I ended up doing my nice little 80km loop from my place to Hurstbridge and back. It's a pretty brutal ride - I don't think there's a flat section anywhere. By the time I hit Yan Yean road, it started to rain and didn't stop. My windproof vest kept me warm and dry until about 10kms from home at which point I was soaked and all I could think about was a hot shower.

I've noticed a pattern in my riding recently. I take a long time to get warmed up ( usually takes a good out of the saddle push up a hill or a sprint to blow the cobwebs out ) and I feel good from then on until about the 55-60km mark when I seem to fall in a hole and things start to hurt. You reckon this is just because I'm inexperienced and aren't doing that many kms?