Club Run 30th August.

[Antloony]

'ah what a great day for cycling' I thought as I viewed the wide open blue sky from my bedroom window early this morning. If only my brain could have liasoned with my body then I think I would have faired a little better.

I was soaked in sweat by the time I'd finished pumping up my tyres let alone when I finally arrived at CSS. I think the word scorcher springs to mind, throw in what felt like quite high humidity and hey presto 2 magic ingredeants to rid your body of rather a lot of liquid and salt.

As the call came up fo a training group...silence..no Stu, Sylv, George etc.....where was everyone. Up rolled Andy E and a few new faces so I plonked myself with them and away we went...or should I say away they went, I'd obviously left my legs at home and replaced them with 2 from my dining room table. They just didn't want to work, I'd have a couple of minutes where I felt fine then BANG...they'd fall off and just felt like 2 dead weights. I hung on for a while before decieding enough is enough and let the elastic break at Rusper through the woods. I had a nice 5 min break, cooled down a bit before the 19's(?) came tootling along so I dived in with these and continued. Adam said the pace couldn't have been that high in the training group, I replied it wasn't to bad, it was just my legs, he wasn't feeling to good himself, hope your better tomorrow for your race.

Went for the long thru & off, here we split into 2 groups of 7, I went off with the leading group with Michelle, Kasper and co. Started off a bit ragged but as it went on it worked really well. Heading through the lanes I hatched a plan with Michelle to win her the sprint. I told her to take my wheel and I'd give her the win if we were in the position to do so. She did question if I'd pull over to let her win to which I assured her that I would do this, I am a man of my word and a gent with it to. (no laughing at the back) Well it worked a treat, approaching the last couple of bends she sat right behind me, I checked behind then started to wind it up a bit, only one rider to over take for the win, another quick glance to make sure she was still there and sure enough she was. By this time it was all over bar the shouting, I pulled over to the left to watch Michelle take the win, great team work

Huge queue at the cafe, managed to find a seat an had a good chat to Del and how he's been doing short but hard rides which have been doing him wonders for his speed and strength.

Box Hill route again for the return home, my legs felt a bit better by now, maybe is was the EPO I shoved in my tea. One thing I do hate about this route though is that horrid little right hand bend that climbs upwards shortly after you leave the cafe and your legs are still not fully warmed up. Mr commented on this to. Quite a quick ride to BH, I managed to put in some turns at the front though when we reached the bottom of BH and started to climb my legs metamorphised back into the ones resembling my dining room table.

Quick stop at the top before it was time to go, just a few left inc Mr as he was heading for Pearsons in Sutton so tagged along with us.. Good ride back, was quite funny at one point as I thought he was attacking me and Kev so I attacked him shortly after. Little did I know he was only trying to keep a big gear turning hence being out the saddle. The mad mile was a good blast, I really dug in here and shot past Mr taking him by suprise...I think he called me a rude name before having a dig himself to catch us up.

Not my best day in the saddle but at least the sun was still shining when I collapsed on the sofa. All I have to do now is take my bike apart and try and find that bloody annoying rattle thats developed.

Have fun folks.

[Andrew G]

What a great day for a bike ride .

Wasn't sure what to do today and wasn't really fussed either, just wanted a nice bike ride. My mind was made up for me and the problem was solved when I arrived, as Monty said he was short of someone to take an 18s, so I took that.....at 19s . In fairness I kept checking back to see if anyone was flagging and everyone seemed happy enough. There was the odd slipage off the back on a hill or drag but we eased up to get everyone back together again.

T'was a good bunch, although I've done so few club runs during the racing season that I don't know a fair few faces these days, but I couldn't let them win the sprint now could I .

Michelle, we had a young lady in the group who was riding very well (Suzie if memory serves - Marmite jersey) who mentioned Palace and the possibility of some racing. With yourself, Chloe, and now potentially Suzie we could have the makings of a good women's racing section .

Came back via Box Hill with the first group (Ant, Andy E, Kevin, and 2 or 3 others I don't know). Nice brisk pace gave me a chance to stretch the legs. Took the Sutton turn off with Ant and Kevin as I was popping in to Pearson's and we had a fun little burn up along the main road. Yes Ant I just got out the saddle for a few metres to keep my momentum up the little drag to the brow when yourself and Kevin suddenly decided I was going for it and shot off . Out the saddle again then to jump over the gap . Fortunately on your last little dig I was merrily rolling along in a big gear on that fast road so could latch on quickly. The rude name was just because I thought you had finished playing silly buggers and were going to let me roll in to Sutton serenely, fat chance .

