when to stop

A long ride with Team Fins today. I ask "can we do along ride on Sunday?". Each time Hayakawa san plots a course to have me home in Kashiwazaki nice and early.

Itsumo arrigatou jyonnobi!

Up at 4am. On the road at 4:10. 3 full pockets. 2 frozen water bottles.

Along the coast to Izumozaki. Waiting for sunrise. Just me and the sea breeze.

Here comes the sun.

Turn inland. R352 to Nagaoka. Over the pass. The temperature drops a few degrees as I leave the sea behind.

5:50 in Nagaoka for the 6:00 rendezvous. 55 km on the clock.

"Only" 4 riders today. We head for the hills. Oguni ~ Takayanagi ~ Ishiguro ~ Ukawa ~ Nota ~ Yasuda ~ Sochi ~ Kariwa ~ Ishiji.

This is my backyard. I know these roads like the back of my hand. I focus on seated climbing. Hands near the stem. Push and pull. Happy to catch Kenta san on the first big climb out of Oguni.

Rolling through Takayanagi. I've ridden these roads hundreds (thousands?!) of times. Stop at the spring in Ukawa. There are dozens of springs around Kashiwazaki. Nothing beats ice cold water in summer. I plot my rides around them.

Downhill from here. Through and off to Ishiji. We part ways here. A u-turn for me. 23 km back down the coast. A warm down.

By the last 10km I'm ready to get off. This is perfect timing. Long rides like this make you strong. Rides like this have been really important this year.

But it's important to know when to stop...

Sunday's training: Road (185 km, 1,200 m climbing)