Club Run - 5th Jan 07

[mlocke]

Two weeks and two punctures on new tyres!!

Good run today.......started off struggling in the 18s but eventually rode into it and felt good in the end, enough to win the sprint

Cheers to everyone

[Grahame]

I think the headwind put a few people off 'cos we "only" had 93 out today.

I went out with the 17s, intending to rule with my now notorious velvet hand in an iron glove.

As we were winding through the lanes prior to Newdigate, it was clear that one of the group was struggling. Fortunately, we'd been joined by the Steve "the Shadow", so I felt confident to leave him in charge of the group and drop back to nursemaid the "victim of our relentless pace " to the cafe via the shortcut along Partridge-from-the-other-end.

Left the cafe on my own having failed to persuade anybody that I'd be going at a fairly gentle pace. I wasn't lying - despite the tailwind I don't think I exceeded 22mph at any point.

I didn't see anybody until Adam came flying past me at the top of the church climb, follwed by a few others. I didn't stop at the regroup, but plodded on fully expecting to see an orange and white blur flying past at any moment up the Merstham drag. But no, I saw no familiar figures until Ed caught me at some lights on the way through Croydon by which time I was really struggling every time the gravity went the wrong way. That'll teach me to combine 2 weeks of idleness with an attempt to overdose on mince pies .

Right, that's it.

[Stu Merckx Man]

good training group ride today.

had loads of people, but only 4 left when we hit the lanes

so it was me, sylv, george a ray who rode very well considering its his first time out in the training group for a long time.

we all rode strongly through the lanes, especially sylv who must be doing some secret training. as we hit the hills before the duel carriage way i made my bid for freedom and launched an attack as we got to a big puddle that everyone slowed down for. despite my chain coming off i kept away to the duel carraige way, but i knew they wernt chasing me.

good through and off, although ray nearly lost his front wheel off my back wheel when they kissed

as we left the duel carriage way, at the 1st small round about sylv did a dirty on us and quickley darted away. me and george decided to leave him out there to fry, we closed it down slightly but then left a gap to give him the confidence to carry on. with a mile or so to go we started the chase but we left it too late and sylv got an amazing win. its only the 2nd time i have seen someone win it from te duel carriage way.

went back box hill way with george sylv and ray. we all rode well again. up until the middle of box hill i felt really good, but then as i came through to do a turn from sylv i suddenly hit the wall, and then george attacked. i had bonked so there was nothing i could do and george was king of the mountains, then sylv, then me, then ray.

george towed me and sylv most of the way home, but we came through for the odd turn, but i think we were both suffering...i certainly was!


stu

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"] as we hit the hills before the duel carriage way i made my bid for freedom and launched an attack as we got to a big puddle that everyone slowed down for.

[Alan M]

It still feels like hard work in the 18s, struggling to hang on, but just managed to do that with the slower part of a group that had split into 2. Maybe next week I will begin to feel more comfortable with the pace?

For the way back, the train left without me by 3 or 4 minutes but after a solo effort I just caught onto the rear end of it by the church. I teamed up with Robbie and one other up the drag but unfortunately I dropped the pace momentarily to check they were on. This took Robbie by surprise and he clipped my back wheel going down hard and needing some attention. He was bruised and shaken but able to continue. The guy behind him came off but was OK. I felt bad about it.

Lots of cars stopped to give assistance but we were able to continue.

Hope you are OK Robbie and feeling better. Otherwise a great ride out.

[Sylv]

Hope Robbie's ok.

By the way who is the Gary Klein lookalike in the club (sans beard) We already had Tom Ritchey! (mad French Grahame)

[img]http://www.mtnbikehalloffame.com/images/members/Photo41-2.jpg[/img]

[Antloony]

[quote="mlocke"]Two weeks and two punctures on new tyres!!

[quote="Sylv"]Stu was also in a bad way (not enough food! again!) and decided to take a last fast turn before retiring to home.

[Robh]

What can you say about the young Toks?

This must be about the 4th tme I've heard on this forum Stu Suffering from lack of food. Learn the hard way...Last few ocassions was on the chaingang this week and a few weeks ago when riding with Adam.

It's not that hard to carry 2 bottles on the bike and have some food in the back pockets. 1g of carbs per kg for every hour is recommended Stu!

Rob

[Stu Merckx Man]

i ate as much the night before as i usually do, and im usually good till the end, but today was much faster so i ran out a bit early

ill be stocked up tonight though after my chinese takeaway

[Marek]

After yesterdays ride with George I was feeling a little bit weary after riding up to Coulsdon from EG this morning but thought that I need to get some speed into the legs so will go with the training group.

Well, got down to the first roundabout and a lorry was coming, I slowed, the others didn't as lorry had loads of room as it is two lanes. This left a small gap. Sylv and a few others came past me but I just could not catch their wheels. Then the whole group just seemed to fly up the hill and I was battling into the headwind with one other and we could not catch the group. DROPPED in COULSDON, not good.

Anyway, slowed up a bit towards the motorway junction and was then joined by Adams group. This was going at a more reasonable pace, although still felt quite pacy.

As we meandered our way through the lanes it was clear that the training group must have been hammering it as we were picking up casualties around every corner. Think we had 4 or 5 from the training group in the second group by the time we reached Rusper.

After the sprint king Adam showed us all a clean set of wheels at Charlwood I headed off home straight away. Am a bit worried about this virus that is going around and knowing what a bunch of smelly cyclists are like I prefer to keep away. Elected to head straight home, so a 4 hours in the saddle almost unbroken ride. Was knackered when I got in and the legs are really sore this evening.

Training to start in earnest this week for the beginning of the season.

Cheers

Marek...

[Robh]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]:lol:

i ate as much the night before as i usually do, and im usually good till the end, but today was much faster so i ran out a bit early

ill be stocked up tonight though after my chinese takeaway

[Sylv]

A quote, we need a quote!

[Toks]

[quote="Robh"]What can you say about the young Toks?

This must be about the 4th tme I've heard on this forum Stu Suffering from lack of food. Learn the hard way...Last few ocassions was on the chaingang this week and a few weeks ago when riding with Adam.

It's not that hard to carry 2 bottles on the bike and have some food in the back pockets. 1g of carbs per kg for every hour is recommended Stu!

Rob

[MJ_1993]

lol