Club Run 12th July

[Michelle]

You guys sound like you had a blast.

Chapeau, Steve B for going with the A's. I'm v. jealous. But I'll get there eventually!

Still had a bit of a good'un myself yesterday, and although there was no cake in my day, there was an afternoon BBQ and then two 50th birthday parties in the evening.

I dunno, nothing for months then 3 things come along on one day. Sigh.

[Sylv]

My legs still hurt!

Stu, Marek, Andy, Kieran, what have you done to them?

[Stu Merckx Man]

it must have been my devastating attacks up box hill sylv!

real good ride yesterday. the A training group was a strong one, even without other regulars such as sylv marek george hal and the smaller andy, dan etc.

so as steve said we had a reasonable number of riders. big australian andrew and toby back from the amature paris nice, jim B seeming super strong, steve making an appearance for the first time in a long time, and keiran managing to get to CSS on time!

we set off not overly hard, with jim leading us out and then we all got going smoothly. up the reigate steps big andrew powered his way up impressively for a gert steigmans look alike, and took us the whole way up.

into the lanes and the pace upped, and never seemed to dip below 25-26mph.

no one was left on the front for too long, only once did somone do a signifcantly long turn without help and that was andy, just after newdigate. but me and jim soon relieved him and we started a 1-2 going between us all the way to the dual carriage way. i did it more out of guilt than pleasure , thinking that if i didnt help out jim would be stuck on the front for the rest of the ride!

we had a good through and off, real smooth, and kept it going just past the aeroplane spotters.

as we neared the sprint i went early, but i looked back and steve was glued to my wheel, so instead of i solo victory i knew i was now a lead out man. sure enough with 100 to go steve came past me for an impressive win (which im surprised he did not mention more in his write up!?!?).

good ride back via box hill. it was easier this week as it was not just me and sylv on our own riding right on the edge. there were about 7 of us in the end i think, with mark looking stronger than ever this week, perhaps looking to do something at palace?

as we hit box hill keiran started us off, but there were too many of us still together for my liking as we neared the first hairpin, so i took to the front and upped the pace. soon it was just me, sylv, paul H, smaller andrew, and keiran left.
me and sylv shared the work up the next straight to the 2nd hairpin, where we dropped paul and keiran.
up the last straight and i was on the front with sylv and andrew glued to me. i got out the saddle and put in the first of 3 digs, brining the pace up to 23 mph for a bit, before sitting back down and back to a steady 15/16! i made 2 more attemts or similar efforts, but i couldnt shake them off. as we hit the woods sylv took the front for a bit, and i for one was now in the red. as we hit the last hairpin andrew came out of no where and sprinted the last section leaving me and sylv standing, to take an impressive win, with me 2nd and sylv 3rd.

a good ride back to coulsdon, where i discovered that i had just riddon my fastest complete club run of all time- with an average of 23.3 for the whole ride!

stu

[Jim B]

Not much more to add to Stu's comments, but the best thing yesterday was how well the group worked together. Everyone seemed strong and was pulling their weight. I was a bit worried at the start when I did a double take at the size of Andy's calves. Is his surname Hoy? Made mine look like a couple of matchsticks.
The through and off was very tidy and I was relieved to see the Charlwood sign as I was pretty much on the rivet by then.

Not much time for talking unfortunately, but it was the workout I was looking for.

Oh yeah, what were Marek Dan Sylv Keith and Andy doing in the 'B' Training group


[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]sure enough with 100 to go steve came past me for an impressive win (which im surprised he did not mention more in his write up!?!?).

[kieran]

well, as stu said, I managed to turn up in time and felt I had to do the training 'A' group at least once in my life, so I joined Stu and another, standing waiting for other takers. We managed to get around 5 then Steve B decided to join us as well. I wasn't sure what I was letting myself in for but it turned out to be a good decision. The ride was very smooth and although I did very little turns on the front I still managed to get a work out! I don't know how Stu and Jim managed to do so much work on the front pulling the group along. The through and off was really good and the pace was just hard enough that you really felt it without fear of getting dropped. We were also really lucky with the roundabouts and didn't have to stop once.

After the cafe stop I found my front tyre had got a flat somewhere on the way out. Thanks to some of the box hill bunch for waiting whilst I change tubes and to Mark for getting the track pump. Once fixed we set off in pursuit of the others who had left earlier for box hill. On the way, going through a bend down hill, I realised I hadn't tightened my brake after loosening it to remove the wheel to fix the puncture. Stupidly I stopped and pulled over to remember it was the front wheel, and I could have just flicked the lever whilst cycling. So by now the group had gone (Paul, Stu, Sylv etc) so I had a bit of a chase on,often catching glimpses of them in the distance before disappearing again. I manged to catch them eventually but was knackered. Later, a bit recovered, I did some turns approaching box hill and also started first up the hill. I managed to stay with Paul, Stu, Sylv and Andy until after the second bend, when Paul accidently unclipped a foot and I got caught between him and the road side. Stu, Sylv and Andy continued on at full speed, so I got out of the saddle to chase back on, managed to catch them but then cramped badly soon afterwards and then joined Paul for the rest of the way up the hill.

Recovered on top, and then we seemed to wait for ages so I headed off on my own, also nice to do some work on the 'front' without the pressure of Stu et al breathing down my neck. I managed to get as far as the big roundabout where I was stopped by the lights before the rest caught me, if the lights had been green...who knows??

Managed to keep with them and near Coulsdon did a nice big turn up front for a prolonged sprint to the lights. Got home with sore legs but feeling great.

Thanks for the ride guys.

[quote="Sylv"]My legs still hurt!

Stu, Marek, Andy, Kieran, what have you done to them?

[quote="Sylv"][quote="Sylv"]My legs still hurt!

