Club Run +

[Andrew G]

Various groups and routes today. Set off with Shadow's 18ish, our route being CR with extensions then on to Box Hill for the cafe stop, before heading home as per normal.

Steve and Paul T were towing us along the first stretch at a fair lick which indicated it might be a bit more ish than 18.

Coming off the top of Gatton Road the training/21 group appeared to have got lonely as they had waited and joined in our foray. Quick pace all day, I suffered a couple of times when we cruised up a drag without slowing down( ) and had to dig in but overall it was good fun.

Through Rusper and on to the dual carriage way for the through and off, Marek shirked a couple of turns but I don't know if he was saving himself for later or still feeling yeaterday's epic in his new mahogany legs.

When the pace picked up for the sprint I let them go as I didn't want to kill myself hanging on knowing we still had to get to Box Hill before coffee, and also I didn't know where the new and lethal potholes were. Good news is I think I now know as they have been filled by fresh tarmac. The triangular one after a drain looked like it would've been huge pre-filling.

Steve won the sprint, then topped up with lucozade as we had a little re-group before heading to Box Hill. The speed continued more or less unabaited, and thanks to Stu for towing me along the main road to the base of Zig Zag so I had some slip room. On the way over we passed the 15s going the other way, they were in the midst of a bit of an adventure as my Dad would tell me later.

Surprisingly Box wasn't too bad today, and the coffee and flapjack at the top was v nice. I think the average was just over 20mph to the top of Box. All that was left was a speedy run back. Easily my fastest CR.

Has to be said Alan must've had 3 Shreded Wheat this morning as he was flying, and super strong, both pulling and closing gaps.

Thanks guys.

Andrew.

P.S. 9.30 at GBs tomorrow (Sunday) if you want to take to dem hills. (So far 1 probable, and 2 possibles joining me. Join us and listen to the wailings of a little Green man echoing off the hillside).

[Stu Merckx Man]

turned out to be a great club run!

only 3 of us opted for the training group, jim george marek and i....but then marek wussed out --> excuse that there was only 4 of us

so the 3 of us shot off and we caned it along the carriage way, and up the hill before reigate with an average speed of 24mph!...from there we waited and joined on the 18s because we were feeling lonely. probably a good thing as i think had i stayed with jim and george i would have perhaps gone a bit too hard and ive got a race tomorrow...

we had a very speedy ride through the lanes with these so called 18s HA!... i had an average of 22mph by the time we reached the through and off! the through and off was pretty well disciplined until we got close to the sprint...
then an opportunity arrived, i saw that george was pinned in, and we weren’t to far so i decided to go for a long one. i was right at the back and this gave me distance to catapult myself passed the group. from then on it was head down and on the drops...i passed the bit with those plane spotters and looked back. i had a good gap but oh no! i saw the bluish blur of marek leading a chase!
i cracked on and on the second to last bend i looked back and they had gained on me but i still had a gap...last corner dam only about 20m! i could not give anymore though, and with the line clearly ahead of me about 50m or so the chasing group made of marek, polish andrew, steve and i think 1 other who i didnt get a good look at came passed me. i think i went about 50m too early but never mind.

we stopped in charlswood for a few minutes to get a few drinks from the shop, where a certain pair of suspiciously tanned legs became the new hot topic naming no names...after that marek and his silky tanned legs went back home but the rest of us carried on to box hill.

good fast ride towards it...when we got to the main road me and andrew went on it, whilst the others went on the path thing...crapp so i went pretty hard along the main road with andrew right behind me...we had a lead when we got to the cafe at the bottom, but then my chain came off!! my lead was gone!! we started our ascent and geroge and i pulled away, i was leading him for once along the second straight, when he said 'stu i might blow', so with happily in mind i carried on digging hard and my pedals, but then as we were approaching the woods i heard that sound of clunking gears and george came passed me and beat me to the top.

had a good fast ride back with george, polish andrew and a new chap who i think was called carl(?).

im not feeling too tired so i should be ok tomorrow for the race!

stu

[carl f]

Yes Stu it was Carl you were with on the way back,nice to meet you by the way and every one else out today.It was a great ride today felt pretty good up the zig zag considering i was stuck in the big ring.Didn't have a clue where i was half the time so glad i didn't get dropped,look forward to next time thankyou all

[huw williams]

Brighton. 100miles. Sunny. That's all you need to know.

Andrew - F%*@ You, and F*%@ your hills! I'm staying in bed tomorrow. Its a holiday weekend ferchrissakes

[huw williams]

Sean you don't get any holiday weekends until Novi Colli is behind you I'm afraid - get out there!

[Andrew G]

[quote]...I'm staying in bed tomorrow.

[Chris K]

Andrew

may join you tomorrow - I am out tonight so will see how I feel when I get up.

Will be at GBs before 9.30 if Im up for it.

[Alan M]

Well I did feel quite perky today and enjoyed the ride - maybe inspired by Easter bunnies and some personal resurrection.

Andrew has described most aspects of the ride - from my perspective staying with the marek/george/Stuart et al train on the drag after Partridge was a personal triumph.

After that the through and off was OK but didn't quite live up to expectations because rhythm was interrupted by too many sops and starts. I think I prefer the longer version. Steve's win of the sprint was herculean because he started late and had already been suffering somewhat - at the end of it he was just a touch out of salts!

The ride to Box Hill was fine with a fairly swift pace and I understand that George feigned a loss of energy and then stormed the last bit winning the ride to the top. Where ... it was good to meet with others and listen Graeme's riveting account of old Citroen cars and admire Marek's smooth and lightly tanned legs - tea and cakes al fresco was great.

Following this we departed in small groups - on our way back the other Graham got cramp after pulling us for some way and I lost my chain from its sprocket, but otherwise it was a swift and non-eventful ride back.

For those of you that like to crunch numbers mine were as follows:

time - 3:15
KCal - 2399
ascent - 2660 ft
ave speed - 19.2
Distance - 62.2
Ave HR - 136
Ave temp 57

[-Adam-]

av temp 57, ascent 2660? whats that for us youngsters!?

[Alan M]

hot and high how you youngsters like it I think!

[Stu Merckx Man]

...

[Stu Merckx Man]

[quote] av temp 57, ascent 2660? whats that for us youngsters!?

[-Adam-]

irony, sarcasm stu!?

[Marek]

Glad you all like my go faster legs, although they did not have quite enough left in them today for the sprint after having to chase down that pesky Stu.

Really enjoyed the ride today, was not feeling too perky due to the mammoth ride the day before, so was in two minds about going with the faster group or the slower group.

I therefore probably spent too much energy on going with the faster group, then deciding to go with the slightly slower group, and then having to chase down the faster group after changing my mind and doing this on a few occasions.

Alan, you were going very well indeed today, when we went past the partridge lane sign and we had been really giving it some I was surprised to see you come wheezing past me up the drag, where Paul Tunnell decided it was a sprint point without telling anyone and he gave it some welly up the hill.

Good fun to ride in a slightly larger group, I think you lot should try riding in with the faster group now and then it will do you good...... or kill you.

Cheers

Marek....

[Alan M]

I presume its a comment on the non-metric units

I have included a reference for your illumination Adam and I am thinking of offering your sponsorship in florins - but you need to be able to work out their value first!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_u ... _of_length