Inherit the Wind

A famous Bobby Womack soul classic is "Inherit the Wind", I certainly did that yesterday, every last bit of it! Spurred on by my fastest average speed from Friday, I set out to do the same course, to see if I could get to 16mph average over a 40 mile course. Things started out well, I'd hit 16.1mph average by the twenty mile mark when I stopped for a coffee, things were looking good for the new PB. Wind was blowy, no more than Friday really. Setting out for the back twenty, it came with a vengeance. At times, I was being blown across the road by strong gusts. Pedalling into the wind, my speed went from 16mph to 10mph when there was no shelter. It was hard going.

It's good for the legs, people say. I guess they're right, it really does highlight the difference between cycling on your own, or with someone else/a group. It can really sap your energy when you're taking a face full of wind head on, you need to dig deep, grit your teeth and get on with it. About mile thirty, I was more concerned with getting home in one piece than breaking any records, so opted for the shorter route home and a welcome hot bath.

Ride summary. Total distance 37.3 miles, time 2hrs 28mins, Avg Speed 15.1 mph (see what I mean about the wind on the back 17 miles), Calories burned (estimate) 2148, avg . cadence 86.