My first 50 miler.......

[BilboSmeggins]

Hi all

This morning I managed my first 50 miler since my return to cycling. And I'm cream-crackered . I didn't plan a "proper" route as I was too tired last night, and wasn't sure I'd be going out today. But, upon peeling back the curtains at some ungodly hour, the weather looked perfect. So, I just took the gps and decided to do an "out and return".

I thought I'd try and avoid the hills to give me an easy passage, or so I thought . There were some absolute cripplers en-route. I set off from Bewdley, headed for Stourport, then made my way to just the other side of Tenbury Wells. A short "feet up" moment and a bite to eat and then the return.

Upon checking my data when I got home I discovered that I'd ascended 2842 feet. So much for avoiding the hills. I was quite pleased with my speed average on the "out" part of the ride as I managed 15.6 mph and I had taken it quite steady. But that plummeted on the return as I began to struggle and I got home with 13.3mph average.

All in all I'm quite pleased with myself as I'm pretty unfit and 2 stone over weight, and a lot older than I'm prepared to admit...... But I do think that I jumped in at the deep end though. I should have slowly built up to it, but I am an impatient sod and had a bee in my bonnet about doing the big 50. Just hope I can walk tomorrow.........

 

[Chrisc]

Congratulations! Huge milestone! I know what you mean about a bee in the bonnet. Last week I cracked 35 miles but it was too soon and buggered up my knee again. Repeat after me, "You are no longer 18 years of age..."
Good luck walking tomorrow, cold bath for the legs should do the trick if you can stand it.

 

[BilboSmeggins]

cold bath for the legs should do the trick if you can stand it.

That would be absolute bliss, but I'm one of these sad saps with only a shower........

 

[jimboalee]

That would be absolute bliss, but I'm one of these sad saps with only a shower........

Bewdley is on the river Severn, and anyhow, they've an old galvanised bath in the museum just up from the cake shop.

 

[BilboSmeggins]

Bewdley is on the river Severn, and anyhow, they've an old galvanised bath in the museum just up from the cake shop.

But I don't think the tourists would appreciate seeing my fat-arse in it

 

[Hont]

I was quite pleased with my speed average on the "out" part of the ride as I managed 15.6 mph and I had taken it quite steady. But that plummeted on the return as I began to struggle and I got home with 13.3mph average.

I think your speeds might have been influenced by the North Easterly wind we had today. I didn't think there was any wind until I turned around . Chapeau on the 50 btw.

 

[BilboSmeggins]

I did notice quite a breeze on the return, but put that down to the fact that I was starting to hurt and was more attuned to anything/everything that was starting to hinder me

All in all it was a pleasure/pain day. I took pleasure in completing my first 50, and had some lovely weather and a turkey salad baguette to die for from Tenbury. Also took in some gorgeous scenery

Pain? Apart from the obvious legs a-hurtin', I managed to fall off my bike. I was going up a particularly spiteful hill and had decided that when/if I reached the top I would get off for a little breather. I brought the bike to a halt at the apex, but hadn't realised how fatigued my legs were, and my half-hearted attemp to prise my shoes of the spd's were futile. So over I toppled (with the obligatory audience it has to be said ). I wasn't hurt, but my poor bike which had, until today, been pristine, suffered a few scratches. Boy was I pissed

 

[hotmetal]

brought the bike to a halt at the apex, but hadn't realised how fatigued my legs were, and my half-hearted attemp to prise my shoes of the spd's were futile. So over I toppled (with the obligatory audience it has to be said ). I wasn't hurt, but my poor bike which had, until today, been pristine, suffered a few scratches. Boy was I pissed

Now that is annoying! And there's always people watching at the precise moment you fall off - it's like dropping toast - it always lands jam side down. The last time it happened to me was when I borrowed a mountain bike with Shimano pedals and I was wearing Specialised cleats. They go in OK but it's really hard to unclip. Unfortunately no-one watching knows that!
Nice work on the half century. I've just got into road bikes and so far have not had the time to do a fifty, but I reckon I can do it. My last one was 40 but it was time and water I ran out of, rather than steam. Even so, I'm not too blase about it, so hopefully I'll get a chance to try it at the weekend.

 

[kewb]

hills are sneaky things ,
probably not the most conventional cure for aches n pains but a pint of beer or glass of your favourite tipple kills leg ache within minutes alchohol is afterall a muscle relaxant .

im not advocating alchohol abuse btw lol .

well done .

 

[BilboSmeggins]

but a pint of beer or glass of your favourite tipple kills leg ache within minutes alchohol is afterall a muscle relaxant .

That's music to my ears


Good luck for the weekend, hotmetal. Mind you, if you've been banging in the 40 milers you'll probably breeze it

 

[madguern]

Congrats on the 50 miler, just completed my first ever today. I am dead chuffed and can't stop posting :-)

Fair route, live on island so twice around and a bit extra to make the 50 1496ft of climbing and exactly same in the descent. Done all my recovery bits and am following the advice for a beer afterwards.

Problem is .... its a 75 miler next

 

[Chrisc]

Congrats on the 50 miler, just completed my first ever today. I am dead chuffed and can't stop posting :-)

Fair route, live on island so twice around and a bit extra to make the 50 1496ft of climbing and exactly same in the descent. Done all my recovery bits and am following the advice for a beer afterwards.

Problem is .... its a 75 miler next

Congrats! Well after you do the 75 miler you'll just need a bit more recovery beer!

 

[PK99]

Now that is annoying! And there's always people watching at the precise moment you fall off - it's like dropping toast -.

the formulation of sod's law I prefer is Sod's Third Law of Buggeration -

Toast always fall butter side down, except when attempting to demonstrate Sod's Law

 

[Zell Dincht]

great achievement
next target ?

 

[upsidedown]

Well done, there are some big hills around there, i sometimes head out towards Cleobury so know it quite well.

Lovely part of the world too.