Two rides on the same day. Which one to choose?
Ride number one: Degani Kinglake Ride
Ride number two: Fruit Loop Ride
My original plan was to do the 180km (!!) Fruit Loop Ride. At first, I wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to complete the ride having not broken 100km as yet but that’s something that can be easily fixed. Plus there’s a 14km climb in the later part of the ride which is a bit of a concern for me. Climbing is difficult for me and I am trying to improve but I have serious doubts about my ability to manage such a climb after already been on the bike for about 100km. I know I’m strong but I don’t know if I’m that strong. My other problem is that I don’t have the time to do enough hill training to feel 100% certain I could do it. So, this weekend, I decided to do the 100km ride instead. There’s a few small hill climbs in that ride too but I know they’re ones I can manage.
However…
The Kinglake Ride is 70km but has a decent climb in the middle of it. I feel I could actually achieve this and that it’s not beyond my capabilities. It just fits better in my head. Plus, even though the entry fee does seem a little steep (Fruit Loop is cheaper), I’d get a nice jersey out of it. It also has the advantage of being much closer to Melbourne and to see part of the state I haven’t visited before. A lot of cyclists rave about the riding around Kinglake so it’d be something to experience and I’d learn a new route.
But I have to make a decision soon because the Kinglake ride is capped and I know it’s rather popular.
Anyhoo… I’m getting a bike fit next Saturday. I’m really hoping the guy I’m seeing will be able to sort out my shoe issues. I’m also very curious to see what he says about my position on the bike. I feel pretty comfortable so I can’t imagine there will be too much, if anything, to change. I’m really hoping he can get my shoes right, otherwise I wasted $300 when it could’ve been spent on a nice piece of comic book art. If I really can’t wear the SIDIs, I’ll just have to sell them and get something else. Just sucks because I really did like them.
Oh, and I made it to Mordialloc and back yesterday. All 75kms. I must admit I did feel a small sense of achievement when I got home. I felt I’d really earned a nanna nap on the couch – not something I usually do.
