Cobbles - A Road Trip to Roubaix

We've wanted to spectate at the Paris Roubaix for sometime - this race is one of the hardest in the racing calendar and is nicknamed the Hell of the North.  Lots of thrills and spills and great tactical racing over 200kms including some energy sapping cobbled areas.

Not really sure where to start so I'll start from the beginning of the journey on Saturday morning - you may need to bear with me this may take a while.

We had to be at Dover for the ferry crossing at 10am, with a 2 hour drive from home and a need to be there no later than 45 minutes before sailing, we got up at 5am to get ready and pack the car.  In view of the weather we had decided to take full freezing weather conditions spectating kit (woolly hats, scarves, gloves, thermal baselayers etc) so the car was fairly full before the clothes bag went in.  We also took two coolboxes with food and drink in - we had booked the Comfort Hotel in Tourcoing but in the information it said there was no restaurant apart from breakfast.

Shaun had booked us into the First Class Lounge on the DFDS Dover Dunkirk crossing - this entitles you to priority loading (first on/first off!), use of the first class lounge with free refreshments and some comfortable seating, free wifi, and TV.  If anyone is doing this crossing I thoroughly recommend booking first class - it makes the 2 hour crossing so much more comfortable and is a haven of tranquility.

Yes I look a mess when I get up at 5am!

Luckily when we got off the boat in France, Roubaix is only an hours drive away and easy to find (especially when you have a Garmin!)  Checking into the hotel was easy - my O Level French is improving with each visit, although this trip was supposed to be daughter's chance to practice some AS standard conversation (not much of that happened!)   We had a lovely "family room" which actually turned out to be two rooms with a door separating it, a double bed, two singles, 2 bathrooms and 2 lots of tea/coffee facilities - much more comfortable than most family rooms which normally consist of a double with a bunk bed over, or the third bed is a sofa bed.   We got a map of the town from the very helpful Receptionist who said her English wasn't very good (yes the usual - you know more than you're letting on lady!) and asked her how far it was to get to the Velodrome.  I got the impression she either wasn't a walker  or she didn't think it was suitable for us to walk.   She said it was a very long way and we should get the Metro and then walk.   Anyway after we'd had some lunch from our picnic, we decided to explore.  Shaun didn't tell me there was a canal running alongside the hotel - I could've taken my running shoes and gone for a run

We found the Metro, which had a stop opposite the hotel and decided we would use it if the walk got too much on the way back!

The walk down into town was nothing to get excited about until we reached the centre where we found the traditional town square with a very large church

Covering depicts what the church should look like

We also found a very large shopping outlet in the centre of town!    Looking at the map this was the halfway point and had taken us about 35 mins to walk - ok so the total distance was about 5k.   Back to the hotel and time to find something to eat - the only thing near the hotel was a Quick Burger Bar - that was dinner sorted!  We were all pretty tired so went to bed early.

The next morning we were up early to enjoy Le Petit Dejeuner in the hotel - making the most of a good protein laden breakfast of fruit and yogurt, ham, cheese and boiled eggs and some lovely pastries on the side!   There was a really hard frost overnight and it was really quite cold at 8.30am so we decided to layer up and start our walk to the velodrome.  We took the woolly stuff with us just in case!   We really should've gone to the supermarket over the road before we left to stock up on food for the evening but we were all to excited to get to the cycling so that would come back to bite us on the backside (lesson learnt).

We always forget that France don't do shopping on Sundays - the walk through the shopping centre was halted by a very sturdy iron gate!  Luckily we'd left ourselves lots of time to get there and quickly found a different route.   It was very exciting when we finally got to the area of the velodrome, all the signs were up and flags were waving.

The last stretch of cobbles before the entry to the velodrome has recently had the addition of plaques celebrating the winners of the race over the years - it was fun to spot some famous names on them

 Much to daughter's disgust we then walked around the whole of the outside of the velodrome to find a way to get in - apparently only invited guests were allowed in the grandstand!   As it turned out it was way better being out of the grandstand which was in the shade and freezing cold!

