The weather forecast for this weekend had been promising, possibly the best weekend of the year so far. So I planned a good long ride, yesterday I dusted down my best bike, (Look 595), lubed the chain, put some air in the tyres & gave it a check over ready for it's first airing of the year.
It was a clear night & there was a light frost first thing so I didn't rush out of the door too early as I was planning to ride with reduced clothing. I set of just after 9.00am & headed out for a big Easterly loop, flat out & hilly back. The plan was to ride fasted again in an attempt to burn fat! I had at least a litre of water & a couple of espresso before I set of & another bottle during the first 2hrs before a quick stop for more water in Long Clawson. Once I'd stopped I had a banana & started on the energy drinks.
Another 10mins & I was on the first climb of the day, Harby Hill. I'm not climbing too well yet but plodded over the top & made the right turn at the top, into the breeze & heading back towards home taking in some more hills. This section to my next water stop in Barrow upon Soar is open & exposed to the wind but I maintained a reasonable pace. After the water stop it's time to start preparing myself for the climbing to come of Beacon Hill, a climb of local notoriety included in many a rider training routes.
Once over the top there's some respite for a while, so time to get some more food in, before another good climb past St Bernards Abbey back towards Coalville. From here it's on thro' Whitwick before heading over towards Melbourne for the climb up Robinsons Hill, this climb may not be too long but after 120km it can hurt & it's been used in the Tour of Britain a couple of times! Onwards thro' Ticknall & one last climb on the way back to Ashby. Straight thro' past the golf course & around the back of Measham before turning back into the wind & then up the hill from Acresford to home.
On todays ride I was using some new kit, a new pair of gloves that I got from Cycle Shack where I been attending a series of talks on nutrition by Barry Murray of OptmumNutrition4Sport.
- New Gloves & Shades
The Zero rh+ gloves are great, really comfortable & very grippy, they feel like quality kit!
I also picked up a new pair of Rudy Project Rydon sunglasses in the sale at a local bike shop recently, not my first pair of these glasses but these are photochromatic & as before are so comfortable, 5hrs today & no irritation or discomfort, awesome!
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