club run 3/3/07

[Stu Merckx Man]

great club run today, loads of people in the training group.

i was worried at first, not sure how would go. as we got the the big hill bit before reigate however, i realzed i was feeling great. paul was leading up, i put in a small dig, was at the front for a few metres, when marek came past out the saddle. i grabbed his wheel, and i think max must have had mine. we got a little break going until the traffic lights.

pretty speedy through the lanes. i was staying near the front and doing a few turns. but then a few miles after liegh we discovered a new HUGE pot hole. first one to take a dip in it was marek, then me. on both our bikes it made an awful cracking sound. my tires were fine, but marek got a puncture.

realy good going towards the duel carriage way. i did most of my turns going up the hills. we had a slightly un dissaplined through and off. this was mainly my falt as i failed to get passed simon who is a demon on the flats. i went too early on the sprint, but it gave a good lead out for the others, sylvain pipped the win from adam.

went the box hill way back today. started off slow on the way there but it soon picked up... as we got to the duel carriage way all the usual training group people were present, and andrew green!! he must be flying at the moment, that was no easy pace on the way to box hill!!

at box hill i went off first and was leading untill half way between the 1st and second hairpin. paul came past at a crazy speed, followeds by simon h, and a french chap (not sylvain). i was going to follow but i new i couldnt so i jus stayed in the zone. sure enough it paid off. simon had dropped the french chap and i cam past him on before the woods... but then about 50m before the speed humps he came passed me again. so i got out the saddle and just beat him. paul was first up, then simon h, then me, so im happy with 3rd.

good fast ride back, but im pretty nakered so i hope im not going to be too fatigued for tommorows race!

cheers,
stu

[Kevin Rynne]

Six of us took a different route to get in some hills, we lost one person then Aodhan hit a massive pothole which cracked the wheel rim and broke some spokes, now we were down to four we carried on attacking the hills but next came a flooded road which involved some cyclocross to get around. Hungry and lost some where between Leith Hill and ? dont know where, we had a pub lunch! We came upon a road closed sign, decied it could not be impassable to bikes, to be greeted by a massive fallen tree accross the road, oh and it was tangled in power lines, but we thought if they are power lines the power must be switched off, anyway got around it by climing in the ditch and crawling under the tree. Spoke with a jcb driver who thought we were mad as the power lines were still live! oops!
Now Im knackered but still alive just

[Andrew G]

[quote]and andrew green!!

[Marek]

Great ride today and lots of miles. Shame about the pot hole and puncture but these things happen, I also got a full on nose bleed about 5 miles outside of EG. Looked like I had been punched by a truck driver when I walked into the house with blood all over my face.

Stu you are going very well so think you should do alright tomorrow as long as you are not too tired after today and Andrew you looked pretty impressive on the flats so should have no problem with Chertsey tomorrow.

I think Max and I had about 130km on the clock when we stumbled back to my place. My legs are knackered but I really enjoyed today, was fast but I think most people felt pretty good today. Well done in the sprint Sylv and Adam, I would have had both of you if not for those cars though, well maybe anyway.

Paul you are still going well on the hills and your mate was going pretty well considering his lack of training.

Cheers

Marek....

[Dr Frigo]

[quote="Marek"]Well done in the sprint Sylv and Adam, I would have had both of you if not for those cars though, well maybe anyway.

[Toks]

[quote]but im pretty nakered so i hope im not going to be too fatigued for tommorows race!

[Stu Merckx Man]

woops!!...well i will know better for next time...

i WAS hoping for 6th or better so i can get 3rd cat ..still ill give it a crack!

[Paul H]

Great to see lots of strong riders out today. I guess that wont happen again soon now the racing season has started.

Good luck to everybody who is racing tomorrow.

[-Adam-]

Stu, aim for 1st or you may end up with 7th!

In fairness marek, i think you may well have got me an sylv had the cars not been there. howver, sylv must have come from behind both of us, no!?

