I’ve been mountain biking for nearly 20 years now but today I entered my first ever race. I say enter as opposed to completed because, yep you guessed it, I never made it to the finish. Never in my life have I been overtaken on a bike so many times as I have been today. I’ve always thought i was reasonably fit. I swam 3k in the pool on thursday in an hour and a quarter in the ‘Serious Swim Session’, and have been known to do the odd jog round the block but today I saw what real fitness is. Its lean, annoyingly quick and rather painful looking. The chaps in the race alongside me creamed me on the uphills. I was the only one carrying a rucksack though and maybe not doing that much cycling in the last few months wasn’t the best prep. Leaping into the ‘Masters’ category was probably not the best introduction to the competitive side of the sport either.
So, what now? Do I go back to my usual ‘out for the day’ slog round familiar haunts or do I knuckle down and get much fitter (cycling to work, running 2-3 times a week rather than a month, etc etc)? Truth is I don’t know. I know which I’d rather do but working 8.30 - 19.00 four days a week leaves precious little time for extra-curricular activities. Enough whinging - gonna get fit, there’s another race on in Cannock Chase on the 25th May!
So, what now? Do I go back to my usual ‘out for the day’ slog round familiar haunts or do I knuckle down and get much fitter (cycling to work, running 2-3 times a week rather than a month, etc etc)? Truth is I don’t know. I know which I’d rather do but working 8.30 - 19.00 four days a week leaves precious little time for extra-curricular activities. Enough whinging - gonna get fit, there’s another race on in Cannock Chase on the 25th May!
PS. Garden’s doing ok. Parsnips, Rhubarb and Garlic growing well. Spuds and onions going in this week (cue the hungry rabbits!)
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