Day 307 - Afternoon Two Stepp

Against all the odds, the weather being as it has these last few days, this week has been my best for 5 weeks and reminiscent of my peak riding performance back in September.

My best cycling in many weeks

I've been focussing on my hill climbing this week. This is my weakest area. I normally hit a hill and have to drop to a crawl and without my buddies looking out for me, would be dropped every time. 

Today, I took advantage of a short a break in the foul weather to get out on the Crosstrail, its full mudguards and chunky tyres better suited to the debris strewn flooded roads than my thoroughbred Roubaix. The plan was to do the Stepps Lane climb and return but after the first assent I still felt there was more in the tank and so circled back for another climb. While the second was slower than the first, both were quicker than my previous last two climbs on the Roubaix .. I think I benefitted greatly today form a total lack of any head wind, what a difference it makes.

After the second climb, I stopped to take in the view and snap a winter picture; one with me proudly wearing the Sky proCycling race cape, looking rather snug in my upright position but its amazing how well it keeps out the wind and rain while riding.

The closest I'll get to the Sky Cycling team

Next week, work returns to its frenetic pre Christmas pace and I'm going to have to be very innovative with my time management to keep up this level of training. Oh, if only I'd stuck at this cycling when I last made a return to the saddle some 30 years ago, but then again that was a very different time, today is a unique period in British cycling and I'm going to make the most of it!