Distance: 26.5 km
Elevation gain: 365 m
Time: 1h40 (+ breaks of course)
I had planned to cycle more – a lot more – during my vacation, but then other things were seemed more important and thus I didn’t once take my bike out of my flat. But I really, really felt the need to do so today, because my department at work is participating in a cycling competition (to cycle the most km within a 3 week period) which ends tomorrow. And I didn’t want to be listed with meager 34 km from my vacation at the Baltic Sea at the end :-)
Also… I spent part of my lunch break scrolling through Sam Heughan’s Instagram feed. Yes, I know it sounds stalker-ish, but I couldn’t help it, after someone somewhere mentioned that he’s got an Instagram account. Anyway, there are a lot of pictures from triathlons and seeing him all active and sporty made me feel really guilty for neglecting cycling for so long. Because I did want to ride my bike a lot more since the beginning of this summer.
And I still do, that’s what I’ve learned tonight, because once I got on the bike and had managed to climb the hills around my town, I felt great. Or maybe “great” isn’t the right term :-), because I was out of breath and my legs were trembling and I felt so exhausted for a few moments. But to realize that I managed the climb and didn’t have to get back home the shortest way but would be able to cycle another loop, made me feel pretty great. Oh well, endorphins and all…
After about 20 km I noticed that my legs were really getting weak (I’m so out of shape, it’s pathetic) and that probably also led to me taking a fall (just a few tiny scratches) at a roundabout, when I stopped at the side to let a car pass. Or maybe it was the curb’s fault…
But yeah, I think I might have gotten back on the cycling bandwagon and am definitely planning to ride again on the weekend. I just hope that my bottom will be less sore then :-). It always takes some time to get used to the saddle after the winter break or to get used to it for the first time, when it’s a new bike / saddle as it happens to be the case here.
In other Sam-related news: “A Christmas Princess” was in my mail today. Yay! So I already know what I’ll be watching tomorrow night.
* The first ride (19 May) was a short 7 km to get used to the new bike, the 2nd ride in early June was about 20 km (?), the 3rd ride took place during my vacation (04 July) , when I rent a bike for a day (34 km)