Category Archives: Training

Bristol Belter 2015

So that was “summer”. Hm. It would appear to be September already. The mob are back at school. So, typically, the weather last week was pretty good, if not that warm. I rode up hills with Alan, and went for coffee with George. But I didn’t have much to do last weekend, other than doing my civic duty opening the Somerset Showcase on Saturday. An weekend devoid of riding, people, things to do, with a reasonable weather forecast. Sad face, etc…

Cycling time: 4:12
Distance: 61.1 miles
ODO: 10919.0 miles

Hello Thursday night. A meeting and a few drinks later. A sofa and a laptop. Tipsy internet shopping? No. Well, ok, yes, actually I did do that. A girl can never have enough frocks, right? But I also pinged off an email and got me a press place to do the Bristol Belter on Sunday *grin*. With nothing better to do I might as well be riding the bike, or maybe riding the bike is better than doing nothing.

So, civic duties done on Saturday, I cooked myself scallops and trout for tea, thanks to the Farmers’ Market part of the day, and got an early night. I even managed to sleep better than usual, which made the early alarm call somewhat less objectionable than usual. Though it’s still not exactly pleasant to wake up in the dark…daylight, daylight, wherefore wert thou? But when it did make an appearance it was clear, and bright, and full of promise. It was also blinding as I drove into the sunrise all the way to HQ at The Fry Club in Keynsham, which made driving interesting!

The car park wasn’t large, and it was still fairly empty. Not a lot of riders expected? It was probably more due to the way the event is/was structured. The Belter has three routes. Short – c.44 miles. Medium – c.63 miles. Long – c.100 miles. Both the Short and Medium routes head south to the Mendips. But the Long route starts with a 37 mile loop around the Cotswolds back to HQ before doing the Medium’s 63 miles. So only the long route riders were the ones daft enough to get there for the 7:00am start, what with that first hour’s start slot being reserved for Long Belters. The other routes got a lie-in – lucky s*ds 😉

So HQ was sparsely populated. Having faffed in the freezing sunshine and put on all the layers I had with me, there were no queues for anything – neither registration, the toilets, or to leave. Riders were leaving as and when they were ready, so I was one of just three when my ‘group’ was briefed and let go at around 7:30am. Bye bye HQ, and very shortly bye bye fingers, bye bye feet! Yes it was sunny, yes there wasn’t much wind. But me oh my, it was cold!

It was odd out there. It was very early. The sun was, though rising, still very low, and casting exceedingly long shadows. It was either very bright or very dark. Chiaroscuro. After a stretch of cycle path, the roads were deathly quiet. As was the world really. It all felt a bit unreal, or maybe even surreal. Like I was just aimlessly cycling around waiting for the day to actually begin and it hadn’t yet. It was also a bit worrying. What with the sun being so low and in front of me it would be blinding any motorists coming up behind me…so it’s a good thing the residents of the Cotswolds hadn’t really woken up yet. Furthermore, what with the signs for the long route being black arrows on a red background, they really didn’t stand out, and spotting them in the shadows was a bit tricky, so I was worried I’d miss one and get lost…

It was very pretty out there though. And, as I’ve mentioned, very very cold. I was almost grateful for the fact that, in dribs and drabs and then one biggish hill, we were going up in the world, as it at least generated some internal heat! Up on the top there, there were views over to the Severn Bridges and beyond, fields of gold with straw bales dotted around, blue skies, green hedges, and even a hot air balloon in the distance. All very idyllic. As was the cutesy chocolate box village of Castle Combe which the route then went down to, and which marked the turning point of this loop. What could have been a nice descent wasn’t as, being in a wood, it was just too dark to see the dodgy road surface. Still like I said, the village was pretty, and the climbing back out again wasn’t too bad. Time to head back to HQ, with the sun behind me and no longer in my eyes, making it even easier to enjoy the scenery.

In an ideal world I’d have warmed up by now and, being back at HQ which was also serving as a food stop, I could have stashed my superfluous layers in the car. Sadly I still couldn’t feel my feet so that wasn’t going to happen! I did nip to the toilet and grab a bit of flapjack before heading off for the Mendips loop though; this time following white arrows on red which stood out a bit more.

