Nitemare called today's theme as "Force 10 from Navarone" - a 1978 film for any youngsters. Five of us left Forster Green in sunshine with a strong south westerly wind. Later we had spots of rain with strong wind, then sunshine and strong wind, then cloud with strong wind and finally sunshine with a strong wind - you can see where he got the theme. Where I got my new nickname - Mr Darcy is more of a mystery, but let's not go there....
We headed up the Saintfield Rd then into the lanes up Mill Rd and Mealough. We took a few different turns to mix things up, but eventually cut on to New Road in the direction of Annahilt.
Despite the smooth Tarmac, as we went past The Pheasant I blew. I don't mean I lost the wheel, I lost the plot and still haven't totally got it back - no reason I know of, just one of those Rule #5 days. We turned right on to Windmill Rd and wound our way on to the Edentrillick Rd. The wind was properly epic and Nitemare, Retro, Bones and Jeremy did their best to keep me out of it. Coffee in Dromore hit the spot and somehow during the slagging I forgot I had no legs and called Kilntown Rd as our route home - big mistake.
It's at times like that you learn who your friends are - the people who drop back time and time again to inflict multiple punishment beatings, just when you think you can't take anymore.... Bones suggested we set a "safe word" at the start of every run as sometimes it hard to tell if my attacks meant I'd come round or if they were just the death throes of a wounded animal. I quoted Bernard Hinault "As long as I breathe I attack".
The Ballygowan Rd to us back to Hillsborough and a deviation round Tullyard Rd to Drumbo meant sure I was properly empty (my Valverde tribute 30's nearly killed me). Anyway a really fun day despite my suffering. Home one-ish which is what we're aiming for.
Before I forget, Sam was speaking to Philip during the week. He seems to be recovering well, but it sounds like he has an awful long way still to go.
This post has helped me for an article which I am writing. Thank you for giving me another point of view on this topic. Now I can easily complete my article. Cheers
ReplyDelete