Lisa - Fat Girl Fit

Where to Ride For Cake in Essex

Why do you ride? Earlier in the year as part of the British Cycling campaign One In A Million, a campaign trying to get one million more women on bikes by 2020, I shared a number of stories from inspiring ladies I knew who cycled. Whilst doing this I got to understand the main reasons why some of them cycled. The three main reasons that kept coming up were the sense of freedom, personal challenge and the social aspect and I think it is safe to say this is not just limited to women either!

When looking at the social aspect I could relate to this personally. I like to ride with others, I enjoy being part of a club and I, like many others, am more than happy to ride for cake!

I am based in Hornchurch in Essex and so my rides are all to destinations I can get to from close to home and I thought I would share some of my favourites:

Blue Egg – Great Bardfield – this is super popular with cyclists in the area and the place itself is made up of several different companies but the cafe is Knead Food. The route I have for this ride is around a 90 mile round trip and a stop here could be breakfast, lunch, snack or cake. The full English is fab and I can recommend the carrot cake and the quiche too. Sadly closed on bank holidays.

Knead Food Bakery at The Blue Egg — Cake selection from Knead Food

Andrewsfield Airfield – Great Dunmow – not too far from the Blue Egg (is actually about 2 miles on the route I take). They do a nice breakfast and also lunches and main meals. Take cash though as they do not accept card payments.
Bakehouse – Chelmsford – this is a regular stop for many cyclists in the area. There is also one in Maldon though I have not yet been there. Again this is a popular stop for cyclists especially in summer months. Both indoor seating and a pretty courtyard to seat in too with lots of bike racking available. I can recommend all the food – been her for breakfasts, lunches, cakes and more!
Blackmore Tea Rooms – Blackmore – this is another regular stop and another popular choice with many a local cycle club. It is not that far from the Bakehouse. Really lovely scones, cream and jam.

Tiptree Tea Rooms – Tiptree – famous for their jams and really tasty homemade cakes. They also sell mini bottles of tiptree gin (not for when riding obviously but small enough to fit in a cycle jersey!).
Paper Mill Lock – Little Baddow – the tea rooms are on the canal and popular in the summer with lots of outdoor seating. And after you have eaten you then have the delight of North Hill to cycle up!

The Snug – High Easter – really tasty freshly baked cakes and super friendly staff.
The Booking Hall – Rayne – great red velvet cake! Such a quirky little place that used to be an old train station. Lots of bike racks here too as it is another popular choice with cyclists.
Hanningfield Cafe on the Water – Hanningfield – it is as the name suggests with the cafe overlooking the reservoir. Lots of bike parking and large area on the decking to sit and eat.
Pete’s Place – Ramsden Heath – the first time I visited here I cycled round the back to the garden area and it was full of pink, black and grey as the Rapha club had cycled out to here. Food is always great and staff are brilliant. Freshly made cakes and yes in the picture that is a cadbury cream egg, wrapped in chocolate cake and dipped in chocolate – need I say more? This cafe is now under new management and renamed Pete’s Place – I am yet to visit it since the change so will update once I have been there!

Butts Green Garden Centre – Chelmsford – found this little gem when on an organised Specialized ride and honestly I wouldn’t have necessarily thought of stopping at a garden centre and yet they have the best cafes, just like this one!
Nerissa & Claires – Ongar – great hot chocolate!
Norton Heath Cafe – Norton Heath – delicious all day breakfast though limited where to leave bikes.
Owls Hill Tea Room – Terling – the cutest little cafe with seating inside and outside under gazebos, bike racks and lovely surrounding country lanes popular with cyclists.

Peterboat – Leigh on Sea – note a cafe but a pub that has become a firm favourite especially after the London to Southend bike ride. Loads of seating outside with plenty of space to leave bikes and a huge menu.
Liana’s Tea Shop – Hornchurch – this is a little gem I discovered only recently, recommended by some friends. It is not far from where I live so tends to be a stop at the end of a ride and something nice to look forward to. All the cakes are home made and the flavours differ from one week to the next. I am a sucker for nice china and a teapot and this place did not disappoint. Very welcoming and as it is in the courtyard on Langtons there is ample space to leave bikes too, with seating both outside and indoors.

Happy cycling and if you know of anywhere else I should visit on my cycles please let me know.

Category: Fitness

How I am dealing with a knee injury

Are you a good patient? I am not normally ill and (touch wood) don’t generally suffer from injuries but since an injury a couple of years ago in my left knee, every time I feel a niggle I panic.

I was taking part in the Birmingham Velo 100 mile bike ride in 2017 and very shortly into the ride, with a lot of pain, I was on the floor and out of the event. You can read more about that here. But the long and short of it was I had displaced my kneecap, torn my medial collateral ligament and had crepitus – not the most fun news to hear after my scans but could have been worse.

This year for me has all been about the bike and heading toward the middle of the year the niggles got worse to the point that on a ride about a month or so ago I had to get off and after having a little moment carried on but a lot steadier.

So whats the deal? Well I am seeing an amazing sports therapist and he thinks I have bursitis and chrondomalacia. Bursitis is a painful condition that affects the joints – bursae are fluid-filled sacs that act as a cushion between bones, tendons, joints, and muscles – when these sacs become inflamed it is called bursitis. Chrondomalacia patellae, also known as “runner’s knee,” is a condition where the cartilage on the under surface of the patella (kneecap) deteriorates and softens. I am yet to have a scan on it but will do if only to confirm what he thinks and find out how bad and if there is anything else I should know.

