Growing pains

After settling on the 8 hour solo competition for this October's 'Ritchey Oktoberfest' at Ashton Court, I thought I should get some practice in. Oktoberfest, much like it's sister event, Bikefest, involves laps of a 6.5 mile mountain bike trail through Ashton Court. The course is demanding when ridden flat out, especially as there are few passing places so you've either always got someone on your tail, or you're busting a gut to get past the person in front.

With this in mind, yesterday I took to the woods. I managed three and 3/4 laps of Ashton Court before I needed some variety. I headed across the road to the Timberland Trail in 50 Acre Wood, then on to Ashton Pool Wood and finally to Leigh Woods.

Four hours of biking and 43 miles was a great start to competition training and I'm feeling it today too. My arms and lower back feel like they've been working hard - although three crashes will have no doubt added to the aches and pains.

Fighting the urge not to ride...

With the summer evenings so light and warm, I've found myself fighting the urge not to ride.

Like a giddy child I couldn't wait to get out on Sunday and Monday evenings, but once chores and work were done it was edging 8pm, only leaving time for 20-30 miles.

Today I had more time for biking. I met Ed Sherwin for a quick lunchtime spin around Ashton Court, following that with an evening ride, "taking the long way home from work".

I clocked up almost two and a half hours today, taking in two laps of the new Ashton Court trails, plus Leigh Woods and the Pill path along the River Avon.

Ashton Court seems like it's getting busier by the day - families, groups of teenagers, MAMILs were all there today - but Leigh Woods is still an undiscovered joy. Routes that wind their way through the woodland with countless tributaries. It's a wooded wonderland!