Club Run 12th July

[Steve B]

Wot no reports yet

[kieran]

you first.

[Antloony]

Got on bike. Rode to cafe. Had cake and cup of tea. Got back on bike. Rode home.

Same again next week chaps.

[Antloony]

Sorry Sean, meant to say, saw a dead fox too.

[Sylv]

My legs hurt

[Del]

[quote="Antloony"]Sorry Sean, meant to say, saw a dead fox too.

[Antloony]

No Del I didn't want to disturb it, it looked as though it was fast asleep bless it.

[Steve B]

Ok, Ant obviously thinks the club run reports are boring but I quite like reading other peoples experiences and how their rides went that day.

So I'll start by boring you all then

Decided to go with the A Training group today, the first time this year . I was expecting to be spat out the back after a few miles or so, but managed to hang in there quite well, well enough infact to still have some legs left for the sprint

Group consisted of Stu Jim Toby Kieran Andrew(huge legs) and myself. Stu and Jim did most of the work witheveryone else chipping in from time to time. At one point about mid way, after a sprint up a small incline, I was in a bit of trouble and couldn't get enough air in to my lungs. I was breathing really hard . My asthma has shown itself slightly over the last couple of days (which is very unusual for this time of year), so I sat in, got as much rest as possible (if you can at 24mph+) and hoped that my lungs would relax. They did and I was ok for the rest of the ride

Av to the layby was 24.2mph rising to 24.8 to the cafe with the extra pace of a really good, smooth thru&off

Like most weeks, I got caught out by the group leaving the cafe without me (chatting again ). What I didn't realise was that Alan had blasted off from the start, and that Marek, Graham and a few other fast guys were in the group too. I left probably 90 seconds late, and got into a good rythm, and was stonking along. Trouble was I couldn't see anyone and still couldn't after 10 minutes. There were a few that had been dropped, which told me I was in for a long chase, and so it was. I rode as hard as I could and finally caught them about a mile before the little right turn in to the estate with the concrete road . Probably my hardest sustained solo effort, enjoyed it though.

Another great club run

Steve

[Antloony]

[quote="Steve B"]Ok, Ant obviously thinks the club run reports are boring but I quite like reading other peoples experiences and how their rides went that day.

[Steve B]

[quote="Antloony"]No not at all Mr B, just had an uneventfull run out sandbagging in the 18's thats all.

[Antloony]

Its ok Steve, I guessed your were jesting.

Guess its taking longer to heal than I hoped, could have been far worse though, could have been a wrist or leg....or could have damaged my bike

[EdO]

This is my time permitting two minute write up.

Knackered !! Cramp and general tiredness.

Another tough run to the cafe in the training group B although this week our rhythm wasn't interrupted by punctures and stiff links. Because of no rests, the pace seemed to be alot stronger. If I want to stay on at Palace I need a few more of these as they must be working.

Pretty standard stuff from what I can remember apart from a horse rearing and moving into the middle of the road causing me ride into someone's front garden to get out of the way. I saw the dead fox but didn't get a call so went straight over it. Luckily there was no debris or flick backs


The ride back was good and I got to the front a few times to do my bit. Got to the church, waited then pulled away with everyone and suddenly found a problem with my rear deraulier / shifter. Couldn't change and end up spinning like a maniac to go over the drag Thanks to everyone who made sure I was ok. Decided to loosen of the cable and go big gear all the way home. Tail winds rock

Good luck with the battle of Hastings guys.

Ed.

[Marek]

Rode up from EG for the club run. Felt like going with a slightly more normal speed type group this week so went with the B training group, just didn't feel like I wanted to be dead on my feet when I got home as had a few things to do.

So the B's were led out by Keith, who set a nice steady pace due to him racing the next day. Well to say steady is not quite true, he left CSS like a wasp had stung him on his arse. For most of the road out of Coulsdon Keith had a gap on the whole group. Good to see he was taking it steady for his race.

There were a few other quick riders in the group and going up the Reigate steps Dan put in a monumentous effort to get away on the lower slope. Managed to catch him up and then a couple of others (andy) came around. Dan and I then chased an old bloke on a mo ped, I decided to slip stream him while Dan over took him and let the mo ped slipsteam him.

We lost the rest of the group as we got through the lights, so we carried on a bit slower until just after Reigate where the rest of the group caught us up. Then we did a few big turns and Dan then did some real long efforts. As we came to the first little climb I was positioning myself to sprint over the top, but then as I got out of the saddle one of my feet detached from the pedal, I was nearly eating tarmac and Keith was almost up my, well you catch the drift.

