Tri Club - Damn fast

Ride: 49.6K in 1:47:37

The day did not start well. I took some Voltaren tablets last night and this morning to help the ankle, and I had forgotten how much they knock me around. When I got up I felt like I had consumed about eight beers the previous night.

My new bike had mountain bike pedals on it when I bought it, and this morning I tried to get then off to change them over. One wouldn't budge, so I had to take the borrowed bike for the last time.

When I rocked up everyone asked my "Where's your helmet. Ben?" I had forgotten to put it on, so I carefully rode home and went really hard back to where the ride starts. Luckily they waited for me, and we were off.

The pace was on from the start. We went through the first 5K a touch over 30kph, and I was soon getting dropped. I caught up through Richmond (at 10K), but I struggled to keep up for the whole ride. It felt like it was blowing a gale for most of the ride (the wind speed was in the teens)and although most of the time I did have someone to draft off I really struggled for the whole ride.

At 1:47 it was by far the shortest time we had covered the course in my experience. The Garmin called the average speed 27.7kph.

The club has started a beginners group that goes slower and shorter. I might give that one a shot so that the guys don't have to keep waiting for me.

The ankle feels pretty good. I should be right for my run tomorrow.I'm planning 20K, which I will do as twice around the tri club course, that way if my ankle is giving me grief after 10K I can pull the pin.