Club Ride

Well before my final Saturday night of Birthday celebrations ensued I thought I'd do a club ride for the first time!! Despite having been a member of the tri club for over 3 years I've never got out of bed/ had the inclination to join before..... and have to say I should have been out with them before as it was quite a laugh....

I had arranged to cycle there (about 9miles away), and to ensure I went had arranged to meet a friend about half way who was also going..... sometimes having a commitment to someone else to go train works better.... and certainly when I got up at 7.30am to see the temperature (in Celsius) was -2 degrees with a wind chill of -6 I needed the boost that someone else wanted to join in this madness.... So I wrapped up well and proceeded to bust half a gut to get there on time (luckily my pick up pal was up for it or the white frost would have been a fine excuse for me to stay in bed!!)... anyway.... got there for the team leaders Paul or Alistair to announce it was "speed week" and we were heading back to Arborfield (10mins from my house!) for a timetrial!! Oh how I laughed!!...... Proceeded to do 30mins interval training trying to keep up with the boys as we stop/started at lights (oh how I puffed) and then got to the start line for the TT, a 11.5mile TT pretty much flat with some not so flat parts (although nothing as serious as a hill)

We headed off in 1min intervals and actually I really enjoyed it - despite being cream crackered and at one point actually too hot!!

Still I cranked out a HR average of 153 which was, I think, about right - it felt about right (ie suitably uncomfortable!) and as Alistair said - make sure you feel pressure on the pedals ALL the time, cycle till you think you are going to be sick and then, if you have to, be sick.... OH well I didn't quite make it to the final part of that!

Was very pleased though that I managed 18mph, which despite being my Half IM pace for Antwerp (which I did at a much lower HR), well despite that I'm very pleased I could out that amount of effort in at this time of the season.

Recovery consisted of a hot cup of tea and even hotter bath..... Having poured with sweat under all my layers in the TT I got a bit of a chill on in my 10min easy spin back home!!

The week has been a bit of a slow training week but I'm ok with that given (a) it was my big 4-ohhhhhh this week and celebrations therefore necessary and (b) I started a new job!! :O)

More stats to follow!