On the Friday night I made a massive pasta dish (Chicken, red peppers, cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs) and as per usual I cooked for an army lol.
After fuelling for the ride night before, I ensure that in the morning I carried out my ritual of checking the tyres on my bike, ensuring I had my morning @NespressoUSA coffee and some food in my belly.
My nutrition on the ride was going to be taken care of by @High5 @PowerbarUK @ClifBarUK (If any of these guys are reading my blog, I am looking for sponsor for my journey to #IronmanMelb2014
With my tummy full, bike ready and nutrition on board I was off. My first leg of this ride was simply to get to Hot Chillee Headquaters (HQ), this was about 12kms from when I am based.
Got HQ without a hitch, got registered and was on my way, however whilst I was leaving, another turbo @JennieMale was heading to registration, so I decided to wait for her. After a little while I decided to head off, I just needed to get going, I was afterall doing the Epic course whereas Jennie was doing the standard distance.
I headed off to do the longest ride I had ever done in 5 years and in England. The weather was brilliant for a long ride, I didn't really know what was in store for me I just simply just wanted to get the mileage in my legs.
The overall ride from a signage point of view has got to be one of the best and most well marked routes I have ever ridden. Hats off to Martin from @UKCyclingEvents, for an Aussie who has no idea where she is going, I never once got lost and even though there were very little marshals, there was no need as the signage was great.
The feed stations on route were very well stocked with Haribo jellybeans, bananas, figroll biscuits (my favourite), SIS drink, flapjacks, jaffa biscuits. Amazing selection and really lovely people at the stations. On my route there were 2 feed stations. I stopped at both. I also stopped a long the route to stretch my glutes out. All part of the training, getting my body used to using those lovely muscles (glutes and arse).
After feed station two, this is where the route got tough. I had the 3 hills ahead of me, gradients of 14%, 18% and 20% respectively, however I didn't really know that beforehand. The three crazy pain hills were Leith Hill, Arbinger Lane, White Down Lane and Ranmore Common! Who the f*&k puts three killer hills towards the end of a long sportive!
I rode up Leith Hill, Arbinger Lane, 3 quarters of the way up Whitedown Lane and all of Ranmore Common, my legs were screaming but I kept at it, I kept reminding myself that I have the 9 hills of Italy (Nove Colli) to ride and if I can make it up these hills, I can do anything!
After the hardest part I continued to ride into the wind, most the route from the second feed station was a headwind. I kept on and kept on. I was growing quite tired but I knew that once I got to HQ I still had to ride back to home!
I made it successfully back to Richmond. My legs were tired, as was I. I had a nice long shower and went to bed early. I still had to run and swim the following day (Sunday).
Overall I managed to ride: It was not a fast ride, it was simply a ride with a lot of climbing that needed to be done!
- 155.6kmDistance
- 1,264mElevation
- 07:46:34Moving Time
- 2,566Calories
Till my next race, Kingfisher Aquathon 21st April
Toodles and thanks for reading!