Monday, December 11, 2006

10 December 2006 Mainly Roads

When I did this route last week the computer sensor slipped for a while and I had to estimate the distance.

I repeated the route today under similarly harsh conditions (except that I started out in the dark at 7am) and discovered it had only been 34km, not the 36 or so that I had rounded up anecdotally to "nearly 40km". So I felt I had to do the honourable thing and added on an extra loop (with a big long hill) to ensure I did a full 40km.

This is certainly the time to see deer - about 7 of them in 4 groups. Funny how they don't seem so threatened by a human on a bike and wait until you're pretty close before they move on. They're obviously very perceptive about my performance and worked out that it wasn't like I was going to catch them or anything.

40km, 2hrs 40min.

3 December 2006 Mainly Roads

Part of me thinks there should be no excuses for not maintaining training momentum for an undertaking of this magnitude ...

But life has conspired this last week or so to stop me getting out.

This was my first experience cycling in very bad weather, and it seemed mad to do it, but I reckon I have to experience and train in all kinds of weather. It's the only way to find out how stuff (including me) works under duress.

Cold and wet, wind blowing the bike off course on exposed sections - even felt the wind behind me a couple of times and I don't think that's ever happened before. Usually any forward motion is more than the prevailing wind speed so you always feel the wind in your face, but this was very strong. Had to slow down on some dowhills as the rain was stinging my face too hard.

Stayed on the road for the vast majority but it was getting dark near the end so I did the last few km through the woods with my new lights :)

34km, 2hrs 15min