Fitness challenge

 A few years ago, the authorities here introduced the 30 day fitness challenge - various events were set up in order to encourage the local population to do some daily exercise during the course of November.

My own efforts have sadly been lacking. I have however (as regular readers will have noted) gone to great lengths to make sure that I am take part in the various build up rides (BUR) for the Spinneys 92km cycle challenge that is held every year (generally in February) - these practice rides gradually increasing in distance before the 92km race

This has required careful diary management as the rides are generally held on the last Sunday of each month so  I have to closely review my weekend travel plans to avoid clashes. My recent work trip to Barcelona was a case in point as I had to ensure that I was back in Dubai in time to take my place on the start line for BUR3 (65km) at 6:45am yesterday. 

This entailed (as recounted in earlier blogs) my first trip on Etihad Airwasy as their flight schedule got me back to Dubai at a reasonable hour on Saturday night rather than the early hours of Sunday morning if I had flown Emirates.

That however is not the reason for this post. The ride itself had seemed to go quite well by my standards as I latched on to the back of a group and managed to hang on for the entire race (even having a bit of a go  at - if not a sprint finish - then a brisk trot to end the race).

On crossing the finish line I noticed on my stop watch that I was well under 2 hours which for me was a very respectable time for 65km. 

It was only when I got home and took a closer look at my Strava that I realised that rather than the advertised 65km, the course was only 60km - so still not bad but not really the stellar performance I had imagined (and I suspect some of the other of the 750+ riders might also have been a little disappointed at being somewhat short-changed on the distance of the route).