We set out for our ride last night feeling tired, but keen to get keep up the training, get some more miles under our belt and include some hills. The majority of the ride was really good. I didn't even mind too much that it poured with rain as we climbed the hill from Cowley to Upton Pyne. We've not done much training in the wet, so I was extremely cautious on the lanes through to Thorverton, but at least now I'm more confident with my drops I could stay on the bike and feel in control...even though that meant going very slowly!
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| This picture looks much brighter than it was! |
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| A damp Ant waits for me at the top of the hill |
From Thorverton we sped along and joined the lanes back towards Stoke Canon. A relatively flat stretch meant we made good time and thanks to Ant remembering the route better than I did, we didn't take any wrong turns! Unfortunately once we joined the main road back from Stoke Canon I had a sharp pain in my left shoulder all the way back. This isn't the nicest stretch of road to cycle at the best of times and stopping to strectch wasn't an option, so I just had to plough on until we got back to St. Davids. Once back on the cycle path again, I could slow down and take my hand off the bars for short periods, but this didn't really help relieve the pain so I just wanted to get home quickly.
I wasn't sure if I'd make the final climb up to the Hourglass from the Quay but was determined to give it a go until three quarters of the way up when a black cat leapt across the road right in front of me, almost clipping my front wheel. I had to brake and then didn't even try to get going again on such a steep section of hill. That's the first time I've not made it up that hill - but I figured that a black cat running out in front of me must mean Good Luck is on the way!
Just as we got to the back gate, the rain returned as we packed our bikes away after 18.3 miles. Thankfully the pain in my shoulder receded once I was off the bike, so I just have to hope it won't be a reoccuring problem. Meanwhile my legs are definitely feeling stronger, so if we can keep up with the training, I am hopeful that we'll at least be able to enjoy the first half of our Olympic ride before the exhaustion sets in!
We have been so excited to see Bradley Wiggins take the gold medal this week and the men's gold in the velodrome this evening. Awesome effort and fantastic achievements! I was slightly worried by an interview with Bradley Wiggins in which he said the roads hadn't been resurfaced for the race and were full of potholes! I was hoping that by doing the route after the race the roads would have been improved, but never mind! If world class athletes can put up with it then so can we!!
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