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Thursday, 30 June 2022
Wednesday, 29 June 2022
The chase continues!
Well Nursey isn't happy with me! I didn't get much of a well done for reducing my glucose levels from 23mmol/L to 9, she just wants to medicate me. My argument is that chasing remission is going to take time. It's taken 6 months to half the level to what would be regarded as pre-diabetes for a new patient, another six months and I could be there. I have already hit 6.5 on a number of occasions, but she thinks these are isolated incidents - so was 21mmol/L! I believe it shows potential, just a case of finding a way to stay at that level.
She did offer "social prescribing for diet and exercise." I asked for the qualification of the advisor and asked did it involve some prescription to a gym? She went quiet and I pointed out the mileage I pedalled at the weekend - 127miles. She then checked my BMI ( around 28), which is acceptable. Nursey not very happy, in fact very unhappy. She couldn't send me to fat clinic and and I seem to know more than her public health advisor about exercise.
I was offered a range of medications. It now appears that I can have metformin as my liver enzymes have returned to an acceptable level. She assumed I had cut my drinking. Well I had changed my drinking patterns - red wine changed to white, lager or light ale changed to stout. Yes Guinness is marvellous and rumoured to have many health benefits. I didn't tell Nursey that one. As for metformin, even the NHS admits to it having side affects and I would much rather have a sore arse from cycling than spending time running to the toilet.
As to the ride. I rode a AUDAX UK permanent course called The Wandering Wolves. This a 200km loop starting at Codsall and going out to Chester. See the FATMAP if you want details. This is fairly flat and I joined the course at Donnington. That way I didn't have to travel too far from home. I could have extended the route to start from home, but that would have left a long climb to complete at the end of the day.
The early part of the day was spent battling out to Codsall, for some reason this took ages and I arrived 45 minutes behind the control closing time. I did manage to make up the time on the next stretch to Market Drayton. The ride to Chester was ok, but the headwinds started and the ride to to Holt and Wem was a real battle with the speed falling away as I watched the Garmin. Then the rain started and I arrived in Wem in my rain jacket. I was so glad Pam had driven out to meet me at the last control with coffee and empanadas. This set me up for the wet ride back to Donnington.
I know the hills of South Shropshire can be tough, but at least they're scenic. The Cheshire Gap became so dull after the first 20miles. I never want to see another black and white cow or leafy lane. It all looks the same! But at least it is reasonably flat.
Monday was back on the mountain bike for an after work ride. I had planned to ride into work this week, but late meetings and rain put pay to this. Perhaps a ride around the Severn valley tomorrow. This weekend will also see our fundraiser for Shelter at home. I know many in the AUDAX community don't like sponsorship for events, and organised charity events have got out of hand. I don't need to ride for charity, but I wasn't going to miss the chance to raise some money.
Shelter is close to my heart for a number of reasons. I only avoid being made homeless by the skin of my teeth when my parents lost their house in the recession of the 1980s/90s. There was social housing then and families were kept together, we were okay. For anyone in their early 20s now I fear for how they could ever afford rent or a mortgage. I also can't believe how people are expected to live. The tented city under the flyover in Manchester or the guy with his furniture on Tower Hill in London. I will often give a quid to those sleeping out as a cup of tea or a shot could be a lifesaver. Even if it's put towards drugs I don't mind, a substance misuse worker told me opiates can stop the cold from feeling painful.
I can't help everyone out there, at least supporting Shelter goes some way to helping more people get somewhere safe to sleep. Or may even help prevent them from being put out on the streets.
Monday, 27 June 2022
200KM in a day
On Saturday I completed a 200km Audax. More information to follow, but I expect most of you have already read about it on other platforms. Enjoy watching the route on the FATMAP provided.
A big thank you to Pam for being in Wem with coffee and food. Also a big shout out to Biketek for setting up Herman-the-German-flying-machine (Focus bike) and enabling me to get this one ticked in a day.
To view my rides or donate to Shelter please visit:
Monday, 20 June 2022
A pound!
Well the bad news is that I've put on a kilo this month, or a pound in old money. A quote from Peter Kay comes to mind:
"A pound! I could ......., a pound!"
I'm sure you all know the routine.
I've also had my NHS blood check. I cycled to RSH to get the glucose down. No cycle parking, but they do have a smoking shelter outside the blood test unit. Well done NHS for creating such a health centred environment.
Training continues and I'm off to Chester at the weekend to get a long ride in. Don't forget our up coming fundraiser. You haven't received an invite, but would to join us, then just email for details.
Monday, 6 June 2022
Half-term boot camp.
When I left work on Friday, a colleague said, "I know what you're doing next week. Lots of cycling."
