Time stands still

Hit the gym at opening time, well actually 10 minutes later as I forgot my wallet and had to go back home and get it to get my card to get into the gym.

This meant by the time I got in that my favorite 2 bikes were being used as a couple of props to chat on by two ladies . I'm sure they must just go to the gym , do nothing and then go home and say hey "I've just been at the gym for an hour" but in reality they only exercised their tongues the whole time.

Legs still very stiff and sore from Sunday's run, did 10 minutes on stepping machine to sort out my calfs. After that and 100 bench situps(plenty of rests in there and yes that is my diaphram I can feel aching) the ladies decide to move their chatting to another part of the gym. No need to clean the bike ladies you've not spun the wheels never mind broke sweat.

Anyway to quote the late great Tom Simpson, "Get me back on the bike"...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Simpson


Program was 55 minutes, mountains program level 7...what distance can I do. I fantasize its the Ventoux I'm tackling...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mont_Ventoux


10K in and its going well...legs are good, breathing fine. I average 82RPM and I need to up the pace a bit as I'm coasting, so I push to 90RPM...first few minutes are hard but I soon settle into the rhythm..another 5k drops off and I'm getting hot but not bothered. Not sure what all the fuss is about.....

I decide to up to 95RPM...again a little early discomfort but it goes by the time I hit 18K...I am just watching the distance ticking off now, racing to get to 20k mark and then check how long it took me.

I up the RPM above 100, its all getting a litle noisy and a little ragged...just 2K to go, my head tells my legs I'll stop at 20K regardless of the time....so they keep going...My head is of course lying to my legs.

I get to 20K and still have 9 minutes left, I keep going and try to think of nice things and thrive on the fact I'm in single figures time wise now...you can actually block a fair bit of discomfort out but you need to get your mind to work and think of other stuff...if you don't manage it then the time drags on and on. I manage to rattle off 3.4 KM in 9 minutes and I'm done. I get off the bike and my legs are a bit shaky..my breathing returns to normal in about 2 minutes.

The last 5K was messy and noisy but I was just happy to be able to just keep going and push myself....I achieved my furthest distance yet at 23.4KM

It was of course less fun that it all sounded...legs are a bit sore tonight, tomorrow will be interesting...time for a paracetamol or two.