I have been having regular ultrasounds on the knee, acupuncture and getting it strapped and it is helping but it is still not right.

When swimming I do breast stroke and the nature of the movement would not be good for my knee so I am avoiding that and I had intended to start a run/walk programme but was advised against that.

So I’ve rested and been icing it every day too.

My training was quite full on so to go from training 6 days out of 7 to nothing was frustrating. I started on the bike when I had the go ahead to do so with an easy flat ride whilst taped up and again that did not feel right so I went back to resting again.

I didn’t like it and was super grumpy about it.

But there was work I could do and so I added to my home gym a new gym ball and a step. I started with exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee and my glutes, which control the movement of the knee. These include:

Clamshell exercise: lay on your uninjured side with your hips and knees bent and feet together. Slowly raise your top leg toward the ceiling while keeping your heels touching each other. Hold for 2 seconds and lower slowly.
Straight leg raise: lay on your back, bend one knee and place your foot flat on the floor. With the other leg remaining straight, raise it to the height of the opposite knee.
Side leg raise: lay on your side. Bend your bottom leg for support, straighten the top leg and raise it to 45 degrees. Hold for 5 seconds, lower and relax.
Step ups: place one foot on a step bench, keeping your pelvis level, bend your knee and slowly lower the opposite foot to the floor. Lightly touch your toe to the floor, then rise back up.
Glute bridge: lay on your back with your feet on the floor and the knees forming a 90 degree angle. Now press yourself up into the bridge position by contracting your glute hard. There should be a straight line from your upper body to your knees.
Banded walks: loop a resistance band around the bottom of your feet, squat down slightly and walk sideways.
Bear squat: start in downward facing dog keeping your heels on the floor, sit back on your heels keeping your hands on the ground. Move back into the starting position by completely extending your legs and putting your heels back on the floor.
Squat hip rotations: stand with feet slightly wider than hip width, squat down with feet flat on the ground and bum not quite touching the floor. Rotate one leg outward, going up on the outer ridge of that foot. Pause for a moment and go back to the starting position. Rotate the same leg inwards until the knee touches the ground next to the other foot. Pause, go back to neutral and repeat with the other leg.

In addition to the above regular stretching and yoga. I will also look at some easy leg spinner sessions on the turbo trainer and have been on some steady rides outside.

Rocktape — Using rocktape on my knee when cycling

I fully planned on being on the start line of the RideLondon 46 miler the weekend before last, even though I needed to be sensible and adapted my ride to take it easier. (I have done the 100 mile several times so it was nice after my main events to do the shorter route for the first time). It didn’t go totally to plan as I reapplied my tape on my knee myself the day before and clearly I am useless at it as it peeled off about 4 miles in! I also stood up as I went over a speed bump and the impact on my knee was rather painful. However, I finished the ride and all good.

I am now doing HIIT and strength training, which may sound crazy but again I am being sensible and I am doing all the modifications necessary and aside from being tough its all good.

Injuries take time and aside from the exercises to get stronger I also need to find some patience from somewhere!

And what is that smell you ask? Jointace! I constantly smell of jointace now ha ha

Category: Events

Ride London 46 Review

I have taken part in the Ride London 100 mile event four times previously and if I am honest I was gutted not to be doing it again this year, however, with my ongoing knee issue I think this was actually a blessing.

I did get a place in the 46 mile event and thought well why not – something new, minus the hills, easier on my knee and I still get to finish and celebrate with my fellow Romford CC club friends.

One thing about the 100 miler is that depending on what start time you get it is more than likely to be an early start – one year I went off a little after 6am and had to be up at 4am. You are assigned a wave and colour and this determines what start pen you load. Each wave has a load start and finish time and this is an hour or so before your actually start time so there is some waiting around. The same process is followed for the 46 miler and I was in my pen for 8am and not setting off until 9:16am. All things considered a lay in compared to my friends doing the longer route!

I found this review hard as I have done the longer both when the shorter was not on offer and when it was and there is noticeable congestion when the routes merge. This year I was on the shorter route and saw it from the other side than I previously have and it was like suddenly there were cyclists everywhere at the merge point as there are more on the 100 mile route than the 46. There was also a 19 mile route on offer though I didn’t see any riders from that but it was congested and I was lucky to finish without having to walk over the finish line as I saw many do a little while later.

The route goes out through Richmond park following the same as the 100 miler but instead of going to the Surrey Hills it heads back into London and again meets the longer route again.

So what did I think? The route was lovely and it is fast. There was a wave that set off before me that had some obvious non-cyclists in it. I have no issue with this and I don’t want to come across as a cycling snob but there appeared to be a lot of people who were not aware of any sort of cycling etiquette and this is dangerous for all involved.

I actually had an argument with a man in Richmond Park who was dangerously moving across the path. The general rule is stay to the left, overtake on the right, be vocal and considerate of other cyclists and road users and let them know of your intentions ie shout out ‘on your right’ as you overtake (not in an aggressive way obviously). This gentleman thought I just wanted to overtake and go faster than him so I tried to explain but he was not happy and thought these were my rules. I explained this was common cycling etiquette and follows standard rules from the Highway Code to which he told me he didn’t need to as he was on a push bike. I despair at this! Yes it was a closed road event but if you are a road user, in any capacity, you follow the highway code and this applies to cyclists and not just cars!

