Saturday club run feedback

[huw williams]

From the Toks' organized fast group.

Excellent and disciplined fast ride down to the cafe via extended dual carriageway route on saturday. Keeping things together ie not allowing anyone to attack and break things up on the hills, we managed to get about 12 riders down to the cafe in a constant through-and-off which started before Merstham and finished with the sprint at Charlwood.

Average of 20mph on the nose, not bad as there were a lot of traffic hold-ups and a couple of planned 'recovery' intervals. Riders visibly struggling were encouraged to miss turns and sit on the back 'till they could contribute again which meant we kept everyone together for the most part.

Strong guys out included Jim, Graham O, two Pauls, Matt, Toks and Jesse (the Detroit Spinner who kicked our arses round the hills on Wednesday night).

The excellent through and off on the Dual Carriageway put the entire bunch in with a shout at the sprint which Toks got just ahead of Jim and myself (Jim having ridden the DC solo ahead of us for TT training - good effort that man!)

The lure of Arsenal v Tottenham meant four of us headed back sans tea/cake/rest - Toks, Jesse, Andrew and me. Despite intentions of steady return, Toks pointed out that we were doing 22mph through the lanes with little effort (super compentation is a wonderful thing). Jesse revealed that he was a former US National rowing champion (on more than one occasion) which explains a lot about his aerobic capacity on wednesday.

Excellent and structured ride aimed at helping riders step up to the fast group from the 18 group and, who knows, maybe start racing. There are enough faster riders out on saturday's to offer a group like this every week and it will hopefully become a regular. Highly reccomended.

Good idea by Toks

[Ian A4size]

Looks like we had 2 good groups out on saturday . Monty and myself took a group out with the intention of working our way round to the cafe in a tight group. Well it never happened at the start... what was going on ... the long ride to worthing was strung out from coulsdon to reigate , we set off last and overtook every group in front- some who had been "off" for 7/8 mins, however we carried on thru keeping a fairly tight formation- 2 mins on the front then over to the inside lane, nearly everyone took a turn! Monty was very vocal so i never got the chance to swear - which must have kept the spirits up for the bunch, the dual CW was really tight , no surging and joy of joys i only had to feather my brakes about 2 times, i was just hanging on when the sprint came so i sat up and let Chris and Toby sort it out. At the cafe my speedo said a "Gnats" under 20mph .
T'was a lovely sunny day and i had a nice kip in the sun around 5ish, and 3 leffes for dinna .
Sundays ride was a different story tho, warm-rainy-dull, but 7 of us were up for it so we took the back lanes, past the deer park-betchworth- gadbrook- newdigate-spookhill- dorking- ranmore-then up box hill for supurb choc fudge brownies

[ajay khandelwal]

Thanks to Dr Toks for administering his medicine and keep us working together. If Jesse is the ex US rowing champion then who is the guy in black on the mountain bike? Tom Boonen's lead out man?

[adrian]

Yep, a great ride yesterday, with weather to match. And home by 12.30 by dint of hanging on to the resplendent coat-tails of Huw, Toks and Jesse from the caff back to S Croydon. Taking it easy, indeed - just as I was beginning to dread the pain of the Merstham drag, it was behind us and we were flying down towards Coulsdon. Really enjoyed the froo-n-off on the way out, too. Thanks to Toks for sorting it and to everyone for making it an excellent morning's bicycling. See you next time

[Matt Robbins]

Yeah great ride to the cafe...thanks to the Toks, Ajay and Huw for keeping it nice and tidy....

I think Jesse may well have done a lot better in the sprint....that was my fault as I was moving out a bit to try and get through he was trying to come round me (and going a tad faster I think!!!)...sorry mate!

Andrew is the Polish guy on the MTB...it was quite funny being behind him on the through and off...the words 'soft' and 'pedal' don't really mean much to him...despite his very good English!!! I reckon he has real potential...he even screamed up Box Hill on the way home...and we were racing back through Chipstead Valley with him leading a lot of the way at 25mph+.

Btw I suggested to Andrew to put a post on the forum to ask if anybody had a cheap road bike they were looking to sell, however he does not have internet access...the axle on his battered Raleigh broke a couple of weeks back on the club ride, I only had a fiver in change so gave him what I had and escorted him to the nearest station...so if anybody has a suitable bike perhaps mention it to him on the club ride, he may be interested.

[Paul on the Pearson]

Still flagging a bit so thanks for the tow and encouragement up Box Hill Ajay, ACC's very own Mr Motivator.
See you all next week

[Andy]

A man of many talents; this Jesse is also a (good) teacher at my school....

I've encountered his incredible cycling talent once before. Meeting by chance on London to Brighton, he went to the front and it was bloody fast. Then he finished the baguette... and dropped me in about 5 seconds.

[ajay khandelwal]

I think the Addiscombe should buy Andy the MTB rider and Jesse the bike-rower - a full spec bike and give him life membership on the deal that they share all future prize money and honours with the club !