As posted elsewhere, with the family away I decided to indulge myself with a longer ride on Sunday. After getting a road bike 2 years back to balance against running and the injuries that has caused for me, I've started to get the cycling bug this summer. Typically, time constraints limit my weekend rides to 20-30 miles early in the morning although I did manage some longer rides when on holiday cycling parts of the early stages of the TdF, the longest ride being 56 miles. Therefore, yesterday I decided to venture out with the intention of a) tackling a local climb that I'd been threatening my conscience with for a while; and b) have a bash at 100k as my next milestone (with an eye on possibly entering an organised event or 2 next year and build up to a 100 miler, time permitting). My route, for anyone intersted or familiar with Kent, was broadly Ashford-Westwell-Boughton-Wye (including over Wye Crown)-Smeeth-Hythe-Dymchurch-Bilsington-Mersham-few Circuits around Wye-a couple of circuits around Boughton/Kennington- finally a circuit around the outskirts of Ashford.
I woke up feeling a little groggy; start of a sore throat, a little bunged up and generally not 100%. Typical I thought, but once I set off I didn't feel too bad and soon got into the swing of it on a local loop with a couple of short but sharp hills to warm up the legs. However, after 7 miles I felt that heart sinking sensation as a harsh thud transmitted up from the rear wheel signalling my first p******** in over 18 months. Of all the days!! As I set about replacing the tube a succession of groups rode past and I soon realised that an audax or something had just set off nearby. One chap slowed to ask if I was okay while the rest, assuming I was riding the event, offered a mix of sympathy and exclamation that I had a flat so soon into the ride. A grateful mention to a chap on an MTB going in the opposite direction who actually stopped to offer his help, but I was sorted by then and ready to get going again.
Only being a couple of miles from home, I diverted and quickly stopped off to pick up another spare tube so I had 2 with me. It was raining by now and, riding through some messy country lanes, I didn't want to get caught out far from home when I needed to be back for the airport run. It was then that I noticed my computer had packed up in the rain. I knew roughly the mileage on the route I had planned but was reliant on the computer to confirm the distance and that I had completed 100k. Anyhow, I pushed on and just decided to see how I got on in the time I had left.
The next challenge was the categorised climb up over the North Downs. As it ramped up I started to struggle and was soon grateful for the granny ring on my Allez triple. As I huffed and puffed up, 2 lads in a white transit thought it hilarious to drive on the wrong side of the road as they descended and just swerve out of my path at the last minute. Hurling abuse at them took what little puff I had left and I stopped to remove my windproof not sure how much further I had to go up. I set off straight away and to my delight, on rounding the next bend, realised the end was in sight. It felt good getting to the top even if the view was obscured by a dank, miserable day.
I then wound my way through some quiet country lanes and onto the main road that took me to Hythe and then on to Dymchurch before crossing the Romney Marsh. I planned for this to be a relatively calm, flat section after the hilly North Downs but, once I hit the coast road, a head or cross-wind made for a challenging few miles. Estimating that I was 30-35 miles in, I stopped for a quick coffee and a banana and energy bar before setting off across the Romney Marsh that, whilst a little windy, was the easiest section since I set off.
Then it was back over a couple of sharp hills that really had the legs burning, and then across country through some lovely quiet lanes back to Wye, where I'd passed through earlier, and a few circuits around the outskirts of the village to 'bank' some more miles. Knowing I'd probably gone over 50 miles, whilst I was tired I felt good enough to just keep cycling until I really had to be home. That way I could make sure I'd bagged 100k and make the most of the time I had. I was going okay on the flat but by this stage was struggling up any sort of hill and after one final 5 mile circuit of a regular running route I headed for home.
A quick shower and I just had time to plot the route on the pc before heading for the airport. Wahey, according to mapmyride I'd done 122km (76 miles). I didn't need a computer to tell me that my average was a bit slower than normal (I averaged a modest 15 mph when I cycled 56 miles in the summer and am sure that I was a tad below that with the hills slowing me down). However, my furthest ride yet, with a decent climb ticked off, was a satisfying milestone for 2011 and one that gave me confidence that I can tackle some orgasnised events and hopefully a 100 miler next year.
I woke up feeling a little groggy; start of a sore throat, a little bunged up and generally not 100%. Typical I thought, but once I set off I didn't feel too bad and soon got into the swing of it on a local loop with a couple of short but sharp hills to warm up the legs. However, after 7 miles I felt that heart sinking sensation as a harsh thud transmitted up from the rear wheel signalling my first p******** in over 18 months. Of all the days!! As I set about replacing the tube a succession of groups rode past and I soon realised that an audax or something had just set off nearby. One chap slowed to ask if I was okay while the rest, assuming I was riding the event, offered a mix of sympathy and exclamation that I had a flat so soon into the ride. A grateful mention to a chap on an MTB going in the opposite direction who actually stopped to offer his help, but I was sorted by then and ready to get going again.
Only being a couple of miles from home, I diverted and quickly stopped off to pick up another spare tube so I had 2 with me. It was raining by now and, riding through some messy country lanes, I didn't want to get caught out far from home when I needed to be back for the airport run. It was then that I noticed my computer had packed up in the rain. I knew roughly the mileage on the route I had planned but was reliant on the computer to confirm the distance and that I had completed 100k. Anyhow, I pushed on and just decided to see how I got on in the time I had left.
The next challenge was the categorised climb up over the North Downs. As it ramped up I started to struggle and was soon grateful for the granny ring on my Allez triple. As I huffed and puffed up, 2 lads in a white transit thought it hilarious to drive on the wrong side of the road as they descended and just swerve out of my path at the last minute. Hurling abuse at them took what little puff I had left and I stopped to remove my windproof not sure how much further I had to go up. I set off straight away and to my delight, on rounding the next bend, realised the end was in sight. It felt good getting to the top even if the view was obscured by a dank, miserable day.
I then wound my way through some quiet country lanes and onto the main road that took me to Hythe and then on to Dymchurch before crossing the Romney Marsh. I planned for this to be a relatively calm, flat section after the hilly North Downs but, once I hit the coast road, a head or cross-wind made for a challenging few miles. Estimating that I was 30-35 miles in, I stopped for a quick coffee and a banana and energy bar before setting off across the Romney Marsh that, whilst a little windy, was the easiest section since I set off.
Then it was back over a couple of sharp hills that really had the legs burning, and then across country through some lovely quiet lanes back to Wye, where I'd passed through earlier, and a few circuits around the outskirts of the village to 'bank' some more miles. Knowing I'd probably gone over 50 miles, whilst I was tired I felt good enough to just keep cycling until I really had to be home. That way I could make sure I'd bagged 100k and make the most of the time I had. I was going okay on the flat but by this stage was struggling up any sort of hill and after one final 5 mile circuit of a regular running route I headed for home.
A quick shower and I just had time to plot the route on the pc before heading for the airport. Wahey, according to mapmyride I'd done 122km (76 miles). I didn't need a computer to tell me that my average was a bit slower than normal (I averaged a modest 15 mph when I cycled 56 miles in the summer and am sure that I was a tad below that with the hills slowing me down). However, my furthest ride yet, with a decent climb ticked off, was a satisfying milestone for 2011 and one that gave me confidence that I can tackle some orgasnised events and hopefully a 100 miler next year.
