Power Cut

L's watch alarm goes off, which is wrong. I look across at my alarm. The digits are flashing. Oh no, panic, there's been a power cut. I'm too late to take Doggo out now because I'm cycling today. A last training session before Saturday's event. L's going to have to do Doggo now, which could aggravate one of her injuries.

As it's a nice day and the light is good, I decide to revert back to my old route over the Ilkeston hills. The scenic route. I have bought some new triathlon shorts for Saturday's event. They are padded so that you can cycle in them but not to the same extent as cycle shorts so that you can swim in them as well. Tried them out this morning. They are certainly more comfortable. They must be a better fit than my cycle shorts because as I was out of my seat going up the hills more female car drivers than usual looked across to check out the madman on the bike. Unless of course they were just admiring my new rear mudguard. They're all older women over 50s naturally; the sexually frustrated ones and they all lose interest once they check out the view from the front.

Not a bad ride but it was hard. I don’t feel fit. Frustratingly I didn’t do a very good time either. I thought, compared with when I last did that route back in October, I would have improved but I haven’t.

L says that having to take Doggo out this morning hasn’t set her recovery back. Doggo's knackered though, he went straight to bed when he got home, cuddling up to L's PJs. I'm so jealous of that dog.

L criticises him for being snobby. Apparently Titch's owner gave him a biscuit which he spat it out. So L kept the biscuit and he ate it later. I ask what Titch is? Sounds like a good name for a Rottweiler but no he's a ball of fluff. Apparently the ball of fluff adores Doggo but gets on his nerves. He hates all dogs that adore him. We have a few clingy ones at Agility; he has no time for them at all.

Bizarrely, now that, thanks to the BBC, the dog might not have pork scratchings in his diet anymore, L is feeding him oatcakes. She claims it was by accident, when she dropped some on the floor but I'm not so sure. At least there's no fat, salt or sugar in them but just think how many oat kernels had been needlessly slaughtered to make them.
*link*
My company has joined the Government's cycle to work scheme. I’ve known about the scheme for a while but thought it too complex to mention it to the company but that was before one of our directors started cycling to work. He must be thinking of using the scheme. In fact suddenly everyone at our place is looking a brochures of new bikes.

Basically you can save 40-50% off the cost of a new bike because you get an Income Tax and National Insurance rebate for the cost of the bike. So now might be a good time to go for that £1000 bike I've been pining for.

No pub today as my colleague is away and no squash, he is away too.

I have a good ride home going the Sandiacre route. Came across a rear view of my own on the way home. Blocking the cycle lane coming down into Risley were two of them, one a top the other. Both with matching braided blonde ponytails. Quite what the horse was doing in my cycle lane I’m not sure. I’ve never overtaken a horse and was not sure of the protocols. Will my incessant panting upset the horse? What kind of berth should I give it; I can’t pull out too wide because the traffic will wipe me out. Luckily at the last minute horse and rider pull over on the grass verge and I wizz by.

In the evening L does a training ride on her bike, a quick whizz around the block.

Daughter goes off to the Showcase Cinema to watch Epic Movie. We take advantage of her absence and L and I run Doggo down to the local, John Smiths Magnet 4.0% and Landlord. Oddly it starts raining while we are in there and we get soaked on the way back.