Third week of build, great rides and now... recovery. I need it!

I have been really lucky and have enjoyed some of the best rides and company during this build period.

The weather has been just amazing around here. Ok, I am fortunate sometimes for being able to get on the bike after 8 am, missing out on the chilling mornings. And again, I am lucky to have a bunch of good friends and a partner, keen to get on the bike anytime...

Last week was a little different as it ended on Monday (a public holiday) with a ride to the city, a 4 h team ride, coffee and a ride home with Sandra (five hours in total) and work. That lead to a Tuesday of recovery and a short week ahead (Wed to Sun) to fit in another seventeen hours of build.

So, Week 24 started with a two hour loop around Sandgate and Boondall Wetlands. To me, it's always invigorating to start the week with a ride to the bay and a few breaths of salty air. Naturally, my body misses the smell and sounds of the ocean after so many years in the surf and underwater.

For Thursday, I had planned to do an 120+ team ride to Mt Tamborine but that didn't happen because of a series of mishaps from my part (a bit embarassed to talk about it). I left at 5 am and ended up back home after 45 min of driving and 21 min of riding...

Lucky again, a text came through later in the morning and a "keen for a long ride" Stephen was at my place in no time. I needed four or five hours on the bike, so we spoke about heading north and turning around after two and a half hours. That never works, I should know by now, and from Glass House Mountains (the village) we decided to do a little loop to get home, adding a bit of climbing on the way, of course...

After 179 km, 1525 m of climbing and a most needed stop for lunch (at the Caboolture bakery), I made it home. Seven hours later! Tired but really happy with the epic ride.

Another recovery day on Friday and another splendid time on the bike on Saturday. It started early with a 55 min spin with team mate, Adam, getting ready for what turned out to be a very hard race - an A Grade Points Race at Nundah.

The club organises these points races now and then and the aim is for riders to accumulate points by winning sprints on as many laps as possible. Tough luck for someone like me but great for Adam, one of the strongest sprinters in the club.

My job was to try to prevent other riders getting points and help Adam for the final sprint, when higher points were awarded. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to win any sprints, crossing the line in second place four or five times. And I wasn't much of a help at the end either, I was mentally and physically too tired to have another go. Adam managed to get second!

A phone call after the race and Adam and I were on our way to get Sandra and head to do some hills, including the Goat Track and Mt Nebo. I chose the way, taking them through Bunya and the back roads of Samford to the bottom of the umpaved climb.

Legs were slightly heavy when we got there but riding on the Goat Track brings some extra strength and the climbing became even enjoyable. Not so sure Adam would agree with that, when we got to Nebo and sat for lunch he had the look of someone who had just finished one of the European Classics while Sandra and I were discussing if we had done enough to deserve one of the cakes at the cafe.

Well, it was a classic ride anyhow.

Sunday came and I still had some kilometers to do. As I had to go back to work, the solution was to do one hour before work, commute there and back and to do another hour on the rollers before dinner. I managed 30 min on the rollers before the body and the mind started telling me it was enough. The back got sore and the neck was getting stiff, I didn't feel like pedaling for one more minute, all I wanted was to start my recovery week.

Well, that is now and I am sticking with it!

Week Twenty Four: Build
Time: 15 h 47 min
Dist.: 448 km