It was a chilly day, but I still went out, because this afternoon it was quite bright and sunny! I managed to get out at 1:00 this afternoon and it was just perfect! I set my Garmin, did I tell you how much I love this watch?! I headed for my training loops. Four laps within the hour, that's my plan. I rode on with a determined attitude towards the beginning of my loops.
I was feeling pretty good about being out, but the rest of me wasn't! Two weeks of training which includes running and cycling, two weeks of eating healthily, two weeks of no booze! When does my body start to think "Actually old girl, you're doing a grand job!" Instead my legs feel quite tired and I'm bloody hungry. It was just then that I realised I hadn't actually had any lunch! Tut! Oh well, can't stop now, first of the loops is here!
Up Blackbrook lane I go. Ok so it's not a particularly steep hill, it's a more gradual incline, but and incline is an incline. I am not attempting to push my self so hard that I want to throw up, or I don't want my legs to feel like they want to divorce my the rest of my body. I just want to get strong on the bike. Keep doing this loop until I start to see a real difference in time and ease of ride! Simples.
As last time I did the loops as soon as I got to the over the bridge to the top I thought "That's one done" even though I was only half way round the first loop. But it put a smile on my face. The best bit of the ride is down Southborough Road. There is only one thing that annoys me riding down there is the silly roundabouts that I have to slow down for. Usually 9 out of 10 times they are clear, but I always slow down, check and double check, just to be safe.
The second lap was coming up, I took a deep breath in, and just tried to get a bit faster, but my legs were feeling it. After the track session last night and the morning run yesterday, my legs were complaining just a bit. Still, I needed to get it done. All the thoughts "I shall only do two laps" didn't even feature this time round. It was all, "I am just going to do as best as I can". That made me smile, at least my attitude has changed!
The hump of the rail bridge came up, and I really told myself off, trying to get as much as I can out of my legs, grimacing and smiling at the same time! Grimacing because it bloody hurts and smiling because I was thinking, if anyone could hear me shouting at myself! I got to the top again and turned left to ride along. Just then I head "Hello!" It threw me for a bit, but there riding beside me was Big E, he from FNRttC company! On his way home from work! Blimey, it seems like a different time from when I went riding along with this crew! And now look at me! He actually spun around and was cycling next to me!
"Go on then get a bit faster" he said. I think Big E has been reading my blogs, and knows exactly why I am riding along here! It was nice to have the company actually! Although I don't think I spoke to much, I was concentrating on trying to ride fast! He came with me down Southborough road and along Southborough lane. I think he is going to do a lap with me! Blimey the pressure! He did come up Blackbrook lane, but just for a short distance, but then he said he was going! I just pulled into a road to say goodbye and get a selfie of me riding with the big boys, ok just the one boy!! I expect I have made his average mph look a bit different from the other commutes! Here look!
It was nice to bump into him, and it made me remember the night rides that we did. Such fun, such distances! And the stops for cakes and breakfast.......and beer after was brilliant. Again it made me smile! Riding along the top turning left the smile was still there, until the twat with a flat back lorry decided that he would like to pretend to be a cyclist! He passed me by with just about enough space but then pull in just in front of me, forgetting that he had a long flat back at the back! WTF was that all about! When you're on a bike you do see some twatish things, but you also see some brilliant drivers, those that give you tons of space, those that let you get up a hill before trying to over take you, or drive pass if they are coming towards your. When you get a decent car space between you and the 30 mile an hour car makes you smile, and I generally try to acknowledge them, even if its just a thumbs up from my handle bars!
So one my lap and I was done. I know it was going to be slower, it just felt it. I hadn't even looked at my watch, but I wasn't too bothered. There is always next time, and besides, I can always blame Big E, he 'put me off'!
So geeky stats, like I say, there is always next time!
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