My other bone of contention is with the Rider Safety Captains from Continental. This initiative is to have pairs of riders on the course at different intervals to assist other riders. This does not mean you have been given a jersey and a whistle and are a pro rider for the day shouting, whistling and racing in pelotons. I am sure many took this role seriously, as it was intended and were a huge help to others, but it would be interesting to have chip times checked and see the obvious ones who possibly selfishly took a place with the wrong intentions! I saw a lot of this as did many others on the course.

I was also stopped seven times to allow pedestrians to cross. Perhaps I was unfortunate but that seemed a lot for a 46 mile ride on closed roads. It was also dangerous as volunteers suddenly walked across with ropes to allow people to cross as you are approaching at speed.

The finish this year went past the horse guard which is new and then joined The Mall. Short ride up to get your medal and you are done. Was also lovely to be there to then cheer on friends.

The atmosphere is fab and I had a blast. I realise I have a few gripes here but overall I would recommend. There are logistic issues and I have no suggestions short of changing the schedule to overcome this and that comes at a huge expense so probably unrealistic.

There were issues on the day with crashes, delays and lack of medals but I didn’t experience any of that so can’t comment. I also didn’t use any of the rest stops so can’t comment on those either.

Ride 46 done!

Category: Product Reviews

Specialized Tarmac Pro Review

If you follow me on my social media you will have noticed that earlier this year I got a new bike. It was a little bittersweet as it was a necessity following my previous bike being written off after being hit by another cyclist and the carbon frame cracking. This would be my fourth bike since I got into cycling four years ago.

My first bike was a Trek Lexa and is now by commute bike. My second bike was a State Bicycle single speed, which I still have. My third bike (the one that got written off) was a Trek Silque SL. My husband is a huge Trek fan and this was where I started and I loved those bikes. They were comfortable and saw me complete many personal challenges and cycling events and whilst I loved Trek I was not stuck on one particular bike manufacturer.

I am a road cyclist so that was what I was looking for – a new road bike. I had an amount I wanted to spend in mind and I wanted something comparable or better than what I had previously. Unfortunately the Trek I was looking at was a Madone 9 and was out of my budget and didn’t give me enough bike for my money.

I had looked at some Canyon’s I liked but as there is no physical shop I wasn’t comfortable to pursue this further without trying it and seeing it for myself. Then when on a Specialized ride with my friend Laura, we returned to the concept store in Chelmsford and I started window shopping. This was how I came to decide on the Tarmac Pro. I didn’t actually get it from Specialized, I ended up getting it from Cycle Surgery in Romford and I got a bargain for the price! It was a custom order for someone who didn’t return and so became this bike I would casually return to the shop for other things and check it was still there.

I am not too proud to admit one of the first things I was drawn to was the Specialized bright pink decals (I am a sucker for anything pink – I know not all women are but I am just speaking for myself) and the paint job on the frame that changed from green to purple to blue to pink with flecks of glitter making it shimmer. I am not saying this is how you should pick a bike but when it looks pretty and is attractive to you it is a good start!

I had checked the spec with my husband and to begin with he thought I had got it wrong as I was getting a lot of bike for my money. A lot of bike!

Groupset – my previous bike had Shimano Ultegra Di2 and so this was something I was looking for on my new bike. Di2 is electronic gearing and as I had moved from my first bike with mechanical gearing to second with Di2 I had experienced the ease of use, and more smooth and efficient gear changes and I wanted to stick with what I knew and the tarmac had this. In fact it had an upgraded version the Shimano Ultegra r8050 Di2.

Wheels – well they are generally the first thing most cyclists will upgrade on a bike and so I wanted to make sure that I either got a bike I could use my Fulcrum Zero wheels on or that had better wheels and I was in luck! The tarmac came with Rovals – CL50 Rapide to be precise. These would be my first deep rim wheels and with my first trip being to Lanzarote (the windy island) I was a little nervous that deep rims and wind don’t mix but I survived (with a few melt downs).

Frame – the tarmac has a carbon frame, which was what I was looking for. Carbon frames are typically lighter in weight and I personally found a huge difference in the ride quality from an aluminium bike compared to a carbon bike. It was also my size. I was a 54cm frame on my Trek bikes and I was measured for the Specialized bike and the same size fit in fact when I had a bike fit very little needed to be changed just some tweaks on the handlebar and seat height and positioning.

Technically my tarmac is a men’s bike, however, it is important to note that whilst there are many male and female specific bikes (my Trek Silque was one of them) that the design of these are intended to cater for the difference in body sizes. The potential flaw in this? We all come in different shapes and sizes whether we are male or female. Experts may have found that most women have longer legs and shorter torsos but that will not apply to all. This is just my opinion and so whatever bike I got I wanted to try. So despite the fact that Specialized have recently adopted a process that tackles shared geometry for performance bikes like the tarmac I still tried it and was still intending to get a bike fit.

My biggest question was looking at what events I had planned for the year and would the tarmac be the right bike for it? You can get MTBs, hybrids, road bikes, endurance bikes, time trial bikes and the list goes on. One of my main concerns was that the tarmac bike is known to be a climbing bike. I am not a climber. I don’t naturally seek out events or ride with a huge amount of climbing so was this the right bike for me? In fact my biggest ride was 186 miles at the Vatternrundan in Sweden so I could argue that I should have been looking at a specific endurance bike. I read reviews and decided on the tarmac pro and I can hands down say it was so comfortable on all of my events.

