Saturday, October 6

A 9am meet at the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth, a great mornings session at the veladrome wth Pod.

Jane, Angie, Julia, Ali, Fiona, Steph, Jenny, Carla, Tizzie and me.....both Leyla and Jessie both managed to oversleep and missed the session!

I very big Thank You to Pod for your patience and understanding.....who's easier to teach Pod? - men or women??

Note the despair in Pod's face!

I think we tested Pod's patieince at times - he had to show us how to take off a wheel...I don't think he was expecting to sink to such basic depths!

'Now girls....this is what we call a WHEEL'......

Someone's cleat which Pod said might need bit of a clean??

One of the reasons we booked this session was for a few of us to upgrade from trainers to cleats. However, we started off the session by checking our bikes - brakes, wheels, chain etc. Then we set off using our new cleats, shoes and pedals for the first time.  And it wasn't as bad as I had expected!  A big step for a few of us but after several laps we were all feeling much happier and more confident. I fell off! ....I unclipped my left cleat but for some reason I moved my weight to the right...goodness knows why, anyway, I paid the price.

Apparently we cycled 25 miles during the whole session!

We then went on to riding as a group and how we should ride as a group along the roads, so we will give this a go tomorrow.

After this we then had a bike maintenance briefing, which included removing the front and back wheels and repairing a puncture. I know Pod was screaming inside - but he was great and very patient. He's even said he will come back and ride wih us possibly in November.

Thanks again to Pod and all the brave Belles who came out today. Hope to see you all again soon - if not tomorrow morning at 9am!