Our first spot was at the top of the track sitting on some stairs, but we were ousted by some very raucous Norwegians so we moved to the more comfortable grass bank

By this time we were beginning to feel a bit warm and ran out of water, so Shaun had to go off and find some refreshments.  I did apply some sunscreen but the other two decided against it (which they paid for later!)

The junior race came through about 2 hours before the main pro cyclists - the British boys did quite well although didn't make it on to the podium!

 The velodrome was getting quite busy now so we moved from the grassy bank to the barrier.  We were watching the whole race on a large screen, unfortunately we had French commentary and it was so fast we just about managed to pick out a few words.  As the race leaders entered the velodrome the noise and atmosphere was amazing and made it very exciting - the race favourite Fabian Cancellara was in the lead group with another rider.  They started on their first lap and played a great game of cat and mouse, psyching each other out and gaining advantages to make the final sprint - the two riders were so close to us we could have patted them on the back as they rode very slowly by

Fabian Cancellara

Bernie Eisel (I think)

Geraint Thomas

Not sure if all the photos are in the right order - although they were still arriving when the presentations were being made.

The walk out of the velodrome back to the hotel took us through where the team trucks and coaches were parked and made for great opportunities to mingle with the cyclists

Cleaned up Geraint Thomas

Our walk back to the Hotel seemed to go on forever - yes we should have used the Metro!   With nothing to eat we had another burger for dinner and then went to bed - exhausted and Shaun and Danni both had sunburnt faces!

Monday morning we headed back to Dunkirk - when we arrived we found 6 coaches of foreign students waiting to embark so we booked the First Class Lounge to enjoy some peace and quiet.  There was just us and another family in there - lovely!

 All in all a fantastic weekend away.  The hotel wasn't in a great location and we should've planned food and drink better.  The weather was fantastic and the French people as always were very welcoming.  We will definitely be going back next year to watch again.

Seeing a Dr Who is Not a Runner!

For the past few weeks I have been feeling completely rubbish - tired ALL the time, totally lacking in energy, tearful, moody, unable to get warm and a whole myriad of other symptoms which were beginning to drive me  nuts.   There is a family history of Pernicious Anaemia and Underactive Thyroid and I have been tested previously for both.   With all this going on in my head I decided enough was enough and made an appointment to see my GP.

The initial appointment went well, I listed all my symptoms and told her about the family history and she immediately agreed that a blood test would be a good idea to eliminate them.  We also talked about stress and the "D" word was touched upon but first she wanted to get the results back before we took things further.

Appointment for a non fasting blood test was made and completed and a return appointment to the GP for today (25th March) to get the results.

I hate going to the Doctors - you make an appointment and then you have to wait until they're ready to see you - 40 minutes later I was sitting in front of the GP looking forward to finding out what was wrong with me.   No such luck - blood tests were all normal (B12 normal; thyroid normal; liver normal; kidney function normal - not even a little bit of iron deficiency).    OK so yes that's good news but doesn't exactly help me find the reason for why I feel completely rubbish!

The conversation turned to stress - have I got anything stressful going on in my life?  Where do we start?  Ageing parents (one of which is awaiting a diagnosis for dementia/Alzheimer's), a teenage daughter who is studying AS/A Levels and thinking about University and of course there's hubby who is waiting for his referral for bone/knee replacement surgery.   Oh and then there's work, not particularly stressful but not particularly enjoyable.  I don't feel stressed, I feel quite chilled about the whole lot but the Dr did explain that our bodies deal with stress in different ways - in my case it could be that stress is manifesting itself with all these symptoms.

She then went on to say that I needed to take some exercise and do something that I enjoy.  I explained to her that my symptoms had started whilst I was training for and after the Half Marathon.  I had been running quite a few miles and also walking the dog every day for at least 1 1/2 hours, some days twice.  She then went on to explain that we put our bodies through a lot of stress when training for long distance runs and that it could be my body telling me it's all too much.  She then made comments about running being really bad for us, puts a lot of strain on the heart, lungs and joints and we weren't designed to run long distances.   OMG I really had to bite my tongue.  She agreed that we need to take exercise and eat a balanced and healthy diet but exercise should be gentle and enjoyable, not hard slog!

