BELATED UPDATE!!!
I realise it's been a while since either Matt or I wrote something - this was highlighted to me by Saz - probably the only person actually reading this (our one fan :p). SO this is for you.
So I was meant to write this last week and it's going to be a bit of a historical blog but Matt has been aviating all week, cycling on the non-flyable days, and I've been rubbish. Anyway, last Monday was a bank holiday and I left very early to meet a friend for a bike ride around Goring. So as I'm ready with all my lycra on - Simon (old school friend) gets off the train rocking the shagged out London bike look - I could see this was going to be a great day.
We headed out on the roads - some stunning straight Roman roads round that part and we decided to go along a lovely hilly B road. Whilst managing to annoy probably every motorist in the area that day but riding side by side catching up on life events from the last few months said road quickly turned to gravel - not great for a roadie. Which subsequently turned to exposed flint where I not only had a very sore nether region after a just minute but also was the only roadie on a predominantly off-road. Having said that, I took great pleasure in beasting past people with full suspension.
See below for evidence, of the ride not the sore bits.
Picture showing the Didcot power station in the background.
My chum Simon
The "road" that was the ridgeway.
After all that we stopped off at an amazing pub for refreshments in the form of some local ale and an incredible sandwich.
Giving the groin a rest for an hour meant I could enjoy the descent that we had been building to for the last hour. It last just a minute, something I'm used to, but managed to pick up such speed I clocked 38 mph - but Strava says more like 32. Regardless it was quick.
We totaled only around 45km's but it was great to catch up with an old mate of mine.
Think we are going to get back to the usual training routine with spinning and bike rides in the evenings and longer rides on the weekend. All of which will be stepping up gradually as we come to the end of the first month of training.
Fundraising is also going to get a boot up the arse. Hopefully Matt and I will start organising events. More to follow on that though.
Ali
