Training part #4 - 10 laps of Richmond Park

There are now only 4 weeks to go until I start the trip, and so I need to up the intensity of my training a bit.

I think that in general I'm probably fit enough to do the trip just using my fitness from my regular commute and frequent rides into the Surrey Hills. But I know from marathon training that putting in the miles pays off.

So this weekend I wanted to go out to the Surrey Hills again and do a big long ride. But the weather forecast said wet, so my riding buddies could only be convinced to go as far as Richmond Park - that's 2 miles away. It is very close to home in case of a mechanical failure (like the time my gear cable snapped) so it does make a bit more sense in the rain, as the theory goes you are more likely to get a puncture in the wet as particles from the road (especially thorns or glass) are more likely to be picked up by wet tyres.

Richmond park has a road around the perimeter. This road is just over 6 miles long covering 2 decent hills. These provide enough variation clockwise and anticlockwise, and believe me after my 5th attempt going up Dark Hill (this is the park bit of Coombe Hill) clockwise (from Wimbledon gate towards Kingston) I was totally exhausted and in need of coffee and cake.

In all I clocked up 68.5 miles, and got home just after midday having struck out at 7.30. Very successful morning's cycling!