Friday, 31 January 2014

Blog number 2 - Training camp in Spain

So after boarding the plane and leaving dreary England at half 7 in the morning on Wednesday, we were on our way to Calpe for two weeks of sun, sea, and a lot of bike riding.

After going through customs, being overcharged by a taxi company, waiting for a bus for an hour, and not a lot of warm weather, we finally arrived at our apartment.

We quickly unpacked and first priority was getting out in the sun, and that we did ! Me and Keira were extremely wary as just a couple of days before we got absolutely ruined on my team launch ride, so out we headed into 18 degrees sun, layered up, leg warmers, thermals, and over shoes, up a 7% climb for about 3 miles. Safe to say we were cooked at the top!

Couple more days down the line trainings going well, you realise how bad it is training in London, or really anywhere in the UK after coming to somewhere like here. I'm finally not a milk bottle either!

Tonight we've been out on the bikes, had a 2 hour sunbathe, demolished a Chinese buffet and walked about 7 miles, pretty productive day I'd say!

Night from Spain ☺️

Sunday, 26 January 2014

First post and New Year.

Okay, so although were 25 days in, one of my 'things to do' in 2014 was to create a blog. The reason for only starting it now, is that every post would pretty much be identical 'ride work bed'. But this is the first weekend this year that's had a bit of a twist! So thought I'd finally give this a go.

This weekend was my new teams launch 'Velosport Pasta Montegrappa' , and I finally got to meet my team mates from far and wide! (Belgium and Scotland being the furthest).. And the others just living a few hours from London.

The weekend kicked off on Saturday morning in Putney High Streets 'Velosport', these being our main sponsor for next year, and there we had our bike fits, kit/helmets given, met a few friends of the team, and most importantly had a big glass of PROSECCO!

Shortly after we headed out in our fresh new kit to do a few easy laps of Richmond park, little did we know there was going to be a mental cross wind and Velosport owner Steve was flying from start to Finnish. (Steve lad) so much for the mega easy spin! After the ride we headed into clapham to a Italian restaurant and had an amazing dinner, so nice! Found out that you can have mash potato pizza thanks to Phil Julie and Lydia, which we are all going to be trying next time!

Sunday we had planned a long ride through the surrey hills, ending up at box hill for the final climb. From start to Finnish was torrential rain/hail/wind everything you don't want to come face to face with in the surrey hills. Aprire bikes owner Phil Dempsey happily sat in front of me spraying surreys gravel all up in my eyes, and from then on for the next two hours I was 100% partially blind.


With the weekend over, my kit tumbling in the tumble dryer, me in bed, and with a rest day tomorrow, I can sit back relax, and plan what outfits to take to Spain on Wednesday!

Also would like to say a big thanks to my team manager Mauro Pizzol, for organising our weekend  , velosport for allowing us to have our launch there, radio marsden for coming down to interview and also to Phil Dempsey, who doesn't have a clue how to use a garmin to get from A to B.



#TeamReem