goals

As you know, I started to do a bit of cycling earlier in the summer, with an aim to do some sort of charity ride next year.

Anyway, I set myself a number of goals to help with motivation and, obviously, to give me something to aim for rather than just riding my bike for the sake of it.

Well, last week I achieved my major goal for this year.

The Rhigos mountain is quite a savage climb, but one that I rode regularly and without much thought in my racing days.  It’s around 3 kilometres (2 miles) long with an elevation gain of some 300 metres.  It’s preceded by a short period of rest and another climb of around 200 metres over another 3 kilometres.  So, it’s a bit of a haul.

But I did it.  At a snail’s pace I might add; but I got up to the top – through a raging headwind to boot.

top of the world ma

It hurt though.  A lot.  My back injury means that I’m unable to get out of the saddle to ease the pressure on my, erm, undercarriage.  So, I had the usual pain in my back and more excruciating pain “lower down”!  Oh how I enjoyed the descent though – hitting speeds of nearly 80 kph through the ice cold air.

The trouble is now, what do I do next?  I could descend down the other side into the Rhondda Valley, have a rest at a lovely café I know there and climb back up.

After reflecting in the glory and happiness of my achievement first of course!