ACC 10 next week so no CR but expect I'll see a few folk down there doing their bit for the club in a lovely yellow bib

Cheers,

Andrew.

PS I expect Stu and co are racing, although I know George was doing a 10 this afternoon too.

[Alan M]

[quote]I hatched a plan with Michelle to win her the sprint.

[Michelle]

[quote]I pulled over to the left to watch Michelle take the win, great team work

[Antloony]

[quote="Michelle"]To be fair, I am not sure the sprint was as fully contested as usual, us having a small group of seven and a couple of new people in there as well. Still, makes me smile, and all sprint finishes are good practice.

[Grahame]

I arrived at CSS just after 9 to be met by Monty witht he question "What group do you fancy taking out today?" I was feeling pretty weak, so asked for nothing above the 17s.

Anyway, we were left with 4 officers (Amy, Phil, Monty and I) in the 17s. There was chaos at the extra traffic lights near Star Lane - I think we should use "Amy's Alternative" route out until this is sorted - when Robbie apparently fell off in front of all the cars just as the lights were changing. We chose to regroup at the Little Chef/Starbucks/whatever it is this week, and wait for Robbie and whoever else got caught up in it there. After about 5 minutes wait, Robbie and his mates cruised past without so much as a slow down, never mind a "Thanks for waiting" . So the rest of us set off at a steady pace and swept them up on the way down to Merstham. The 3 lumps went OK, with (Jane?) on the front who had said she was nervous about stepping up to the 17s, and wasn't a strong climber. Anyway, people were disciplined in their climbing and held thier places to allow a smooth "tempo" climb.

At the left turn after Riegate, Robbie and his mates carried straight on - no problem with people doing this, but please let somebody know rather than just disappearing. This left a smaller group which worked well together doing the Rusper lanes extension and arriving at the cafe with a slightly faster than anticipated 17.6mph average. But, we'd kept everbody together and there was little if any complaining about the speed on the way down. (Jane) had conquered her fear of the 17s group and commented on how nice it was to be riding in a tightly disciplined group with everybody working for each other. Some cunning "rotate" cals had put a nameless overweight rider in prime position to take the sprint .

I opted for the "steady group" via Box Hill for the way back and as I was on the front at the junction with Partridge Lane forced an alternative route - turn right and head down the hill instead of left and back to the main road - this brings you back to the outward clubrun route at the T junction just before Newdigate. In Newdigate there was a call to wait for 2 riders who'd been dropped. I decided that my tea lease had expired and went along to the next gateway to reduce the pressure on my bladder. Some heckling near the end of the process let me know that the peloton was on the move and passing me. "Surely they'll go steady and wait for me to get back on" thought I. But, no. They were gone and tapping out a pretty decent pace. I had a solo chase and only made contact with some stragglers at the traffic lights just before the bike path by the dual carriage way before BH!

I struggled up the climb with Alex and made my disappointment at not having been waited for known at the top. The road past Dauphin was its usual nasty potholed self. Officially my least favourite bit of road on our routes. Then the pace slowly ratcheted up to and through the camel humps. I got a nice draft off Nick after teh roundabout and stayed in contact on the climb past the "posh housing estate". Don't turn left here, straight on is much better, giving a good fast downhill run into the last little "climb" of the route which I took as an anaerobic power surge over the top to surprise Monty and a couple of other "goats". Finishing with a fast cruise to Coulsden and then the 10 mile warm-down back home.

Overall a decent day in the saddle only slightly marred by a minor "attitude" issue near the start and nobody bothering to check that everybody was "on" at teh start of the charge to Box Hill.

[Michelle]

Andrew said

[quote]Michelle, we had a young lady in the group who was riding very well (Suzie if memory serves - Marmite jersey) who mentioned Palace and the possibility of some racing. With yourself, Chloe, and now potentially Suzie we could have the makings of a good women's racing section

[Alan M]

[quote]which I took as an anaerobic power surge over the top to surprise Monty

[Grahame]

I'm sure I don't know what you mean Mr Mularkey Or are you planning to challenge Mr Green for the "Forum Finbarr" award?