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Feedthewolf

Wolfie's charity 5,000-mile challenge

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9 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Good work. If you need another energy boost as well as Dextro tablets, look at the Enervit range of products. Not cheap, but they certainly work.

They do a sports jelly in a pouch and there are two or three good bites in that. Take a chunk, reseal it, and if you're flagging a bit later on, take another chomp out of it. The orange ones actually taste pretty decent as far as energy products go.

Bananas.

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1 minute ago, lake district canary said:

Bananas.

Also good, personally I'd eat those beforehand. They're a bit tricky to handle on the move unless cut in chunks, but in half-marathons/marathons you do find chopped banana at drinks stations in a fair few cases.

Not as unusual as at the Spreewald Marathon though, where pickled Spreewald gherkins crop up for the old salt intake.

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26 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Bananas.

I know you are but what am I? 🙂

I always have a banana before I set out. I'm planning a couple of routes that involve a stop at a café around or just after half way... that way I can stop for a coffee and a piece of cake or something.

One of the chaps in Evans Cycles said that if you don't have much money to spare on more expensive energy products, have some wine gums on hand and munch on those on the way round.

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1 minute ago, Feedthewolf said:

I know you are but what am I? 🙂

I always have a banana before I set out. I'm planning a couple of routes that involve a stop at a café around or just after half way... that way I can stop for a coffee and a piece of cake or something.

One of the chaps in Evans Cycles said that if you don't have much money to spare on more expensive energy products, have some wine gums on hand and munch on those on the way round.

Personal preference, but jelly babies are probably better than wine gums. Dissolve quicker, so quicker energy top-up.

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1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

Personal preference, but jelly babies are probably better than wine gums. Dissolve quicker, so quicker energy top-up.

I'm easy... jelly babies are fine by me! I'm one of those weirdos who likes the citrus-flavoured ones, so I'll leave the red and black ones at home for the missus to snack on... 🙂

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Just now, Feedthewolf said:

I'm easy... jelly babies are fine by me! I'm one of those weirdos who likes the citrus-flavoured ones, so I'll leave the red and black ones at home for the missus to snack on... 🙂

Stick one under your tongue and let it dissolve. No need to chew those to start with. The other advantage of doing that is it naturally wets your whistle a bit.

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7 minutes ago, TheGunnShow said:

Stick one under your tongue and let it dissolve. No need to chew those to start with. The other advantage of doing that is it naturally wets your whistle a bit.

I bet you any money I chew it up within 15 seconds, no matter how hard I'm trying to leave it alone 🙂

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17 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said:
46 minutes ago, lake district canary said:

Bananas.

I know you are but what am I? 🙂

I always have a banana before I set out.

🙂   I am addicted to them.  Also banana chips cooked with honey are great for energy boost on the go.  Crunchy too.

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A cheap alternative would be honey, in a plastic, squeezy bottle. I seem to remember Panorama doing a programme on energy drinks and they interviewed Graeme Obree who swore by a jam sandwich as a pre ride meal............

Edited by Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB

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Definitely plus one for jelly babies. I was quite fond of a fig roll biscuit as well. The gel energy pouches do the trick, but are very sickly and have the same consistency as the mucus you get with a heavy cold. 

Running out of energy is referred to in cycling circles as bonking 🤭😬 Getting the bonk is quite unpleasant so some sugary goodness is usually in most cyclists back pockets for emergencies. 🍫🍬🍭 

Sounds like your doing well so far FTW, both with the rides and fund raising.  The weather looks good for the next couple of weeks which will help, although any day that you can get out on the bike is a good day in my opinion. 😁👍

 

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47 minutes ago, Hansterbubble said:

Definitely plus one for jelly babies. I was quite fond of a fig roll biscuit as well. The gel energy pouches do the trick, but are very sickly and have the same consistency as the mucus you get with a heavy cold. 

Running out of energy is referred to in cycling circles as bonking 🤭😬 Getting the bonk is quite unpleasant so some sugary goodness is usually in most cyclists back pockets for emergencies. 🍫🍬🍭 

Sounds like your doing well so far FTW, both with the rides and fund raising.  The weather looks good for the next couple of weeks which will help, although any day that you can get out on the bike is a good day in my opinion. 😁👍

This will be the first time in my life that I've actively sought to avoid bonking... 🙂

Planning another 19 miles tomorrow, although I've chosen a route that I can trim by a couple of miles and avoid a hill into the bargain if things are getting tricky.

Hang on... you have pockets?

 

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4 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said:

This will be the first time in my life that I've actively sought to avoid bonking... 🙂

Planning another 19 miles tomorrow, although I've chosen a route that I can trim by a couple of miles and avoid a hill into the bargain if things are getting tricky.

Hang on... you have pockets?

 

That photo I put in of myself cursing out our photographer also had a small clip-on belt. They're great for storing small snacks / keys / money etc. Not that expensive either. Can probably get a very serviceable one for a tenner or thereabouts.

