The bike journey was an educational experience yesterday

After some blogging I dressed up in my Lycra shorts and stepped outside. It was too cold so I added some cold weather gear (an old cricketing sweater) and tried again. By the time I had checked the tyres it started to rain. Now I am not averse to exercising in all weathers but I really hate cycling into wind and rain. If it rains when you are already out so be it, but starting out like that strikes me as being far too masochistic. So I reclined indoors with a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit and watched Andy Murray destroy Roddick at Queens.

That lasted about as long as the rain. an so I set off for the first ride of 2011!

I have a couple of good routes nearby and most involve quiet roads and railway paths.
Today was a short 8 mile one, cycle out to the village I went to in the week head down to the river and pick up the old Lanchester Valley path and head towards the City.

As I headed up hill at the start with the wind in my face I wondered just the why I was doing this. At this point remebered the words of a colleague given to me some years ago who road raced competitively. He used to go out in all weathers for training, the philosophy was from his coach was that by doing this he was one step ahead of all those that stayed indoors. It was an investment in his future.

I don't care! Cycling up hill into a cold breeze is a living hell.

Once on the railway path the gradient is more even and one can just get on with pedalling. All was going well until I peeled off the railway path and joined the Queen's highway just before entering Durham. The route passes through a farm, a farmer person was harvesting horse poo from a paddock and gave me nothing but a hard stare as I greeted him. Well he was the one shovelling shit!

Over a small river but then there is sharp incline to join the main road. Not a long one but a first gear job.

Today there was a car at the top and he waved me forward. Oh bugger thought I. This was not what I wanted for my first major exercises and I even had to get off my saddle and work just so I don't hold him up too long.

I nearly threw up at the top.

But that is only half way! There is another climb to a set of traffic lights. To an experienced and regular cyclist this is not a nasty hill just a light work out but to a fat middle aged man like me it was Everest.

As I neared the end and tried to select the easiest ratio's I discovered that although I indexed the rear derailleur I had neglected to adjust the front gearing and as result, even with some cursing of the Anglo Saxon variety, it just would not go to the first ratio.

the last 50 yards up to the traffic lights are the steepest part ans in the past I have arrived here at a stop light and can catch my breath whilst I wait for the lights to change. My timing was against me today. So not only was I struggling up hill in the wrong gear but a couple of cars just passed me as I started the final ascent and thus the traffic sensitive lights changed to green just as I reached the stop line.

Usually i am rested and sprint a couple of hundred yards to a lay by and from there i cross the road and join a roadside cylepath all the way home. The reason for the sprint is that this is a busy main road and i get a head start on the traffic but the lights change and all manner of heavy goods vehicles gun their engines and set off in pursuit.

I made it to the lay by but had to get off the bike and let the pounding in my head and the heaving of my chest subside. It was close but puking up was an option at that point.

I rested for a good while until i was sure i wouldn't blow a blood vessel and continued on my way. although it started raining again an the wind picked up I eased home in good cheer

I felt much better after a bit stretching and a good soak in a hot bath.

I have some work to do. I usually consider this route to be a sprint. I have an 11 mile circuit which starts with long climb and after a few rides up there I have gone back to this 8 miler and raced around because it is largely flat.

Got to put the miles in I suppose