Posted by Chalked up two century events this weekend, one good, one sort of disappointing.
I chalked up the first century on Saturday morning by riding the planned 100km route for the 2011 PMM Real Esate Community Cycle Challenge.
I had planned on joining some riders I found on a cycling forum who were doing the ride at 8am Saturday morning, but when I rocked up (admittedly at exactly 8am) there was no one in sight and so I ended up doing it on my own. There was a bit of a westerly blowing which made a few sections a bit of hard work by myself, but I still managed to average slightly over 25kms/hr (1,390m ascent) and brought it home in 3hrs 50 mins.
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you the exact speed, distance or time because I inadvertently discovered that the little yellow button on my cycle computer is the pause button. I had pressed said button when heading out of Richmond (just to see what it did) and I only realised what it actually did several kilometres later, which to be honest kind of annoyed me as I was “time trialling” along this section and so all my hard work went to waste.
I was feeling pretty chuffed with myself (if admittedly also pretty darn sore) on Saturday afternoon when I stepped on the scales to weigh in at 97.9kgs. I realised that most of this was water loss – I was 1.5kgs lighter than when I set off that morning, but my polar heart rate monitor assured me I had burnt a massive 9,500 kilojoules and having weighted in under 100kgs every day this week, except Monday morning, it was looking like my first sub 100kgs weigh in was a sure thing.
So, I celebrated a little bit when I went to an afternoon tea and allowed myself a few sausage rolls: They were home made and super yummy. Then I figured that given I was 2.3kgs under my limit I could afford noodle box (satay chicken, yuuuuummmm) for dinner.
Still feeling pretty confident, I stepped on the scales Sunday morning to be greeted by a scary number 99.9kgs. Somewhat in shock I quickly jumped onto the other set of scales which reported 100.2kgs. NNNoooooo!!!
I dealt with this dietary dilemma by heading out to have breakfast with Stephan (mistake number three), then suddenly realising what I had done heading out for a late morning paddle to see if I could at least dehydrate myself a little bit and stay under the 100kg mark. I had been so confident. Post paddle, I weighed in at 99.6kg but still had dinner between me and my weigh in the next morning.
I decided on tacos: Only three small shells, and lots of salad. I felt I should be safe, I went to bed a bit nervous, but also a little cocky. Things had gone so well this week, I just couldn’t envisage going back over 100kgs. Surely there would be an after-burn effect from all my cycling?
So this morning I stepped on the scales for the official Monday morning weigh in. This is the only weight in that I write in my diary in Pen. That’s what makes it official.
The numbers started churning, and went straight over 100kgs … 100.6, 100.1, 99.9 (yes, my new scales are just like the Biggest Loser scales they oscillate for a while before settling on a final weight) 100.1, 100.0 ….. 100.0. They’d stopped. I couldn’t believe it. I jumped off and onto my second set of scales … the one’s which usually increase my weight. I nervously waited as it ticked over and spat out a weight of … 100.0kg.
I was in denial, and so I stepped on the first set of scales again … 100.0kg. I couldn’t believe it. So, so close and yet so far.
I had lost 1.5kgs for the week which I should be happy about, I had ridden a sub four hour century which I should be happy about, but so much hinges on my being sub 100kgs (my training program doesn’t allow me to run until sub 100kgs) that it is just frustrating to now have to wait another week. Still, I still have two weeks to go before New Years. I can do this.
Next week – no Noodle Box.