Sunday was the gym.  Monday was a day of rest.  And no, I don’t have those two around the wrong way.  Tuesday was the gym.  Which means that today was really due to be a ride day.  It didn’t look exactly lovely out there, but as it wasn’t blowing a gale or raining, I was short on excuses.  Besides which, as my knee has been feeling quite a bit better, I was a little curious as to how it was going to feel on the bike.  On the bike is also a good place for thinking, and I’ve been meaning to do some of that.

I picked a route that was as flat as can be, and wrapped up a bit warmer than so far this winter.  The first 3/4 of an hour or so was pretty good.  Flat – so fast.  Chilly, but the speed meant that I was pumping enough blood around to feel relatively comfortable.  I was starting to think that I might have started to turn a corner…

Then the knee started occasional twingeing.  See, I’m not very good at turning corners *grin*.  But for the time being it was only occasionally, and therefore tolerable.  I had about half an hour of that, before it just started getting worse, and the laughably small hill up from Panborough set it going constantly.  As a result of the pain, I was now going slower too, and thus getting colder all the time.  I lost my toes, along with the will to live.  Only joking.  Well, about the will to live bit anyway.  Mostly.  Not about the toes though.  It was just so grey and boring out there.  Same roads as always, under a blanket of boring grey cloud.  I wasn’t flying round anymore, I was just getting home, which puts a totally different spin on things.

In my usual stubborn fashion, rather than come straight home and thus find myself having done less than two hours on the bike – quelle horreur! – I added the Nyland loop in to add some miles on.  I actually enjoyed the hurtle down the main road to Cheddar at the end,  along with the race down the bypass to get to the turning before the eejot next to me managed to drive me off the road…oddly motivational.  I’d have communicated with him in sign language, but couldn’t summon the energy and restricted myself to a Gallic shrug and some interesting thoughts as to how GB might have reacted… Mind you allegedly he’s learnt restraint in such matters.  Wise, but way less amusing… 😉

Cycling time: 2:06:53
Distance: 33.95 miles
Avs: 16.0 mph
ODO: 6228 miles

By the time I got in I was freezing.  I really should have iced the knee – I’m going to do that shortly – but I couldn’t face any more cold!  I have a body temperature threshold kind of thing, and once I get beyond that, it takes me ages to warm up again.  A bath would have been ideal, but not good for the knee…  Ah well. I had a quick hot shower, and took to the  sofa with a blanket and lunch.  And I’ve defrosted now.  Just.  Thanks to my thick winter Hello Kitty socks *grin*.

Conclusion?  The knee is not better.   And it’s time for overshoes…  And for another painkiller 🙁