Right then. Today was something fun for me. This was a ride I had planned since October last year, where for whatever reason (I can’t remember, and the blog post is a bit vague as to the specifics) I didn’t get to ride the course I created.
The ride was north on the A6, meaning pretty much long, straight, mostly flat roads with few traffic lights, heading up to the next big (and proper / real / actual) historic city of Lancaster.
I have all kinds of memories of Lancaster – mostly good but one in particular is bad 😀 – and for once when I got to the destination, there would be something to see (other than countryside).
The route was to take in Lancaster Castle (closed for Covid), and Lancaster Cathedral (open, but may have burned down if I had set foot inside). After doing a trip of the town (and its abundance of one way roads), I would head back south towards Preston, stopping off at the sprawling Lancaster University for a bike tour of the campus, to see what had changed since I used to go every week to visit my then girlfriend / now wife.
Having things to see once I’d got to my destination was definitely fun. Riding up the old cobble slope of the Lancaster Castle approach was both fun and juddering all at the same time.
I’d really wanted to put my bike up against the castle door and get a picture – but it turns out it’s a working prison, so that was not allowed.
Coming away from the castle was heavily cobbled too. I was done with cobbles after just a short ride, maybe 20-30m of them in total. How the pros do a full race on them for the Paris-Roubaix is beyond me.
After I’d done the castle circuit, I found my way – with a few wrong turns down that pesky one way system – to the Cathedral. I’d have liked to have had a look around, but me wandering through a church in my day glo orange jacket and cyberpunk 2077 sunglasses wouldn’t have been a good look. Besides, the area seemed a bit sketchy so my bike might have been pinched.
I couldn’t take my chances.
So it was time to head back home.
At this point I’d done ~35km, which wasn’t in any impressive time frame, but would normally be about the point I’d be back home. Most of my outdoor rides are 20-30km.
One of the last times I did a big outdoor ride (that I remember) I really struggled on the way back. I had some apprehension regarding the return journey.
Fortunately I’d brought a bit of food, which I saved until I got to Lancaster Uni as a bit of a treat.
Now, I should also say I had a mega breakfast of porridge (big bowl) with nuts and berries, and also two slices of toast. I’d taken two water bottles, one sugary, one plain.
At no point today did I feel like I was under fed. I consider that a good bit of pre-ride prep.
At the Uni I enjoyed the steep climb up the hill, then toured round to the little car park and housing area I visited once a week back sometime around the year 2000 (give or take, I’m no good with dates). That was nice. Lot more built up than I remember it. And a lot more students, too. I thought they were all in lock down, learning remotely?
After that it was time to settle down and churn away at the remaining kilometers. The Garmin told me ~45 minutes, I think it took me a bit longer. I definitely didn’t go too hard today. This was deliberate. I aimed to keep around a max of 3.1w/kg, but was often lower. The average above says 2.48w/kg, though that factors in all my stops and bodges. I’d say 2.8w/kg was my riding average.
I’m pleased with how I managed the ride today. Could definitely have gone harder, but I feel I paced myself properly.
One thing that I forgot to do before this ride was to apply some chamois cream. Bit annoying as I did buy some a while back for the very purpose of longer outdoor rides, and today – at 3 hours+ – was, I think, my longest (or a very close second).
I had a very sore ass for the final hour, no doubt about it. Quite a lot of the way back home – once past Garstang especially – was out of the saddle. All good exercise, etc, etc, but still, a bit of cream might have prevented what is like to be quite a sore behind.
Right-o, tomorrow is a well deserved rest day. Week saved.
