Club Run Round Up

[Marek]

A bit damp today but not too bad, meant it was a bit dodgy on the corners but apart from that the pace was pretty hot.

Wind was up today so actual speed was not too fast but it was tough for the riders on the front. At one point George indicated in the lanes that he thought this was the Just 4 Fun group because we were going so slow. Talk about wave a red flag at a bull. I took the bait and went to the front and picked up the pace, as George had been the one to instigate the speed he soon came to the front and attacked.

Well considering he was finding it so easy we let him sit on the front and then when we hit the rise coming up before the Charlwood turn we attacked the hill. Suddenly George was not finding the pace so easy, he went out the back faster than you can say 'Is this the Just 4 Fund Group?', that should teach him.

We waited for George and the Polish guy whose name I cannot remember and then we hit hill before the dual carriageway.

Simon H led us up to the base, then I took over and put in a dig. I was expecting Aiden to come around me at any second but I don't think they realised we were on the first sprint hill and I managed to hold them all off to take the hill without too much trouble, but I knew that Aiden would probably attempt to get his own back later.

On the dual carriageway we started a steady through and off, but then I could not resist picking up the pace. There were a few grumbles but then all of a sudden I was on my own. I carried on at a fast pace and then Aiden caught me up. We then worked together to the bottom of the hill on the dual carriageway. Simon H managed to catch us at the base of the hill but then on the hill I put in another dig and we dropped him. Paul H, George, Simon H were now in the position of having to chase Aiden and I.

Aiden and I started to work together and managed to keep a gap, it was very hard and really good training. We kept them at bay all the way to the sprint where I just pipped Aiden to the line.

A quick cup of coffee and then we headed back to Merstham, deciding that the earlier efforts and bad weather were good excuses not to go over Box Hill. As we approached Redhill we picked up the pace and Aiden kicked all of our butts going up the hill by the Church. Man he is super fast when the roads go vertical. Up the Merstham drag and Simon H put in a good turn before getting to the bottom and then I took over with Aiden on my wheel. Aiden did a turn and then over the crest I put the bike at 60km (according to Aiden as my speedo is bust) and we hammered it down into Coulsdon.

No one seemed too keen on going to do some more hills after todays ride so we all headed off home.

Cheers for the ride guys, I may not be out next week as I may be doing my last race of the season so have fun.

Cheers

Marek...

[ajay khandelwal]

So you let me go hey

I had a bit of verbal diarohea when the pace was so slow, I was just winding you guy's up to see if anyone would respond.

I had to back up my statement and go off the front untill I realised \i hadn't ridden in August.

Marek these "little digs" of yours are more like excavations, we had no chance of catching you or Aiden down the dual carrigeway

Good fun really enjoyed the easy way back, had a snakebite puncture just after Charlwood, with Andrew's great help we soon were back on the road.

Andrew and I had another traing ride catching everyone back up.

Cheers George

[huw williams]

Good ride despite the weather. Good to see a lot of juniors out too.

The out run (flat) was a sensible 19mph Av - but even that was fast enough to split the group so some went directly to the caf via Partridge

The ride back was a less than sensible 22mph av (hilly) as the gravitational pull of the training group proved too much and kicked my notion of an easy day into touch.

You know its serious when all conversation stops and a smooth, single line of riders twists through the lanes towards redhill at over 25mph

Marek, Simon, Paul, Aiden and myself seemed to take about 10 minutes to complete the entire trip through the lanes to Redhill - it went past in a green blur of speed

What Marek didn't mention is that we went up the golf course climb at over 20mph. All the way! We were doing 21mph past the church at the top when Aiden pulled away from us!

Awfull road conditions too - I nearly lost the back end on three seperate occasions and I think someone crashed on a corner after he dropped off the group - there was a cut knee but no serious damage.