TRAINING CYCLE #2

"Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race." - H.G Wells

I finally had the pleasure to meet one of the other cyclists who will be tackling the London to Paris event in July (or, as we call it, the L2P *makes gangsta hands*). Dorota suggested meeting up for a training ride, and so we began our Sunday mornings bright and early from Putney. There wasn't really a plan per se; our agenda was simply to head along the river towards Richmond, and tackle some hills in Richmond Park. This we did, in the end, but only after some navigational confusion (ie Claire doesn't know where she's going) which saw us lost in Barnes township at one point. Another time we got trapped behind some tennis courts, and after asking some very friendly people for directions we found ourselves at a dead end. In a golf course.

However, this is merely practice for navigating ourselves across France... right?

The fabulous Dorota

I'm only into my second week of cycling and Dorota was well ahead in the fitness stakes, yet very kindly put me at ease as I wheezed my way up some rather NASTY HILLS. (Is there any other kind?) For the record, I didn't walk the bike up any hills today, and that was an achievement in itself. So I am holding onto that much. 

We did a circuit of Richmond Park, and I even saw my first Richmond deer - standing there, unmoving and nonchalent and probably wondering what the deal was with all these people on wheely things.

Deer 1: "Why is everyone in SUCH A HURRY?"

Deer 2: "Human race."

Dorota also introduced me to the beautiful and frankly, quite magical Isabella Plantation - a woodland garden hidden within the park. We saw ducklings, trees in blossom, and even had little sit down. Ahhh.

We were prepared for a forecast of heavy rain, which we didn't really get - thankfully. However we did get some RIDICULOUSLY strong winds, which we were cycling into for most of the day. There were times when I actually felt my bike wobble under the force of the wind. It also slowed down the joyous delight that is coasting downhill. Mean. I have a serious dislike for wind.

A lot of the day was spent cycling alongside the participants of the Thames Bridges cycle event, for The Stroke Association. Often this meant being mistaken as competitors and being cheered on by marshals in fluoro vests. We didn't correct anyone. We liked the cheering. We also tried to take a run at the finishing line (oh the cheering we got then!) but had to put the brakes on before we were asked to show our race number. So close.

It was a fun day out on the bike, although I found this so much harder than last weekend. That first ride was 24 miles on the flat, and I felt I could've happily continued. Today I completed 32 miles with some hills thrown in, and it wrecked me. I can only put it down to the strong winds and the hills.. certainly a combination of the two was a challenge. Of course, I'm optimistic that all will go well with my training, although naturally a little anxious about the fact that in 9 weeks' time I have to be able to do 95 miles in one ten-hour day! Which means I have just two months to improve my speed, my fitness and yes... probably my map-reading skills as well.