Ive got a way to go yet before im fully fit anyhoo. I was happy with my sprint but i was literally clinging on at other times... I just dont get how you put in your constant accelerations on the flats, well and a few of the hills too! Mind you, you do dwarf me on the bike, so ill come to terms!

cheers,

adam

[-Adam-]

also, good to see you on a bike sean, its the first time ive seen you on a bike since last summer... that i remember anyways!

still working on my latest controversial thread...

[Alex P]

A great day for a ride - over 80 out today!!!

Apologies for organising the resurfacing of the CSS car park this Saturday, I've been on at them for ages to do it and they only could do today. Next mission to resurface the whole club run route....just the bit from the kerb that we cycle on

The Full Monty cafe up the road served as a temporary rendez-vous however the punters inside peering out looked a bit shocked by it all.

[Grahame]

[quote="Alex Protasiuk"]The Full Monty cafe up the road served as a temporary rendez-vous however the punters inside peering out looked a bit shocked by it all.

[higg]

I turned up to the club run with the intention of putting in a few steady miles. The plan was to suggest a hilly steady route and see who joined in. 6 of us left the Full Monty Cafe and went back down the hill to get to the base of Farthing Downs. All went well for the first hour, the roads were a bit messy from the recent weather but nothing too drastic.

As Kevin posted earlier, at the base of Ranmore diaster struck as I hit a pothole at the edge of a flooded bit of road. The result was a broken wheel, well, the impact had dented the rim, pulled out a spoke, eyelet and all. I did try to adjust the spokes but it had no effect.


[img]http://img2032.photobox.co.uk/4736275555ae079ead0c932b092a789ee50b9b2bf2fa5f858463af9001541731dde7d884.jpg[/img]


Luckily this happened outside the Boxhill train station so I got on a train home changed a wheel and headed out again determined to make the most of the day.

When I got back to Ranmore I dodged the pothole this time but half a mile up the road there was a more fundamental problem with the road.

[img]http://img2032.photobox.co.uk/32291088c568519f4389fd77b2cc82533eaf1acff94dc42aef0cc0c5bbbab027796d3fb4.jpg[/img]


If you look closely you can see the tracks of the group who had cycled through earlier in the morning.

I tiptoed through the grass on the edge and carried on to get a decent ride in for the day.

Kevin, Sorry to hear the rest of you got lost on the other side of Leith Hill. I did feel a bit guilty dragging you out so far and then having to bail out, but, at least you didn't go hungry and managed to avoid the power lines. Bit of a freaky day all round.


Aodan.

[jon avery]

I also had a bust wheel on the way home from the club run, got just outside croydon and heard a clinking sound, on further inspection i discovered two spokes hanging off and a bust hub. The thing is i never hit a pot hole. i suppose i must put it down to shoddy Italian workmanship (Campagnolo)

[Dombo]

Great ride on Saturday. As a newbie to the club and road riding after many years in the mud I'm still getting used to riding in a bunch. My usual 40mph descent from Caterham to CSS was followed by a brisk ride in Graham's 17mph group to the cafe. Just missed the massive pothole that claimed at least one rider behind me - the roads are in a worse state than the trails I normally ride in the woods at Leith Hill - and then joined the large group after the cafe heading for Box Hill. With the Dragon and Etape Anglais looming I figured on needing the hill practice.
More training on the flat looks in order too as I was promptly dropped as the peloton picked up the pace and I was spat off the back into the wind. Caught up with Sean who kindly led me to Box Hill as I was now quite lost and we spun up to the top where the others were waiting, thanks guys.
Then it was a fast blast along the ridge and down into Chipstead where I again found myself at the back and also found another pothole.
Do Surrey County Council have a crew that digs these things out with shovels? Having yet to learn how to bunny hop a road bike I nevertheless lofted the front but the back hit hard and with a slow hiss I drifted to a stop by the Ramblers Rest.
Several Agreeables wafted past as I sat in the garden enjoying a pint of Pride and some cheese'n'onion while awaiting Mrs Dombo and the Little Dombos Search and Rescue team.
Back home to check the damage - flat tyre only thanks to Pete Wise of GB excellent wheelbuilding skills.
Looking forward to next Saturday.