So now I was without a sprint as was worried about the pedal, so rest of the ride to the dual carriageway just had to power along in the saddle. Put in a real big effort to catch a few of the guys that had got a little gap on the group through the trees just into Rusper, just about got up to them and then found I had good momentum so took it to the top of the drag. Then Keith came flying by, saying it is just me and you, I said so what, I am a wee bit tired now (or something like that) but he ploughed on so I tucked in, then Dan and Andy came up as well.

Then a few more hills and sprints, I just about managed to get the others on the longer hill before the dual carriageway, Dan was going around Sylv and Andy I think just as I was making my move, this made Dan check his move and I kept my speed up and got the hill. Sorry to Dan as I kind of made him slow down, I didn't mean to.

Dual carriageway was fun, felt pretty quick and then all of a sudden Dan, Sylv and Keith had a gap on the rest of the group. Thankfully a guy on an invalid car crossed the road in front of them which slowed them down just enough for us to put in a bit of a dig to get back onto their wheels.

On the run into the sprint I put in a big effort with a couple of corners to go, this blew the group apart a bit, then there were about four or 5 of us left. Sylv came through and I sat in at the back. Not being able to sprint due to the pedal I was trying to encourage Rob T, but he said he could not sprint either. Ah well, as we came up to the finish I went back to the front and upped the pace in the saddle, could not sprint but was really giving it some sitting down. Keith was on my wheel and in the last moment he just about got past me and Sylv was just behind me I think. Was a good fast one, shame I could not really give it some as I reckon I would have pipped him.

After the cafe a nice little group was going steady and then WHOOSH, Alan M in his resplendent Colnago colours came flying past. We watched him for a bit, and then he was edging away. Decided it would be fun to try and catch him up, so tightened the velcro on my shoes, zipped up the jersey and dug in. The others in the group tucked up and then we managed to catch him up. Well not wanting to spoil Alan's fun, we sat on his wheel. A few seconds later he realised that there was a group sucking his wheel, we then shouted some encouraging words for him to keep the speed up. He then decided he'd had enough so I went through and kept the pace up a bit. I peeled off not too much later but can imagine it was quite a quick run back as the guys looked like they had the bit between their teeth.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Alan M]

Went into the 19s today, declining the 19+ which looked too populated by boy racers! We set off at a fast pace and began to shed riders. Brian slowed us down and we proceeded but with some variability of pace. The wind was quite strong so I encouraged a through and off to try and steady the group and give shorter periods on the front. At first this was a bit chaotic but after a while it settled to a fair rhythm. By this time Ajay had joined with his inimitable brand of coaching behaviour and I just shouted at people!

The through and off on the dual carriageway was quite successful with a couple of newbies and a group of 14 enjoying a trouble free ride. The sprint was strenuously contested with Brian taking honours at the line, We averaged 20.2 according to Phil's "I never lie" Garmin Edge.

Returning, I tried to escape - I sometimes do this if I notice Steve nattering, knowing that he will eventually realise that it's Game-On. I thought I had a useful break from the group and was time trialling away and then sensed a presence! It was Marek et al keeping very quiet behind and letting me tow them along. So, of course, I sat up and let them come through ignoring a few personal comments as they passed, then I had to work even harder to stay on as Marek ripped up the road and then Ed and Graham took over. Steve finally made the bridge to the lead group and came through trying to look unphased by his super effort.

At the right turn through the housing estate, Ed and I got away, him leaving me for dead on the hills we arrived at the church more or less 1-2 with Ajay joining us at the traffic lights.

On El Capitan's instructions I set off from the church, and by the first traffic lights which went red just as we passed, I heard Ajay say we had a gap - unfortunately Steve appeared again and he pasted us on the drag. Only Phil and I were in pursuit and we shared the work evenly, eventually tracking him down with the help of a lucky traffic light change.

I had a 21.3 average for the return leg and we calculated and 86% average heart rate. phew!

A pretty good ride in all, and no rain!

[Michelle]

You guys sound like you had a blast.

Chapeau, Steve B for going with the A's. I'm v. jealous. But I'll get there eventually!

Still had a bit of a good'un myself yesterday, and although there was no cake in my day, there was an afternoon BBQ and then two 50th birthday parties in the evening.

I dunno, nothing for months then 3 things come along on one day. Sigh.