If it doesn't kill you it must be doing you good.

The holidays went well riding 10 days out of 14. Not bad I thought maybe I can get fit again. Fast forward to Monday the 5th and I start my new job by riding into work. Its 30miles and it hurts right from the start, its not just my legs but every part of me that aches with every pedal stroke. My body is trying to tell me its time to rest its knackered and will not be pushed any further. So I take a day Off

A ride on the Wednesday as part of my TCL night module training is nothing strenuous. It snowed the day before the trails are covered in soft slippy snow and we descend at speed like a bunch of kids skidding and cornering speedway style, excellent fun. At the weekend despite thick ice (from the melting snow freezing) covering most of the trails I get in two hours each day. How far how high and what my hear rate is anyone's guess as my Garmin decides not to switch on. Maybe it knew what was ahead!

Wednesday night my daughter Katy has a 2hr steady MTB ride scheduled in for her training. This is ideal for me I think "a nice steady ride". It all started off so well up the first part of the black climb in Glentress then all of sudden I'm in trouble, Katy is disappearing into the distance and I'm going backwards. My heart rate is at max(the Garmin would have been going ballistic all the way up) and my backpack is killing my back. Its got my full guiding kit in it and I start to think what could I jettison, first aid kit, adjustable spanner, leatherman, light battery, the whole back pack!!!! In the end I make it to the mast with the snow driving into my face and making a nice white clean layer on the ground. With the weather closing in we decide not to do the whole black route(thank god) and head back to the van via the red route. I'm glad I don't have to look at the Garmin download that way I can forget my 15year old daughter just kicked my arse. One steady ride(read 2hr hard ride) down one to go.

Thursdays steady ride is with some of the Scottish Talent team, one of which is on the Olympic development program. I have the same backpack and I'm sure these kids all weigh less than the back pack, I think they could carry it but damn I need it to carry my light battery. Its not too bad going along the fire road and the plan is to take it easy on the climbs and speed along the level bits. Surely that won't be too fast! Wrong, the climb starts and I am breathing really hard, I am at the back and just hanging on. The rider in front of me starts to struggle and a gap forms to the main group, it gives me a chance to recover and we work together to keep within sight. I'm still cycling faster than I have in the past two years and I'm even more aware of how much work there is to do to get ready for the Transalp. The Garmin would have been screaming at me the whole way round. All I need to know is that it was 1.5hrs of riding at a very fast pace and it was hard.

Two hard days, they didn't kill me so hopefully it is doing me some good. Tomorrow another steady ride with a group of kids!