Waiting

First audax of the year (and first I've done since 2007). Hell, it was only my third ever, but I'm determined to do some actual training this year for the Bealach Na-Ba challenge later in the year. Yes, okay, so last year I managed it with no more training than my last commute, but it was slow and painful, and I've got no desire to repeat that, which lead to me taking part in the first audax ride of the season round these here parts.

Audax - from the latin for Audacious I believe.

The Tour of East Lothian has taken on almost mythical status. Only 105km long, but so early in the season it's a test given the existence of Redstone Rigg. Not high in absolute terms, only 433m, but high enough. And then they detoured around it... Snow and ice would have made the ascent, and more pertinently the descent, a bit hairy, so a few km were added to the route to avoid it (105km equals about 65 miles, I don't do metric distances...).

I was running slightly early for meeting my friend Gillian, with whom I was riding round. Our speeds are pretty evenly matched, and we like going at a pace that makes the ride enjoyable. And such was today. The run out from Musselburgh, winding and zig-zagging to Dunbar, was great with a slight tailwind. Coming back was more of a slog, but all done, and in total a distance of 76.12 miles racked up. Nice to know I can manage that (and just goes to prove how much of a difference to your fitness just riding to and from work every day can make), and it gives me a base to build from now.

Plus, I like audax with the emphasis on the mandatory halfway cake stop...

Now showered and beered, and about to go and crack open some crab claws for tonight's starter (well, an appetite has been built, and three courses are in order).

Not quite up to Placid Casual distances, or my brother's speeds, but hey, I'm content.