club ride....'WIND IN THE WHEEL...os'...

[Stu Merckx Man]

VERY VERY windy today and unfortunatly into our faces heading to charlswood.

as the groups were called out we were a 'mareks 19'... however i had my doubts that this would be the end average speed, with the likes of paul, marek, george and dave.

set off reasonably fast and soon enough we were into the 20s... up the first hill and george put in a stopping drive, i kept to his wheel as best i could but it was hard...i started to drop back slightly when marek came up so i tagged on to his wheel to make it up.

into the lanes and we had a good fast pase considering the wind which was very strong...george put in quite a few breaks which i followed, but eachtime we were hauled back in...after about the 5th break i thought there was convinced this would happen everytime so i thought i won't follow the next one.(foolish)

so as we came up towards the hill through the woods before rusper, george puts in another break--> thought 'nah he will get pulled in soon'...end thought---> but he kept getting further and further away, so paul went after him, but still i thought we would get them. soon enough however they had a good lead and i felt like kickiing myself for not going after them!

all that was left was me, a blond chap, and a slim chap with the same helmet as sylvain i think. (please tell me your names if you know who you are)....as we got to rusper i could just see george and paul in the distance..the 3 of us made a heroic through and off which hurt like hell...and the sprint i was easily taken by the blond chap who satyed in the saddle !!

before the way back i entered the 3.5 mile thing where you have to guess your time...i guessed 13.21...and got 13.24 3 seconds out ..andrew was second with 28 seconds i think...john kasper and paul got lost .

on the way back had a good paced ride with kasper..the others caught us just before the church at the lights...as we hit the M25 i put in my break...i think andrew followed and for a bit i was worried !! but i managed to pull away....after hitting a series of lights on the way down into coulsdon i was cought by the rest of the lads.

as i headed home (pitifully slowly) the lads who did box hill came past in the opposite direction.

good ride, but very windy--> avs to charlswood 21
avs when i got home 20.2

cheers,
stu

[Marek]

I found it very tough today, George is absolutely flying, he is super strong at the moment. I managed to just about get up the hill just before Reigate with the group, and then into the lanes the wind really started to get up.

At one point George did a long turn on the front, I went to take over and then realised that my legs did not want to take over. I lasted about 2 seconds before slowly slinking back to the end of the group. As we came up the Hill towards Rusper Golf Club I was suffering, Paul H went past me and could see I was in despair and told me to hold on. I put in an effort to hang on for a few more yards, but as I was struggling I think Paul H went to the front and put the hammer down, I blew.

I decided to cycle a back route through Ifield to see if I could catch hold of the fast boys before the sprint again. This worked a treat, I managed to get there just in time to see George and Paul hammering it down the road. I pulled out and as they came past me I latched on and gave them a lead out for the sprint. George just pipped Paul to the line. They had dropped the rest of the group just before the dual carriageway and had decided not to wait for them.

I went home the short way through Horley and saw a cyclist in the distance ahead. I put in an effort and managed to get on his wheel. It was Christian Yates on his way back to East Grinstead. This was great as we had a good chat about the races we did together last year and how his time trialling had been going. Really nice bloke, I tried to convince him to come along to ACC club run but he says he prefers to train on his own. I don't know whether that was a hint for me to bugger off, but we had a good chat all the way back to EG, thankfully he went in front for the last bit as it was really windy.

Cheers

Marek....

[Andrew G]

A good "winter miles" ride today with the conditions. Very windy, sometimes very wet, we need to try and cajole a few more in to adding mudguards as my face looked like I'd done Paris Roubaix on a fould day when I got back .

Stu when you shot off up the drag I was just going to spin up sensibly, but not being a very sensible sort of chap, I thought I'd try and jump over without you noticing so I could sit on your wheel all the way back . I got close when you looked back and went again, my legs waved a big white flag and I finally saw sense and sat up.

Glad I went out today, I find there's a real sense of satisfaction when you return from a ride in foul weather.

Away next Saturday but I'll post details of the next training session, which is on Sunday, and hope to see a few faces there.

[Stu Merckx Man]

andrew,

you nearly had me..i only looked round to make sure i could pull out they way of puddle, only to see you about 20m back!!! i nearly dropped a brick!!!

is the race training this sunday or next sunday?

stu

[Andrew G]

Training is next Sunday. I believe, but will confirm during the week, that the next 2 are:

[quote]Further sessions with John Leitch

Sunday 3rd December: 11.30am to 3.30pm from Newchapel Village Hall, Crawley
Sunday 17th December: 11.30am to 3pm from Brockham, Dorking

[Stu Merckx Man]

cheers andrew ill try and make some of those.

thanks,
stu

[John Czernobay]

Well done everyone another good CR, especially those in the 15mph in a good tight bunch and a good steady pace . As for those in the 19's, you need more than mud guards did you go cross country ?

