Despite having had 3 good rides over the long weekend I still had the urge to get some more miles in & with the ‘Midland Monster’ Cyclosportive later this month I thought I should focus on some more climbing. I had time to get a good ride in & so planned a route to take in Beacon Hill & a loop around the hills of Charnwood.
I set off on a similar route to Friday & this time had the will power to continue into the headwind through to Hathern & onto Zouch, about an hour, before turning to take a tailwind, on roads new to me, along to Barrow & a regular garage stop for fuel, water!
Bottles topped up, banana consumed, & it wasn’t long before I was on the rising approach to Beacon Hill, once it start proper it’s a good mile or so at an average of 8%. Once over the top I do a loop of around 8 miles that takes me back down & up a couple more times to get in as much climbing as I can, ouch!
Moving away from Charnwood I head towards Copt Oak & then another climb up past St Bernards Abbey before dropping down into the back of Whitwick & on to join the A511,maybe not my best move. Staying on the A511 for a couple of miles before swinging off after the A447 & rolling into the top of Ashby. Back through the town with the wind behind & a clear run through I get a good run at the short sharp Kilwardby Street, it’s not that bad but always comes near the end of a ride, & today it got the better of me as my legs were feeling very tired after the weekend & todays climbing. Once over the top tho’ it’s plain sailing & with the wind behind it’s full steam ahead for the final couple of miles until I turn into Donisthorpe Lane at full tilt, ‘it’s not a race!’, where I click the computer, back right off & just spin for the last kilometre home.
Another enjoyable ride with nearly 1000m of ascent in 85km on yet another windy day. Mustn’t grumble tho’, the sun was shining.
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