I set out to do my 19 mile local loop taking in the 968 ft Cragg Vale climb this afternoon. I've done it twice recently since getting back on my bike post-illness so I know that I am capable of doing it. The thing is, the other times I was on my Basso which has some very low gears and I have ridden up at a very steady pace. The sun was shining today, however, so I decided to treat myself to a ride on my Cannondale instead. It is my fine-weather bike which is a lot of fun to ride, but it is a bit overgeared for my current state of (un)fitness. It meant that I was having to push a higher gear, rather than spin a lower one.
Anyway, I felt okay for the first couple of miles of the climb so I started to up my pace.
That turned out to be a BIG mistake!
My DVT-battered left leg soon started to feel the strain on the steepest part of the climb and my lungs were hurting, so I decided to pull over, take a drink and stretch my legs once the gradient eased a few hundred yards further on, by the farm buildings.
I was standing with my bike at the roadside when I suddenly felt extremely wobbly. I realised that I was going to faint unless I lay down fast. There was a big rock at the side of the road so I propped myself up against it and stretched my legs out in front of me. I'm sure that the drivers whizzing past thought that I was relaxing in the sun, but really I was just trying not to black out.
It was 10 Minutes before I could stand up again. There was no way that I was going to carry on up the climb over the moor so I turned round, freewheeled back down to Mytholmroyd and went home.
I ended up only doing 10.5 miles instead of the planned 19, and I have been feeling a bit queasy this evening.
I thought that I'd been feeling below par the past few days. I don't know whether I'm coming down with some bug, or whether this is related to my recent health problems. Either way, it is a bit of a blow. I'm going to have to be very careful not to overdo things again in the coming weeks. It's really frustrating not being able to do even the easiest of my normal rides at a reasonable pace, but that's how it is for now.
Hmmmph!