Training Log Archive: Magic

First proper x-c ski in 25 years. So nice to be on skis with wax, groomed trails , plenty of fresh snow and cold weather. Rest of the gang new to skiing so lots of stopping, waiting and turning around.

Longer afternoon loop (after excellent cake at Nordseter cafe) with Mark, Clare, Emma and Nick. First fall, trying to parallel turn heading down a hill when I crossed the skis.

Made it to a cold and very snowy Lillehammer. No time for running today (and nowhere available locally due to the volume of snow, but spent a bit of time shoveling the stuff in order to make enough parking space.

Lunchtime run with Nicky arounf Roath Park. Easy pace but nice to fit a run in on a busy day of doing stuff. Started the watch a bit before it found satellites, but was never anywhere near Barry!

IW. Straightforward, nothing much to say about this.

Evening run around Gelli Gaer Common with Mark, John and Nicky. Still loads of snow in the lanes but on the open land it was mostly gone. Very enjoyable and social trot.

HFW. A whole day with no punctures.

IW. Chilly but not cold. Still quite a bit of snow on the trail in Harley Park.

No cycling today so no chance of getting a puncture. Actually not, got home and discovered that eh tube that I had changed had gone down... (Old dodgy puncture repair to blame).

Opted to be environmentally friendly and run to the MDC run. Got there 4 minutes late to find that everyone had scarpered already. Caught them on the first hill nut having to run with a backpack as I couldn't leave it in a car as planned.

Lovely evening, clear and cool with excellent views. A few drifts around meant that being hit with a snowball was regularly a danger. Also opted to run to Alan's after we finished the run, though it was a bit further than i had in my head and my bruised quad didn't appreciate the extra road. Plenty of excellent food was had.

Update on the body that an orienteer found during my event at Castell Coch: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/glen...

IW. Not sure what to expect as still plenty of snow about, so opted to head down the main road through Whitchurch rather than along the sheltered Taff trail. At least I didn't get a puncture today... Instead the tube exploded and ripped a hole in the sidewall of the tyre... Less than a km from home so headed back to change bikes... (tyre now in the bin).

Exciting second trip when a bloke came within inches of driving into the side of me on the roundabout over the A470. I was in the middle of the lane in bright orange on an upright bike, I have no idea how he couldn't have seen me as he pulled out from the slip road. Got my heart rate going that did.

Still some snowy bits on the cycleway through Coryton but otherwise it was only the traffic that was annoying. Surprising how much shorter this route is but it's just so frustrating sitting at lights for so long and so often.

HFW. Was overheating this morning with the heavy jacket, thermal and leggings, but in the cold rain of this evening I was very glad to have it all. Back on the Taff Trail and very glad that I avoided it this morning as there were a few bits that still had quite a lot of slush on them, despite a warm and wet afternoon.

Major faff changing my tyre and tube, though the new tube had a puncture so then had to change that, eventually discovered that it was my pup that was faulty (it have been over used recently). New one of them now ordered.