She was correct. Saturday was on the river with a SUP customer, but then it started. A damp Monday saw me taking out the mountain bike, that way I had the option of heading into the woods to escape the rain. I headed down to Ironbridge and along the Severn towards Bridgnorth. This included passing my old school.
Not Hogwarts, more Stalag 13 meets the Shining. I've included a @FATMAP for this ride as it may be something visitors to Telford might enjoy. The MTB was a mistake as there was a fair bit of tarmac to get back to Broseley.
The end of the week saw Pam and I staying with friends in South Shropshire. I rode down on Thursday afternoon and back on Friday. Progress was slow. The gravel bike although welcome on the worn out country lanes is far from a speed machine. The average speed is far too slow for the L-E-L, so this week I'm going to start riding Herman-the-German-Flying-Machine.
This was my Ride London Surrey 100 bike back in 2015/16. This bike is light and fast, just need to see how it handles the longer endurance type rides.
I'm not into the monarchy and the Jubilee passed. We did go to watch the fireworks on Caradoc while in the south of the county. An underwhelming experience, but at least someone was trying.
So this week is back to work and the start of preparations for our fundraising afternoon tea in July. If you would like to come along, please message me for details. Obliviously you tea and scone will require a donation, but there will also the chance to be insulted by Dawley's answer to Mrs Brown, who unlike the weather is always guaranteed - to offend.
The glucose levels are also coming down. The weekly average is below 10mmol/L - even after food. However, my blood pressure nearly hit a new high today, when a woman with obesity issues bragged about her husband getting a continuous blood glucose monitor. They both take no exercise and she had the nerve to tell me that us type 2s do not deserve expensive equipment because it is our own fault. My mother and two aunties on my father's side had diabetes. Hence probably a genetic link, but I'm not going to fight it with insulin, chips and daytime telly. If I had seen this coming I would have taken preventative measures.
In 1998 I realised my weight was becoming an issue, with regular cycling I managed to get it down from 19 stone to 16 stone in 3 months. I have cycled the London Surrey twice and managed in 2017 to pass the swim test for the PADI Divemaster assessment (similar to a lifeguard test). I am now 15 stone 3 lbs, I've not been this light in years. Then the fat lump before me had the nerve to suggest it was my lifestyle. When I was tested for diabetes I had already begun training for the L-E-L. This chase for remission won't end here, type 2 diabetes is a state of mind and not a permanent condition.
She was correct. Saturday was on the river with a SUP customer, but then it started. A damp Monday saw me taking out the mountain bike, that way I had the option of heading into the woods to escape the rain. I headed down to Ironbridge and along the Severn towards Bridgnorth. This included passing my old school.
Not Hogwarts, more Stalag 13 meets the Shining. I've included a @FATMAP for this ride as it may be something visitors to Telford might enjoy. The MTB was a mistake as there was a fair bit of tarmac to get back to Broseley.
The end of the week saw Pam and I staying with friends in South Shropshire. I rode down on Thursday afternoon and back on Friday. Progress was slow. The gravel bike although welcome on the worn out country lanes is far from a speed machine. The average speed is far too slow for the L-E-L, so this week I'm going to start riding Herman-the-German-Flying-Machine.
This was my Ride London Surrey 100 bike back in 2015/16. This bike is light and fast, just need to see how it handles the longer endurance type rides.
I'm not into the monarchy and the Jubilee passed. We did go to watch the fireworks on Caradoc while in the south of the county. An underwhelming experience, but at least someone was trying.
So this week is back to work and the start of preparations for our fundraising afternoon tea in July. If you would like to come along, please message me for details. Obliviously you tea and scone will require a donation, but there will also the chance to be insulted by Dawley's answer to Mrs Brown, who unlike the weather is always guaranteed - to offend.
The glucose levels are also coming down. The weekly average is below 10mmol/L - even after food. However, my blood pressure nearly hit a new high today, when a woman with obesity issues bragged about her husband getting a continuous blood glucose monitor. They both take no exercise and she had the nerve to tell me that us type 2s do not deserve expensive equipment because it is our own fault. My mother and two aunties on my father's side had diabetes. Hence probably a genetic link, but I'm not going to fight it with insulin, chips and daytime telly. If I had seen this coming I would have taken preventative measures.
In 1998 I realised my weight was becoming an issue, with regular cycling I managed to get it down from 19 stone to 16 stone in 3 months. I have cycled the London Surrey twice and managed in 2017 to pass the swim test for the PADI Divemaster assessment (similar to a lifeguard test). I am now 15 stone 3 lbs, I've not been this light in years. Then the fat lump before me had the nerve to suggest it was my lifestyle. When I was tested for diabetes I had already begun training for the L-E-L. This chase for remission won't end here, type 2 diabetes is a state of mind and not a permanent condition.
If you would like to donate to my nominated charity, please used the following link:
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