I'm going to try and not bore anyone with a tiny bit of background into how and when I can train. So, after signing up for the half Ironman I got a new job and moved house, all in the space of about 2 weeks. It was exciting, but coming with that excitement was also the daunting prospect of fitting in at a new job as well as fitting in training. Due to working in a 24 hour news channel at BSkyB I now work 12 hour shifts, and do night shifts for 2 weeks every month so is not the mundane 9-5 anymore but it does work well for me. I work a fortnight pattern of Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday one week then Wednesday and Thursday the next. So essentially I get 7 days completely off every fortnight which gives me plenty of time in my days off to do the long runs and bike rides. With this is mind I chose Thursday14th, Valentines Day, as my long bike ride day. Now, despite being signed up to the half Ironman for a few months I hadn't done a long solo bike ride since the summer before. There was a reason though....
During a triathlon in July 2012 I fell off my bike. Now that sounds pathetic, but it wasn't really. In fact I smacked the left hand side of my body into a stationary van which knocked all of the vans rear lights out and as I was falling was hit by a car on my right, who drove straight off leaving me in a ball on the floor. (Thankfully someone else was kind enough to stay to call the ambulance and Dan). So that was my race over as well as my 2012 season of triathlons, of which there were 3 more. I was taken straight to A&E and was suspected of a broken collar bone and wrist. My collar bone thankfully wasn't broken but my wrist was playing up. Although I eventually found out it wasn't broken I had a difficult injury within the wrist, I cannot explain it as the surgeon did, but I was lucky that I was able to get seen by the right consultant who was able to explain to me how best to heal it. It is commonly thought that a broken wrist is not a major break but that is completely not true. If you cannot get full use of your wrist then it is seriously damaging to anything you do. My wrist is still not perfect, it hurts after a long bike ride, when doing weights and I wouldn't open a heavy door with it, but hopefully it will continue to improve. As well as that I have a numb shoulder constantly from the impact the van had on it, so have got sensory nerve damage that can sometimes tingle and even cause me intense pain. However, I was very very lucky, and without a helmet I don't think I would be here to write this.
Anyway, moving on. Basically I lost all confidence I had on the bike. I had gone from cycling to work and back, a total of 22 miles daily to not wanting to venture out, even when my wrist had improved a little. As well as that my bike was broken, I remember the women who sat with me while waiting for the ambulance said "it's such a shame, your bike looks awesome".
So back to the present, it is the morning of Valentines Day 2013, Dan is up going to Firefighter training at 5.30am and I'm feeling low (and it isn't because he hadn't said Happy Valentines Day as in truth I had forgotten as well). I slumped onto the sofa and turned on Sky News, the famous Paralympian Oscar Pistorius had just shot his girlfriend and that for some reason made me even more low. Dan knowing me so well guessed that somewhere deep down I was really anxious about the 45mile bike ride I was intending for myself that day. Every ride since the accident I had done was following him, copying him, in effect he was my GPS and Heart rate monitor but a more personal one. He suggested that I just drive the route, see my grandparents (that was my destination) and then we would do it together next week when we were both free. It was appealing as I couldn't sleep anymore but was shattered and although it is rare to be knocked off and left for dead when cycling I was scared of it happening. But I knew that nothing was going to get better by avoiding it, so Dan went to work and I got ready for my ride.
As I was getting my ride nutrition ready I started to get excited. Due to not doing a long distance triathlon before I am having to find a race nutrition diet that suits me, so I am trying different foods and gels to see what I like. Today I was testing fig rolls which I unnecessarily wrapped in too much foil. I downed a lucozade to give me some instant energy and set off. I was in high spirits and loved the route I was taking to Henley-on-Thames. It meant I traveled through Bourne End which is a picturesque village, Marlow which is undoubtedly posh and then the winding roads following the river into Henley. There were a few busy roads, including having to navigate across a massive roundabout that connected the M4 and the M40 but I just kept in my head the advice that Dan had given me that morning, "Be confident, they can see you and will be aware". The only doubt I had is that they weren't aware, and my confidence still isn't held in many drivers, and seeing as I have had first hand experience of one just driving off and leaving me on the scene of an accident I think you can see why. I just get so frustrated when drivers are so intent in getting out of a junction before you pass, or overtaking so close to your side when going round a bend or even on a straight when it could put at least 3 peoples lives at danger; me, them and another driver coming in the opposite direction. Why not just wait 10 seconds of your life and do it safely?! Rant over (I will probably mention that again though on future posts). One thing I have learnt as being a cyclist is to be cautious and attentive of them when I am the driver.
After a blazing ride of 1hr20, getting very lost in Henley as well, I made it to my grandparents. Unfortunately I couldn't stay longer than an hour, as after leaving later than expected I had to leave at 3pm so I was not out when it was dark as I didn't have my high vis on or any lights with me. So after some food and a massive bear hug from my lovely grandad (my mum and siblings will agree with the death squashing hug) I was back on my way.
One major downside about doing the same route back is that you know when the bad hills are approaching. The hills I was loving coming down at 25mph on the way there where definitely not going to be a pleasure on the return journey. I made sure to myself I would not get off, no matter what, so chanted in my head "I will get up" to the slow cogs of my bike spinning round. The worst hill was definitely the last, I think someone could've walked past me quicker than what I was cycling and my thighs were on fire, but I was intent on getting up to increase my muscle power and I did. After this I was on the home straight and with renewed energy from another fig roll I was aiming to get home within the 1hr15. Something would have to ruin my flow and I honestly thought I could see myself in a crash again. (Mum and Dad if your reading I didn't tell you because you would worry and it all turned out OK). The woman obviously did not anticipate my speed and tried to nip out before I could pass her, but even with an engine she couldn't pull away in time meaning I had to break and narrowly missed her bumper. At least by this point I had the confidence and ability to deal with it. On a better note about drivers, some are so considerate, they won't take the risk, and I thank them for that, always. I think of myself as a considerate cyclist, I don't want to be a pain to anyone's commute and deserve respect on the road just as a car does. And at the end of the day, we were here first!
I made it back in 1hr15 and was pretty chuffed with that as it was my first long ride for a while. I was also held up for at least 5 minutes in Marlow's school rush hour, so in race conditions with closed and less busy roads it would've been closer to 1hr10. Dan wasn't back yet so I had a bath with a Lush bath bomb, lit candles all round the bathroom and read my Ironman book, to instill some more motivation in me. I had to get out after about 10 minutes as the sweltering heat of the water against my freshly frozen cycling body was making me sweat.
I am looking forward to doing the ride again and seeing my grandad more whilst training is just a massive added bonus. All in all my confidence on the bike has been restored, although it may take a while with the drivers. I must be pretty unlucky with them or someone is testing me...
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