Club Run 29th March

[Andy K]

Set off with the 18s today led by Ian but did not stay with them long - Just before Reigate steps I punctured and spent so long faffing about that all the remaing groups passed by before I had the wheel back on However did get talking to a passing Italian pedestrian who was initially impressed we were out in this weather but who then proceeded to express his dissapointment at the lack of Italian equipment on my bike and suggested I change to Campagnolo at the earliest opportunity

Anyway - eventually got underway and a little surprised at just how much longer the route seems when youre on your own and with no-one to hide behind going up the climb into Rusper. Decided to take the left hand short cut to the caff but still got there late to join the back of a very long queue

Good chat with Terry in the queue on nutrition and the benefits of creatine and also with a couple of guys marshalling for the first time this afternoon. One cup of tea and a cake later and all was well - stayed with the group for an uneventful trip home.

Good luck to the racers and those marshalling - couldn't assist this time but will in the future

[Antloony]

Well what a difference a week makes. I had it in my mind to go for an easy one today as my last two club runs haven't been kind to me and Ive been struggling, not today though. Took the plunge and went with the 19's along with Neil, Ben, Toby and Andy Bianchi plus a handfull of others. Quite a strog head wind as we set off so made the rotations faster than normally to save our legs. Still managed a good pace though, I was feeling pretty strong today, still lacking slightly on the climbs but held my own. Such was the pace that the group split but I managed to stay with the leaders this week.

Re-grouped after a short stop and all agreed to a through and off session up the dual carriageway which went really smoothly and worked a treat, helped no doubt by the wind finally being on our side.

Onwards towards the cafe where I got in position for the sprint, right on Toby's wheel, 'best place to be' I thought as he started to wind it up, got held up by a car coming towards us so had to wait before I could try and come round him. By this time I was flat out doubting I could beat him but had just enough steam left to take the win by half a wheel on the line, 'excellent sprint' or words to that effect uttered Toby and he was right, pretty close all the way to the line.

Huge queue in the cafe, never had to wait so long for my tea and cake, managed to get a seat though with Neil, Andy and Ben and had a good laugh as well as in the queue, cheers guys.

Run home was quick, Neil and I sat on the front to lead the mad charge towing what felt like half of ACC with us. Pace picked up heading towards the church so just kept going till the mass re-group.

Very quick blast home with ?? (sorry, names gone) at the head of the group, seemed to drop everyone today, makes a change for me.

All in all a god day, feels better to be back on form, was beginning to doubt myself a little so today did me the world of good.

Onwards and upwards.

[Andrew G]

Helping out at the road race so out on the commuting carthorse, complete with pannier stuffed to the gills with waterproofs, clothes, food, camera and umbrella.

It was a tad heavy and not exactly aero in the wind so went with a 17s. Grahame's knee started causing him agro on Gatton and he dropped back. we waited for him to rejoin but he said to carry on as he couldn't put any power through his leg so would cut off on a short run to the cafe.

Pleasant easy ride to the cafe where I and a few others cut off up Partridge for a short one before marshaling, while Steve took others the normal way. On the drop down to the sprint someone (sorry don't know name) was on the front so I let quite a big gap open to see if I could close the gap at the end. Let it grow too big though and couldn't quite get there by the time I'd dragged the bike up to speed.

Over to Leigh to do our bit.

The rain was a it of a nuisance but seemed to time itself to fall between laps so we never got that wet as we could stand under brollies (glad I'd put it in the pannier) between pointing duties. Had a good natter with Jo, Ian, and Brian, and thanks to Jo for the coffee which went down a treat. Somewhat comically Jo seemed to double in size during the marshaling as more and more layers went on during the course on the day . Must have been close to double figures for layers by the end Jo.

A very wet ride home with feet now squelching in my shoes and my legs not keen on even the slightest drag after standing about for so long.

I even had enough time to watch the videoed track champs before heading out for a beer, possibly more than one, in Agreeable company. Good place Marco and the owner seems a nice bloke, they even had some fizzy cola bottles on the bar at one point when I got a refill which cheered me up even more .

Needless to say after a long day, beer, and the clocks going forward there was no chance I was going to be at CSS for the Brighton (or Bognor) run.

[mlocke]

A belated report..


I did write this earlier in the week but the forum deleted it when I went to post it.

Anyway………

Everyone must experience them every so often but Saturday morning was a bad morning for me where if something could go wrong it did.

First of all I went to blow my tyres up and pulled the valve clean out of the inner tube. Now I keep telling myself to look over the (not so trusty at the moment) steed at least the night before so that I have time for any eventualities such as this but I usually ignore myself and leave till I am walking out the door like on this occasion. Changing an inner tube, in a rush with layers of bike clothes on is hard, sweaty work. So after a quick change I thought right lets go, but……..

No 2 – I went to grab my computer but it wouldn’t turn on. After frantic button pressing nothing was happening so I hooked her up to the PC to see if it was a software issue that it could fix but nothing. My laptop wouldn’t even recognise the darned thing. At that point I threw in the towel and decided to go old school and ride without one.

No 3 – Halfway up my usual route to CSS over Wallington my knee pain started again – However fortunately my hip was feeling a lot better so I could still pedal with my right leg!

SO after my miserable start I rolled up when the 18’s group was called and was duly heckled by Mr Munnery who didn’t seem to believe that I was feeling fragile. Oh how he was wrong which I later proved 

Setting off there is very little to report from the ride itself apart from the wind which meant we were all trying to get fast rotations in. That is at least till we got to a junction somewhere that I can’t remember.

Basically they all legged it whilst I got stuck waiting for a car.

That meant a about a two mile solo effort to chase them down which only came to an end when the road turned upward slightly so a few of them slowed down. After this I was completely cooked as I had not been feeling tipy toppy for till this point as it was.

Drooling over my handlebars I tried to hide in the group but the rotations were coming thick and fast and I soon found myself on the front with Pete who was looking soooo comfortable compared to the ragged me and I had to drop back again to the sheltering bosom of the group.

Mr Munnery must have seen the pain all over my body and he put the hammer down and the group got strung out. At this point we were probably 7 miles from the sprint and he kept this up till the left turn onto the road of the sprint.

At one point it looked like he had gone for an uber long one which might stick but a small group was soon formed which slowly reeled him in. This did mean however he was cooked and we were beginning to wind things up for the sprint.

I tested the water early on and it appeared that tri bar man and Cris would be the contenders with me for today as they were the only ones to come with my move. I then made another burst and tri bar man seemed to react slowly and cris and myself built a small lead which I knew would be hard to bridge. I rested for a brief moment in Cris’ slipstream then came round. All of a sudden I realised a monumental effort had been put in by tribar man to get back onto my wheel but I had the energy from my brief rest to put in little dig at the end to take the sprint again – I think that’s four weeks in a row now 

Ride back was good very smooth and very fast I think.

Don’t know the averages but I think the pace was brisk for the ride and certainly a day in which I was suffering.

Bring on next week (tomorrow now) I’m looking forward to it already

Mark

[Andrew G]

[quote="mlocke"]Bring on next week (tomorrow now) I’m looking forward to it already

[mlocke]

Dont you start too. My knee is still quite tender and I only rode twice this week.

Im sure i'll think of more excuses on my way tomorrow