Rain

Apparently East Anglia is officially in drought and there are hosepipe bans all around us.

But it has rained almost every day for the last two weeks.  And I mean serious rain, not just a little bit of drizzle.  As I type, it's chucking it down outside again, with blustery wind to go with it.

It doesn't make for the best of training conditions.  I've managed to dodge most of the heavier showers in the last week or two, but this morning was different.  I got drenched.

My training plan called for a 45km ride, so that's what I did. In the rain. And wind. For two hours.

I know it might be bad weather in June for the Nightrider event itself, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy training in it too!

Roll on some May sunshine (please?).

Back in the saddle

Thankfully, I'm now over the bug I had for a couple of weeks and am therefore back in the saddle training agan.  This week has been good, with the distances starting to ramp up - 30km at the weekend, then 15km Tuesday and 25km tonight.  Another step up to 35km this coming weekend, with an extra 5km added every week until I reach 70km.

I'm really starting to feel the longer rides now though.  One drinks bottle is no longer enough, so I need to carry a rucksack too now to reprovision along the way.  Good practice for the event itself though, which is significantly further!

Second setback

I should be out on another training ride in the cold rain tonight, but I'm missing it in the same way I've missed the previous three rides.

Just over a week ago, I developed what I can only describe as the worst bout of man-flu I have ever had.  It came on very quickly and left me almost unable to walk, let alone cycle, for many days.  A week later I'm starting to get over it, now feeling like I have the mother of all coughs and colds, but that's quite pleasant compared to last week.

So, I haven't been out since the Sunday before last and I'm over 60km down on training.  I'm due to do a 20km ride on Thursday, then 30km at the weekend, but it's far from certain if I'm going to make either of those. Chances are probably not at this stage, at least not the Thursday one, but we'll see.  I'll have some serious catching up to do if not, with just over 9 weeks to go to the event itself.

Luckily I've still got those 9 weeks though and this hasn't happened in the immediate run up to the event.  Hopefully I'll be properly better by then anyway!