Usually, if I'm carrying a couple of gels or jelly babies, I dump 'em in there.

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1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

That photo I put in of myself cursing out our photographer also had a small clip-on belt. They're great for storing small snacks / keys / money etc. Not that expensive either. Can probably get a very serviceable one for a tenner or thereabouts.

Usually, if I'm carrying a couple of gels or jelly babies, I dump 'em in there.

Cool. I've got a little thingamajig that I velcro onto the frame, plus a phone case on the handlebars with ample room in it. A 'bumbag' or similar mightn't be the worst idea, though...

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1 minute ago, Feedthewolf said:

Cool. I've got a little thingamajig that I velcro onto the frame, plus a phone case on the handlebars with ample room in it. A 'bumbag' or similar mightn't be the worst idea, though...

If there's a Decathlon near you, they'll be the place to start. Their cheap stuff is cheap, but the accessories are actually quite decent. (The trainers are very hit-and-miss though, but I find they'll do the job for treadmill running, and one pair pleasantly surprised me when doing a 10K in MediaCity a few years ago as I ran my best time for that distance in about seven years).

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1 minute ago, TheGunnShow said:

If there's a Decathlon near you, they'll be the place to start. Their cheap stuff is cheap, but the accessories are actually quite decent. (The trainers are very hit-and-miss though, but I find they'll do the job for treadmill running, and one pair pleasantly surprised me when doing a 10K in MediaCity a few years ago as I ran my best time for that distance in about seven years).

Nearest Decathlon to Norwich is Cambridge, but if I find myself in that neck of the woods I'll certainly have a scout about. Failing that, there's always the ubiquitous Amazon...

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Just now, Feedthewolf said:

Nearest Decathlon to Norwich is Cambridge, but if I find myself in that neck of the woods I'll certainly have a scout about. Failing that, there's always the ubiquitous Amazon...

Sod them. Bike shops should have them then.

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Most cycling jerseys have three pockets at the back, where you can stack goodies, phone, arm warmers, even a rain jacket at a push. I used to put my phone in a small freezer bag to stop it getting sweaty but these days have a little zip up pouch that takes phone keys, and a bit of money.

If like me, you find some of the mainstream cycling kit a bit tight around the tum, try Fat Lad At The Back. Their kit is really good quality, and actually fits properly. It’s not cheap but it lasts really well. I cycle to work every day and it copes well with regular use and washing, unlike my club kit, which costs about the same, fits poorly and falls to bits after three washes.

Decathlon make some very reasonably priced stuff. I have an autumn jacket which was £30 and is brilliant and use their winter gloves which cost about a tenner, but some of their stuff can be a bit cheap and flimsy.

Wiggle are good for online cycling stuff. Evans Cycles used to be good but are now owned by Mike Ashley and don’t seem to have the range that they once has. Ribble are interesting, but seem to be focussed on bike sales rather than kit these days, and SJS Cycles are great for any difficult to get spares. 

One final thought, if you haven’t already, get a saddle pack and pop in a set of tyre levers, a spare inner tube and a mini pump. 10 miles is an awful long way to walk if you puncture! 

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45 minutes ago, Hansterbubble said:

Most cycling jerseys have three pockets at the back, where you can stack goodies, phone, arm warmers, even a rain jacket at a push. I used to put my phone in a small freezer bag to stop it getting sweaty but these days have a little zip up pouch that takes phone keys, and a bit of money.

If like me, you find some of the mainstream cycling kit a bit tight around the tum, try Fat Lad At The Back. Their kit is really good quality, and actually fits properly. It’s not cheap but it lasts really well. I cycle to work every day and it copes well with regular use and washing, unlike my club kit, which costs about the same, fits poorly and falls to bits after three washes.

Decathlon make some very reasonably priced stuff. I have an autumn jacket which was £30 and is brilliant and use their winter gloves which cost about a tenner, but some of their stuff can be a bit cheap and flimsy.

Wiggle are good for online cycling stuff. Evans Cycles used to be good but are now owned by Mike Ashley and don’t seem to have the range that they once has. Ribble are interesting, but seem to be focussed on bike sales rather than kit these days, and SJS Cycles are great for any difficult to get spares. 

One final thought, if you haven’t already, get a saddle pack and pop in a set of tyre levers, a spare inner tube and a mini pump. 10 miles is an awful long way to walk if you puncture! 

Good advice, but perhaps for newcomers have a practice run at changing the inner tube at home, or at least getting the tyre half off and then back again, so it is feasible to switch the inner tube.

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10 hours ago, PurpleCanary said:

Good advice, but perhaps for newcomers have a practice run at changing the inner tube at home, or at least getting the tyre half off and then back again, so it is feasible to switch the inner tube.

That makes me sound like some cycling expert! Far from it. I used to cycle a fair bit (on nicely flat roads) and I was getting frequent punctures, so my local bike shop recommended a slightly heavier duty tyre (I think just for the back wheel, from memory). Nothing like a mountain bike tyre but just not ultra skinny, and that solved the problem.

