Morning car park

My excessive interest in the weather forecast hasn't subsided any but I managed to ignore the 46% probability of light precipitation and headed off with bike attached and raring to go. And even though it was a little cloudy and a little cold, it was still a very pleasant run into Edinburgh. I've yet to find this terribly aggressive traffic that is supposed to make the roads a potential deathtrap. Too early maybe for the people who are rushing to get to work on time.

Anyway, got my speedo and heart rate monitor attached to the bike and me. Speed is good to measure - getting faster is a good sign but there's a good risk of knackering yourself trying to push the speed up all the time to feel you're improving. Heart rate on the other hand shows you're getting better by falling as you go at the same speed. It's a balance. It's nice going fast. So, today, my wee jaunt into work was covered at a respectable average of 17mph and an average heart rate of 135bpm. Not bad for a fat boy although it is nearly flat the whole way and only 8 miles. The heart rate's a bit high. But we'll see how it is next week. I suppose I should get the front derailleur fixed so that I can shift to the big chain wheel rather than pedal like buggery on the middle one.

Most of the day was spent in a very positive meeting with the Government, which was pleasant but knackering. Should sleep well tonight.