Lorks a'Lordy that hurt the legs today.
Well done Snoop, did you have an aero fin shaped in to your barnet for Tuesday?
Newly called 20's group today. Set off up the road and past Sylv sitting on the corner. Simon (great to see you back) and Adam shot off up Gatton Road and alarmingly everyone else followed. My legs moaned and wouldn't work properly but ground my way up and latched on over the top.
We got held up by the Reigate lights by the unloading lorry as another one of similar size was trying to squeeze through the other way. This allowed the group behind to catch us and a few integrated themselves as for a while we were one big merry band. We collected Marek after the golf course as he'd had a rethink on Jon's ride.
I was near the front and the first I knew of it was when Mr. Borghetta (aka the Penge Avenger) shot round the outside and plonked himself on the front, raising a few eyebrows and smiles. Good riding today Sean, you can move to the 20's now
- can always drop off at Partridge the first couple of times.
I did a turn pushing quite hard, and then moved over. Marek went to the front and towed us awhile but nobody else joined him. I thought it a bit mean to leave him there on his tod so moved out to join him, bad move. I hadn't recovered enough and soon started to die. Schnarfed a gel on the rise past Partridge as I was going through a bad spell which worked wonders.
Regroup for the thru & off with an average of 20.1 - bang on advertised speed, largely thank to Mark and his metronomic testers legs. Long thru & off brought the average up to 21.1 by Charlwood.
The Shadow won the sprint (shock!). Marek and Simon jumped and the shadow, er shadowed. 3 of us tried to follow but the gap was too big. Steve came off the wheel to grab the prize.
Box Hill return. Determined not to get carried away on the fast run to the hill as normal, so I could try and get up with some degree of dignity. Think I managed it, just, and kept a decent steady pace all the way up. Usual barn-strom off the top and a great run back to CSS.
Cheers,
Andrew.
PS Sunday Hilly ride tomorrow as per other post, 8:30 at CSS if interested. This is a training ride for Dragonites/sportivists so will be more of a steady pace and climbing, rather than racing up every hill.