I have since upgraded a few things:

saddle to the Specialized Mimic female specific saddle – getting the right saddle is so important for me for comfort!
new cassette and chain – purely for asthetics as it is the same oil slick colouring as the bottle cages and stem cap that I got from Supacaz
new bar tape – again purely for asthetics that I got from Supacaz
pedals – not technically an upgrade but kind of essential for the bike use and again I went with what I knew and stuck with Shimano SPD-SL pedals
new handlebars – I upgraded these based on a recommendation to Specialized Aerofly II handlebars

Any negatives? Yes I would say I am an average cyclist as in I am not the slowest but I am not the fastest and I am still getting used to the bike and wheels which at times feel a little quick for me and so I am trying not to break too much when not necessary. I also found that the wheels made climbing feel a little harder but that could just be me not being the best climbing.

So what do I think of the Specialized Tarmac Pro? I bloody love it! Would I recommend it? Absolutely! I got this bike in January of this year and I have done over 3,000 miles on it including rides that are social, training, racing, sportives and an endurance event as mentioned earlier so a wide variety.

Category: Cycling, Events

Don’t Be Shit – Ironman Jonkoping 70.3 Relay

I have just returned from another trip to Sweden for another event. Another bike event but as part of a relay in the Ironman Jonkoping 70.3 triathlon as part of a relay team with my amazing friend Gemma.

Gemma is a fantastic runner and I cycle and so when our other halves, Brett and Marios, signed up for this triathlon we figured why not team up and do it too but as a relay team. This saw the creation of team Don’t Be Shit. The saying don’t be shit is something we say at events to lighten the mood as a joke to friends we are supporting.

So who was going to be our swimmer? Well Gemma decided that after completing her Abbot World Marathon Major series that this would be her new challenge and she’s trained so hard for it too. I have so much admiration for her for doing this and admit it didn’t even come into my mind to do the same or even offer to take on that discipline!

We arrived in Gothenburg and after a drive (about 1 hour 20 minutes) we were checked in and went straight to register, meeting up with other team mates from Havering Tri who were also taking part in the event. We were laughing as they’d printed our team name on our participant bands and also our numbers – brilliant! This was followed by the Tri club parade through the town with a brilliant atmosphere.

After bikes being built and test rides were done we had a wander round town and checked the swim start and transition area. Bike racking took place in a downpour of rain and a lot of hoping that race day wouldn’t have the same weather!

On race day it was a late start at 9am so not the usual 4/4:30am alarm, which was nice and everything seemed calm despite nerves and weather looked like it would be dry until late afternoon so I was hopeful that my bike leg would be dry! Once everyone was in their wetsuits the heavens opened! Not quite the plan!

Gemma on the swim: I seeding myself into 42 minute wave and I was a nervous wreck. Standing in the cold, wet and in puddles on the gravel roadside in complete silence. I could hear the cheers along the start line for the swim entry. Taking a deep breath Marios grabbed my hand and said it’s ok- I nearly started crying. It took 40 minutes to get to the swim entry, with 4 people going in every 4 seconds, and off I went, knowing Marios was directly behind me in the following wave of swimmers. As soon as we entered the water, the sun came out lighting the way for us.

The water was lovely and I found my groove straight away/ compared to the day before! I trained for all weather conditions rain – hail- sun – storms and trained for cooler temperatures and mass starts with Havering Tri. However, I couldn’t have imaged that people would have seeded themselves in the earlier waves to do breaststroke from the start (due to strict bike cut off times). This made it impossible to swim around or through.

Marios was my rock during the swim and made me realise that 5 months ago I couldn’t do open water swimming and now I am able to swim comfortably and take the time to assess the best route for overtaking slower swimmers. I loved every minute of the swim and would recommend going in the earlier wave for what you expect.

I would have liked a better time, but happy I was well above the cut off time and more impressed I managed to run the 0.8km to meet Lisa in the relay exchange box!

Me on the bike: After Gemma passed me the timing chip I tried to run through transition but running in cleats on wet cobbles is not that easy! Plus I was freezing by this point as I had stood in the exchange box since the swim start in the rain so know for next time if it’s the same weather that’s not a good idea. I also needed the toilet the second I got there but couldn’t get in transition so had to hold it.

I was soon over the mount line and on the bike. I had 56 miles to cycle, a distance I can easily do but for some reason I was super nervous and this is the third time I’ve done a relay and knowing someone is waiting for you is added pressure.

Prior to the event I had heard from many people there is a horrible hill at the start and that pretty much the first 10km was uphill. I’d been told the big climb was really long and really steep and that last year there were so many people walking. I’m not good at hills. I can do them but slower than most and with a knee injury I knew I had to spin up easy – pretty much my plan for hills without an injury. I knew once of the commentators would be at the base of the hill so when I saw and heard him with the customary Swedish Heja Heja Heja I knew I’d reached the hill. Just keep spinning, smile at the supporters, pretend it’s ok. Another member of Havering Tri overtook me and gave me a thumbs up and I said is this the hill and he shouted yes and that we were about a third of the way up. Not so bad I could do this. I rarely say a hill was not as bad as I thought but it actually wasn’t – it was twisty and more gradual but at almost 1,000ft definitely a hill still. Here is my face about three quarters up (ha ha).

And the difference once I realised I was at the top – oh ok not so terrible.

The rest of the course is rolling and on the downhills and straights I was really able to overtake a lot of people and knew this is my strength and to use that.

