My birthday, cycling with Dan Patten from Team Wiggins and of course the lovely Romford CC

So my birthday was on Saturday and to start the day I headed out for a bike ride from the lovely Yellow Jersey in Billericay with the amazing Nate and their social ride on this occasion, purely for my birthday, was accompanied by Dan Patten from Team Wiggins!  Ok this is not strictly true he may not have been there for my birthday but he was there and rode with us all.  He was lovely, chatted with everyone, wished me a happy birthday and I was that annoying person who asked for a photo with him (standard).

As I mentioned before my training is fitting around having a poorly husband, but I am still managing a lot and on my birthday I managed to not only cycle but also attend Cross Fit with the amazing Jack O’Sullivan PT and being the lovely, if not a bit mean with some of the workout sessions as we found with a tough one on Saturday (did he not remember it was my birthday which means go easy?!), he also bought some beers for afterwards!  I know what you are thinking – doesn’t it defeat the point of doing Cross Fit to then follow it with beer?  We’ve never done this before he did this for my birthday and besides wouldn’t you if you could? Of course you would so sit there and drink your tea as you read this and just be jealous.  Then get yourself down to one of his sessions!

Sunday I managed to get out with the lovelies from Romford CC for the Sunday club ride and it was such a good ride.  Hot, very hot, but good.  I cycled mostly with the lovely Lisa B who gave a smashing rendition part way along the route of the Prodigy’s Smack My Bitch Up and the super quick Joseph who continues to amaze me.  Joseph is relatively new to the club and joined not using a road bike and despite this he was still keeping up with the speedy crew.  My husband was selling a bike recently (this is a big deal!) and Joseph became the proud new owner and now rides along at epic speeds without breaking a sweat!

If you are looking to join a cycling club I cannot recommend Romford CC highly enough – between my husband and them I would not have got to where I am on the bike for sure!

Of course cycling whilst the weather is heating up does mean only one thing that all cyclists will understand – the dreaded cycling tan lines.  When out in the sun you do of course catch the sun leaving lines where your clothing is.  When you cycle the same lines from bib shorts and cycling jerseys are in place week after week and after a few bouts of sunny conditions (not moaning about these) you have started your cycling tan, which will mean you have to strategically pick items of clothing so as not to look like a complete idiot and will eventually lead to something similar to this (not the best look):

So on my first sportive I cycled a little with Victoria Pendleton, I recently ran with Olympians past and present and at the weekend was part of a ride with Dan Patten from Team Wiggins.  This Girl Can!!