Getting in the miles

It's been a while since I've posted about training but sometimes training has to take precedence over blogging. Here's what I've been doing.

Saturday 28th April

The schedule was for a middling length ride for this day and a rest day on the Sunday. With this in mind I decided on 50 miles with a trip through the Lomond hills as the highlight. The climb from Falkland up this road is one of the more challenging climbs in the area and I'd been leaving it for a ride where I didn't have much more to do.
The ride started with the gentle climb up to Strahkinness and then the haul out of Dura Den to Pitscottie. Then along the roads of ever decreasing quality to Fruechie via Chance Inn and Kettlehills. I've been working on my nutritional needs and I picked up some water in Freuchie to which I added some energy drink powder to keep me all topped up. Then on to Falkland and the fun.
The climb itself was nowhere near as bad as I thought it might be but I might have been helped by the enforced stop a third of the way up for a "comfort break". The perils of staying hydrated I guess.
The entertainment was not restricted to the climbing. I had not factored in the Sportive Kinross that was on and was obviously in full swing. As I climbed up I was passed a good number of riders coming the other way enjoying their descent. I was hoping for much of the same on the other side of my climb.
Sadly when I got there it was obvious that I was going the wrong way. Hundreds of riders were working their way up the hill. So rather than the nice flowing descent I was hoping for I spent the next couple of miles on the brakes avoiding riders a lot of whom weren't taking care in watching for riders coming the other way. I ended up tailing another rider going the same way and we ended coming into Leslie together.
It turned out he was heading in the same direction as me and we rode along together as we went round Glenrothes. We split up just north of Markinch and I headed up towards Kennoway. This was an opportunity for a wee rest before climbing up towards Porter's brae and the road along the crest of the ridge above Cults. By now the route was into the teeth of the strong north east breeze. It was keeping me cool and making riding harder than I would have liked. It's never good riding into the wind at the end of a ride.
My chosen route swung away from the direct line home and I headed up to Woodside and New Gilston. It's a couple of steep little climbs through these two villages and by now I was feeling it. To finish it, and me, off there was a couple of miles of rolling hills towards home before dropping into St. Andrews.
I was really chuffed to do this ride and find the route through the Lomonds not too bad. A good day!

Monday 30th

The start of Monday was truly disgusting; rain and wind from the off. But I have decided that unless it is actually dangerous to go out I will do as the schedule asks. I've no choice on the days of the Lighthouse to Lighthouse challenge so will have to ride then regardless. So going out whatever the weather should prepare me for any eventuality. There is nothing pleasant to report about this ride especially as it was to be an easy ride. Just the great satisfaction of going out and doing it.
I did learn that I need to find a decent waterproof just in case. My windtop is pretty good at showers etc, but rain, not so much.

Wednesday 2nd May

After a discussion with my fitness guru about heart rate training I decided that this ride should be ridden hard to keep the heart rate up a bit. When I set out I had no idea where I was going but as I cycled along the cycle path (horrible thing - should be re-done or removed) out of St. Andrews I came up with a plan. I would climb three main hills, two short and sharp, one long a gentle. So, from Guardbridge I got back on the road and rode up towards Clayton caravan park before turning off to climb up the hill above Craigsanquhar. No resting at the top and I tried to keep the speed up on the way into Cupar.
From there it was back to the hills again as I came up to Pitscottie before turning down to Dura Den and then the last climb up to Strathkiness. On the way up this I saw a chap wheeling his mountain bike up the steep part of the slope before getting back on as it eased a little. I checked to see he was ok as I went by. Hopefully next time I see him he'll be cycling all the way up it.
In the end this was a good ride with good speed and a bit more of a test for my cardiovascular system. Good for training and great fun. To stop training becoming monotonous it is essential to have a change up every now and again.

Friday 4th

A day for a recovery day which was a good thing after the gym session and round of golf that I'd had on the Thursday. A lovely morning but a bit cool. However this gave me the opportunity to try my new gilet and arm warmers. Both worked a treat and I really enjoyed the ride despite the stiff northerly wind.

Saturday 5th

The schedule called for 75 miles so I picked a route to Edinburgh that was the required length. Having met the riders on the Sportive Kinross the previous week I had of course looked at the route.This gave me some inspiration for new roads and I decided ride to Edinburgh via Abernethy then continue west skirting Bridge of Earn before turning southwards for the climb to Path of Condie. This was a great bit of road and a lovely climb. I'm not going to say it was easy. The first part is steep then it rolls on with the odd steep section. Just before a flat bit through the trees there is one final steep section. It's a bit of a slap in the face this bit.
I'd done 10 miles of mostly uphill work and then there was a lovely three mile descent. Fast with good visibility and good tarmac makes for a lot of fun.
I had arranged to meet the Significant Other in Kinross and I got the opportunity to stock up with more flapjacks etc before heading off again. By now I was feeling pretty strong again and I rode the next 22 miles pretty quickly to get down to Edinburgh in good order.
It was a lovely ride with some good climbing. Spotting two red squirrels as I cycled along made my day.

Sunday 6th

A celebratory meal with friends for their engagement on Saturday night didn't set me up for an early start on Sunday, so I had a lie in. What a treat. But then I had to get out on the bike. As I did so the heavens opened and we had hail pouring out of the sky followed by rain. Lovely! But I am determined to go out whatever so when I was ready I was off.
In the end I had a lovely ride and the route I picked fitted around the weather nicely. I got a little wet but the main rain band was always where I was heading to rather than where I was. Excellent.
After the first climb out of St. Andrews when I felt a bit tired I began to feel stronger. By the time I had got to Elie I was feeling good and enjoyed the climb to Largoward. The ride back from Ceres was a positive delight.
All in all a good weekend which shows, once again, how my cycling has improved since I started training in July. Before I get ahead of myself though I have to remind myself that I haven't even done the equivalent of one of the days of the challenge ride this weekend. Just a note to myself!

Idiot road user awards

There's been heaps of really good driving this week with the occasional driver too close for comfort. But my awards have to go to the two drivers who parked their cars blocking the cycle lanes left beside traffic calming islands. I'm not a fan of these lanes as they tend to become full of grit, stones and other rubbish without the car traffic to clean them out. But to have them blocked entirely just made me smile. No prizes for guessing that these car drivers would probably complain bitterly if a bicycle isn't using the cycle lanes.