What a difference a day makes

So I was out last night with friends at a local restaurant. Great company, great food, great wine and a good night had by all. The fact that I've not been drinking makes occasions like this much more enjoyable as it feels like a real treat when I'm out. I manage to ease my way through 3 beers and more than my fair share of two bottles of vin rouge....aaahhh I'm alive again.

I'm up at 9am and it’s sunny but still very cold and frosty with a few overcast clouds on the horizon. I've been lying in bed re-living yesterday's bike ride from hell over and over in my mind. There is only one thing to do, get out and do it again and see if it's any easier....There is definitely a part of me that allows my mind to block out bad experiences, so why not use it to fool myself.

I get my cycling gear on, this time adding a second pair of cycling shorts for added cushioning. I raise the saddle about 5cm as I felt yesterday that my legs were not fully extended on the down stroke of the crank and I need all the help with power I can get.

It’s the same route, same hills, same distance and same legs. I'm feeling positive before I start, how bad can it be, right !!! As the song goes, what a difference a day makes.

First thing I notice is that its really really freezing cold and its much windier than the day before....that lasts about 5 seconds until the pain in my nether regions overwhelms all other sensations...It feels like I've been attacked in the night with a hammer. In order to ease the pain I assume a floating position about 1mm above the saddle; I can see it won't be getting too much use today.

The first 4km is straight into the wind but it feels OK as I've just started. I hit the big hedgehog hill and scramble my way over even keeping the gears at 22, so with 2 still to spare....small victories keep my legs turning.

The next big hill isn't as steep but it’s about 5 times as long and feels about 10 times as long. I'm into gear 24 almost right away, legs spinning and I'm hardly moving. I don't look further than my front wheel..pedal pedal pedal. Hammer hammer hammer. Heart pounding in my ears.

I get near the top and it levels out a bit. Yes Done it. I know it’s the last really big hill and I knew I could do it as I'd done it yesterday. Yes....I'm smiling as I start to dial up the gears into the flat before the downhill section. The flat feels like no effort at all in comparison. I'm flying along in no time. Big smile on my face.

I'm heading down the big hill now; I'm going so fast that I can't pedal. I'm tucked over the front of the bike to reduce my drag. A car passes me and I take the chance to tuck in behind it and try to let the car take the wind for me. I just hope she doesn't suddenly brake . The car sucks me right down to the bottom of the hill and I'm really flying and I scoot round the roundabout, the driver staring incredulously in her rear view mirror.....

I've got the wind diagonally at my back and it feels great. Even the saddle isn't giving me any problems now. I'm about 14k in and I've got 39 minutes on the watch. I'm thinking last 6k in 11 minutes......well why not try to push it a bit. Hammer hammer hammer....I turn for home with 3k to go and its clear there is no way to beat 50 minutes, especially as I'm now heading into the wind and I still have a hill to go. My legs feel heavier at the realisation. Its obviously all in the mind.

I reach the house 54 minutes 11 seconds.....its nearly 3 minutes faster than yesterday and I'm not as windy at the end. ..I'm happy again...it’s not going to be easy to get fit enough to do this triathlon but each tiny bit of progress makes it’s seem less impossible....One thing I now know is that cycling gear does make you look gay.