Sunday, November 2, 2008

Rivi Ride

Headed to Riv about 2:30 for a bimble to try to ease my legs out after yesterday's race, they weren't actually that sore but they were tired. I had hoped Pam was going to make it as I would ride round with her and let the boys go off in front.


Pam didn't make it which meant it was just myself, Jez and Stu. Jez and Stu set off having their usual chatting session as I rode along behind. What always happens is the two of them gradually speed up (to match the speed of their chat!), they don't realise their doing it but I can see them unconsciously egging each other on and the speed increases.


Now, they are always happy to wait and if Pam was riding I'd ride along with her chatting and catch up to them when they stop but as I'm on my own I end up trying to keep up. I keep telling myself to ease off but there is something about being off the back that makes me ride that bit harder than I want to or really should. My quads were actually quite sore, I could really feel them when I contracted them.


I'm ok for the first couple of miles around Healey Nab etc but I really am not looking forward to climbing Moor Road. It's always a challenge but I very rarely dread it but I was dreading it today. I did think as I was rolling past the Waterman's Cottage that I should put it into the granny ring and spin up in a very easy gear (but then it would just take longer an my legs were even less up for spinning fast!) but I left it in middle and forced my way up. It hurt but I was at least compensated for the pain by the beginnings of a gorgeous setting sun making part of the sky orange - I think Snowdon was sillouhetted ?


I got to the top and dropped down Lead Mines (which actually put a smile on my face again - weeeee!). The next bit 17% road up from Alance Bridge really hurt, I normally manage to get most of the way up this section before it starts to hurt but it hurt all the way up. I don't remember much about the ride to the bottom of the climb to the pigeon tower either though I did switch my light son at some point and I did spend a lot of time looking at the sky and the effect of the orange light on the hillside (why didn't I have my camera - why isn't Jez riding with the SLR anymore, stamps feet). I did notice I was starting to feel very petulant (I'm sure my bottom lip was petted) and inordinately sleepy.


I rode up the climb to the pigeon tower ok but my mood was really heading south, we got to the bottom of the climb to the pike and I managed to get round the rocky corners ok but I refused point blank to actually do the last bit to the Pike (strop alert). I said I'd meet them at the gate at the bottom and headed down. Once I got to the gate I was feeling very nauseous and sleepy it dawned on me that I feel like that when my blood sugar crashes through the floor.


I had a quick think about today's food intake (well not quick as that faculty was now gone awaiting input of sugar): Breakfast at 9am of Scrambled eggs and a slice of toast and half a bowl of soup at 2pm. FFS! It was now close to 4pm, no wonder my limbs felt like bits of chewed string, that's not enough for me on a day of just lying on the sofa. I got a gel down me quick as the boys rattled into view.


Jez had a look of total non-surprise when I told him I was very hungry and grumpy (apparently I'd bitten his head off at least three times between Lead Mines and the pigeon tower, oops). We more or less headed straight back to the car. If I'd spotted a chippy open that we could park at on the way home I would've pulled in and stuffed my face. I was so hungry when I got home.


Think I need to record my food intake/timings/fuelling in general again.

I also need to have some sort of plan for my training again, got some races to plan in over the next couple of months and some mountain biking to fit in.

9 comments:

  1. It has never occurred to me to a ride that allows for riding down Lead Mines, I've only ever pedalled up it! It would be so much nicer done your way.

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  2. I'm feeling grupy reading about you going riding at rivi when I was at home with a cold :(

    Give me a shout if you ev need someone to talk to while the boys ride fast, riding and chatting are two of my favorite things - the other being eating that you seem to have forgot about!

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  3. I should be stick thin the way I seem to run out of fuel, sadly I'm not (too much wine and cake methinks). You get to ride when I'm at work which should more than make up for having a cold yesterday (hope it clears up soon)! Riding down Lead Mines is good, the drawbacks are the road climbs to and from it, they seem to go on forever.....

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  4. I've rode down leadmines one but didn't like the road climbs and love the challenge of getting up leadmines. I will do it again on my singlespeed!!!!

    Oh yes that work thing that gets in the way of riding, I had that till recently and its coming back!

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  5. Ever since I started MTBing at Riv we've ridden down Lead Mines (and up the road climbs), it's just the loop we generally do and we only occasionally reverse it. The road climbs are my fitness gauge, I used to have to ride it in granny ring, I can now hang on in middle though I'm not sure the speed is much different!

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  6. I got up them the once I tried on my ss but think some days I'd be walking. Have been up loads on my road bike in my easiest gear!

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  7. Both Jez and Stu can get up them on SS and to start with there was a lot of weaving but Stu can ride most of them seated on the SS now

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  8. People climb seated on a ss, I would need to change my gear I think!

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  9. I don't think I'd manage on an SS either way so your doing well. He never used to be able to sit and he hasn't been riding it as much lately so wouldn't be able to for a couple of rides but it is quite impressive as he disappears off into the distance. Night riding last year involved me staring at a rapidly disappearing red dot, a lot!

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