Well that's it on this challenge for a little while - just done my seventh ride, but after I get back from my short break in Scotland next week, I'm going to have to start picking up my running training, which reduces my availability for doing long rides. I might be able to squeeze one more in over the summer, but it's likely the rest will have to all be done from late September onwards.
As for today's ride, it was the annual sportive that starts from my home town (Tour de Vale), which I tend to make an effort to enter most years. This year I was joined by my good friend and former work colleague Adam, who I'd promised I'd drag up the hills if necessary - he's normally way fitter/faster than me, but up until last week had been training for a sprint triathlon and so hadn't been doing any long rides, so doing a 100km course (especially one where it was back loaded with short steep climbs) was not something he was looking forward to.
Nevertheless, we both made it round successfully and I only had to wait for him once at the top of a climb for any meaningful length of time, so I think he did really well. Weather was a bit cold at first, so was glad I'd brought my windproof layer with me, but this then got stuffed in a jersey pocket about 10 miles in as the sun started to break through the clouds.
When we got back to the ride finish, partook of a hog roast bap or two (proceeds going to Wheelpower - the spinal injuries sporting charity, as they organise this event) before riding the last three miles home at a much more sedate pace!
5 qualifying rides for this challenge (161+ km), 5 other rides for the metric century challenge (I counted one of the lunatic rides for both challenges in May), plus 3 of my rides from the '50' challenge.