She then said that my SAD was also probably worse this winter because of the continual rain and cold we've been experiencing.  The only thing she could suggest was taking some Vitamin D supplements - after all I was already doing as much to help myself through SAD as I could.

So that's where we are.  Jogging, walking, gentle exercise, as much daylight as I can get, Vitamin D tablets and eat a balanced, healthy diet!  Back to the GP in 3 weeks time to review how I'm feeling!   I feel like a bit of a time waster now !

What's Next?

Having completed the Brighton Half I've only been out for a couple of runs - one of which ended up with me having to urgently avail myself of the toilet facilities at my local MaccyDs (probably way too much info but it's true).   The wind has been so cold these last few days that I really haven't felt like going out in it after I've walked the dog.

There had been talk between me and hubby about running either 10 miles in Tempest or Eastbourne Half, both races are on this Sunday.  Tempest as you will know I ran last year with Alma & now ex running buddy Sue.  Eastbourne Half is an unknown entity other than I know the route sort of.   I decided in the end that I wasn't ready to relinquish my running tunes to run Tempest (yes music is banned) or 13.1 miles on my own.  I just don't feel ready mentally and so have decided to give body and soul a rest after the stress of training post injury, get back in touch with my running mojo  and not take part in either race. 

I'm now in the throes of setting up a proper training plan to improve my 10k time.  I've downloaded some interval training tracks from   AudioFuel to help!

I have registered for Brighton Heroes Run 10k with Alma in May.  

I'm also considering the Bedgebury 10k in June which is a trail run.  I'm going to start running some of the local footpaths in a few weeks to prepare myself, and maybe a re-run of the South Coast Run 10k in July.

Shaun is also signed up for a couple of cycling events the South Downs Spring Sportive and the BHF London 2 Brighton as a member of the Hairy Biker's Team - he's out on his bike whenever he's on a rest day!   I am now a cycle widow! 

As we've heard nothing about whether Shaun will receive treatment on his leg this summer we also booked a holiday to Tunisia for the end of July/beginning of August (just the two of us for the first time in absolute years!)  We're flying with BA so get a fantastic 23kgs of luggage for 10 days - the running kit will be travelling even if I end up in the hotel gym/fitness suite if it's too hot to run outside in the hotel grounds!  Shaun did jokingly ask if he could fit in his bike!

There is then definitely Rise Undercliff 8k, Brooks Brighton 10k, potentially maybe either Tonbridge Half or Bacchus Half in the autumn.

A Never Ending Peace Lily

Sorry running readers, not a single mention of a run in this post but please read on.

When my daughter was in Year 6 (aged 11) we went to her school fete.  I'd given her some money to spend on the stalls thinking that she would either blow the lot on the tombola & come home with a tin of Pea & Ham soup or the cake stall and eat her purchases before she got home!   Instead she spent her few pennies wisely and bought a plastic cup  filled with potting compost and a green leaf growing in it.   She proudly placed it on the windowsill in the kitchen with strict instructions for me not to kill it (she'd found out previously I'm good at killing flowers and plants).  I didn't even know what plant it was, we watered it and waited for it to flower so we could identify it. There it stayed, growing and growing and eventually flowering.    

After about year with the poor leaves having grown out of their plastic cup and been repotted in various pots it finely flowered and we were able to identify it as a Peace Lily.

After a few years the plant got so big it no longer fitted on the windowsill so we cut it in half and gave one half to our lovely next door neighbours.   

As many of you will know my daughter is now nearly 17 and yesterday we received a present - half a Peace Lily, an offshoot from the half we gave away a couple of years ago.  

I never imagined that this poor weedy little leaf that came home would still be alive let alone continuing to give pleasure!