For clarity, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify and define what I consider to be "fun" activities. What I would genuinely prefer to be spending my time doing. Which can pretty much be summed up as lying on a sun lounger beside a pool in the Caribbean with a cocktail in one hand and a book in the other. Now that's my idea of a good time...
Those labouring under the misapprehension that I expect to enjoy the random challenges that I sign up to - let alone the endless training that they all seem to involve - should think again. This isn't for fun, it's for charity, dammit! And, you know, various things like not eating myself into an early grave (*yawn*)...
Much fraught consideration today of whether my training has been sufficient to: (a) complete the 100-mile distance; (b) complete the distance within the 9-hour cut-off; and (c) indicate any real aptitude at cycling (i.e. are the "falling off" episodes a thing of the past?!).
There are 2 distinct schools of thought on this: (1) no to all the above (which I fear to be the case); (2) yes to all the above (which I hope to be the case). Weight is given to school 2 by the fact that I did manage to complete a marathon "run" last year and also then didn't relapse back onto my (dearly beloved) sofa; weight is given to school 1 by the fact that I haven't cycled over 20-ish miles yet in one go and haven't yet experienced cycling in groups (or indeed feeding on the bike)... I am sort of dementedly lurching from one school to the other whilst trying to remember to do minor things (like organise insurance for Boris!) and gracefully carry on with everything else in life (erm, work, mostly).
Of course, if I didn't cycle like a demented bumble bee (all my power is in my left leg, all my control in my right arm - you try going forward in a straight line!) then it might help. A bit. But just when you thought all hope was gone...
Discussion today on training, cycling, food, etc with one of the at-work cycling gurus (Ironman) elicited the information that you don't have to steer a bike with the handlebars - rather you just lean your shoulders and the bike follows. I've been cycling Boris rather like driving a car (and I do remember having to actually learn to turn the wheel to make the car move left or right...). Ironman sent me off to practise this new knowledge. And so I did. Carefully. I can be a bit literal, and so I didn't do anything with my shoulders - but when I wanted to go round a right-hand bend I bent my right elbow (keeping my left elbow/arm straight) and this automatically tipped my should in the correct direction. And it worked. Every. Single. Time! This does now mean that I can carry speed round corners (and thus terrify myself even more than usual) rather than brake carefully to ensure that I make the turn... But basically it just amused me for the whole ride tonight that it worked.
Who knows what I'll have learned how to do (which I'm sure your average 12-year-old boy already knows) by the time next weekend comes around?!
:oD
Today's stats
Cycling (outside!) - 1 hr 9 mins, 13.3 miles [same route, yet another distance. Ah, the joys of technology!]
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