The Toe of Italy to Monte Carlo

Episode 31

WARNING

Illustrated by an old picture of me showing too much flesh.

http://www.lloydswellbeingcentre.co.uk/clives-cycling-blog-31/

Happy ending?

Far more brutal than that.

Do you want to buy a motor?

Could do, could do...

Depends on the sheckles.

Let's have a chat. Will send you my number

did you keep a record of the past few days posts?

Sadly not. I was rather stupid and put a lot of time into digging out data for one of them. Now all lost.

Checked my browser cache at work and no copy of the old thread. I'll check the cache on the machine at home sometime tomorrow.

Episode 33

BMMF's climbing tips and a few other nuggets including an unashamed plug for Shrampagmano Tales:

http://www.lloydswellbeingcentre.co.uk/clives-cycling-blog-33/

Checked my browser cache at work and no copy of the old thread. I'll
check the cache on the machine at home sometime tomorrow.

Cheers

Had a quick look. A search didn't find it but that's probably because many of the files served by lfgss were compressed, and a standard text search didn't work as Firefox caches the compressed file.

Zipped up a copy of the cache (to prevent me from messing it up by further browsing) and will have a deeper go over the next few days. (Sadly, getting an understanding the format of the FireFox cache files has been on my list of things to do for a while.)

Episode 34 from which you can also find some posts from which the links have gone missing.

I ride some hills and start looking for more.

http://www.lloydswellbeingcentre.co.uk/clives-cycling-blog-34/

I am feeling stronger than I have ever felt at present and enjoying climbing, something that I never would have imagined myself saying. My priorities over the next three weeks are to:

1. Avoid injury
   
2. Maintain current fitness
   
3. Increase strength
   
   

132 mile flatish ride on Saturday on the route of the Great Escape Audax (still c.5,000 feet of climbing but all big ring). Hills on Sunday. Weekend after and the last weekend will probably be gentle roll outs and a few hills and plenty of rest.

One question if I may.

South of Italy.

Any reason not to drink water from the tap or should we be investing in bottled water? Is there a point in Italy where the water becomes potable if it is not throughout the country?

Actually that's two questions but you get my drift. Thanks.

Clive, in Italy the water is potable everywhere. Just avoid to drink from industrial or agriculture taps where the usage of the water is not meant for humans.

I used to do a lot of cycle touring with a friend who was an expert in water purification. His view, which he backed up with actions, was that drinking water in Europe was safe across the entire continent.

Thank you both.. That is really helpful.

As ever, great blog reads Clive - you've been quite the inspirational read for what one can achieve if you want to work at it.

And also a fellow recent convert to actually liking cycling up hill I will be noting BMMF tips keenly. It always feels like my lungs give up before my legs so will focus on that forcibly breathing out action!

Episode 35 in which I consume an armload of valium and other sedatives

http://www.lloydswellbeingcentre.co.uk/clives-cycling-blog-35/ …

^ Thanks Poots!

Another good read, Clive.

One minor point - in the penultimate paragraph you say your fitness is due to the excellent guidance you've had from the staff at Lloyds Wellbeing Centre. This is true. But you've missed the main contributor to your good form; you. Since this thread has begun it's been truly inspiring to read about your progress and to see your resolve in action to meet your goals, and for that you deserve praise. Well done.

I think, and hope, you'll enjoy the ride enormously and complete it without any traumas.

Forza Clive!

It may be worth considering P20 as an alternate sunscreen. It's a apply once and forget about it for the rest of the day thing. Basically you can't wash it off. We have used it scuba diving and because of the way it works it survives after multiple hour long dives.

I've used it for cycling and it's very good. The aroma takes some getting used to though!

Yeah. Bit toxic and greasy for the first half hour then once it soaks in you forget all about it. Still. Better once than 5 times a day for me.

...you've missed the main contributor to your good form; you. Since this thread has begun it's been truly inspiring to read about your progress and to see your resolve in action to meet your goals...

This.

PS Something on your mind Clive?

The forecast for Villa San Giovanni, our starting pint...

All very kind of you all.

The P20 has been advised by a few people today.. I will get some. Thank you.

I have been "trying" to get thin and fit for ages and failed to manage it. Additional elements have been introduced. One was the nutritional advice. The other was having a couple of thousand people reading my blog. That said, the nutritional advice came for free in return for me writing the blog and so, if I use a little licence in singing their praise, it is with reason. I should also, and will, thank all of you my readers for passively imposing discipline upon me. That has been a wonderful help and, along with the nutritional advice, made all of the difference.

No pints in Italy or elsewhere. Also no more ice cream, cake, biscuits, chocolate, fruit juice, ginger beer, puddings, bread (other than spelt) curry, etc etc ever again.

Clive, the abundance of discipline that you have spent and coordinate in the last few months of preparation is probably the best reward for you, your friends and everyone that is following you.

Yes, I hate to say I told you, but the heat can be a nasty beast, even worst of the side-effects of people suffering of envy. So, please eat and dress accordingly, and if you overheat then just fuck it! You stop in the shadow, you refresh and when you feel fine you carry on. You have people at home.. that loves you and they want you back all in one piece and with even better performances too.

Don't stop on keeping us inspired.