Man alive, that feels better!  Since the Etape I have, quite frankly, been a bit of a wreck.  And I’m not talking physically.  In fact as far as that’s concerned I don’t seem to have suffered any after effects at all, which is both impressive and weird at the same time.  I’m talking mentally.  The post Etape blues, the come down after the big high, the anti-climax.  Call me a girly wuss (if you dare) but I’ve been very emotional and no doubt not a great deal of fun to be around.

I have another event on Sunday – the Great Weston Ride, which GB and I are doing again.  It’s a 90 mile round trip, so I needed to ride my bike today to check we’d put it back together ok (we have but the back brake is a bit off), and to check that me and it were still on speaking terms.  Following a surprisingly good gym session yesterday and bearing the event in mind, today should have been a quiet, spin your legs around, recovery ride.  Oops…

Well there’s too much stuff going on in my head for that!  My legs were feeling awesome, and I needed to sweat my demons out, as well as tyre (ha ha) myself out.  So I pushed it.  I did the usual kind of loop with some lumps at the front, though as a concession to the slightly ouchy knee and with a view to Sunday, I didn’t come home over Mudgeley Hill.  Half way round I realised there was some wind – I’d been so busy pushing it I hadn’t really noticed!  As for the lumps, well, I even pushed up them.  I know them all, there was no need to pace myself and, to use a phrase that is going to become familiar and irritating to all those around me very shortly, it’s not an Alpe is it? *grin*.

There was sun, wind, pheasants, herons, swans, a large hare.  The usual ride on the Levels really.  Well, to be fair, I don’t know if it was a large hare.  They’re just large compared to the usual rabbits I see!  What was supposed to be a 2hr ride came in a bit under that but never mind, that’s what you get when you go faster than usual.  It was a bl**dy lovely ride :).

Cycling time: 1:38:27 hrs
Distance: 27.42 miles
Avs: 16.6 mph
ODO: 9448 miles

I remember how the L2P gave me a real boost of confidence, and I think I’d lost some of that over the last couple of years, what with one thing and another.  Well the Etape has  done the same in spades.  Not only was I faster but I felt a lot more confident.  I don’t know how long it’ll last but I’ll take it while I can 🙂  I’m also going to have to get my hands on a decent Etape jersey as, shallow though it may be, I feel the urge to make sure everyone knows how good I am! *grin*.

Now to plan the next big ride.  Suggestions please – and nothing with cobbles in it! 😉