There turned out to be rather more climbing today than I’d expected. And it wasn’t obvious either, various and numerous climbs lurked amongst the country lanes and under trees. Deceptive. And slow. Scenic though, I even got to ride under a viaduct! I gave in to the inevitable and accepted that today’s ride was going to take me a long time, and that I should stop fretting about it. Well, I really didn’t have anything better to be doing, and I was riding my bike in the sunshine so…time to sit back, enjoy, chill out, etc. Actually, less of the chilling, things were finally starting to get warmer. At 11:17am precisely I realised I could feel my feet again, which cheered me up no end! 🙂

I was heading for the very familiar but in the meantime all the back country lanes had me feeling a bit in the middle of nowhere, and a bit lost, and at one point actually lost. Somewhere before Chew Magna I climbed up a gritty muddy hill to a t-junction and…nowt. No sign. Hm. So I went back down the hill to find a few other riders riding up it. So I went back up with them. More climbing is good, right? Still no sign at the top though. Cue much consulting of maps and gadgets, before resorting to some semi-educated guessing! We went left and hoped for the best. Which worked. Judging by how the next sign we saw was displayed we should have been approaching it from a different direction, but hey, at least we were back on the route.

From here on in I was going to be on home territory for a while so although I’d lost confidence in the signage somewhat, I knew I couldn’t actually get lost, which was nice. After a steepish climb up to Hinton Blewitt, and some more wiggling, I popped out on the road to Litton and prepared myself for the long climb from Chewton Mendip to the top of the Mendips. Which, at the top of the nicer way up there, up the delightfully named Torhole Bottom, is where the next food stop was. Not that there was much food left. It was staffed by army cadets of some sort. Rather more of them than you’d have thought necessary, who were larking about rather more than necessary. One of them topped up my water bottle though, whilst another counted the remaining bananas. All 18 of them. Make that 17 after I’d grabbed one and eaten half, having decided to take a seat for a few minutes in the sun and take a little time out, in keeping with the enjoying it spirit.

Right then. Time to head for Priddy, and the descent to Westbury. Which I do like. Especially on my own. Here however signage once again let me down. Apparently I missed a sign to turn left on the way down. Didn’t even see it. Possibly because I was trying to avoid a u-turning MX5 at the time, or because at the speed I go down there at I need to be concentrating on the road surface ahead.. Either way, I missed it. So having had much fun flying downhill, I ended up at the bottom, at the junction with the Wells road, with no signs to be seen. Well more climbing may be good, but I certainly wasn’t going to climb all the way back up that particular hill just to see where I’d gone wrong – it’s a killer hill! But I wasn’t lost per se, as I knew exactly where I was, I just wasn’t where I was supposed to be. Having seen some of the route signs the day before when out and about, I knew where I could pick it up again, so rather than try and figure out where the route had actually gone, I cut across to Cocklake instead. Ok, so I missed out a few miles looping through Easton and Theale and Wedmore, but I didn’t miss any hills out, and I cycle through there at least once a week, so I figured I wasn’t missing out on anything much.

Back on route, en route to Cheddar Gorge then. Having made my short cut I had managed to get ahead a bit and actually found myself with quite a few other riders for a bit. Two of whom turned out to be Jon and Guy. Jon was actually on the ride, Guy was just along for some of the ride. I only realised it was him when I recognised his as the voice of the rider apologising to the driver of the car that he’d just rear-ended…*grin*. No harm done though. Guy was actually supposed to be on a recovery ride and keeping his heart rate down to whatever b.p.m. This didn’t stop either him or Jon from leaving me for dust up the Gorge as usual though! Ah well 🙂 I did actually overtake some riders in my turn, wiggling my way up beneath the cliffs and through the shadows. The Gorge was a tad busy, plenty of cars, riders, grockles and sheep that look like goats, but we all seemed to be getting on amicably enough, even around Horseshoe Bend which I always go up in the middle of the road. The cars behind me didn’t seem to mind today, and I waved them thankfully by once I was done. And soon Cheddar Gorge was done too, and I was back up on the top of the Mendips again, basking in the sunshine, and chatting to Guy and Jon who were at the third food stop here.

It’s good to talk, right? Especially as a lot of today’s riding was just me. Normally it’s not until later on a sportive that I end up on my own, after the shorter routes have headed for home and left me out there. This one works the other way around. There’s always fewer riders doing whatever long route it is, and having been set off the way we were, us few were pretty well spread out. And then later in the day on the other loop, all those shorter route riders were so far ahead that I never saw much of them either! This also means the food stops later in the ride have been pretty thoroughly ravaged. I think it might work out better the other way around – Mendips then Cotswolds?

