So exactly 1 month since I took up cycling as a way of getting and keeping fit I entered my first sportive today to raise money for the charity Mediquip4kids
When I entered my longest ride at that time (2weeks ago) was 6 miles so I decided that I would go for the 18 mile loop to see how I got on. After steadily building up the miles around my home in Bolton where the roads are like something from the a KTM Stage
, I managed to do a 11.3 mile ride on Friday which was my longest to date
Yesterday was a scheduled rest day and I must admit feeling more than a little apprehensive about how I would get on. My wife came with me as moral support as we loaded the van up with all sorts of things including different clothing combinations depending upon the weather in Cockerham...
I should have known it would be rain, wind and more rain
We set off at 12.00 and I was out with about 10 riders doing a steady 12 mph. Our group spread out and I decided just to maintain this pace to see how I got on. I passed the 5 mile mark and felt great so decided not to stop at the refreshment station. The wind and rain were really making life difficult for a novice such as me and added to this there was another event going on around the same roads with some proper looking guys
one group came around a corner from the opposite direction from me and nearly took me out..luckily they saw me and avoided a crash
I reached a junction somewhere around the 15 mile mark (I still hadn't stopped which was a miricle for me) and the guy in fromt of me on a MTB asked the marshall (of the other event) which way we should go...he sent us the wrong way and we ended up doing a 7 mile detour before getting back to that same junction...as you can imagine I wasn't best pleased feeeling tired and very very wet
.
There is however one bonus in all this...as I was so annoyed I just wanted to get back to base as soon as I could and so for the first time changed up to my large front chainring (told you I was a novice at all this)...what a differenceI was easily moving along at 17 mph with very little effort and asking myself why I hadn't done this before 
Back on the correct route the run back into Cockerham saw some of the worse rain I have ever seen coupled with about 3 miles of the road that had been ripped up in readiness for re-surfacing. It nearly shook the fillings out of my teeth especially as I was travelling as fast as my very tired legs would carry me into a very brisk headwind
Made it back to base after doing....25 miles in 1hr 50mins
I'm a very happy and proud boy
The moral of this story is that if I can do what I have done in the last month then anyone can...believe in yourself and enjoy the feeling of speed and freedom that only cycling can give you...your better than you think you are
When I entered my longest ride at that time (2weeks ago) was 6 miles so I decided that I would go for the 18 mile loop to see how I got on. After steadily building up the miles around my home in Bolton where the roads are like something from the a KTM Stage
, I managed to do a 11.3 mile ride on Friday which was my longest to dateYesterday was a scheduled rest day and I must admit feeling more than a little apprehensive about how I would get on. My wife came with me as moral support as we loaded the van up with all sorts of things including different clothing combinations depending upon the weather in Cockerham...
I should have known it would be rain, wind and more rain
We set off at 12.00 and I was out with about 10 riders doing a steady 12 mph. Our group spread out and I decided just to maintain this pace to see how I got on. I passed the 5 mile mark and felt great so decided not to stop at the refreshment station. The wind and rain were really making life difficult for a novice such as me and added to this there was another event going on around the same roads with some proper looking guys
one group came around a corner from the opposite direction from me and nearly took me out..luckily they saw me and avoided a crashI reached a junction somewhere around the 15 mile mark (I still hadn't stopped which was a miricle for me) and the guy in fromt of me on a MTB asked the marshall (of the other event) which way we should go...he sent us the wrong way and we ended up doing a 7 mile detour before getting back to that same junction...as you can imagine I wasn't best pleased feeeling tired and very very wet
. There is however one bonus in all this...as I was so annoyed I just wanted to get back to base as soon as I could and so for the first time changed up to my large front chainring (told you I was a novice at all this)...what a difference
I was easily moving along at 17 mph with very little effort and asking myself why I hadn't done this before Back on the correct route the run back into Cockerham saw some of the worse rain I have ever seen coupled with about 3 miles of the road that had been ripped up in readiness for re-surfacing. It nearly shook the fillings out of my teeth especially as I was travelling as fast as my very tired legs would carry me into a very brisk headwind
Made it back to base after doing....25 miles in 1hr 50mins
I'm a very happy and proud boyThe moral of this story is that if I can do what I have done in the last month then anyone can...believe in yourself and enjoy the feeling of speed and freedom that only cycling can give you...your better than you think you are
