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Howard
Smallfurry
The weather has been absolutly grusome recently. So I had planned a 20min test on the turbo last night. But came home from work to dry roads, and a little blue sky. I could see the bleak darkness in towards the mountains. But figured 80% of my ride could be dry, and nothing is as bleak as a 20min test on the turbo anyway.
So I decided to ride the 32km to the closest long Climb, and do my test outdoors.
I love to ride to sjøholt. It undulates. But not so much that Your always shifting gear. I always ride it too hard, and ruin my climbing form (current PB for the 8km of easy 6% gradient is 23:37. Terrible). I meant to avoid this. But didnt.
Set off on the test at my target wattage and felt OK. Kinda enjoying the effort, and the warmth. Then at the 4 min mark it started getting tough. Which it always does for me to be honest. But this time the toughness was largely due to the bonkers storm which I seemed to have ridden into. Suddenly my breath was as thick as cigar smoke as temps dropped horribly, and kaotic Winds threw partially frozen rain at me. I figured I should quit. But then suspected I was just backing out of the test. Feck that.
This road joins my city With the next, and is alway full of lorrys, pissed at having to pass a cyclist, while on a long Climb. So while I was trying to compensate for the constant change in Wind direction, I had to deal With Close passes by articulated lorrys. Then With only a few mins left I saw the 1km to rest stop (at the top) sign. If I bury myself now I can hit the top for a PB and finish this hellish test at the same time. At 19:30 I crested the top, I was running out of mountain! and desparately smashed up the gears to squeeze out the last few watts.
My HR hit some horrible number, and I had to steer into a ditch to throw up. Being violently sick while Your heart is already at its max is fecking horrible. I could feel myself wanting to pass out. Which seemed like a lovely idea. Then I realised lying Down in a ditch for a snooze on a storm covered mountain is probably not the wisest thing in the world.
The descent was sketchy. But I made to the petrol station With any scares. Had a massive hot chocolate and a big current bun. Felt much better, and the weather was calmer Down here. So I set off on the long Scenic route home. 20mins into which, the storm decided to come Down from the Mountains. To make it a wet and slow slog home. Still, theres something about the Norwegian landscape in shit weather. I cant really describe it. But if you'd offered the chance to teleport to my couch, in my warm dry flat. I have refused. I had decent clothes on, and full bidons. I was kinda enjoying it.
...........Beats a fecking 20min test on the Turbo any day of the week.