BONK!

Just when I was really enjoying cycling and being outside I suffered on the group ride this Saturday. Amber and I met a group of GP Triathletes just on the edge of town to head out for what I hope will be a regular Saturday ride with everyone. It started out great and I felt fantastic, I was cruising with a couple other guys doing about 36-38km/hr on the flats. I didn't even really notice that I was doing most of the pulling all the way out.

We hit the turn around at 50kms and all of the sudden 5kms later my heart rate dropped and all the power in my legs was gone! Oh no. I knew what that meant, I was 45kms from nowhere and I had very little water and only a couple granola bars for energy. I downed the two bars and felt a little better but I was seriously in trouble with no water. I took it easy and just spun and fortunately the other two guys I was riding with turned back and gave me a little water. I managed to get to the bottom of the big climb (about 8kms from the end) and struggled up but at the top I was weaving all over the road and I felt almost drunk!

It was the toughest final 5kms I've rode since completing a brutal Valleyview ride last year in preparation for IM but I should have known that the endurance is not going to be there yet. I'll get there, I just need to be a little more disciplined and controlled and the next thing you know I'll be flying along with little to no effort at all. This winter training has really helped increase the power but now it's time to work on the endurance.