Bike test run

That is to say, I took the road bike I'm borrowing out for a quick (it's all relative) 10 miler to get used to changing gear and such like. Not sure if it's technically possible to get out for a test run on a bike (oxymoron alert) - I guess it's more of a test bike on the bike - but you get my drift.

Met Bitton's Pat S. over by the railway station while I was parking up. He was approaching the end of a two hour session - way to go Pat. If I can be half as fit as he is at his age I'll be well happy - he's practically super human.

Anyway, onto the bike - quite literally. I cycled along the Bitton to Bath cycle path. Straight out and back since it's about a ten mile round trip - the same distance as I will be racing next week. I was able to go much faster than I can on my mountain bike - even when I have the slicks fitted. Have to say the gear shifters were a little confusing. I could see a small switch on each hand grip but that only switched up through the gears. Took me a minute or two to work out that the down shift was a rotation of the break lever. Once I got the hang of that everything was fine.

I flew down into bath - I mean I was really quick - not I took off and flew into bath but it was much harder coming home as the wind was right into me. Overall though, it was a successful little session and hopefully it will stand me in good stead for next week - although I'm expecting to be well down the field as all the bike specialists will come tearing past after the first run. Hopefully, like last week, I'll be able to make back a few places during the final run.

Now it's time to turn my thoughts to the race tomorrow in the Quantocks. It's another fell style race covering about 7 miles and 2000ft of ascent. I'm going to take it steady and treat it as a hard training run - unless, that is, I loose control - which is quite possible, in which case I shall end up legging it flat out!

Thought for the day: A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. On my desk, I have a work station!!!