Apologies for not
posting sooner, just seem to be too busy to do anything since signing up to the
Lejog challenge.
Sitting here on the last
day of a week off work and my whole body aches, I can feel muscles and joints I
did not know existed. I will try to put it into words, my:
- Legs are burning, they do not want to move, heat is radiating from my thighs.
- Back and shoulders ache as if I was suffering from flu.
- Arms are really heavy.
- Wrists feel like I have spent a day pummeling a boxing punch bag.
- Arse, well let’s just say the area around my sit bones is tender.
And it’s all because of
training.
I have been pushing
myself for the last 6 weeks to get my fitness and stamina up and can really see
the benefit when out on the bike, but having completed a century ride (100
miles) yesterday I am very aware of how much my body aches this morning and the
notion of repeatedly doing century rides for 9 consecutive days is way beyond
my abilities at the moment so I have a long way to go in order to be ready for
this.
For the ride yesterday I
kept myself within reasonable distance of home and chunked it into 3 rides
returning back to base to eat and replenish supplies. Most of it was on roads I know but I did a little
exploring between Southrope and Bentworth to mix it up a bit.
Best parts where
- Huge deer strutted rather majestically across the road about 30 meters in front of me.
- Large bird of prey looking back at me as I passed under it.
- Banana, 7 ginger nuts (biscuits) and large dollop of extra thick cream for my first pit stop.
- Sunshine, spring has sprung!
Worst parts where
- Head wind! Strong and constant from the south.
- Everything from 80 miles on was really, really hard work.
- Bike started creaking around 90 miles (I hate a noisy bike)
I feel my training is
going pretty well so far, but there is a long, long way to go before I will be
ready for Lejog. Sometimes whilst
struggling along on the bike I do wonder why am I bothering and at those times
this certainly helps
