Kate writes: the tale of two tyres

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I have not had a flat tyre on my car for years and then a month ago I got to work and had a flat. One of my nice staff changed the tyre for me. But it was expensive, two new tyres and also the fact that I needed another two within the next month. Well I was trying to last another pay packet, but on my way home on Wednesday a car turned right rather late and I had to pull into the hard shoulder. Bang, a stone or something hit my car. I was 20 mins from home so just carried on. Well the steering got a bit strange but the car was upright and I just carried on. I got to Pollok and found it very slow going up hill. I thought I better stop. One very flat and holey tyre. Had to ring for help as there was plastic wires holding the hub caps on and I could not remove them. So two more tyres, lucky it was the old ones. 


Well, you might be saying what has this got to do with training. I was out today having the most glorious ride. It was very cold and frost on the ground, but the sun was shining. We were riding around the back of Waiuku. Going backwards on the Iron Maiden/Steel Man ride.  I had just been told that the next hill was a hard one and at one point is 1:1. I thought I might walk this one rather than fall off. I was looking towards the gun club and thinking that road is not too bad, when I went around the corner much too fast, missed the road and ended up on the hard shoulder, managed to stay on the bike and back onto the road. I looked up to see Johnny walking up the hill and thought great its not just me, and realised that my front tyre was flat. I jumped off the bike and had to walk up the hill to meet the group. Well, we changed the tyre, tried the new gas bottle and pop went the tube, I had got it caught in the tyre. Annette had another tube, second time lucky. It got me home, but that is the tale of the two tyres. 

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