CR - 23rd January '10

[Keith]

A healthy turn out of around 14 for today's Training Group ride. (14 is a guess - did anyone count?)

Anyway, a nice steady ride to the cafe.

[Andrew G]

A decent spin out in an 18s on fixed. Think I hit a new pb on that gear (48x19) on the descent down from Rusper clocking 34.4mph, managed to avoid touching the brake and got my legs spinning nicely so fully in control and not having the gear push them round which I can't always manage and usually have to scrub some speed off. 170rpm or thereabouts I think .

Good ride back and found my Dad riding up to Selsdon so gave a bit of a push up some of the hill and rode with him back from there.

Thanks to Jon for bringing out the CTT handbook.

Some very dodgy potholes and chunks out the road in places today but it was expected with the recent cold snap/ice/snow. We'll just have to be a bit more aware and have a bit of patience as they can't all be fixed straight away. In fairness to the councils who normally get a bashing for this sort of thing I've already seen a number of repairs and repairs in the process of being done.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[Del]

[quote="Andrew G"]
Some very dodgy potholes and chunks out the road in places today but it was expected with the recent cold snap/ice/snow. We'll just have to be a bit more aware and have a bit of patience as they can't all be fixed straight away. In fairness to the councils who normally get a bashing for this sort of thing I've already seen a number of repairs and repairs in the process of being done.

[Marek]

Was amazed at the size of the training group today, must have been about 14 or more to start out with. I have not ridden much recently with the poor weather and have not ridden quickly for months, so was a bit nervous about going anywhere near the front of the group, so I didn't.

Kept tucked in and watched Paul H and George duking it out at the front with Keith and Serge also putting in some good turns. Just over by Leith most of the group turned left to join up with the main club run, unfortunately George and 3 others missed the turn. I think the leaders had thought that George and co would rejoin the group further up the road, so Paul H and Serge hammered it on the front. It turned out that George and the others were actually trying to chase us back down, they did not stand a chance as we were nailing it.

Up through the trees before Rusper and the fireworks started to go, Keith attacked up the drag and then past the Partridge Lane turn off I think it was Serge that put in an attack. The group got split in two, but thankfully a car ahead caused us to regroup. A ding dong battle up the hill before the through and off with me leading out Keith and Paul for Paul I believe to take the King of the Mountain points. I think Antloony won the lanterne rouge.

We regrouped with a rather frustrated George who explained in a number of explitives that we should have regrouped earlier, sorry George. Onto the dual carriageway and I just sat on the back and watched the through and off, my legs were starting to feel the pace and the extra 20 miles I had ridden to get to the club run from East Grinstead. Up the rise towards the traffic lights and I gave Ant a bit of encouragement by giving him a shove up the hill as the others were starting to turn the screw, thankfully the lights were red.

Kept enough in the tank to put in a stinging show of my awesome power to come to the front with 400 yards to go before the sprint and managed to hold everyone off, although was surprised that Sylv did not get around me as he was very close.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Antloony]

Yeah thanks for the push Marek

Struggled today. wasn't going to go anywhere near the training group as I mentioned to Dom as I felt a bit tired today but seeing it was such a large group I knew I'd have plenty of room to hide. Pace was quite high, some good efforts being put in by Paul H, Keith and Serge, I rarely troubled the front of the group, just didn't have the legs today and still seemed to be recovering from thursdays ride which wasn't even that hard One of those days that the legs just hurt with every little effort and a couple of times I was in the red.

Marek the wheel sucker got me in the sprint with Sylv taking a late lunge to come somewhere close. I smacked down into a pot hole which didn't really help my cause but wouldn't have won anyway with my weedy effort.

Suffered with cramp again a few miles from home after leaving Steve B, Edo and Lockey, no matter what I do I keep getting cramp and its really putting off riding with any effort. Any suggestions? Drinks I could try?

[Keith]

[quote="Antloony"]
Suffered with cramp again ..... Any suggestions? Drinks I could try?

[Sylv]

God I've missed the training group. Lost count of the times I blew out, but enjoyed it all. Not so fond of going uphill anymore though .. And was Serge in a rush to get home on time for lunch or something?

[Amy]

As I'm up for the Reliability Ride tomorrow and I've been really tired all week, I decided on a lie-in today

Managed to get moving enough to dig the tourer out and I joined the gang for lunch at Nonna Rosa's - poor lot, I don't think they knew what hit them

I then pootled off up to Corridori to swap a top I'd bought before Christmas and grab some shopping at Banstead - hence the panniers.

Ant, you could try a basic electrolyte drink of water, fruit juice to taste and a good pinch of salt. Or, when you get to the cafe, try eating a pinch of salt there - if you can't taste the salt then you need it.

I think there was something on the forum from an earlier discussion about what actually causes cramp as there seems to be more than one reason behind why (mostly) guys get cramp.

[DavidKennett]

[quote="Antloony"]
Suffered with cramp again a few miles from home ........ Any suggestions? Drinks I could try?

[Antloony]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I'll give these ideas a shout, already looking at Dave's solution on the quick start interview.

[Serge]

Huge training group today, good to see everyone out for a blast. I felt great today so made the most of it . Plenty of fun up and over Boxhill, some decent wattage for so early in the year. [quote="Sylv"] And was Serge in a rush to get home on time for lunch or something?

[Amy]

[quote="Antloony"]guys.

[Dombo]

Since cramping on the SDW a few years ago i now always take salted peanuts on long rides and those little sachets of salt you get in cafe's, works canteens etc. As Amy said, if you can't taste it then you need it.

[Amy]

[quote="Antloony"]Struggled today. wasn't going to go anywhere near the training group as I mentioned to Dom as I felt a bit tired today but seeing it was such a large group I knew I'd have plenty of room to hide. Pace was quite high, some good efforts being put in by Paul H, Keith and Serge, I rarely troubled the front of the group, just didn't have the legs today and still seemed to be recovering from thursdays ride which wasn't even that hard One of those days that the legs just hurt with every little effort and a couple of times I was in the red.

[Alex P]

My first ride in 12 weeks - the longest break I have had from cycling for at leat 20 years - and it did not fail to disappoint.

After I struggled down in the 16mph group my return trip was a real challenge where all my muscles that I had not used in anger for so long decided to give me a real reminder that they were there and that I had been two timing them in favour of duvets, warm dry car and stuffing my face over the weeks. I was the last club runner (John C stayed with me but he was more used to newbees rather than a CR veteran) and it was going through my mind that I might not make it. I plugged on and got there in the end, methinks I will take pain killers ith me next time.

It was definately a very wierd experience for me so I have dusted off the turbo trainer to get back into the groove as fast as possible

Roll on next week - gulp