I may only have done the standard route, but I feel pretty epic!

After last week's disastrous ride and a week of winter bugs (most likely the real reason for the bad ride), I am more than a little anxious about today.

We are doing another Wiggle sportive, this time in the South of England near Ashdown forest. At the start of the ride we are given a briefing and told to look out for the signs that direct us along the correct route, epic or standard.  

Stuart and I have chosen the standard ride, 51 miles and climbing of 3,500 feet. Three thousand five hundred feet! I have never done that much climbing in my life and I feel poorly.  It's a figure of 8 route, so I tell Stuart that I will do my very best, but may have to dip out after 1 loop.

The first 5km as ever is the toughest, and once again it is very windy.  However, pretty soon, as I haven't fallen off in exhaustion, I start to actually enjoy the ride.  It starts to warm up, which is a first for this season and even the top layer of jackets are shed.

The snowdrops are still glorious, the daffodils are only just starting to peak through, and we see some lovely catkins in the sunshine.

My photo stops are not helping with my speed issues and when we arrive at the first feed station we are pretty much the last arrivals.  However, the feed station is just past the half way mark, the day is lovely and I decide to attempt the whole route.

We have now adopted a default riding position, me always in front.  This is for two reasons.  1 - if I am riding at the back, the psychological effect of believing I'm starting to get behind really kicks in and I start to slow down.  2 - Stuart always knows where I am and that I haven't stopped to take a photo of sheep or something.

Part of the route goes through Ashdown Forest, but I think this is a misnomer as there don't appear to be many trees left.

Just 5km short of the finish line, other riders, who are probably second from last now, offer to take our photo, (we may well have stopped here so I could take photos of sheep). It has been an absolutely fabulous ride, we both thoroughly enjoyed it.

When we arrive back at the car park, most people have gone home, but we reward ourselves with my mum's homemade fruitcake.  

I may well have been one of the last riders to complete the course, but I finished the ride that I had set out to do, and feel that now I have got hills fairly sorted.  It's speed and distance to work on next!