The training is done. Last ride – which was more of a spin – was today with my cycling club (who most likely had forgotten my existence, as I’ve been off doing longer rides etc in training). 62.5 miles, to get it to the Rapha #womens100 ride as well.

The ride served various purposes, as well as the obvious just riding:

• testing the bike post-service – generally riding well, although I have started to notice an odd creak on the handlebar/stem junction: so that’s got to be stripped down and re-set to make sure it’s all ok.
• checking the newly-installed mudguards – yep, they work. Much less crud on my legs and none on my back (no saddle pack on this run)
• checking the Apidura top tube to make sure my legs don’t brush it etc – they don’t, all cool. I’ve finally (I think) decided not to take a handlebar bag, as it’s more than I need, but I do need something to take stuff (electrolytes, cables, spork …) and this works.
• checking my newly-repaired shorts (bless Rapha repair service – and I do like the musette they send the repair back in!) to make sure that the stitching hasn’t altered anything: it hasn’t and I didn’t think it would do, but I preferred to check before the main ride!

Now, I just have to … recharge everything; repack everything; clean the bike; obsess about the weather forecast; recheck the packing list again and next Sunday, ride …

By the way, I get to be on the radio – Heart FM interviewed me about LEL!