My first "group ride" had been with my running club - who had recently developed a triathalon section, which had a group of keen riders go out for a gentle 30ish miles each Saturday. So with my brand new Felt z65, my 18th birthday present, I rode a comfortable 31 miles, but did not record this into my diary so am unable to recall any average speeds etc.
I was so thrilled by this ride, that I immeadiately inquired into joining the local cycling club, and popped along the following morning to take part in a sore 53 miles. I loved every second of it. I was determined to get into the cycling scene now.
3rd Jan09
9am start today....frost covering the roads...excited by the ride, but sodding cold! I arrive at the meeting place outside the sports centre...and wait for other cyclists to appear....and wait a bit longer...09.20 and it is freeeezing so dissapointed at the turnout I head home. A few hours later I check my emails to see that a number of people had reported back on a brilliant cycle ride.. WHAT!..further investigation reveals that the meeting time was 9.30.....oops..
4th Jan 09
Second every club run, and eager to have a good ride today!
A fairly decent turn out at the club, around 22 riders out, despite the cold conditions. About 30 miles into the ride (a fast 30 miles might I add, with my speedo reading around 20 most of the time) the group split into two, one group taking the normal route back, and another group heading off to do a longer, faster, harder route. After being hinted at to go with the group doing the normal route due to my limited experience, I shot off with the "harder" group....oh dear I thought, what have I let myself in for.
The pace quickened, 25mph being seen on my speedo most of the flats, sometimes less, sometimes more. The increase of speed and prospect of only being about halfway around the route was beginning to make the legs and lungs take a toll....excellent...no pain no gain..right?
After settling into the pace and starting to get confident with riding in a pack, I heard various moans from the other riders who were all too familiar with the hill that was about to hit us. Then I saw how the moans were justified. This hill was a friggin monster! It looked like a straight, steep 400metres...but having been into trail running and hiking for a while, I knew a fake summit when I saw one.
To this day my thighs have NEVER burnt so much. The searing pain in my legs as I struggled to keep up with the other riders, the mental agony of knowing that getting off and walking would be far far easier, the numerous fake summits, all this for what?....For pleasure :D I burst every braincell in my head getting to the top of that hill, and I wasn't last up it either! Upon reaching the top...I felt GREAT....but nowhere near as great as the long 41mph decent. The hill was roughly a mile long, but can't say how steep it was as I am yet to adjust myself to the "cycling lingo". The total length of this ride was 67miles. There was one tea+cake stop and I forgot to record the average speed, but my trusty speedo was over 20mph 90% of the journey.
10th Jan09
Only two of us turned up from the running club today, still, enough of an excuse to get a nice distance under my belt for the weekend.
Ended up doing a 44.82 miles route along fairly busy roads due to all the frost on the road. The average was 16.4, but that is taking into account the thousand odd sets of traffic lights along the way.
I fear I now have a case of trafficlightphobia and have a dislike of cars.
11th Jan 09
I struggled a bit today...I think this was due to yesterdays run being in the afternoon and not the morning, so the legs had not had as long as usual to recover, still it was an enjoyable 53 miles with the speedo saying the average was 16mph....however I think this speedo is lying to me, as 20-24mph was the speed maintained most of the time.
18th Jan 09 - Sunday
Not cycled all week! Been tapering for my local town's 10km race. Sorry to appear as a sinner to any cyclists reading this...but it was, I am afraid, a running race.
The course was a flat road race, and I was hoping for 45/46 minutes. 3km into the race I sufferred a major mental block. I struggled mentally for the rest of the race and ended up with 53minutes as my time. I was not a happy bunny. Usually I pride myself in having a good mental strength in getting through difficult challenges, but today this had completely failed me and given me an utterly crap time. For the next few days I was in a sullen mood.
24th Jan 09
Time to make ammends on the running front.
Today I had the Portland trail half marathon. The course was tough (tougher for my old man who did it twice, limping back with severe cramps to complete his first marathon). The route followed the coast around Portland (inccidently where the 2012 sailing will be held) and was intensely challenging. The most notible periods include the first few miles which were very sharp rises and falls, following cliff paths, and the penultimate 2 miles, which were along the shingle spit which connects portland to the weymouth.
2hours 28 minutes...ok a slow half marathon time, but take into account this was a VERY hard trail marathon and this time doesn't look too shabby at all. I was thrilled with this acheivement.
29 Jan 09
Home from college early...shock horror..and it is light! Grasping the chance to ride before mother nature switched off the lights that day, I grabbed my bike and set off to do a few hill reps. 200metres in, disastre, my gears won't change and I can barely break! I spent 40 minutes under a roadside lamp trying to sort the issue out, but to no avail. I post a plead for help up on the cyclechat forum and onto my cycling clubs forum. Very kindly, a cyclist from the club offered to take a look and fixed the issue friday night.
