Oh me oh my, but it’d been a long time since I’d been on the bike. Many things have been sent to try me. Snow, Christmas, a lousy cold, doing my back in, New Year… I’ve not even been up to going to the gym much. Combine all of that with the (very enjoyable) endless celebrations, and the inevitable intake of that which could not be considered to be conducive to cycling and…well…I was slightly dreading today’s ride.
We got home this morning in good time for me to put on every layer I possessed and get the bike fit to go out again. Which actually translates into getting hubby to pump up the tyres, and dust off the saddle. Somewhat amusingly in my absence my cycling computer had managed to rack up over 5 hours of riding and covered over 400 miles. Be good if it worked like that wouldn’t it? Man I’d be good by now! *grin*
Well aware of the fact that my body definitely hadn’t been doing the work and that it was distinctly chilly out, I put on every layer I possessed, as usual. I’m thinking cycle rides should have a rating like duvets. No togs though – I’d like to suggest a Buff scale. Normal Buff 1 point, combi buff 2 points, polar buff 3 points. Or something like that. Actually the polar buff is probably a bit too bulky for cycling, so today was a 3 pt Buff ride – and I didn’t regret either of them – it wasn’t warm to start with and then it got colder!
Anyway I cycled up to the Square at the very civilised time of 11.00am, and met GB for the usual coffee run to Wonderland. As predicted, it was bleedin’ hard work. It took a long time to “warm” up and I was even worse up what passed for hills than usual. As it turns out, even though I felt like it was killing me, and my legs were like lead, we actually averaged a reasonable speed which is some consolation. I’m thinking sitting outside the coffee shop may have been a foolish decision, but hey, at least the coffee was still as good as ever, and where better to admire large men in leather on even larger metal machines? I do love the sound of a Harley in the morning 😉
Actually in some ways it was good to feel bad, in that it demonstrates the effect of all the ill advised consumption, which does tend to work as a bit of a deterrent. Having fallen of various wagons over the festive period, I shall be back on all of them come Wednesday when the mob go back to school. I’ve just worked out that it’s only 9 weeks until the Mad March Hare…so training proper will have to begin again in earnest straight away. No rest for the wicked. And I have been wicked *grin*.
I did feel a bit guilty for the effect my sloth inevitably had on GB, but he put a brave face on it and pretended not to mind at all, which was good of him. We could have done a longer route but…my back still hurts, I couldn’t feel my feet, but I could definitely feel my knee (the new shoes inserts seem to have made things worse not better), and on balance, going home seemed like a good call. And regardless of all the above, it was a good ride. Because any ride is better than no ride 🙂
Cycling time: 2:12:00
Distance: 35.09 miles
Avs: 16.0 mph
ODO: 6650 mile
In other news, and without wishing to blow my own trumpet, The Cycling Mayor has been chosen as the Cheddar Valley Gazette’s “Woman of the Year”, which came as a massive shock, but about which I’m really very proud. I’d like to thank everyone who cycled with me over the year, who sponsored me, supported me, and helped me achieve my goals. It was a good year, and I think 2011 is going to be even better 🙂
And in an aside to my partner in crime – no, you don’t have an eponymous hill, you just really want one. Maybe that could be your goal? 😉