50 Miles
50 miles today. The laps of Richmond Park are marginally more stimulating than a turbo trainer or exercise bike. Besides getting dizzy from the laps, it's not too bad. I saw something pretty amazing this morning. Riding anti-clockwise I was near the highest point of the park. The sun was coming up and from the East it was making a beautiful silhouette of the trees and the valley with London down there somewhere. I heard fast moving hooves and a very large stag was in full stride going parallel to me the opposite way across the ridge. It's frosty breath was coming out like locomotive steam. I slowed a bit to get it's silhouette as it neared the top of the ridge. Perfect. It was crazy perfect timing like those shots of planes flying in front of the moon. Never mind. This is much better than a turbo trainer!
There was an article preaching the benefits of fixed gear training in Cycling Week. I must not be the only one. This is my winter bike...and my summer bike...erm, it's the only bike I have for the next couple of months. I can really feel the strength building. I didn't have to get out of the saddle this week on the small hills for the first two laps, just powered up them. Descending is very slow but that's ok. I added a lap this week and my speed went up from 18.2 to 18.5 mph. There was a stronger wind last week and I am a kilo lighter. For me it's important to take what any course gives me. I treat the hills the same as a headwind. I tend to work the hardest with the wind at my back. It's like catching a bus. It should be easier but if I really put a good dig in when I have flat or wind to work with It is keeping the effort more consistent AND reeling in long stretches of road quickly.
50 miles...2.50 minutes door to door. 1hr and 50 minutes in the park.
There was an article preaching the benefits of fixed gear training in Cycling Week. I must not be the only one. This is my winter bike...and my summer bike...erm, it's the only bike I have for the next couple of months. I can really feel the strength building. I didn't have to get out of the saddle this week on the small hills for the first two laps, just powered up them. Descending is very slow but that's ok. I added a lap this week and my speed went up from 18.2 to 18.5 mph. There was a stronger wind last week and I am a kilo lighter. For me it's important to take what any course gives me. I treat the hills the same as a headwind. I tend to work the hardest with the wind at my back. It's like catching a bus. It should be easier but if I really put a good dig in when I have flat or wind to work with It is keeping the effort more consistent AND reeling in long stretches of road quickly.
50 miles...2.50 minutes door to door. 1hr and 50 minutes in the park.
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