Hey guys, this is my 1st entry and my introduction to the blogosphere. Most of the work that we are doing now is communicative and not very interesting from an observer’s perspective. I thought, therefore, that a quick introduction to my training in Cayman might serve as my 1st blog.
Cayman is in the Caribbean and therefore the tropical summer heat is probably good training for the heat we will be experiencing along the C2C (Cape to Cairo) route. It averages at 30C (often hitting 35C) with 80% humidity and I have to get up at 5am and start cycling at 6am in order not to fry. I usually end up oversleeping and paying for it at 11am when the sun beats its fury into the back of my neck.
Because I do not yet have a helmet and the drivers have very little respect or patience with cyclist here, I avoid the roads. I go instead, either to Barker’s National park, which is not so much a national park as it is a mangrove swamp with roads paved into it, or on a set of roads (also in mangroves) leading to farmlands. Initially it took me about 4 1/2 hours to do my usual 40km circuit, now I do it in 3 1/2 hours (including a 15 minute rest).
Yesterday I went out, got a bit inebriated and got home relatively late (or early depending on your perspective). This meant that this morning I woke up late, bleary eyed and cursing. I only managed to squeeze in 20km, but will up my game to 50km tomorrow morning.
