Back on the road again

As far as LEL is concerned, the training plan would have you believe that it is good to do more than one 600km event before LEL. Obviously, this is not happening.

However, Audax rules are such that, to obtain credit for a ride, you must finish it. Therefore, in terms of the RTTY, where I must do a 200km event in every calendar month, doing 1300km of LEL and stopping would not count, and I would end the year RTTY-less. Now, please understand, I have no intention of failing on LEL, but it's best to plan ahead for all eventualities.

So, with this in mind, I set off last Saturday on the Two Battles permanent 200km, for the first 'serious' event since the Cambrian.

Guess what? It rained! At least the morning rain was drizzly in the most part, and for the most part warm, so we didn't get too miserable. I had my new toys with me, both rainlegs and Garmin (and more of those in a later post) but didn't really need either.

Service at the first control was not swift, so we were sat in the control losing over 45 minutes, and the second section was lumpy to Upper Stowe near Daventry, but not too slow.

I am noticing that after enforced rest and the exertions of the Cambrian 600 that 'normal' roads and hills seem neither as steep, or as long. I hope that this is in my legs, and not just in my head.

After lunch at Upper Stowe, it was noted that it was already 14:15 following a 08:30 start, and we were not progressing quickly. Couple that with a worsening forecast, and it was time to get the hammer well-and-truly down.

The afternoon sunshine was very warm, but unfortunately brought out clouds of crawly little thunderbugs, which were not a pleasure to cycle through. Legs kept turning as conversation virtually stopped, but control 3 came and went very quickly.

In the end, we got back to Tamworth at 18:36 for a time of 10:06 for 205km. More impressive (at least by my standards) was completing the last 104km in 4:26, including a stop at the last control.

Overall time 10:06
Cycling time 8:15
Average cycling speed 24.85kmh / 15.44mph!!!!! for 127 miles

I hope I haven't peaked too early.

3/4 RTTY and counting