There were three aid stations, all of which were either at the top or bottom of hills. As I wasn’t doing the run I had my nutrition I needed on the bike and didn’t need to stop for anything else. I did stop at one aid station as I needed the toilet too badly but the queue had five people in it – five people taking on and off cycling kit that would also be wet like mine could be timely so I abandoned that idea and got back on the bike – I would have to wait!

At about 40km in the heavens opened again and for about 25/30 minutes I got soaked. I was wiping my glasses with my gloves and accidentally knocked them off so had to stop to get them back. The rain also made me overly cautious on the brakes on some of the downhills that I would ordinarily fly down. There were also some sections that were really windy and trying to power through those takes a toll on the legs and makes the effort that much harder, especially after a really narrow and tight turn point was just headwind up the hill you’d just flown down.

There was a section from 76-78km that it is forbidden to overtake as the road is narrow and winding and this was frustrating as I got stuck behind a group who were going much slower and had to wait until after to be able to pass them.

Your number is on your back for the bike and on your number is your team name so I had some fun as people giggled at Don’t Be Shit. I did the same to a man on the bike I passed whose team name was Loser Buys Burgers.

About 20km from the end I knew where I was and this was back on the Vatternrundan route. On that ride there is a stop at Jonkoping so I knew it wasn’t long until I would be passing Gemma the timing chip again.

After dismounting my bike and trying to run in cleats again I made my way to Gemma in the exchange box, little celebration dance, brief hug and she was off! As she left I had a swift hand down my bib shorts as my heat pad I sometimes use for back pain had slid down to my bum and it was on fire! Classy as always.

I finished the bike in 3:06 and will admit I was disappointed with my time – on a different course I’d previously done 2:56 and whilst I’m the first to say every course is different and you can’t compare and that it’s the conditions on the day, I really feel with better weather and no knee injury I could definitely have done that on this course too. Though I did get a lovely compliment as someone came up to me and said man you can bike! This lady told me she tried her hardest to keep with me but couldn’t get anywhere close and she said well done and left me with a huge smile on my face!

Gemma on the run: I had an absolute blast on the run, met some lovely people and gave them encouragement along the way. I felt like I needed to support everyone as they had just come of the bike and had jelly legs, mine were relatively fresh in comparison. It was a nice 3 lap course and loved seeing Lisa after 2 laps.

Again it was great fun knowing other tri members were around the course. Happy with the 2:09 for the run, considering the conditions – after the rain the sun came out!

However much I wanted to finish my Ironman journey with Lisa, I was absolutely gutted we couldn’t, but like we said we understood the Ironman rules. It was lovely finishing with Marios and it really made it a unique experience for him.

I had the best time and would definitely consider it again. I would love to inspire anyone who thought the Ironman journey is unthinkable and say break it down and take on one discipline at a time …. it was just a natural progression for me, I have loved my world running journey …. so why not take on a new discipline.

I was able to get to behind the finish line to see Gemma and Marios finish, which was amazing.

Everyone from Havering Tri were safe and done!

We found out we came third place in the female relay and so it was suggested to attend the awards ceremony. Being called up on stage by presenters who were laughing too much at our team name was funny and resulted in extra kudos and fist pumps.

We both had a fab time and coming third place was just the icing on the cake and made us realise our training had paid off! Team Don’t Be Shit – Team Freaking Awesome!

Sweden has a special place in my heart so I knew before I got there I would love it but so many were commenting on the bike especially and how beautiful it was. Both winners of the event, male (Elliot Smales) and female (Claire Hann), were from Great Britain (amazing) and said it was the best bike course they’ve done. It was also European Tri Club Champs and will be for the next two years so if you are considering a middle distance triathlon would definitely recommend!

To top it off there was 27% women who participated in the event, which is a world record participation for an Ironman event!

Category: Cycling

Travelling with a bike

I am so used to travelling with a bike now that I still find it odd when I am at the airport and get such funny looks like I am walking through the terminal with such an odd item in tow.

There are a few ways you can travel abroad with a bike. I know some people who ship their bike and certain events partner with companies who will take and deliver your bike so you don’t have the need to take your bike apart in any way. I know some people who wrap their bikes or use cardboard boxes -yeah not for me! I know some people who use a soft bike case and again this is not something I am keen on and I also know some airlines and even airports will not take soft cases for bikes. Then there is a hard bike box, in my opinion the sturdiest and safest option.

I have a Bike Box Alan case and made the purchase a couple of years ago after looking into options for hiring one and realised that with some people charging £50 to £80 per week for box hire that if I was planning more than a few trips the investment to buy would absolutely be worth it and so that is what I did. My husband already had a Bike Box Alan case and so I knew that they were sturdy and really good quality. I mean I love my bike so want to know it is being transported in something that will get it there in one piece and not damaged. There is always that nervous moment when you take the bike box to the oversized baggage area at the airport and watch it go through, then you might catch a glimpse as luggage is loaded onto the plane and it can make you a little nervous – be careful with it please! It is also a popular choice for our Tri club Havering Tri too!

You also get a 7 year guarantee with this box and the reviews speak for themselves.

