In Melbourne, we had a long weekend due to the Melbourne Cup. The public holidays in on the Tuesday but out work closes on the Monday as an RDO.
Our little family went to Bright (about 4 hours from Melbourne) to do some riding and I did a session with Lead Out.
As we only arrived on Saturday afternoon, I didn't end up riding with the group to Mount Buffalo and only did the ride on Sunday. The ride started at 9am and it was warm enough for no arm warmers and just the standard jersey and knicks. We rode from Bright to Porepunkah for a short coffee break. After the break, we rode along the rail trail to Myrtleford for a toilet stop before hitting the climb up Rosewhite. I stuck with the group until the turn off at Ovens as I am not as strong and just rode by myself pretty much the entire way.
Before the climb, the ride itself was pretty uneventful, the scenery was wonderful and I got swooped by one magpie (for about 10 attempts). I kept my cadence at 75rpm the entire climb so I was pretty impressed with myself but I know the gradient was manageable.
The group stopped on the top of Rosewhite and I could take a break before the descent down. The descent down was great and I am much more confident. The first time I did this loop was in 2015 and I remember being really tired and needed assistance in pacing by the coaches. I ended up riding by myself in between two groups at my own pace. At this stage of the ride, my feet had started to swell hurt. The group stopped for lunch at the Tawonga Gap general store and I had half a roll and a bottle of coke emptied out in my bidon.
I ended up starting early from the group towards Tawonga and climbed the route. I have always hated Tawonga, the gradient is just steep enough that I am grinding on the gears and nothing much else. I am purely just surviving at this point. Having 90km already in the legs and temperature at about 28 degrees, I had the worst climb in a long time...
This was my worst Tawonga Gap climb, it took me over an hour to climb and I stopped 2 times to rest. My feet were so swollen that I undid my boa laces completely and I could still ride. Having Coach Mick there did help for me to not give in but it was also embarrassing that I found this climb so hard to do! My cadence hovered between 40 - 55rpm and my heart rate never went below 170bpm. The break on the top of the gap was great and I had a chance to take off my shoes and rubbed my feet to relief. The descent down from Tawonga was great and I felt more confident and comfortable.
I was totally dead after the ride that I didn't do anymore rides that weekend. I was just so fatigued and couldn't pick myself up to get on the bike. I haven't been back on the bike since then but planning on doing some climbing this weekend in training for Giro della Donna. Fingers crossed I am mentally strong enough to get myself out there again.
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