Monday 28 May 2012

Speke to Manchester
Start 1715
Time spent riding 2h27
Mileage 39.17
Climbing 1014ft
Average speed 15.9mph (pleased)
Max speed 27mph

A beautiful, hot, sunny, summer day. After a day at work I rode home. I fuelled carefully during the day and drank plenty to make sure that as 5pm approached I wouldn't talk myself out of cycling home. My car was parked outside work. But at no time was I tempted to get into it. I need miles in my legs and there was only one way home for me tonight.

So off I went on my bike, passing the Liverpool International Business Park heron, the impromptu nature reserve on the road to Hale and the regular wafts of BBQs through Hale and Widnes. I remember from this route before that there was a drag out of Widnes but I flew along today and only when I had left Widnes did I think about the drag - perhaps someone has flattened it out? I was feeling strong all the way back. The wind was a bit pesky at times, barely on my tail and more frequently swirling around my face. I had put sun cream on before I left work because it was still hot and sunny. Yesterday around Pendle my nose had got burnt so that I was conscious of doing what I could today to avoid further redness. In applying my cream in haste I smeared it into my right eye which caused it to stream all the way home. It is still bleary as I blog (or is it clog, mum?) - I've not checked out my nose yet.

I decided on the way home that I would have liked musical accompaniment on the bike today - it is not something I have done before, listened to music as I cycle - but I think it would have helped today.

Great ride home. Found a slightly different route into Manchester centre through Salford this time.

Delighted with my average speed.

Fuelling today was cereal, banana, pastrami sandwich, pasta spinach and pine nut salad, a few cashew nuts, 2 coffees, some chocolate milk, plenty of water, an 800 ml carb drink and a 600ml water for the cycle, chocolate milk for protein on arrival at home and loads of lemon cordial to rehydrate. I have mushroom crispbake for tea with salad and some new potatoes.

I will sleep tonight.