So I recently got asked about how I pack and unpack the bike box and will admit I was a little embarrassed to admit that I don’t. My husband is called Brett and I often joke that I have a Brett for that for quite a few bike related things. He put Di2 on my old bike, not me, he packs and rebuilds the bikes when we travel, not me, and does all the bike servicing and maintenance, not me. So I figured well it’s about time I probably learned how to do some of this and as I am always offering friends to use my bike box I figured ok we are travelling again soon so I will be paying attention. Brett laughed but he humours me and so next time I will pack my bike – yep me!

What do you need to do? I have a road bike and this is what we did:

remove the pedals, which we sometimes put in a little plastic sandwich bag and put in the box (there are some small straps in the box and you can use them to hold the pedals in place)
remove the chain, which you don’t have to do but we have always done and again put in a little plastic sandwich bag strapped in the same way as the pedals
I don’t need to undo the seat post on my bike but depending on your height if you are tall you might need to do that to lower the seat post to fit in the box – if this is the case make sure you mark in some way where the seat post was so you can easily put it back in the correct position when you rebuild
deflate the tyres completely – some people say you don’t need to do this though they could expand with the pressure in the hold on the plane, so it is always worth deflating and then pumping back up when you build the bike again
the tyres fix to the lid of the bike box using wheel skewers (I also lent mine to a friend who has disc brakes, which I don’t and she did need different skewers to fix in the box properly) – the box comes with a padded panel that sits between the wheels and the rest of the contents of the box

remove the handlebars and stem from the forks
the bike frame is secured in the box using the straps that are attached

we always pack our cycle shoes and helmet in the bike box as well as nutrition if weight allows (in my helmet bag I will always pack my heart rate monitor and garmin
I put some of my nutrition like gels in my bottles – saves gels exploding and going over everything and saves space

there is an anti crush bar to stop the box being damaged and in turn the bike

Here is a time lapse video of the bike being packed.

[wpvideo 7qsSHhfX ]

Happy travels if you are going away with your bike being boxed up and I hope this was a little useful for those who had asked previously!

Category: Fitness

Skin care regime when living an active lifestyle

I love being outdoors, literally any excuse, whether that be walking the dog, out for a hike, run (jog), getting covered in mud at an obstacle race or cycling.

This does of course mean my skin is always exposed the elements and I have noticed over recent years that it has become more and more dry.

I attended a pre launch evening with Bianchi Dama to try some of their bikes and find out more about their collaboration with CJ Skinhealth towards the end of last year, which you can read my blog post from here. At this evening I was gifted their active cleanse and enhance & protect products, a two product skin regime ahead of their launch in November 2018. I noted in my previous blog post that although I am a keen cyclist I was probably not the correct demographic for the skincare range as I was quite lazy with my skin routine and if I am honest whatever I had in the shower was what went on my skin (I know I know…..).

It is now more than six months on and I said I at the time I would update with a follow up and I am pleased to say I am still using the products. Not only that but I bloody love them!

As I said I love being outdoors but do notice the effect it has on my skin and whilst I am not even willing to consider changing spending more time outside than inside, I can look at how I look after my skin and I can honestly say that aside from day to day usage these two products are the first I pack when going anywhere. Since I have had the products that includes:

over a dozen muddy obstacle runs at various locations in the UK
Beachy Head marathon
hiking in the Peak District
hiking at Snowdon
training camp in Lanzarote
3 cycling events in Sweden
numerous cycling events in the UK and over 3,500 miles on the bike

I am due to go to Sweden again later this week and Fuerteventura in September and again know these will be right there at the top of my packing list.

So what is my skin exposed to? Sun, wind, rain, heat, cold, mud and of course sweat! I am lucky that I have never really suffered with breakouts but I do have very fair skin and with exposure to the sun one of the biggest factors impacting the appearance of skin, and the fact that I burn really easily (think the sort of factor you would use on a baby), these products having SPF 30 and UVAPF 30 sunscreen in them is brilliant for me. Protecting your skin from harmful rays is so important – according to Cancer Research there were over 15,000 cases of melanoma in the UK in 2014-2016, with over 2,000 deaths – of these 86% caused by UV and were preventable. There is nothing worst than putting on cream or sun block and when you start sweating it runs and ends up in your eyes (ouch). Plus it smells amazing and stays on the skin.

According to Statista the retail value of the beauty and personal care market in the UK shows that for 2019, the market value for beauty and personal care has reached approximately 16 billion euros, which is showing an increasing trend and value moving forward and highlighting how large the industry is and the trends in this area that are driving growth.

According to Glamour magazine, in an article they published last year, they published the findings from a survey to see how much women are spending on beauty products and it averaged at almost £500 per year with some having anything up to a 10 or 12 step process with some using 16 products – 16?! I am all for having good skin but that seems excessive and quite frankly I’d rather be out on my bike than doing all of that! It is not surprising, however, especially when there is a product for every possible situation; day cream, night cream, sun scream, hand cream, foot cream, body cream, waters, cleansers, milks, oils, serums and lotions with the list seemingly being never ending!

I was pleased to see earlier in the year that Lucy Charles is an advocate also. Lucy is a professional triathlete who has had huge success and I am sure we will see that long continue. She is also the most down to earth lovely person. Lucy has an intense training program and again this means her skin is exposed to the elements constantly and I spoke to her about the products to get her opinion on them, which was as follows:

‘I have been using CJ Skinhealth for 6 months now and the products have been a game changer for me. As someone who has struggled with dry skin and breakouts since my early teens I never thought I’d find just 2 products that could solve the problem. I use CJ Skinhealth every day pre and post training sessions and I have noticed a huge difference, I even get complimented on my skin now which I never thought would happen!’