Right then, time to get back to it. Having earnt a decent descent I was disappointed to be given the narrow wiggly gravely one to Compton Martin which was not at all fun. *sulk*. Still, at least I was on the home stretch now, and going pretty well, even if that home stretch did turn out to contain a couple of nasty hills, one around Nempnett Thrubwell and one really steep kicker at Norton Malreward which I was actually quite proud of myself for not walking up – it hurt! (By the way, have you noticed what cool place names we have here in Somerset?) That last final up also meant it was pretty much downhill from there for the last five miles or so back to HQ – always the best way for a sportive to end IMNSHO 😀

Finally my Bristol Belter was done, albeit a slighter shorter Belter than it should have been *grin*. I was rewarded for my efforts with a rather nice Bristol Belter mug – which is far more use than a medal and far more interesting than a water bottle. As it turns out, it was a very nice way to spend my Sunday after all 🙂

Cycling time: 6:49
Distance: 93.4 miles
Avg: 13.7 mph
ODO: 11012.4 miles

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

OK, before I start on my latest sportive blog…let’s play catch up shall we? Actually at present it’s also my last sportive this year, but I really hope that isn’t the case so let’s skip past that…

So there’s the ride I did with Alan last Wednesday. We went up a Gorge, had a coffee stop, and came back down again. Oh, and in case you’re interested, or heading out that way, the Rock Cake Café is apparently closed as of the end of August…future as yet unknown. Just FYI. Anyway, another day and for the usual reasons, I’d probably have bailed but as I had an academic errand to run to Wells and it always oddly pleases me to use the bike to do something constructive rather than just as a mobile gym, I didn’t. Maybe I should have. To be honest, it did not go that well. Given flat, given down, and I was a vaguely on form me. Up however? Ow…! *grrr* But Alan was both tolerant and patient, and is also probably used to my vagaries by now so hey…out, not in, and another ride in the bank 🙂

Cycling time: 2:08
Distance: 33.1 miles
Avg: 15.4 mph
ODO: 10760.8 miles

And then there’s the ride I did with Charlie and my adoptive cycle club iCycle.cc (it’s a Velothon thing) on Saturday from Bedford. With the aforementioned sportive ahead of me the following day I opted for the slower of their two groups. Well…OK…let’s be honest, I kinda did that because I was scared I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the other group but…after a happy couple of hours bimbling around Bedford, where their word “hill” has a completely different meaning to mine, and seeing the other group’s average speed I SO could have done. But hey, discretion, valour, sportive, etc. *grin*

Cycling time: 2:01
Distance: 30.5 miles
Avg: 15.0 mph
ODO: 10791.4 miles Charlie

It had a lot of upsides though. It was sunny. There was no wind to speak of. And as I may have hinted, Bedford be flat! But it sho’ is pwerty. Very pwerty 🙂 It was nice to ride somewhere new, with new company, without signs, timing, or pressure. Our slower group numbered five, and it came with a stay together help everyone vibe – as a club that seems to be how they work – inclusive and encouraging. And, sincerely, with no insult meant to the slower riders in our group; when I ride with folk, I am pretty much always the slowest, the drop off the back, the wait for me at the top of the hill. And it was nice not to be that for a change. To be faster. To be let off the leash to sprint and hurtle on my own from time to time when we could all regroup afterwards. To feel comparatively fast, but not feel resentful about our average speed. We all have to start somewhere, and it would have been great to have had such a supportive group like that back when, in the distant mists of time, I started out. Oh, and I was also drug-free for a change…for how long who knew? But I can cope with that. You bear your cross, I’ll bear mine. Like it or not, sometimes the ego needs a boost, and this was good for mine. Even if I know I’m not fast really. So I enjoyed it all ’round. You’re supposed to enjoy being on the bike, and this was enjoyable. Sadly I couldn’t hang around for post-ride coffee and banter for too long afterwards as I had to get home, and it’s a longish drive, so apologies and thanks for having me guys 🙂

The fastest way back home

One week. Four rides. It’s probably time I put metaphorical pen to metaphorical paper right?

So I’ve ridden with Guy & Rob, with Alan with hills, and without, and also with Steve. At times like these it is better not to be just with my imperfect self, just in case, even if I don’t say so, so the company has been both great and much appreciated. I am extremely lucky to have my cycling mates. And we’ve been lucky too, as there has been sunshine on both the hills and the Levels; our timing has been immaculate. Along the way there has been coffee, cake, a Cornish pasty and lots of fizzy orange. Liquids for me, solids for others of course…the moon may be inconstant but some things are not.

