Sunday
1555 miles cycled, 60 hardest hilly ride today, total 2015.
Bloody cold but sunny. Probably the hardest effort I have put in. The ride was out to Burwash in East Sussex. It is very hilly route, undulating does not cut it. Some very tough ascents warmed us up, the descents were often quick but we all had to maintain our wits with amount if debris and running water on the roads and lanes. My new mudguards made a rotten squeaking mouse, in the end that helped take my mind off the hill climbing. It was absolutely lung and leg bursting. Last week I got jumped at the finish because I did not know the geography of the finish line, I was determined to be in the reckoning. But, riding with the Sunday group is always more challenging. The run hone had plenty of hills too, so I only had a flap jack and a sugar in my coffee. The last time we rode this route I thought I was going to see my cake again at the top of an early climb. There was a group if about 6 leading up at the front, we dropped 3 at the back and one more peeled off and there were a couple more pushing on behind us. I clicked 36 mph on my speedo on one of the descents, so going home was picking up speed nicely. However , those hills! One after the other really sapped at my legs. I kept being over taken by the top 2 riders as the powered by me then another 2 would go by. I made it up in the down hill and flatter sections clawing my back to them. As we slurred round Goudhurst on the flattest route ( you guessed it, it was still ludicrously hilly) I did my best to lead at the front and drop at least 2 of the weaker riders. It worked but there were still the strongest pair and another 2 guys who kept pulling by me. 3 mikes out and the pace was really hotting up. Then the strongest pair seemed to go off into the distance as yet another incline took its toll on me. Gasping for air, trying to find an easier gear to keep a rhythm and cadence going up hill to batter whoever was behind me. No good , the other 2 riders crept by me. I really needed to hang in, if they put a gap in I would be psyched out and finished. I hung on to their back wheels. Hunger kicked in, too. Bloody starving. I wanted to get hone, see my daughter before she went back to Bath, I wanted food, I wanted to be warm, I wanted to rip the road up. I pushed on, got in front of the 2 riders in blue who just passed me. I was leading this little group, it was my pace. A mile to go, no sight of the 2 who broke away in front, they were well and truly gone. I rehearsed in my mind where the 30 mph signs were, this was the finish line. To my horror both the riders in blue pulled by me! I dug deeper, drooped a gear, kept the cadence, held on to them, then pulled by one, the 30 mph signs were just round a bend, I saw them and smashed down on my pedals, no smooth action, just emptying whatever I had. No out of saddle , just sitting, turning the pedals. I slid by and and held the pace to cross the imaginary line to take the 3rd spot. Inside I was overjoyed , I'd drooped my mate who usually rides wiser than me and beaten 2 others who thought they had me. We git to the meeting area and we all got off our bikes and sat in the sun, a group of pretend cycling heroes in Lycra, middle aged men and some women who had busted their bits. All fir a bit of flap jack.....
I am still recovering. The bath was beautiful. My cup if tea and home made lemon drizzle cake gorgeous. 60 hard hilly miles.
B. Scrambled eggs on 2 wm Danish nimble
Flap jack at coffee stop, 1 sugar.
Lemon drizzle cake
D. Roadt pork loin hex b, jacket spud, veg, gravy , crispy Yorkshire puds, spoke sauce.
