The Benefits of Food and Sleep

Back to the grindstone this week. I have cycled the 60 mile round trip to work for the first 1.5 of 5 nights (I am writing this on my break at work). I plan to drive tomorrow and get back on the bike for the last 2. Thats the plan any way...

It is definately getting easier as the weeks are going by so the training must be helping. Easier that is when I eat and when I sleep. Today I did very little of either. When I got back from work after heroically setting a fastest time this year I was all full of beans and high on endorphins. Feeling invincible as I do on these occasions I suggested to my beloved better half that she catch up on some sleep, which is in short supply for her too with the lil darlin's unpredictable sleep patterns. She greatfully grabbed a couple of hours whilst I decided, still full of endorphintastic enthusiasm to take the boys out after a quick Nutrigrain bar.

The trouble is after another 20mins or so the endorphin high started to fade and I suddenly felt VERY tired. Anyway the little guys kept me going untill I crawled back into the house at lunch time. I had not eaten anything at this point as, since my deli belly in the week, food is not appealing for some reason. I crashed straight into bed but only had 4 hours till I had to get up and ride in again. Prat. I could have stayed in bed and waited for the car but for some strange reason I didn't. Must have been a hypoglycemic delusion or something. Inevitably I woke up just in time to get out on the bike back to work but not in time to eat. The ride to work went by ok to start with, although I felt in a bit of a daze. Boy did I start to struggle after 20 miles though. I decided to stop on a railway bridge for a rather pleasant Nutrigrain Oat cake thingy which instantly doubled my days calories (As seen in the cheerful pics). That is all it did instantly though and I trundled the last 10 miles to work like... well... like Dave. The effects of tiredness are weird, in that state of mind my saddle felt uncomfortable, my helmet felt too tight, all the motorists were idiots, I was fat and unfit, the weather was bound to turn bad, Leo Laporte (on my mp3 player) was irritating and basically the world was against me. Come to think of it I felt a bit like Steve.

I am writing this at work after my lovely day. Only 12 hours and 30 miles till bed. At least the weight is coming off and I have a tail wind in the morning. :-)