About to Amp Up

Well with the news that our esteemed Mayor had run the hill in 2hr 27 minutes a few years back. I guess I had a time to beat. I decided to make a solo ascent one morning before work. I believe it was and admirable effort to be up to the top and back in just under 2.5 hours. To those that don't know I am only 1-2 kilos off breaking my double figure barrier something that has eluded me for nigh on 20 years.

However, for the purpose of this exercise I loaded myself with 2 liters of fluid before the ascent. Weighed in at a meager 104.5kg's. Remember this figure. I had to work in the afternoon so was determined not to be medivacced off the hill. Regardless of this I hit it harder then I have before. With my Tom Clancy audiobook, Rainbow Six and I headed up the hill. All was going well. Got to the top in just under 1.5 hours. I planned to give my legs 20 minutes to recoup. But the clouds had other ideas and started coming across just as I reached the tip. I have never been up there in the clouds and had visions of getting stuck so I turned around immediately and headed down.

I passed two guys on the way down that were about 3/4 of the way up. I was jogging and still feeling pretty fresh and they were looking a little ordinary. They asked what time I started and were shocked to find out they had only arrived 5 minutes after me. Didn't have time to converse so kept running. It was a pleasure to put that shock on their face as it has always been me with that look. I had started up the hill with 1.5 litres of water and as I reached half way I was empty and my legs were shaking like an unbalanced lawn mower. having nightmares of my last climb where I destroyed my legs and couldn't walk properly for a week. I denied this would happen and pushed on. My run down hill had change to a plod but it was still down as fast as I could go.

I reached the bottom in the time I had aimed for but my legs were numb and sore. I was thirsty had no sugar on board and half naked just standing in my running knicks. My singlet and shorts I had plopped/slopped into the back of the car. I stopped at the Caltex on the way home got a liter of Pepsi Max and a mars bar and had consumed both before I got home. Now given that my weight was a 104.5 kg and I had consumed 2.5 liters (kg) of fluid I was surprised to see that I weighed 100.2 kg.If only I hadn't drunk the Pepsi before the scales I would have been in double figures. Plus I had lost almost 7 kilos in sweat on the climb. I think describes how hard this is.

I destroyed my legs yet again and took four days to even attempt any exercise at all. Stairs were again my enemy and downhill slopes took me to another level of pain again. I am planning to ascend again in two weeks time. So wish me luck.

As much as I am enjoying the riding I am going to start trading my cycle in to put more kilometers under my legs in preparation. I plan to ascend at lest six more times before race day with other hill climbs in between all with an aim to get my time down under the two hour mark and then add the run at the bottom in. It would be nice to think I could do this in two hours and twenty five minutes. My new goal.