Managed to knock another 62 and change miles off the Proclaimers Challenge today. Things I've learnt...
1) Best to try (harder) to get to the start of events on time. Turning up later than scheduled (albeit with over an hour's drive completed) leads to rushing, panicking and starting the event 12 mins late and on one's own... Allowing absolutely no chance of drafting and setting one up for a long old slog.
2) If you take things with you, best to use them and/or remember them. Fix number to front of bike (makes using the feed stations easier!). Apply suncream to arms (even if it is raining because you did check the forecast and the sun will be appearing. Eventually...). Attach spare inner tubes and pump to bike rather than leaving them in the car - so much more useful that way...
3) Bike rack concept needs work. Mark (the car) was not a fan (Boris scratched him! The ignominy!). Boris was largely ambivalent, but he did shudder distractingly throughout. I did not find having to drive at no more than 65 mph all day much fun - particularly on the way home, when my 2.5 hour drive went on, and on, and on... Still, it did work, and was way less stressful than taking Boris apart and putting him in a box (nothing before or since has been that stressful): just need to work out how to protect Mark better...
4) Must do more training. Was scooped up in the latter half of the ride by a group of cycling club people who (strongly) encouraged me to join them and take advantage of the resultant drafting. I found the pace a bit high, but managed to keep with them to the end. Important thing to note here is that said cycling club is made up of (mainly) retirement-age cyclists - I was being outpaced by a group of people which included at least one septuagenarian! Must do more training...
5) People can be very lovely. Said group of cyclists not only shepherded me to the finish (a good thing, as they'd started removing the directional signs by the time we got to the end of the ride!), but one of them gave me money for the Proclaimers Challenge! Even though this was a charity event intended really to raise fund for another charity.
Well, I think that's enough learnt for one day. I'm off to eat more chocolate (can't be bothered eating healthily today - too much effort) and collapse into bed.
Onwardzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
:o)
Today's stats:
Cycling - 62.137 miles, 6 hrs [oof! A little wind goes a long way...]
1) Best to try (harder) to get to the start of events on time. Turning up later than scheduled (albeit with over an hour's drive completed) leads to rushing, panicking and starting the event 12 mins late and on one's own... Allowing absolutely no chance of drafting and setting one up for a long old slog.
2) If you take things with you, best to use them and/or remember them. Fix number to front of bike (makes using the feed stations easier!). Apply suncream to arms (even if it is raining because you did check the forecast and the sun will be appearing. Eventually...). Attach spare inner tubes and pump to bike rather than leaving them in the car - so much more useful that way...
3) Bike rack concept needs work. Mark (the car) was not a fan (Boris scratched him! The ignominy!). Boris was largely ambivalent, but he did shudder distractingly throughout. I did not find having to drive at no more than 65 mph all day much fun - particularly on the way home, when my 2.5 hour drive went on, and on, and on... Still, it did work, and was way less stressful than taking Boris apart and putting him in a box (nothing before or since has been that stressful): just need to work out how to protect Mark better...
4) Must do more training. Was scooped up in the latter half of the ride by a group of cycling club people who (strongly) encouraged me to join them and take advantage of the resultant drafting. I found the pace a bit high, but managed to keep with them to the end. Important thing to note here is that said cycling club is made up of (mainly) retirement-age cyclists - I was being outpaced by a group of people which included at least one septuagenarian! Must do more training...
5) People can be very lovely. Said group of cyclists not only shepherded me to the finish (a good thing, as they'd started removing the directional signs by the time we got to the end of the ride!), but one of them gave me money for the Proclaimers Challenge! Even though this was a charity event intended really to raise fund for another charity.
Well, I think that's enough learnt for one day. I'm off to eat more chocolate (can't be bothered eating healthily today - too much effort) and collapse into bed.
Onwardzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
:o)
Today's stats:
Cycling - 62.137 miles, 6 hrs [oof! A little wind goes a long way...]
No comments:
Post a Comment