Some of it has gone great. Some of it hasn’t. Sometimes it’s felt like one but Strava says it was the other. Sometimes it’s been both, one after the other, and great has turned into it just being time to get home as quickly as possible. But however it’s been, it’s all been good really. Because out there is good 🙂

Yes I should have been writing about it all. It’s what I do after all, no? But in addition to it being the school holidays, working, and other things that might possibly count as having a life, thanks to the current analgesia regime, I also end up spending rather more time than I would like asleep. What the mob call my non-optional naps 😉 On the days that I make it out of bed in time for there to be enough time left in the day for there to be time to have a nap that is… It isn’t ideal, but then the alternative doesn’t exactly appeal either…them’s the breaks. So there hasn’t been much time left for writing…I’m sure you’ll forgive me, right? But tonight there is some time and tonight I have written. Job done 🙂

Cycling time: 7:32
Distance: 123.6 miles
ODO: 10727.7 miles

In other news, Rapha have had their annual sale on. And I hankered a little…but there wasn’t anything I really needed or wanted, and besides my budget restrained me. But it also inspired me, and thanks to a jammy ebay best offer buy, I have the new mitts I might have gone for if I could have gone there. I have finally replaced the mystical perfect pair I had years ago that tore and couldn’t be replaced like-for-like because they’d gone out of stock. Still not cheap as mitts go, and they won’t stay this colour for long, but they fit like a glove (yes, I know, terrible, but they do!), and man, they are SO comfortable! Let’s call it retail therapy 😀

Just be who you are

Oops, it’s been a while. Partly because we went on holiday for a week. Mind you we’ve been back for a week now so that excuse is probably wearing a little thin. This week’s excuse is rather more predictable/boring. I’m mid pain patch. Again. And yes they are getting more often and yes they are getting worse. So I’m on the shiny pills and as of this afternoon I’m also on the shiny patches. It’s fun being me 😉 However this state of affairs is not conducive to clarity of thought, and stringing a sentence together takes concentration, so if this blog fails to be eloquent don’t blame me. It was either this or leave it even longer before I wrote anything!

I have managed to ride a bit during this period of radio silence though. Once before I went, twice since I got back, and then a coffee run today with Alan. Riding involves less mental effort than writing does 😉 I’m never sure how time off is going to affect my cycling. Will a rest have been a good or bad thing? Alan reckons you don’t lose form that quickly, but that you do lose form mentally. Which is kind of another way of saying that when you’ve had a break for whatever reason, and also if you’re feeling rubbish, your PMA goes AWOL.

I’m pleased to say that although I may have no confidence in my ability to ride a bike at the moment, my performance out there seems to indicate that I still can. Which is good to know, and if it wasn’t for Strava I wouldn’t know, I’d just presume I was performing as badly as I felt I was. There’s a lot to be said for Strava…it’s not just about segments 😉 So I’ve done some hills, and apparently done them well by my standards. I’ve done some fast and flat too. OK so I bailed on doing the hills we had planned for today, on the basis that it would literally hurt too much, but at least doing the coffee run fast probably had some training benefit, right? Even if it didn’t, at least I still rode the bike. I can only do what I can, and be who I am, and I’m not going to beat myself up for that 🙂

Cycling time: 1:36
Distance: 28.8 miles
Avg: 18.0 mph
ODO: 10604.1 miles

I got bills

alan on burrington combe Thanks to work, some time out, and a pain patch, it’s been hard enough finding time to ride the bike, let alone write about riding it. But ride it I have. Three times unsurprisingly 😉

cows

Once up easier than usual hills with Alan, once round the flats on my own fighting the infernal eternal wind, and one fast coffee run with, yes, Alan again. Well he needed cake 😉

Cycling time: 5:20
Distance: 85.7 miles
ODO: 10285.6 miles

And it’s been good out there. Thanks to Mr SprocketandSpanners, aka Andy, both my wheels are true again, which has to help, right? My legs are feeling on it. I’ve even hit the zone from time to time, including going up Burrington Combe, which has to be a first. Here’s hoping I’m still feeling the love this weekend as on Saturday I’ll be Riding Like a Pro, and on Sunday it’s the Great Weston Ride. That should top the mileage up nicely 🙂

‘S Wonderful

I appear to be behind. Shock, horror, etcetera, etcetera. Mind you, isn’t behind where I usually am? 😉

In fact I’m three rides behind again. It does seem to go in threes like that. Don’t they say good things come in threes though? And also to those who wait? Patience, grasshopper, I’m getting there 😉 So…with no further ado about nothing…here goes.

