Venturing to pastures new is something I enjoy. The long weekend called for a longer ride, and Windsor was determined to be a suitable destination. I've been before. I participated in the first two Palace to Palace bike rides in aid of the Prince's Trust several years ago - cycling 45 miles from London (St. James' Palace) to Windsor. Charlotte's most welcome suggestion sounded like a good plan, and the weather looked promising. Not great, but not bad either. It was good to get onto the roads, and made a nice change from the circuits of the Park which, while thoroughly enjoyable and in places still pretty challenging, can get a little same-y after a while. We rode with purpose, and maintained a decent enough average speed of about 24kph over the seventy odd kilometres we clocked up visiting Windsor, Ascot and Virginia Water before heading back via Chertsey, Weybridge and Esher. With 3 weekends until my big swim, I'm eager to get wet, but have postponed my debut until I am in possession of a wetsuit. In the meantime, being out and about on two wheels, getting used to the riding position over longer distances and enjoying my newly upgraded gear shifters is pleasing me no end.
The only things to overtake us today were cars. It felt good to have broken away from the crowded Park, and to have left our carbon mounted friends to their sprints. Today was far from slow, but I enjoyed riding steadily, and was glad I did, as we encountered a fair few inclines on our way back from Windsor. The CycleMeter confirmed a total ascent of 240m, and some weren't all that forgiving. Cycling is, I think, a good metaphor for life, and I have felt the benefits of experience and practice. My increased attendance at Spin classes is paying dividends, and allows me to enjoy the ride, regardless of the terrain (within reason, of course). For the moment, the pace matters less, and getting out and about (even in slightly dismal weather) is what counts. The yellow lenses in my glasses helped, simulating sunshine that wasn't actually there. I'd recommend them to anyone, and am seriously considering wearing them even out of the saddle.
I have really taken to my weekend pedalling routine, and was disappointed rain stopped play last weekend. When I'm on the bike, little else enters my mind. I am truly present, and focused on the road immediately ahead of me. It strikes me as a great pastime, and has some great recovery parallels too... Being overtaken doesn't worry me in the least. Making progress is itself rewarding, and sustaining momentum and finding ways to retain interest and curiosity are more important than arriving quickly. In some ways, I am more interested in endurance and distance than speed, though technique is important for both disciplines. Above all though, I know I cycle better when I've rested well in advance of a long ride, and when I'm well prepared, having eaten properly and maintained my cardio routine during the week when my schedule makes longer rides unrealistic. Like this weekend ride, recovery is not a quick fix and the pleasure is derived from going the distance.
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