I thought it was that last leg that did it, but come to think of it, it was probably the "knucklehead" recovery massage I tried afterwards ...

[Sylv]

[img]http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Qm1r7dhaZb2VZM:http://hideout.7am.fi/wp/wp-content/uploads/lovehate.jpg[/img]
Used those to rub my legs, but i think i overdid it!

[Andy E]

It was a pretty strange ride for me on Saturday. Decided not to go with the A group this week as I've been pushing pretty hard for the last couple of weeks and didn't think i'd have the legs. Pretty glad i decided not to given the av speed (24.8!) and some of the write ups. So, going with the B group i figured if i felt good i could put plenty of work in and still get a similar workout to the As..

A pretty decent pace up to Reigate with Keith seeming especially keen and sitting about 20m off the front of the group most of the way up the A23. Coming onto the steps i was near the front trying to keep the pace high until Dan came storming past. Out the saddle i managed to get his wheel, take a quick recovery and then out the saddle again to put in a dig up the final step to take it. Was pretty fooked by the effort and Dan and Marek came flying past and just kept going. I decided not to chase and sat up and took a drink and tried to catch my breath.

When we finally re-grouped in the lanes Dan, Marek and Keith were putting in some huuuge turns on the front, and this is where things got a little strange for me. Wanting to do my bit i came through a couple of times but after about 30secs i was totally wasted and had to pull off. Maybe it was the wind, but i just felt totally knackered. So i decided to sit in a bit and instead have a few all out efforts up the hills and in the sprints. This seemed to work well and i managed to take most of the hills with out the saddle sprints. But again, any time i tried to pull on the front of the group i was wasted..

Through and off was pretty smooth but once we turned off the dual carriageway things got blown apart with Marek, Sylv,Keith and Dan(?) getting a decent gap. Myself, Mark and another (sorry, can't remember who it was) managed to drag ourselves back up just before the pace upped again. Managed to hang on and it was down to 4 or 5 of us for the sprint. Determined to put in a good showing i bided my time in about 3rd wheel. Coming round the outside i put my head down and stomped on the pedals. When i looked up i was out in front, but where was the finish line?! Dammit, i'd mis-judged the bloody corners again (when do the stop all looking the same?) and gone too early. Marek, Sylv and Keith came past but i didn't have anything left and watched them ride away. Just wait, when i finally figure out those corners you'll be in trouble

So, off to box hill and there were a good 7 or 8 of us, Stu, Paul and Dan doing a lot of work on the front again. So we started up the hill with Kieran i think setting a good early pace, then after the first hairpin Stu upped it some more and it was down to 5 of us (Stu, Sylv, Kieran, Paul and I). Round the 2nd hairpin i was 5th wheel but thankfully on the outside of Kieran just as Paul's foot came out the pedals and they got held up for a second or two. Determined to hang onto Slyv and Stu for as long as possible i was out the saddle and managed to get back on, although hurting pretty bad. Stu then put in about 3 successive digs trying to shake us off but i somehow managed to hang on. Coming into the trees i'd already decided that i'd go all out on the final hairpin. All or nothing, do or die, death or glory! As we turned into the corner i put it in the big ring and jumped out the saddle, hoping to catch them by surprise. Flat out all the way, expecting them to come flying past any second, but they didn't Not sure how hard they tried though

Nice run back to Coulsdon. All in all a great ride. Now hoping to rest up a bit before heading over to Italy on Friday for the GranFondo Pinarello, ouch.!

[Sylv]

[quote="Andy E"] Stu then put in about 3 successive digs trying to shake us off but i somehow managed to hang on. Coming into the trees i'd already decided that i'd go all out on the final hairpin. All or nothing, do or die, death or glory! As we turned into the corner i put it in the big ring and jumped out the saddle, hoping to catch them by surprise. Flat out all the way, expecting them to come flying past any second, but they didn't Not sure how hard they tried though

[kieran]

the most aero-efficient isn't always the most power efficient and after spending hours in the wind tunnel I found having my elbows sticking out to get me an extra 0.2kph.

[mlocke]

A quick report

My quickest club run ever too!!

Door to door was an average of 20.5mph (from memory). THis includes my warmup and cool down over the hill between wallington and coulsdon.

With this excluded the speed increased to somewhere aroun 21.7mph

At CSS was thinking (like others seem to have been) would take it easy and go with the 19's. This looked like a great idea when Sylv, Keith and Dan decided it was B training day. However when the group were ready to leave the allure of the pain got to me and decided I would sit in with the faster kids in the hope that the extra speed would help on a Tuesday.

Started off OK. Settled in near the back and come the Reigate steps made the decision that steady was best. No rockets like last week as I think some other kids in the class had bigger guns than me and I would be in for a hiding.

Once through the village I started to feel a bit better and despite not being on the front for long at all was pleased with a good hard effort to the cafe. Only got dropped the once where you have the option to turn left to do the shorter route (soooo tempting) but just eased up a buit and cruised to the carriageway with Gaham.

Thru and off was fast and lifted the already fast average. Coming off a roundabout Keith, Dan & Sylv seemed to get a gap.

I was in a mini group includign Ed behind and I sensed the others pullng away. Put in a big effort at over 35mph to get back on and I was cooked coming into the sprint. Did what I could to hang on but the inevitable happened and I dissapeared off the back.

Run to Box hill was fast again and by the bottom I had burnt all my matches and several I must have loaned from somewhere and rolled over the top in last amongst our group including Stu, Andy, Keiran etc so not that dissapointed to have been beaten.

Ride back again was good and hard with some big efforts by stu over the humps and beyond.

THanks to all for the ride and looking forward to next weeks installment of agony .

See some of you on tuesday

Locky

[Andrew G]

[quote="mlocke"]I think some other kids in the class had bigger guns than me