First off, a recovery coffee run with no coffee, as Alan and I both forgot that Sweets is closed on a Tuesday. And a Monday, as it happens. Oops… Consider yourself forewarned and forearmed, so as not to make the same mistake in your turn 😉

This was followed by a trip to Exmoor to see Gary which miraculously involved very few hills, actual sunshine, compensatory coffee AND cake. Very nice gluten-free lemon curd cake, in case you’re interested, and ever happen to be passing by Kitnors Tea Room in Bossington, which you shouldn’t, because you should go in – it’s really nice there 🙂

Both rides were very lovely on the company and weather front, but not so on the PMA or form front. In fact, here’s me 😉 Actually, given the escapee escapades of Gary’s tortoise that day, he was probably faster than me! Post Dartmoor Classic and a lot of riding of late and…well…who knows whatever else…I guess I was just tired and somewhat under-motivated…? For whatever reasons, it just wasn’t quite working last week. The sun was shining, and there wasn’t much wind, so the spirit was more willing than it might have been, but the flesh just seemed to be running on empty 🙁

A while back I reached the conclusion that I really needed a break. So this weekend I went away. For a weekend away which did not involve a sportive. Or in fact the bike in any way. I had a mini-holiday in Bude, Cornwall, with myself. My bike and I were on a break 😉 And it was totally awesome 😀 Life’s always better at the beach, right? In addition to whole heaps of wave watching, sunbathing, paddling, reading, relaxing and whatever, it did however involve a fair bit of coastal walking, which my legs are now protesting vigourously. Well just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean no exercise – that way madness lies! Besides, I really enjoyed it 🙂 However, though I may not be able to walk properly right now, it would appear that I can still pedal. Different muscles I guess. Which brings us to today’s ride, a Fairyland coffee run with Alan to watch the festival stragglers drifting home, all of whom were looking remarkably clean as it happens.

And I was feeling better out there. Again with the sunshine, and no wind helping 😉 Maybe the break helped too? If so, maybe I’ll have to take more of them *grin*. Sure, I may not have been breaking any records, but it did go better than I’d expected and I actually enjoyed riding the bike, which has to be good for the PMA, right? Let’s see how the next few rides go…who knows?

Cycling time: 5:18
Distance: 79.1 miles
ODO: 10031.3 miles

(Blimey – the “new” bike has now done over 10,000 miles!!)

Weapon of choice

Man, I am SO behind…but I have no time for more writing now either really, with many things to do, and the Dartmoor Classic looming large ahead of me on Sunday. Writing up Velothon Wales took it out of me, unlike riding it 😉

But for the record, this week I have ridden three times. I’ve been slaying my demons with my weapon of choice 😉 All three rides were with Alan: Tuesday for Fairyland coffee, Wednesday for hills (which pointed out that Thursday really needed to be a rest day!), and a very easy coffee spin today to see how the legs were feeling after that. Apparently they were working, but I didn’t push it on any level….I’m going to need whatever is left in them on Sunday! Wish me luck? 🙂

Cycling time: 5:23
Distance: 79.9 miles
ODO: 9884.7 miles

sometimes I eat cake too…well, gluten-free carrot cake anyway 😉

I wanna get outside

About bl**dy time too. After a country mice weekend away and a day afterwards when work and meetings meant time was too squeezed for exercise of any sort, today I finally got back out on the bike again. This, in case you were wondering, is a good thing. Well, unless you’re Alan that is. Initially he was with me, though a bit tired after a long ride on Sunday. But it swiftly became clear that he was having a very bad day at the office, and he wasn’t with me, he was well behind me, and not looking at all good either. I don’t think tired covered it to be honest…he really didn’t look well, and it looked more like he was ill than tired – let’s face it, he usually kicks my ar*e on both the flat and up hills, even when tired. Not today though 🙁

