I have been 'training' for a month or so now. This was to top up my base fitness. I thought it was doing ok and I have seen, over the past 6 months, some encouraging results. Just one was a trail climb with a regular crew where ion the past I would max out my heart rate at the top to about 172BPM. Last Monday night I topped out the climb after chasing the guys up and checked the rate at the top.. 154BPM. That is pretty significant.
All this has been now tempered when I decided to join a Single Speed ride over at Bunyaville. There were only 3 of us to start but after about 5 km I was being absolutely smashed. I admit that I had not know or ridden with these guys before nor do I know anything about their riding. It was just I feel I should not have been that far behind. I was struggling.
I also accept that these guys would have been mid 30's and I hit 51 in a few weeks plus this is their regular ride area. I haven't reallly ridden there for a few years, the surface is loose shale and gravel.
I was pretty run down on Wednesday. These are all the things Mrs HBR was busy reminding me about.
All said and done I realised there is a huge gap between where I am and where I think I should be.