Friday, September 27, 2002

Last night I hied me to the Trafford Centre and spent �145 on two shirts. Oh lordy. Got back to the hotel after being stuck in a traffic jam on the M602 for 30 mins, rwith my empty petrol light on, came off and went to Irlam, no petrol station, carried on along the A57, a long stretch alongside the Manchester Ship Canal, with; no petrol stations, got to a run-down town, and there was a petrol station. Dodgy area, kids hanging about and had to leave my card as payment before filling up !
Back to hotel, felt a bit crap, into bar, few pints of beer then watched League of Gentlemen, then onto vodka & red bull. Was sick, not enjoyable and a non-stop-talking yank woman. Oh well.

Thursday, September 26, 2002

Dear diary,, I have sort of slid into deciding to stop training, with yesterdays 5 55 second slogs up on Matchmoor being the last road training ride this year.
Why did I come to that decision ? I wasn't really looking forward to the same old 20 mile slog around Winter Hill or wherever later this evening, I'm taking Mohammed into Bolton to collect his car from a garage, and I do feel pretty jaded, especially after Saturdays accident. I also drank a bottle of wine and some beer last night, but whats worse eat a WHOLE packet of Dutch cheese nibbles, which must be the fattiest food I have eaten for some time. I felt ropy this morning, I don't know how much beer I drank, it was Holsten Pils, they ran out of Smirnoff Ice. I went (rushed) off to meet at the Trafford Centre. I saw a really nice pink Paul Smith shirt, I might just go and buy that later, at �85 from Selfridges. The last couple of sprints really hurt yesterday, the first was sluggish. I also feel tired, lack of sleep last night, too much alcohol and a general tiredness, probably still recovering from my accident. What a crazy sport this is, lots of other sports have accidents, but sliding along tarmac in thin lycra is an experience to forget I can tell you. Today I have done virtually no work, this whole project just fills me with depression. My right shoulder feels not quite right, I must have whacked it hard, thats the side where I broke my collar bone two different times, and one of them I didn't know, so it healed with a great big lump in. I broke my left one too. I cant remember if it was my right shoulder I disclocated and sprung the collar bone out in 1981 ? That was some pain ! Tonight I just might buy a packet of black pepper crisps, as well as a new shirt. Well, here goes, I'm off.

Wednesday, September 25, 2002

Odd dream on night of 24/09/2002. After eating a Burger King XL double bacon cheeseburger.
In a hotel ? Arrived on my bike after a training ride, leaning bike up against a wall I notice my frame is broken by
at the chainstays, sort of gloss over this as some people are watching me. I go in and the hotel loft has Mike Kowal in,
who I see to complain about my broken frame, and he don't seem bothered and I get all shouty and insistant on a new frame.
Thats about all I can remember now.
Wednesday. I am sure there was some other fun stuff in that dream. I woke up afterwards and it was all very clear and took a few moments to realse that my racing frame was not broken, it seemed so much like it was happening.
This document design is crap, having to re-design and it hurts. Last night was going to Trafford centre and meet up, but did a good 2 laps af the big Rivington circuit, after a warm-up olap of the small circuit. Once or twice I sort of lost interest, well its been a long season, almost 30 races !
I decided after getting back I had better eat. So went to M61 services but BK was closed, drove over the service bridge to get some money, then to the BK drive-in at Middlebrook. And really enjoyed the grub, watching 2 men in a trench on tv. Took a long time to get to sleep, then the dream woke me and didn't sleep well after that.
Did press-ups this morning, and stretching last night. My bruises are fading and the stiffness in my neck and shoulder has pretty well disappeared. This evening the plan of action is hill sprints on Matchmoor (Ugh) then off to the Trafford Centre. I may even buy myself a big bag of black pepper crisps !
I have put myself on the time trials forum, and one thing I would like to aim for next year is riding the hill climb championships. This depends on the hill, and where it is. If it is too far off I wont, or a super 25% type of gradient. I must put down all my other aims, such as not sitting on the back waiting to do something on the last lap or the finish. After Saturday I should be well aware of the stupidity of being at the back. It is much safer near the front ! I really need to assure myself that not only can I sit in and finish a race, but I can also attack, ride hard throughout the race and be in at the finish. This is all a matter of self-confidence which I seem to lack. I have thought long and hard about paying MB to coach me over the winter and into the start of the season. I will talk to Brian about what the coach does and how they relate. At 17 quid a month I want something out of it ! I know myself enougth to know how to train, but its the motivation bit.

Monday, September 23, 2002

Monday. Horwich. A whole week of document design-related fun ahead of me !
Saturday I went and raced, nice hazy sunshine, warm, 22 C, dodgy course with roadworks on the narrow bit round by Hanbury Hall. It was a 4.9 mile lap, 10 laps plus about an extra 500 m to the finish after the Jinney Ring. Sat around the back, no real problems, felt OK on the hill. Was going to go for it up the hill at the finish, but it was not to be. I shouldn't have sat at the back ! Someone pulled their foot out, lost control and crashed heavily, I avoided the rider but couldn,t avoid his bike, I came down on my head. Cuts & grazes on my leg & arm & shoulder, bruises on my forehead where my helmet dug in. That showed helmets really do work ! I got up and carried on for another lap, then looking back to see if the bunch was coming a wasp got into my helmey and stung my head a couple of times. That did it, I went back to the changing rooms for some first-aid on the sting, which hurt more than the crash ! Had some beer & wine & crisps during the evening.
Sunday evening, asleep at 00;54 and I woke up, a rattling noise & the bed shook from side to side for about 15 seconds !!
An earthquake. Grade 4.8 on the Richter scale, pretty strong for this country. The epicentre was in Dudley. The West Black Country fault ?