Well it's Saturday night as my thoughts turn to where I will be this time next week, hopefully in my tent fast asleep feeling very satisfied of my days efforts having just completed the first 104 miles from John O'Groats to Kyle of Sutherland with the rest of Team Cisco. I've been putting in a load of extra miles this week, given up the running to focus on the cycling and have done a number of back to back sessions and what a difference it has made, my endurance has massively improved and my climbing has come on leaps and bounds. Feeling stronger every day now and ready for the challenge now both physically and mentally.
When I was out on Thursday night I overtook another cyclist on one of the hills on the A70, I was averaging around 22 mph at that point so I was not hanging about, as the road flattened out, the cyclist caught me up and drew along side for a chat, when I asked if he had been much out this year he had admitted that in the bad weather he hadn't been out much, then again he said when you get to my age "70" you have to look after yourself, I tell you what if regular cycling makes me half as fit as this guy in his 70's I'll be keeping this up well after the Ride Across Britain. After a short chat, he let me get on my way, but said he would try and keep up, well as I hit the next downhill section I was pushing really hard up to 32mph and to my amazement he stuck on my wheel for the next 3 miles before he turned off to head back home. That's one of the great things about cycling I have met some really great people on my travels.
Today Steve T a fellow RAB participant treated me to a fantastic ride out around the Kingdom of Fife, I hadn't been out on my bike that way in ages and although the weather wasn't brilliant it, cold air and drizzling at times, the conditions were probably ideal considering how hard the climbs were and how much steam we produced by the top of them, as we powered our way up them. It was just short of 50miles, but it felt like 50miles of vertical climbing at times, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and so nice to be able to cycle a new route today, thanks Steve for a great morning on your home turf.
I suppose that's one of the things I am really looking forward to about the Ride Across Britain, every day will be different and there will be parts of the country we will be cycling through I have never actually been to so I have no idea what to expect. Maybe that is a good thing as I am sure there will be a few hidden gems of hills along the route, so it's probably best not to think about them too much.Here's a short Video of Steve as he reaches the top of Cleish Hill, not that was a great climb, last time I climbed this when I did the LEPRA, Edinburgh to St Andrews Charity Bike Ride there was an Ice Cream Van at the top alas it was not there today when we got there today, mind you it was pretty chilly up at the top with that cold North Easterly wind, brrrrr !!!
Well I had better get off to bed planning another 44miles early tomorrow morning with Mike G, I am sure he has a few more testing hills up his sleeve around where he stays, Mike is definitely the King of the Mountains in the office when it comes to hills so suspect I will be seeing a lot of his back wheel tomorrow as he disappears vertically in front of me in his Green Jersey.
Well in case your interested here's my Garmin output from today's ride with Steve, check out some of those ascents and descents.
49miles Around the Kingdom of Fife by rmoir50 at Garmin Connect - Details
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