The Cake Stop

Christmas cake was the appropriate choice for this week’s cafe stop.

Christmas Cake Ride

The frequency of coffee stops on my training rides will be familiar to anyone following me on Twitter or Facebook. I make no apologies. I like coffee, I like cake and I like cycling – it logically follows that I’m going to like stopping mid-ride to combine all three. When I have the time, why not?

And it is real training. I don’t potter around, find a cafe, then potter home; the typical ride involves a good effort before and after. I earn that cake. I don’t stuff myself with snacks and energy drinks, if it weren’t for those cafes I’d probably not eat a thing on many of my rides. Cakes are my energy bars!

I used to be defensive, apologetic that my training wasn’t focussed, but there’s nothing to feel guilty about – for every time I’ve stopped there’s a half-dozen I haven’t. I do the training I need and just happen to add in something else I enjoy in the process. Multitasking. Now I proudly celebrate my stops, sharing a photo of each cake via Instagram.

For the next few days the cakes are on credit – I’ll earn them in the New Year. 2012 will see new cafes, more pictures of cakes and many more miles ridden.

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