It looks like winters finally arrived, or at least it certainly has here, it’s blinking freezing! In fact it’s been a “double gloves” week all this week for my ride into work, and I’ve been sitting at home in the evenings with 2 jumpers and a wooly hat on!
On a more positive note, it’s surprising how quickly the evenings are drawing out. The week before Christmas it was dark by 16:30 as I got home from work, this week it’s 17:00, and I’ve noticed that the first of the spring bulbs have broken the surface in the back garden. So, better days are certainly on their way.
While we’re talking about better days, I managed to get in a good solid week of running last week for the first time in many month’s, clocking up 41 miles for the week, which included 16 on Saturday morning. Considering that a few months ago I was wondering if I was ever going to run again, I’m really happy with that. Obviously, it’s too soon to make any predictions for the coming year, but if things keep moving forward, maybe I’ll be able to get some decent running come the summer.
Running wasn’t the main focus of the weekend though, that was the Watership Down Audax. It’s only a 100Km, but this is one that I’d been looking forward to for a while, and had been trying to tie into my calendar for a few years, but had never managed before, as it always clashed with something else.
Starting from Winchester it’s not a million miles from home, so it made sense to extend the day a bit by riding to the start and back, which took the 100km up to a nice round 100 miles, making it an ideal winter's day out. Starting from home also had the added bonus of a full weekend sleeping in my own bed. Not that that’s necessarily a good thing, and I will confess that I love my nights out in the van. If I have too many nights at home I start to get itchy feet for a bit of adventure! On a cold, dark, winter’s night, sitting in front of the fire seems like a pretty good option sometimes though.
An 09:30 start from Winchester meant a sensible start from home too and it was nearly 07:30 by the time I got on the road, which is a nice relaxing Sunday morning by my normal standards.
Quiet Sunday morning roads made for a pleasant ride down to the start, and with the added bonus of the sun coming up as I made my way through the quiet countryside, it was an ideal start to the day. Arriving at the start with plenty of time to spare, I was greeted by a village hall full of people, and the offer of a hot brew and slice of homemade cake. Homemade cake, for my second breakfast? Well I suppose I’ve already put 20 miles in my legs, and I’m sure I’ll burn those extra calories off without too many problems today, so why not?
By the time we set off from Winchester, the weak winter sun had made an unusual appearance, and the temperature had climbed to just above freezing. Cold, but not too cold, dry, and wind free, you can’t ask for much better cycling weather in the middle of January!
Not being that far from home, many of Sunday's roads were familiar, although joining them up in a different order always makes for a different ride. As does traveling the same road in a different direction. In fact there were quite a few times on Sunday when I thought, “I’ve no idea where I am” only to come to the next junction, or turn in the road, to realise that I actually knew this road well but had only travelled it in the opposite direction previously.
For a 100Km it was a pretty hard day out too!
From the start the route was “Lumpy”, but at the same time there was nothing too hard for the first few miles, and we made good progress through the Hampshire countryside. By the time the first checkpoint arrived at Upper Chute, “lumpy” had become “hilly” and I was starting to feel somewhat overdressed as I toiled up yet another long, steep, leg burning climb. I suspect those 16 miles of running that I put into my legs on Saturday weren’t helping matters, but I was certainly starting to feel those climbs. Revitalised by a couple of mince pies at Upper Chute the climbing continued as we made our way through the North Wessex AONB. (Why aren’t mince pies available all year round? Crumbly pastry, mince meat, hundreds of calories, they’re the ideal pick me up for a tired adventurer, although a hot cross bun comes a close second) A long series of relentless climbs through beautiful countryside, made for some slow progress as we toiled slowly towards the next checkpoint, which would signify the turn for home. But eventually, as we crested the top of the long, steep, climb to Combe Gibbet, the endless uphill gave way to flatter terrain and screaming legs got the respite they so desperately needed. With a respite from the steep, endless, inclines, the miles came quickly, along familiar roads. Roads which I must have traversed a thousand times over the years as I’ve made my way by bike on various adventures. No matter how often I travel these quiet countryside back roads, they still enthrall me, and invoke the same spirit of adventure and investigation as they did the first time I made my way this way all those years ago. The roads may be familiar, but the excitement at what lays around the next bend or over the next hill remains a constant. One last steep climb took us over the days namesake at Watership Down. Steep, twisting, loose gravel loosening the back wheels grip, lungs bursting, heart beating, the efforts always worth it for the view from the top, and today in the early afternoon sun it didn’t disappoint. No chance of photos today though, there’s no way I’m taking off two pairs of gloves and disturbing all those layers that are keeping me warm for the sake of a view we’ve seen before!
The final big climb of the day over, all that remained was the small matter of 20 lumpy miles back to the start. Miles which seemed easy on the way out appeared much harder on the way back, and hills which had hardly registered on my radar a few hours earlier appeared to have grown in steepness and length in the intervening hours.
As is often the case, the feeling of wishing for the road to flatten and the day to end is often replaced with a feeling of regret and disappointment when you do cover the final miles and the day does come to an end. Why did I wish those miles away, when all I really needed was ten minutes off the bike and a cup of tea and I would have enjoyed them? Today though was going to be my lucky day, because despite being back at the start there was still the small matter of the 20 miles back home to cover. A slice of delicious home made cake, a hot brew (and a refill), a few minutes of small talk with the other riders who were steadily coming into the finish, their days done. Another slice of cake? Oh go on then! And then back out into the late afternoon sun for the short ride home. A ride which was far pleasanter than those final few miles back to the start a few short minutes before. Considering I was traveling the exact same roads through identical terrain, it’s amazing the difference a short stop, and a few sugary calories can make to the way you feel! Arriving home as dusk descended, spots of rain fell on the garage roof, neatly bringing to a close a great day out. Not a drop of rain all day, and then a heavy shower as I got in, it was almost as if the weather gods had been looking down favourably on me. Or was it just a case of “Fortune favours the bold”?
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Paul PerrattOld enough to know better, young enough to still feel invincible, stupid enough to keep on trying the same thing again and again. Cyclist, Gardener, Runner, Hiker, Cook, Woodworker, Engineer, Jack of all trades and master of none, Anti social old git and all round miserable bugger. Archives
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