Saturdays big ride

Just me and the road.... and sheep.

Saturday 27th July 2013. 
Feeling a little anxious still after last Sundays performance, I have been trying a little harder in training and I wanted to put in a decent distance on today's ride.
My mind set has altered in respect of my training.  I no longer see the training as a way to get fitter, I am training to get used to suffering.  The big day is going to hurt like hell, so I best get used to it!
I only set off at 10.35am as I had people around viewing my house.  It was a lovely sunny morning but the forecast was suggesting showers so I packed my lightweight showerproof jacket and stuffed it in my back pocket along with some gels and a couple of energy bars.
My plan was to ride a huge loop heading North from home.  I took my camera with me to take pics on the move.  ( just so Mark can't tell me that stopping to take pics is not training)  I also took my phone in case I got into trouble.
Before I had even done 10 miles I took my gloves off just to try and keep as cool as possible.  I had two full bottles of energy drink on the bike.  I had made them quite weak because it still makes me feel sick after last Sunday.
After a steady climb across the moors ( above photo) I had the pleasure of a 3 mile long descent. 

 

And then a bit of a climb to Bwlch followed by a lovely undulating road that took me past Llangors Lake and onto Talgarth where I had to stop to check my route.

Llangors Lake

A quick stop to get my bearings and check the map

One of my favourite towns.
I must have ridden about 40 miles by time I got to Hay on Wye, I had finished one of my drinks bottles so stopped and topped it up with water.  I also took the opportunity to buy a chicken sandwich.  I didn't stop for too long, checked for directions and set off again.

After I had been out four and a half hours, it started raining. And man did it rain!  The rain was bouncing off the road like small golf balls.
I put my jacket on and had to put my phone and camera in my bra top to try keep them dry.  My jacket proved to be shower proof only.  Before long I was soaked to the skin.   For a fleeting moment I considered cutting the ride short and heading home.  But I was already wet now and a long way from home so I may as well carry on.  That's what I did.  I got to Monmouth and stopped at a garage to shelter for a bit and by now my phone and camera were rather wet.  Then I had a brain wave, I always carry a pair of surgical type gloves on the bike so I stuffed my phone and camera into a glove each. 
I had a quick snack and set off again.   I wished I hadn't stopped as now I was pretty cold.  I pedalled hard to warm up, and was soon gliding along all happy again.
I had plenty to drink so wasn't dehydrated but developed a headache for the second time on the ride.  I had a caffeine gel and that sorted it.  And from no where I found renewed energy and found myself standing on lots of the climbs pushing quite hard.  I felt strangely energised and fresh even though I had been out over 6 hours by now. 
Once past the village of Usk and still with about 20 miles to go, I got a real sharp pain in the sole of my left foot.  It got so bad that I couldn't put any pressure on it any more and had to stop.  I stretched my foot for a few minutes and that done the trick.  I set off again and chose to take a route that included more hills. 
As I approached my home town of Blackwood,  took the by pass to add a couple of extra miles and two steep climbs.  I was surprised at how good I felt.  I got home in just under 8 hours of riding and had done 106.5 miles ( 171km) .  I had climbed 2700 metres.
I was soaking wet so jumped straight in the shower.  I made myself scrambled eggs on a bagel and had craving for coffee which is a first.  I then spent ages stretching.
I loved the ride and felt good.
I did some research on the foot pain and have now self diagnosed my self with Metatarsalgia.  I have been suffering with foot pain when running too so hopefully now I can do some stretching to alleviate it.