Today I rode to Martinborough via Ponatahi, and then back the Masterton road, up to Solway and back to Carterton. Total distance 89km. Exactly, according to Google Map calculations I have just completed. Although it felt like 100km! Over 100km.
After having coffee, freshly made ginger crunch, and securing some heritage runner beans from the owners of the Straw House to plant, I headed up back the Masterton road with the intention of hitting the Millars Rd side road, which gives a good hill climb.
Overall (overall) I think I am managing my gear changes better. I was feeling pretty pleased that the hill that had beat me when I rode it with TJ a few months ago, I managed with relative ease. Yep, feeling pretty good and confident until I hit the next hill climb after that. I had changed gears back, but missed the right gear changes to get me up the next hill climb. So, I thought I would walk it. Not a good idea. It is a different movement with cleats from disemembarking "on the flat"- and now that I am sitting here typing this, its fairly logical re physics. So, yeah, I fell to my left into gravel. I am actually quite good at falling! I am amazed that I didn't actually stuff my knee and injure it seriously. I think the key is not to let your weight follow in as much as you can. And in my case that's still a lot of kilos. It hurt, it bleed, but I managed to get back on the bike and ride.
A guy stopped to ask me if I was ok. I said I was. He suggested I drink some water. Maybe he thought I was dizzy?! Anyway, he stopped. Later on when I passed a lady walking her dogs, she asked if I was OK. She must have seen the blood on my leg.
Anyway, I picked myself up. That's what you have to do when you fall down. Get up. And the lesson is its better to master the hill climb than the fall.
Only one song for today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38u_FKctR1Y&feature=related
I didn't think I could cope doing the hills via Gladstone vineyards or Millars Rd, so I rode up Masterton Rd, and came back via Solway. I stopped to get off my bike in the great anticipation I had banana in my bag. It was with great disappointment to discover I had left the banana on my kitchen bench. Great disappointment. Turns out there are few minor hill climbs in any case.
A cyclist who passed me on the side alerted me that there was something 1km ahead. I couldn't quite hear what he said, other than "about 1 km or so". Turns out it was the fricken swooping magpies again. They are quite vicious.
I didn't really like the last leg of the journey, as it meant riding the last 10km on the motorway.
I could feel my feet that last part of the journey. So, I do need to get conditioned to the longer rides. Also, I was dying to go to the toilet (to much information!) - but it is a consideration for when I do Taupo - the toilet stop thing.
I can feel my knee now. I hope its ok ;<?
So, today's ride didn't feel like a great training ride. But it was a decent training ride. I figure it all helps to sort the gear thing, and the cleat thing, the energy thing, the water retention and the toilet thing now, then in two months time it will be "sweet" and easy ;-)!
8 weeks to go - exactly, I think.
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