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I have fitted some pretty durable tyres, so fingers crossed I'll be okay. I always cycle when my wife's at home and available, so if I do get into difficulty she can come and pick me up!

I've tried to change an inner tube, but I'm all fingers and thumbs. Don't think there's any way I'd trust myself to do it correctly on the side of the road!

@Hansterbubble, thanks for all that advice! I don't have a proper cycling shirt, I'm wearing NCFC shirts every day and it's become part of my pre-ride ritual to select my shirt.

I've got a phone holder attached to the handlebars so I can check notifications... it's fully waterproof and has space in it for my house key, cash/card and (eventually) some jelly babies.

Didn't realise Evans were owned by Mike Ashley... that would normally put me off, but their manager was so friendly to me yesterday (even offering me a free bike check) it'd be churlish not to take him up on it.

This morning's ride was pretty good - I managed 20 miles for the first time, and the chamois cream definitely had a positive impact.

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Good advice from Purple about knowing what you can do in terms of fixing things roadside. I tend to forget that I’m actually a fairly competent bike mechanic. I do like the idea of having your wife on emergency recovery duties though. I guess with Strava and GPS on your phone it’s pretty easy for them to locate you and get you home.

Sounds like you’ve got it all covered and well thought through and 20 miles today is great.  I do like a bit of cycling kit, but the main thing is to enjoy your rides and promote your good cause, which you’re doing brilliantly. 🙂👍

 

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If you ever fancy a change of scene there was a very agreeable circuit around Thetford of around 25 miles but without any major gradients. 

It was a long time ago so my memory might be awry but I think it involved cycling from the town (or the station) on the Mundford Road to Two Mile Bottom, then Santon Downham, Brandon,  Elveden, Barnham, Euston, Rushford, Kilverston and Croxton and then downhill back into Thetford. 

All the villages are pleasant and with pubs (probably less so now) and shops if you fancy a break.  In my mid 30's (sadly a long time ago) I enjoyed cycling and did this loop whenever I was back home and had remembered to bring my bike with me.

 

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20 hours ago, TheGunnShow said:

This website should be handy for plotting routes and working out which ones are a bit hillier than not.

https://gb.mapometer.com/

Thanks for that. I've been using plotaroute.com, which has been excellent so far although started giving me error messages today (there are posts on their forum about it, so I guess they're aware). I've also used maps.ie as a backup.

@wooster, thanks for the heads-up on the Thetford loop - would definitely be up for giving that a try. Only trouble is that I'd have to drive down there, which takes my rescue vehicle out of the equation! Might be able to persuade Mrs Wolf to drive me down there and have a wander around the shops while I cycle.

Today I did 22 miles - my first 'coffee and cake' run! It really helped to stop half way and refuel. I felt I could have kept going at the end, but decided to play it safe. I rode to Javabean on the Scottow Enterprise Park, and had a lovely chat with the owners and a tour of the facilities. Outstanding carrot cake, too, so they are highly recommended!

matcolo1980_116815143_905839686581538_4116041299651506838_n.thumb.jpg.0f188974234ccccbe3067f4b3009c5c7.jpg

If I can do another 22 miles tomorrow, I'll hit 100 inside five days, which will afford me the luxury of a rest day on Thursday!

The donations seem to have dried up a bit, so if anyone fancies sharing with friends and family, or knows anyone with a big reach who might be able to spread the word...

instagram.com/matcolo1980
tiny.cc/colo500

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30 minutes ago, Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man said:

I'm late to the party, but I've just given you a donation and a follow. 

Keep up the good work!

Aww, thanks so much Wacky! Just a reminder - anyone who's on Instagram, give me a follow @matcolo1980... and Twitter is @matcolo. Thanks again!

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1 hour ago, FenwayFrank said:

Did I see @Feedthewolf cycling through Rackheath at 6.30ish tonight ?

You absolutely did, good sir! 🙂

Today's route was Old Catton, Spixworth, Salhouse, Woodbastwick, Blofield Heath, Little Plumstead, Rackheath, then a bit of a loop around the ring road to take myself up to 22 miles. That means I've hit 100 miles in five days, and I've consequently earnt myself a day off tomorrow!

I will keep updating the fundraising page at tiny.cc/colo500, so even if you're not on social media and/or you've already donated, you can still keep an eye on what I've been up to!

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39 minutes ago, Feedthewolf said:

 

You absolutely did, good sir! 🙂

Today's route was Old Catton, Spixworth, Salhouse, Woodbastwick, Blofield Heath, Little Plumstead, Rackheath, then a bit of a loop around the ring road to take myself up to 22 miles. That means I've hit 100 miles in five days, and I've consequently earnt myself a day off tomorrow!

I will keep updating the fundraising page at tiny.cc/colo500, so even if you're not on social media and/or you've already donated, you can still keep an eye on what I've been up to!

Great stuff Wolfie,  really impressed........

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