First Training Ride Together for 2011

So, after stealing away individually over the last few weeks to do our little bits of training on the sly, Sunday 27th dawned bright and breezy and Joe shamed me into doing a decent ride together. This made a pleasant change from watching Michael Palin from my turbo-trainer in the shed.  The winter has been pretty miserable and icy up until a couple of weeks ago so it was great to get some miles in on dry roads in the sun.  


We did the Suie Hill loop, a fantastic ride of just over 40 miles through some of Grampian's finest scenery and taking in some good climbs including, unsurprisingly, Suie Hill.  Virtually all the climbing was on the outward leg which, as luck would have it, was into a 16mph north-westerly head-wind.  we consoled ourselves with the thought that this increased the value of the training ... and with the fact that we absolutely flew along on the homeward leg!


Joe was practising his 'eating on the bike', a habit that I'll really have to try and break or I'm either going to starve or choke!  We completed the ride in around 3 hrs 20 mins at an average of 12.2mph which, I have to stress, is faster than we will target come the trip.  10mph sounds good, and also keeps the maths easy!

Joe 

Phil

I'm sure that Joe thinks my age advantage will challenge him on the hills, but I don't think he yet realises how hard I was toiling to match pace on the flat.  It just goes to illustrate the advantages of a body honed to perfection by a lifetime of club cycling, running and nordic skiing, compared with my scantily muscled, johnny-come-lately frame.


Happily, the slow puncture I picked up towards the end lasted the final 5 miles home.  A great run but, my, was it ever cold!