oh help...!

I live in Somerset. In the Mendips. The Mendip hills. HILLS. HILLS HILLS.

I woke up on Friday bubbling with optimism (I had achieved a pb at the running club on weds) and thus decided that cycling to the lovely Bath Arms at Horningsham (who are hosting a dinner for me and being generally lovely - more of that later) would be a good idea. Itseemed to tick all the right boxes; I could see the room for the event, get some training in, spend some time with Jack & Dougal who was on a day off, and get to have a yummy lunch into the bargain. .

It was a one way distance of 6.2 miles - a walk in the park compared to the 10 I did with Caz - so I thought.

No no no no no.

To my great shame I found it exhaustingly hard. I was pushing the bike and walking by the first sign of a hill! I am also petrified of going down hills to fast, especially with young Jack on the back, so brake all the way down which Dougal found most bemusing. So I pant up and break down, and do a bit a walking at either end and nearly expire in the process. I hadn't drunk enough and was christening my new saddle - the end result being that I DID make it to the pub, but was knackered with a pounding head and aching back by the time I got there. The utterly frustrating thing is that whereas I exercise fairly regualry, running a few times a week, Dougal does not - and yet he seemed to breeze through the whole thing! So much so infact that he cycled home, picked up Sam from school and then came back with the car to get me and Jack!

Personally i blame my very old very heavy bike (complete with small child) and the fact that when I had run my fasteset ever two days previously I had forgotton to stretch - and consequently was VERY stiff!

....do you think excuses like that will wash in Cuba?