One of the ladies I met at the pre launch is Beth and she is part of the Bianchi Dama race team, so one of the ladies instrumental in the testing and feedback process. I spoke with Beth about the products and she said in using the products this is her opinion that is also shared with some of her other team mates also:

‘It’s really added to my confidence. When competing your confidence can play a big part in how your race goes and feeling more confident in myself and my skin being completely bare, with no make up, has just given me that extra boost. I think everyone can relate that if you look good you feel good, it’s not often the thing that makes you look good is also the best thing for your skin! These products have given that to me’

I would happily recommend these products to anyone and if you check out the CJ Skinhealth website you can see others who use them too and read their reviews.

What I really like about good product is being able to speak to people who really know what it is they are trying to achieve with it and are not just a sales person. Talking to James about his studies in advanced cell cytology and work he has done with the innovation lab and Harley Street skin specialist in order to create these products, that make great skin health accessible to all, was fascinating to my inner geek.

This is a company that have taken time to leverage research, experience and advanced science to produce these products specifically for active lifestyles. Also don’t be fooled by thinking this is a women’s product either – this is completely unisex though I won’t tell my husband that or I fear mine will run out pretty quickly!

The other thing that appealed was that they were bringing this product to market using the very people who would benefit from it. So as a cyclist I know the team from Bianchi Dama have tried and tested this, in different weather and environments, and their feedback, as well as other athletes ranging from winter to water sports, has helped with the various iterations of the products. They know how it works and how these products would benefit someone like me being out and about on the bike whilst also solving the challenge of eliminating complex and time consuming skincare regimes, which lets face it very few of us have time for – I know I don’t!

If you would like to try the products you can use my affiliate code FATGIRLFIT2015 for a 10% discount.

I was gifted the skin products, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Product Reviews

Kit Review – BioRacer Bib Shorts

If you follow me on social media you will see many pictures in my club kit. This is custom kit and Romford CC get this from BioRacer UK. So I have many years worth of experience of using kit from this supplier. I actually handle club kit for my club and it is always great dealing with these guys especially as they themselves are cyclists and can give first hand advice and recommendations that are knowledgeable – nothing worse than being sold something by someone who doesn’t know the sport it is used for or the nuances you may encounter.

I was contacted to review some kit and part of me thought I know the kit already but the other was intrigued as it is slightly different to the kit that I currently have. I have also found previously that sometimes the quality of custom kit can differ somewhat to that you can purchase off the shelf and so was interested to see if this was the case with BioRacer. Thankfully the quality was the same, which I am pleased to say as I think it should be that way.

If you cycle you will probably recognise the name BioRacer especially if you watch any social media coverage of global cycling events as many teams have kit by this manufacturer. I was also pleased to see a BioRacer stand at a recent event I attended in Sweden, the Vatternrundan, especially as I went without a rain jacket and knew that I would not be disappointed with one from these guys – thankfully I didn’t need a rain jacket but I know in future it will be of use. Was really good to see all the local teams out in Sweden riding and all in BioRacer kit too.

So the new bib shorts – what are they and how are they different? Well they are the same look but on closer inspection I noticed a zip at the back – what is this wizardry? Well I think I am just late to the party as I have not had this on any of my kit previously but quite a few people I know had or have used similar. My initial thoughts was that this could be an absolute nightmare as I don’t wear knickers under bib shorts (if you don’t cycle then don’t read this in alarm and think I am some sort of weird nudist, I can assure you this is very common and most people go commando with bib shorts as the chamois pad is design to sit next to the skin and additional layers can cause friction and chaffing) – what if the zip opens? The thought is terrifying!

On the flip side not having to almost completely undress for a convenience break is amazing! So many times on a ride and you need a loo break but its such a hassle to almost strip completely down just to go so the zip with easy access is fabulous!

When in Sweden I had three rides I was signed up for. They were 100km, 150km and 300km so for each I had made my choices in advance as to what kit I would be wearing. There was never a question around the kit for the longer distance and it would always have been my club kit from BioRacer. I love the fit, its super comfortable, doesn’t move around and I knew that 300km on I would not be disappointed with my choice and I wasn’t! The new bibs came with me and in between events I wore these.

So what did I think? Really easy to endorse! Same quality as I expected like my club kit, my favourite chamois from all bib shorts I own – using BioRacer developed chamois. As quoted on their website:

‘Our shorts use proprietary padding. It is developed in-house by us. It’s based on ideas and technologies we have researched, tried and tested. We specialize in biomechanics, millimeter perfect fit and adjustments. This is why the majority of pro-tour riders trust our padding. It’s why certain padding manufacturers study us to see what they wish to come up with next. But rest assured, we are always one step ahead.’

I would say the zip adds a little restriction in terms of the stretch but that is as expected and so minimal that once on the bike it was unnoticeable. Easy to undo and do the zip back up and no rubbing from the zip either – flap of material at the top once the zip is back in place and it finishes above the pad. The legs have the same BioRacer grippers I am used to which keep the shorts in place with no annoying riding up or movement as you cycle.

I have also used on the turbo trainer at home and again they are fab. I have said before but I often feel that a better quality bib short is the best for a turbo trainer as there is no natural movement and so comfort is key.

