New Year's Day Richmond Spin

Hope that you had a great New Year's Eve dear reader!

Another new year is upon us. I don't know about you but for me looking back at 2012 it seemed to go quite quickly. This morning I was determined to start as I mean to go on, so I was off and out to Richmond Park as soon as I was able.

I decided to try and park at Richmond Station but discovered that a bank holiday made little difference to the paring costs which were £14 for the day! Not wanting to pay this I headed for the park itself as I have seen a couple of car parks when there before. The car park I went to was virtually empty and a fellow cyclists informed me that it was free...great!

If you look at previous Gamrin Data from trips to Richmond Park you will see that this morning I decided to have a go at going round the opposite way I usually do. The big hill that you eventually coast down was now a winding and demanding incline! I raced through the gears and towards the end, if I had of had an out of body experience and looked at myself peddling furiously up the hill, I would have likened myself to the 'Wicked Witch of the West' from the 'Wizard of Oz' when she was in that scene peddling on her bicycle.

There were very few cars around but there were dozens of cyclists. Road bikes, mountain bikes, folders and even a peloton of three recumbent bikes that zoomed past on the flat at speed. I have blogged before that road bikers tend to be, in my experience rather standoffish to other cyclists. Perhaps it was the New Year but I was greeted warmly by all riders. At the top of the big hill I even got a brief round of applause and shouts of 'well done!'

I would have loved to have gone round twice this morning - I felt good and would have been able to - but I had to get home as we had somewhere we had to be. Next time perhaps.

I must say that a circuit of Richmond Park in the context of: general training; trying to get fitter; getting better at going up hills and building stamina is much, much better than sticking to the flats. There is no way I'd be able to go every week but I am going to try and get their once a month.  I was also encouraged that the averages for this ride were better than my pre-Christmas spin, in terms of average speed. Hopefully, I will better this.

Well, 2013 is here and it is going to be eventful to say the least. Only one day in to 2013 and I already have penciled in more rides that I had for the whole of 2012. In all likelihood the number of events, rides and adventures will far exceed 2012 as I am sure there will be lots more as the year progresses.

So, keep coming back. Wishing you again a very happy and prosperous 2013!!

Please click below for the data obtained from my Garmin Edge 200 for this mornings ride.

New Year's Day Richmond Spin Data