After a lot of umming and ahing it was agreed we would complete our first team ride in Surrey/Kent – a dream location for anyone who likes roads made of craters and hills built like walls, not so much for anyone who cherishes Spanish baby's bum smooth, flat roads (i.e. myself).
I decided I’d drive down to the meeting point as it was quite a distance and my family don’t like me cycling unfamiliar roads alone, especially with the heightened worry for women's safety at the moment. It was no skin off my nose as I’d already over-trained in my ‘rest week’ and was pretty exhausted... Or so I thought until I remembered what the traffic was like, now the whole world has decided their covid freedom comes in the form of driving a damn car.
Anyway, it was lovely to have the freedom to ride as a team and not be told off. We were assured it was the flattest route that could be made, and not having ridden in the area before, I fell for that and expected nice occasional gradual inclines. Also not realising the meeting point was at the top of a wall, but we move!
After driving in thinking, ‘hell what have I got myself into?’ I reminded myself it was new bike weekend, and I should just enjoy the beautiful machine I would be riding with my new team.
The route itself was lovely, there were fields on both sides (reminded me of my childhood), animals watching as we buzzed past and very courteous pedestrians – although the same can’t be said for the drivers. Obviously in so much of a rush to get their easter chocolate, they had to ‘hoot’ at us as they haired past, way above the speed limit, or so close that if I’d moved to avoid a pothole I’d have been taken out. I’ve heard bad things about the drivers down south and always brushed it off - I can now confirm there is a group of air-headed morons on the road, as suggested.
However, we got on with our ride and waved to the cycling-hating idiots we met on the road. I can’t explain the feeling I had in my stomach while sitting on the front, hearing chattering behind me and roars of laughter. It was so warming. Our team manager followed close by in the car (in-case of mechanicals etc) and met us at the top of two of the walls we had to climb, which was a welcom pit-stop for me - a pan-flat cyclist with a mental block at the site of an incline.
Getting to know my team was incredible, having the ability to watch them and see how they rode gave me the assurance I was in brilliant company and I could learn a lot from them. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for myself: I descend like a granny with her handbrake on (even worse on the unfamiliar roads).
I was fatigued going into the ride, so I didn’t have much for the walls. I also have a broken brain and struggle with confidence, but bask in negative self-criticism instead. Coming into the last climb I was chatting with a team mate about how I hate climbing and haven’t found my legs for it yet. Like many before her she said: ‘but you’re light, you should be good at it,’ and then ‘I think you have a mental block,’ which hit in a way it hasn’t before. She was right... climbing should be my thing. I will finally start retraining my brain with some serious self-talk next time I hit the inclines.
We finished the ride with some coffee and the most deliciously moreish cake, home made by a team-mate. We chatted away, discussing the season ahead with our manager, and continuing with the wave of laughter ringing in our ears and our hearts full of an overwhelming feeling of existence.
Ride bikes, eat cake, be happy :)
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