Wind , Freeway , Magpies and Madmen

Hold ON Tight - ELO

Saturday's have a sweet and sour taste for me. It is the end of a training week , the last big session of the week , the toughest session yet it is always satisfying to have done it. This Saturday was no different.

I was all prepared for the ride.Had all my nutrition , bike and gear packed .I got up early and got to the narrows by 5.30am .Still had issues with my gears but they were working.Went to the toilet at the Narrows before the start.A strange guy came out and wasn't too happy I was waiting .Probably had a few mental issues and I wasn't about to aggravate the situation so I didn't say anything . It is quite sad that we unfortunately can't help or reach out to such individuals. I eventually got started on the ride ....with this guy screaming as I rode past .(he had  a bike and cycled down the cycle path and saw me coming and decided to have a few more words ) It got my heat rate up and I just whizzed by. It was fairly cool and I just knuckled down to the long ride.

It was down the freeway. All 70 plus km and then back. Lots more people out there on their aerobars. The wind was everywhere and it was hard to know when it was favourable and when it was against as it kept changing. I did manage to get down to the end in 2.16 not including the stop for the puncture.I had one spare tiube and managed to change the tube and use my cannister. The tyre was under inflated so it was hard going for the next 3 plus hours. I had the puncture 70 muinutes into the ride and there was a piece of glass in the tyre which I could not remove so I was pretty lucky to have managed to ride the next 3.5 hours without another flat.

Two cyclist asked me if I was ok. That was nice.

Got to the end of the freeway. I wish there was more but it is just a footpath /cyclepath that ends in a conjuntion of roads.No parade , no signs , nothing to signify I just rode the most boring bit of cyclepath with winds , some cows , a few strange smells and nothingelse. When you ride it as often as most Perth based triathletes it does get a tad mundane. Atleast I now get a few hallos . That means somebody knows me in all that bit of bitumen I cycle on everyweek. I did see a group at the end and rode off before they did back to Perth .They caught up and we all turned off at Safety Bay Road for the petrol station at Baldivis .I had water and my Bar. I came prepared with a banana , 5 gels, dates and lollies , and gatorade .Over 400 Calories worth of sugar . I had nearly 4 bidons of water as well. My legs were sore from the very start but I still managed to finish. Unfortunately 3 -4 days of running and cycling with little chance to rest was not conducive to recovery. At lakelands before safety bay road , a magpie started swooping down on me.thank god for helmets .It did this for a km .Its magpie nesting season

After the short break , it was back onto the freeway cyclepath and I finished the ride in 4.46 and then it was then a quick change and a run round the Peerth foreshore . Managed 9.5km in 55 minutes. The legs were sore as but otherwise felt good . I had a gel before the run so I think that helped alot.



I was glad that was over and the angry guy wasn't around but I was beginning to wonder who was mad. My hair was wild , I was unshaven and burnt , tired and not thinking about much other than a good lie down.



JJ at Caversham Wildlife Park

 But the afternoon was spent with JJ at the Caversham Wildlife Park looking at Koalas and Kangaroos and Eagles.There is no peace for the wicked or anyone trying to juggle everything at once.I must say I did sleep very well that night .