We just about doubled our ride distance in two days - 82 km this morning! - by riding into town from home and back, with the community ride in between. So all we need to do is double it again for the 100 mile ride in two weeks time! Easy.

You probably think we're mad aiming to do a 160km ride in one day (160.934 km to be precise), and you'd probably be right. But you know, apart from the challenge/tick the box aspect, there is one really, really super good reason to flog yourself silly in the exercise department:

Eating!

I find myself today researching the best hi-energy/hi carb foods to take 'on board' before and during the ride. All in all that's a lot more fun than researching what not to take on board in the interests of burning more energy than you take in (in order to lose weight!)

For this one day, the focus is going to be on consuming enough kilojoules so you don't run out of energy... Or in cycling terms, so you don't "bonk". (Or 'hit the wall'.) This is a new term I learnt today - I'm still on my L plates with this cycling business, and it can be a bit confusing at times. I mean, when I grew up, bonking had a whole other meaning. (And it's safe to say that one of those I want to avoid, and the other not necessarily so...)

But in other words, I can eat, eat, eat and not feel guilty!

After 82 km today I was feeling quite desperate for an energy hit, and all day since I've been prowling around the kitchen looking for a 'hit'. The bowl of cereal at 5.15 am, and the bacon and egg roll 3 hours later (and after about 55km) was patently a bit light on. (A lesson to be learned for the 100miler). I had a cheese and bacon toasted multigrain sandwich when we first got home.. and then the urge to cook pancakes hit me along with a decline in the weather situation. (It started raining around lunchtime!) Something about rainy days and me deciding to cook up treats in the kitchen...

An hour and a bit later my stomach is rumbling again! And it's raining and thundery.. and it's cold! (What happened to Spring?!! ) My muscles are starting to stiffen up, and I'm yawning my head off. (Yes, totally mad getting up at 5 am!).

I think I need more coffee. And I need MORE FOOD!

Labels: bike riding, daily