Cream Tea, Bacon Butty and a Full English

I'm still in the process of getting a coach and a program before I start training "seriously" for the Tour de Dugong, but I know the future hold days of back to back riding to develop my endurance and ability to back up for three weeks of straight riding.

So, this was the first one. After my faffing around with half marathons (October 27 and November 24) and a Sportive (November 17- a 117km affair that I did after a 15km training run the day before) this was my taster weekend: two days of 100km rides.

Saturday was a ride out with some of the Hampstead Hummingbirds. It takes about 20km to get out of the city and into the countryside, and we were guided by the fabulous Jess. The countryside North of the city is best described as rolling, and there is plenty of challenge to be had in the hills. We had a defrost stop at Ware at the halfway mark where I partook in a cream tea (scones, jam, cream and tea, although on this occasion it was only whipped cream, not the infamous artery clogging clotted cream). I arrived home pretty knackered (after a ride around the block to hit the 100km mark), but felt good.

It was with a greater sense of trepidation that I got up on Sunday morning, knowing that I would be riding with the boys, my greatest fear not being dropped, but them being too polite to drop me (side note: British people are so polite it's difficult to know sometimes if they a really saying yes, but seething underneath). Oh, and of course wondering how I'd pull up after a big ride Saturday.

I'm not in the same league as the boys, but with some fast downhills and some hard work uphill and on the flat I'm pretty sure their wasn't too much waiting around on their behalf. A big thanks to Andrew for leading out, and to Nick who handled me clipping his back wheel and sprawling myself on the road (as is my style, from the stationary position, so as to just embarrass and not hurt myself) with aplomb. A thanks to the other guys for their generosity in waiting for throughout, its much appreciated. We finished a 65km ride with a cafe stop where I partook in a other great British tradition, the bacon butty (a sandwich filled with cooked bacon).

But I still had 35km of my goal to meet, so I took the scenic route (how I got lost is a mystery even to me- its a gift people) and did some Regent's Park loops on an easy setting, with my new friend Joe who I befriended after following for about five minutes.

Obviously I needed to refuel post ride. What better way to round out a weekend of British culinary culture than with a full English at my favourite local cafe (not a greasy spoon though) and a hot chocolate (high performance recovery beverage).

Warming up by the fire in Ware, halfway through Saturday's ride with the Hampstead Hummingbirds (note: Cream Tea in stomach)

Full English Breakfast: Recovery late lunch of champions

Winter getup: beanie (don't worry, the helmet was jammed on top), thermal top, thermal vest and decorative cycling jersey, thermal bib shorts, ski gloves, cycling shoes with waterproof covers. Definitely a bit more involved than Darwin!