The shorts I had are called Vesper with the flamingo design. I have said before that I have kit that ranges from cheap to expensive and actually my most expensive pair of bib shorts are my least comfortable ones so I am not claiming that the more you pay the better they are as that is not the case in my experience. However, if I can find kit that is comfortable and stops soreness downstairs then yes I am happy to pay for that luxury. These BioRacer bib shorts retail at £99 and in my opinion worth every penny.

They also have the matching jersey too and you will know I love anything that is a bit different and this design really caught my eye. I love the detail on the jersey and the gripper at the base of the jersey to stop it from riding up the body, which can be really annoying.

I was gifted the bib shorts and jersey, but all opinions are my own.

Category: Events

What is the bike week in Motala, Sweden?

I knew of the bike week held in Motala from a friend who lives there. My husband had been out to take part in the Vatternrundan bike ride previously so I knew what it was about and at the time thought about going back to take part myself, which I did in 2017. I wrote a blog post about it that you can read here.

So what happens during this week? There is really something for everyone and here was the schedule for this year:

7 June – MTB Vattern for those aged 8 and over, with distances of either 25km or 50km
8 June – Tjejvattern 100km ride for ladies only aged 18 and over
9 June – Halvvattern 150km ride for those aged 18 and over
10 June – Minivattern for the children aged 3 and over, with distances of either 1km or 3km – this is literally the cutest event and the kids are so cute getting involved with a rest stop halfway for lemonade and buns
14/15 June – Vatternrundan 300km (there is also a 100km option that you can also now do on an electric bike) for those aged 18 and over

I took part in 3 of the above this year; the Tjejvattern, Halvvattern and Vatternrundan.

I rode the Tjejvattern with my friend Sandra who is from Motala and who I plagued with questions as we cycled (sorry Sandra). The weather was perfect with sun and blue skies.
I rode the Halvvattern with Sandra’s partner Steve and her brother in law Jonas. The weather was vile with 30mph gusts of wind and rain, which made it hard work.
I rode the Vatternrundan with my husband. This was the 54th year of this event taking place. The ride started in great conditions then the temperature dropped pretty quickly so an earlier rest stop was needed to add layers. We met a lovely group of six cyclists from Iceland about halfway round and rode with them for a couple of hours. Then the sun came up and we got sunburnt – can’t complain though as some got caught in rain at about 100km in and we missed it but could tell from the wet roads we had been lucky.

The roads are perfect, scenery stunning and although the roads are open there is relatively little traffic on the course. My husband was talking about this early on in the ride and then managed to hit possibly the only pot hole in Sweden. We also laughed as there are signs in places to watch out for a certain animal – a moose! My husband joked that it would be ironic to be hit by a moose whilst on a bike when our cycling club logo is a moose cycling on a bike!

Blueberry soup is served warm at the rest stops. The first time I came across this in Sweden I was not sure if it was for me but this stuff is magic. Warm and works a treat in the cold of the night and sweet – might try and make some of this myself now I am back in the UK. Enervit is the main nutrition provider with energy drinks available as well as water at rest stops. Most stops have the famous sweet buns with the last stop in Medevi having honey covered buns which are a hit for most. Other food you will find are salty gherkins, mashed potato and meatballs at Jonkoping, lasagne at Hjo and for those that want breakfast instead you will find porridge.

Other things you will find at the rest stops are massages and mechanics on hand to help. You have to carry all your kit, nutrition, clothes etc and if you need assistance at the rest stops you can get what you need and will receive the receipt to pay for items after the race like inner tubes etc.

It is always amazing to see the veteran participants on the course. A veteran is someone who has completed the ride 25 times or more. We met this man who was 84 years old and this was his 41st time doing the Vatternrundan 300km bike ride. He was explaining to us that he believes people should try and spend as much time outside and be fit and healthy and stay active. He also commended us on taking part in the event for the second time and said that if I were to also complete the ride 41 times like him to look him up and he will ride it with me. I should also note that this man then set off on his very modest bike fitted with fur leopard print covered saddle.

This is a great week and Sweden is really somewhere that has captured my heart. I would absolutely recommend taking a look at one of these events for sure and I know for sure I will be back again!

A lot of people say it is such a long way and it is but you break it down – ten 30km rides or rest stop to rest stop or three 100km rides – however you want to do it but it makes it a lot easier. The only thing is the signs on the ride count you down which is fab for the Tjejvattern and Halvvattern but on the Vatternrundan when you see the sign saying 290km or 280km it can seem daunting but when you get to a milestone like 200km left you know you are a third of the way through or 150km and you are halfway there and when you see that last 10km left its an amazing feeling!

Was I nervous? Absolutely! Even though I had done it before – nerves are totally normal and shows you care. This time round I would also have the miles in my legs from cycling around Sweden and also from the first two events, both of which included the climb up Omberg and I was unsure how that would affect me. Pacing is the hardest for such a distance – it’s difficult to always know how much to push early on so you won’t suffer later in the ride. I got to 270km or therabouts feeling good and found every slight incline in the final 30km a little tough and that for me was when mental toughness needed to come in in order to find some fuel in an otherwise empty tank. It is mental strength that will help alongside physical strength in endurance events like the Vatternrundan and it could be true when they say physical strength will get you to the start line but mental strength will get you to the finish line. It was interesting though as we had decided this time to ride and enjoy the experience and looking at Strava my ride time average speed I was 0.1 mph slower but it felt so much more comfortable.

If you ride a bike and are looking for an event abroad take a moment to look at these events – registration is already open for interest and you need to complete that in order to following the next stages and get a potential place next year – you won’t regret it!