What I remembered at the weekend

The old Frome – Wells Road

It was my first proper distance ride of the year this weekend

I can’t tell you what I learned from this

But I can tell you what came back to me, again

First of all, when I was setting off I seemed to have to stop every 50 metres to adjust something or other. But then I “got going” and I was surprised when I got to the halfway point ahead of my expected time. I thought – I must be going really well!
What I’d forgotten was, when you think you are going really well it is simply the effects of a tailwind. The next thing is that you are riding into a headwind. And this is indeed what happened.

Another thing I’d forgotten is those little aches and pains. To avoid achey toes I have often gone to great lengths to keep my feet warm early on in the ride. I missed out on this – result hurty feet. But I got away with this to a great extent as it was only 200km and the feet warmed up in the afternoon. I was back home before it got cold

Lastly, I remembered that often the narrow way, the back road, the poor track is sometimes the best way to take. As I got towards the end, riding into that headwind, I wasn’t feeling so great. I much prefer hills to headwinds. So on a couple of occasions I avoided my planned flatter, wider and better surfaced (but windier) route in favour of a terrible narrow lane up a hill. And I felt better for it.

That’s my first 200km ride of the year out of the way! Hopefully it will be good prep for the 300km Elenydd in a few weeks.

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