One week on

When I finally made it to the top of Ventoux and slowly rolled over the finish line, my immediate thought was that I never wanted to repeat the Ventoux experience. EVER. What would be the point of putting myself through all that suffering again once I'd already got it in the bag? And with other sportives, like the Marmotte or http://www.quebrantahuesos.com to conquer, why think about doing L'Etape du Tour again? I had finally managed it and I was really looking forward to the resumption of a bit of normality.

I returned home, still floating on clouds. The hotel in Avignon was positively luxurious in comparison to our previous night's accommodation. I enjoyed swapping Etape stories on the journey back. I devoured all the Etape success stories on the internet (and felt great sympathy for those who didn't quite make it - or in the case of Phips, didn't really have the chance to get going at all due to a seat collar failure). I looked up people's times to see how well they'd done - the top women had awesome times - around the 6 hour mark. James Cracknell was under 6 hours. Alain Prost, 6 hours something. Dermot Murnaghan got a really good time too - 7hrs 56mins. No offence to Dermot, but when I saw that he'd got such a super time, I started to look at my own time and think that it was a bit crap and wonder if I could have done better.

I've spent the last few days resting, relaxing and recovering - the cough is still lurking but loads better. I'm planning to go for ride tomorrow - the first time out on my bike since L'etape. The diet has definitely relaxed - I've allowed the odd glass of wine again and I've had a bit of chocolate. But from tomorrow, I'm definitely back on the regime. Watching the pro's fly up Ventoux (yes the cameras did make it look flat and the pros made it look far too easy) and seeing all those amazing times from our ride last week, well, it's only increased my desire to become fitter and faster and lighter. I've got events planned for the coming months (Wild Wales Challenge, Autumn Epic, Manchester 100, Exmoor Beast (perhaps)) and I'm already thinking about a winter of hard work and a better 2010.

As for L'Etape 2010, I know that come the end of October, I'm going to be eagerly watching the route announcement. If it looks a good one, I would love to enter again. (and do Marmotte etc etc etc) What can I say, I'm addicted!