The "Guess your own Time" trial was great fun well done, we must have another go

A little breezey, a little damp but always Agreeable

[Ray Pepe]

Stu, I'm the slim chap, good ride, long drag up to Box Hill

[George]

Well the weather was bad but seemed to have my best clubrun yet.

Up the hill to Reigate, I tested to see how strong everyone was today

Into the lanes the wind was right in our faces, only Paul and myself seemed to be working up front.
By the way I didn't mean to put in the breaks up front, I was just doing my turn up front, on looking round saw everyone back down the road, thought oops I'd better ease off then

Had a dig up the hill to Rusper tried to go it alone, but saw Paul bridging the gap, tried to pull away again but realised we'd be best together.

We worked great as a team together and decided to try stay away along the duel carrigeway to the cafe. We looked over our shoulders and Paul said to me"were destroying them"
The spray from the road was abissmal I couldn't see anything through my glasses, ahead I could make out a cyclist wobbling around but couldn't see too well, It turned out to be Marek after his shortcut

Hal, Paul, Ray and me headed back via box hill, I seemed to keep feeling strong so did some more turns on the front.
We got horribly wet in a downpour just after leaving the cafe, felt sorry for the guy's in Pauls Time Trial

Turning onto box hill we met with Kieran and rode up together,Paul Kieran and I pulled ahead of Ray and Hal and Paul and I took it in turns up the different sections of the hill.
Into the trees near the top I stood up and big ringed it, Paul was still on my wheel, I kept it going and just managed to pull away right at the top:P

Fast ride back to Coulsdon with the wind behind for once. Passed Stu riding back home the other way.

Paul and I are looking forward to the racing season next year, I think we've gotta take over from Marek, Tok's, Tim and Max

[Marek]

Well you certainly showed me a clean set of wheels matey, but wobbling around, hmm I was tired but not that bad. And also I perked up a bit after moving your bikes out of the way to get out after the tea stop, I realised that my training bike was probably about three or four times heavier than yours and Pauls racing bikes. Next week I think we should handicap you, we will put Paul H on your shoulders and then see how fast you can ride.

Cheers

Marek...

[Paul H]

Well done to George who was easily the strongest toady - even up the hills.

It was nice to make Marek suffer for a change.

Addiscombe 1 Mosquitos 0

[Kasper]

Well Done everyone for another great Saturday Club Run.

If that was 19mph you guys were doing then there is something wrong with your speedometers. But seriously it didn't take me long after leaving CSS with the "19s" (ahem) that i wasn't going to be able to keep up so dropped back and decided to wait for the 17s. Except i couln't wait (no change there then) and decide to head out along the A23 on my own. Managed to stay away all the way up until Reigate when my breakaway partner from last week "Big Up PAUL" pulled up alongside me down the hill to the traffic lights.
By this time i was glad to see a familiar face and so from then on i rode amongst or just infront of the 17s all the way to the cafe. Even stopped to wait while they put their waterproofs on just after the rain had stopped. Another Addiscombe blunder!!!!!

George no need to feel sorry for all Paul's Time Triallers just the ones that got lost. Me John and Paul all somehow took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up getting soaked in the rain and hail while the others merrily twiddled thier thumbs back at the cafe!!!!!

[Kasper]

Cheers Stu for the wheel back from the CAfe.

I probably would have got lost again without a fast wheel to follow.
Hope i didn't slow you down too much .

See now you were saving something for that final drag along the A23 into Croydon. WHen you came round me out of the saddle i knew i was'nt going to chase after the soaking i 'd had but i hear Andrew almost caught you. Maybe if i'd worked with him a bit better we could have brought you back.

Anyway cheers for a great ride and I'll see you all next week!!!!

PS Next time I'll study the map a bit harder.

[Stu Merckx Man]

kasper,
you didn't slow me down at all! that was a good ride considering we were talking most of the way.

the bit that let me re-cuperate was when you were left on the front for ages just before i broke away, so thanks for that


stu

[quote]Paul and I are looking forward to the racing season next year, I think we've gotta take over from Marek, Tok's, Tim and Max