers all the hard work.

I've always said one of the main challenges facing me has been to get all the necessary riding done at the same time as being a proper Dad, doing my job, and also not becoming totally obsessed with the bike. I hope I've succeeded. BUT.. I have become a bit of bike nutter. I have been seen weighing my bottle cages and inner tubes. I read about bikes all the time, and study data and other information on bike manafacturers websites. Despite having a top quality carbon-fibre Specialized machine, I am still hankering after getting something else, something better, more exotic. It's ridiculous! in the guitarist circles, we have a name for this behaviour. GAS... which stands for guitar-acquisition-syndrome. It can be a seriously bank-balance-damaging disease. I am reminded by a small voice with a heavy Scottish accent that 'one can only ride one bike at a time'.

The weather is terrible... very windy and heavy rain.
Predictably, I'm going to a wedding. My little sister is finally going to make it all legal. She's marrying an Arsenal fan. Interestingly, after the service in a hotel, we're all getting on a boat and will then drift or more likely motor down some river to a pub or restaurant, where we're going to have a nosh up.It all sounds a bit strange to me. Given the weather, I will be taking my wakeboard and wetsuit. It will be nice to see my family together, apart from my poor old Mum who has dementia. She would have loved to have been there today, but it is too much hassle and stress to get her there. Sad.

My 10 year-old lad was summonsed into his teacher's office this week. Her demeanour suggested he was about to get a serious ticking off. 'Do you know there's a mouse in your schoolbag?' She opened his bag and there was a wee furry creature. 'No miss,' he replied, ' I didn't know it was there, and it's not a mouse. It's a pygmy shrew!' Evidently, our cats have released the little varmint in the kitchen and it had taken up refuge in the dark smelly receptacle that serves as his kitbag.

Finally, best wishes to our Pat, who is retiring today. She's a full-on Scouser. We've nailed down all moveable office furniture, the carpets, curtains etc. IT'S A JOKE! Calm down. I wish her well.