One of my milestones reached!

After the rest day on Sunday and taking the monday commute very very easy, I needed a good day to let off some steam in my sufficiently rested legs. They were itching to be let loose even with only 2 rest days in one and half months. Tuesday would be the day as sunny spells were predicted but also so was 40km/h gusts. Not as bad as Monday.

Scottie was the weapon of choice. Super light, super areo position, super wheels, super comfy and super looks ( debatable)  make this bike an absolute bargain. The idea was to go quite hard at the beginning then adjust accordingly depending on how badly the wind was affecting my speeds.

I began by following the 2010 Tour of Britain route ( Rochdale to Blackpool) so up Edenfield Rd where there were traffic lights waiting for me so I circled a little layby waiting for the lights to change then realised I never paused my Garmin so  my average could have been higher. From Edenfield Rd the route took me up to Deerplay Moor but instead of turning left towards Padiham and Forrest of Bowland I went right to Todmorden. Very cross windy but was semi sheltered by the  hills unlike on Edenfield Rd which was relentless. Starting to love climbing again after I lost all the Christmas and holiday weight which seemed to take ages. No discipline. So now most of the climbing was out of the way and I could see my average getting higher and higher at an alarming rate. You can see where I started to take it a little easy as my heart rate dropped from av 150 to av 136 in anticipation of a hard final slog into the wind for the last 10miles or so and a cross from mile 30-40.

For two years now since I averaged 18.5mph on a fairly hilly 50miler up Blackstone edge and down Cragg I have tried to break that 20 barrier for the 'hilly' 50. I even took my TT bike out one day to do it but only got 19.2mph after getting 22mph at the half way point. Today was looking like that day  and on the fast bits I was always keeping some in reserve ready for the gusty head wind and to give my all on the final stretch.

When that wind did come there weren't big gusts, probably hit 40km/h once all journey and since I felt really strong it wasn't bothering me and my legs were able to rip up the last 10 miles. Even the last 2 climbs, the penultimate with a bad head, last with a  cross I had the power and endurance to get speeds close to if it was a calm day. I felt cold all the way around and was only in shorts and short sleeves.

Arrived home with lots in the legs and an 'unofficial goal' achieved. Had to do a couple of laps of the estate as I was only at 48miles. Towards the end of my journey when it was looking that I'd break 20mph quite easily I held back so that I could make the most of a run/ weights session the day after as the weather was going to be atrocious on Wednesday.

DISTANCE 50miles     AVERAGE Sp 20.3mph     ASCENT ~4000ft