Reconnaissance Mission : Scout location for next cycle challenge

Today resulted in an impromptu Reconnaissance Mission to scout out the location and route for my next cycle challenge. This is the 40 km which is happening at the Union Buildings in Pretoria - 4 laps of 10 km each and in each lap is Meintjes Kop (a tough uphill battle). Naturally this curious soul wanted to know just what I had signed myself up for, and all I can say is Y*I*K*E*S!! But I BELIEVE it is do-able. {{confident grin placed here}}

On some days I wonder if taking up Golf would have been cheaper. I kid you not - cycling is turning out to be an expensive PASSION and it would help if I did not make mistakes along the way. I'm seriousley crossing my fingers that I haven't made any other serious boo-boos. In my excitement to get cycling shoes a while back, I didn't pay as much attention to the fit as I should of - I should have also demanded professional advise when purchasing said cycling shoes and gathered all the information that I could. When it comes to cycling alot of 'stuff' is UNISEX - it fits both us girls and the boys. So what I thought was my size shoe and what I thought was all comfy turned out to be slightly too BIG. This teeny nasty little fact did not show itself until I used my cycling shoes out on the road. This did not seem to be a bother in the spinning classes but when I tried them out at the race track on Wednesday - I had hot spots underneath my footsies.....OUCH!! My feet were clearly sliding up and down in my shoes - I guess walking up some hills also helped this 'problem' along. Which is why we ended up in Pretoria today - trying to track down some cycling shoes at a more affordable price i.e. on special but LO and BEHOLD - NONE in my size. Oh yeah and that was the last of the stock - nadda, no more - they are supposedly not making them anymore UGGGHHHHH!!!

And that is why I could go ahead with my lil' mission - we were in the area. At least I have now travelled the route and I know exactly what I'm facing. Somehow I will conquer that hill - I am determined too..... the challenge is on!!!