Training Week Day 5
Saturday, February 18th, 2012Day 5
Last Day of my training schedule today. Ben joined me for a steady 2.5 hours.
I woke up in the best mood I’ve been in all week.
I wondered:
Was it because the sun was shining?
Or perhaps it was becuase Ben and I had agreed the night before that we were not going to push hard?
Or maybe it was because I had planned the flattest route of the week?
No, it was because in 2 and a half hours this would all be over!!
Before I had even met Ben it became apparent that the gale force winds weren’t going to let me get away with an easy day and to make things worse for Ben he came off before arriving at the meet – luckily he was ok and soldiered on 🙂 We also took a wrong turning around Cowden and found the hilliest, rather than the flattest, road ever, again that damn route planner!
It was great to ride with someone who a) Had also been training all week and therefore knew what it felt like to be tired and b) Had the same goals of the session i.e. this was an aerobic ride – this was the first day this week that my heart rate actually spent some time in my aerobic zone. It’s fascinating how the body works, I was notably less hungry today, my body using fat as its primary fuel, not glycogen. Mind you, as fit as he is and weighing in at 60kg, I doubt Ben had even got into his aerobic zone waiting for me on Ide Hill! That said, we had a great chat and it was very enjoyable, thanks Ben.
It is so rewarding to set yourself a big goal and then reach it – 13 hours of structured training in 5 days. Initially all I wanted was to find at least one person per day to ride with so I didn’t have to do it on my own. I got a lot more than that though. I got to ride with some really really top blokes (and nearly Nicky – if only I had been more organised – sorry Nicky!) despite that fact that all bar one of them rode with me on a weekday when everyone was at work! If I had met any one of you for the first time I can hand on heart say that you all make fantastic Ambassadors for your clubs – cheers chaps it has been a pleasure.
As much as I would like to have won all the climbs and felt great about myself I didn’t in fact lead over a single climb, instead I had to push myself harder than I ever imagined – isn’t that what training’s all about?!
After leaving Ben today I was about 10 minutes from home and I encountered that elusive thing that so many of us dream about. It only lasted about 30 seconds but after 12 hours and 50 minutes I found it – a tailwind!!
Now to the Hell Of The Ashdown.