So when we reached Winscombe the time had come for a parting of the ways. His way; to be straight back down the A38 and home as fast as his legs would carry him, which probably wasn’t likely to be at anything like his normal speed or anywhere near as quickly as he’d have liked. My way; to carry on with my planned route because I was out, I needed to be out, I needed the miles, and besides I’d made a plan, and plans are made to be stuck to. Oh and the sun was shining, that always helps 😉

extra points if you can name this up…

Off I went. Uphill, as it happens. Up to where the wind blows even stronger, even on a good day which, wind-wise, it already wasn’t. Really, will the wind around here ever stop? It seems to have become a constant. It’s driving me mad. Or madder! 😉 It just feels so unfair. I was going pretty well up the hills, really well actually, but fighting the wind everywhere else? Ick. Double ick. It just beats you down mentally and physically, whilst simultaneously deafening you. It’s a bleeding miracle I managed anything approaching a respectable average speed, all things considered. But on the upside I did my loop as planned. I did the ups, still getting better, and I nailed Burrington Combe. At some point down there I hit 51.7mph. Very, very, very cool. So, as ever, out was better than in, and now I feel better in for having been out 🙂

Cycling time: 2:02
Distance: 29.9 miles
Avg: 14.6 mph
ODO: 9692.1 miles

I have plans to ride more this week, although my company plans have clearly changed – get well soon Alan! And for the next two weekends I have sportives. My two big guns for this year I guess – Velothon Wales and the Dartmoor Classic. Which makes this photo pretty appropriate 😉 I’m feeling like I might, just might, be on form. Well, as on form as I get. So I’m kinda interested to see how things go… Bring it on, and wish me luck! 😀

Bring me to life

Today, as is often the case on a Friday, Alan and I went to Fairyland for coffee. However if variety is the spice of life, this would be a spicy ride. Because, as is usually not the case, the sun was shining. AND George came out to play! Same route, different entirely 🙂

It was supposed to be a bimble. I was in a very “bleurgh” mood and I have sore quads, presumably due to Wednesday’s hills, which is a little weird since I very rarely suffer from such things; my legs being used to such treatment! Alan was also complaining of being tired as a result of the same, so had brought his race steed out to make his life easier. And George wasn’t up for racing either. So could somebody please explain how we ended up averaging 18mph?! Funny how life goes, no? I may not have felt like I was going well, but I guess we were. It all perked my mood up no end. Good times 😀

Cycling time: 1:35
Distance: 28.7 miles
Avg: 18.0 mph
ODO: 9662.2 miles

While I’m here, because I like it so much, I’m going to show you my lovely new jersey from Cycology that I treated myself to a little while back. Well, it matches the bike, so how could I not? Rhapsody in blue? 😉

Pulling muscles from a shell ;)

I went riding last Friday, but unless you want me to moan about the wind (amongst other things) again, it was fairly unremarkable. Apart from the size of the slice of treacle tart that Alan ate at Sweets – that warrants a mention. And a doggy bag probably, since even he couldn’t eat it all! So I didn’t blog the ride, but I might as well slip it in while I’m here, for consistency’s sake.

Cycling time: 1:27
Distance: 22.1 miles
Avg: 15.2 mph
ODO: 9596.7 miles

Which brings us to today. Which is of course hump day. Again. For some reason I came up with this particular route whilst attempting to drift off to sleep on Sunday night, with a vague idea that I might do it on Monday. However the weather wasn’t in my favour, and life got a bit busy, and besides, hilly routes are perfect for riding with Alan, because at least I can just about keep up on those 😉

Of course it had to be a four hill route, since Alan had mentioned that we could easily have sneaked another hill into last week’s three hill route. Gauntlet thrown down… Be careful what you wish for, isn’t that what they say? 😉 And do you want to know which hills? Of course you do. And it doesn’t really matter whether you do or not because I’m going to tell you anyway. That’s kinda how this blogging thing works. So, in order, Shipham Hill, Two Trees, the A39 from Chewton Mendip to the aerial (which fails to have a catchy name), and Deer Leap. How do you like them lumpy apples? 🙂

I wasn’t expecting it to go well, being back on the shiny pills and all. But it did. I just got on with it in a quietly feeling competent kind of way. The sun helped, the wind didn’t. Yes, the hills were hard work but, on balance, if pushed (which I wasn’t! 😉 ), I’d say they felt easier than the last times I variously went up them. Which, according to Strava, is because I went up them faster. Not PRs necessarily (though some of ’em were), but my best time up all of them in a year, or in some cases, in years! How cool is that? 🙂 Apparently our efforts were worth a cream tea, if you’re Alan that is. I’ll be having my reward a little later when Tescos have delivered – something cold and white methinks 😀

Cycling time: 2:36
Distance: 36.8 miles
Avg: 14.1 mph
ODO: 9633.5 miles

PS: yes the blog title today is truly terrible *grin*