1st November Club Run

[mlocke]

Today’s club run was a good affair despite the slightly dodgy weather that seems to have kept some of the less committed under their respective duvets (or should we be the ones that are committed??)

I went with the 18’s today with a bunch, which, on paper at least, could easily have been a training group as included members such as Dan G, Adam, Phil, Tom, Dave K? & Andy G amongst others who I am not too familiar with.

We set off down the carriageway with the threat of typical English weather ahead of us. At the foot of Mont Reigate Steps a little guy in white came to the front and kept on going as if we were going downhill. Fortunately this didn’t inspire the rest to do the same and most of the group remained in pretty close contact and steadily plodded over the hill.

At this point a more mature member of the group began to suffer and started to drop off the back a bit. The group slowed slightly and shortly later he made for a shortcut home.

The remaining eight carried on down the road until Dan & Andy took the early left to beat the queues at the café. This meant the through and off would be with just six of us which meant it would be painful. However as all the group are well versed in the T&O protocol it did mean that it could be a smooth one.

Up to this point in the ride I had been avoiding the front of the group as I am still protecting the hip which can still get painful if pushed too hard so I wasn’t too sure how it would react to the extra effort required.

Fortunately t was OK and the T&O was hard and smooth – each time I looked down at my computer the speed was at least 23mph and I don’t think it ever really fell much below.

Coming into the final home straight I was feeling pretty fresh having done little work on the ride out so decided that there would be little better opportunity for the sprint spoils to be mine. Just one problem however in the shape of a 1st cat, addiscombe road race winner and also the same guy that has beat me the last two weeks with ease despite my having cheated and tried to bribe people to block him 

With around a mile to go I was in perfect position, 4th sot immediately behind Adam. Then round on of the final few bends a small spanner in the works in the form of a group that had taken the shorter route. Last week the same thing happened which caught me out slightly and left me chasing coming into the final few hundred metres. Determined not to let the same happen I stuck to the wheel in front.

Then surprisingly almost as soon as we passed the group Adam kicked on. I followed with agony seething through my legs and the thought that “he’s gone too early, he can’t surely take this to the line”.

Coming round the final bend and the line lay before us. With one of the most painful efforts I must have made on the bike I slowly edged past him for the win.

Coming back was a decent blast in a reasonable sized group with all the work being done my Paul, Sylv and Carl.

At the golf course the hip began to feel more and more tender so had to ease up and the front group disappeared up the road. However had my hip not hurt I don’t think I could have carried on anyway as I was pretty cooked.

Average for the ride was 18.3 from door to door I think and despite getting quite wet at in the last couple of miles I enjoyed every minute of it.

See you all next week

Cheers
Locky

[Andrew G]

The utterly butterly 18s . The gent (sorry can't remember your name ) who turned off said earlier he was going to turn back at Leigh as he'd been off the bike for a little while.

Nice smooth run out to the cafe. I tend not to do the T&O myself as I get enough of riding up and down that dual carriageway during the season so turned off at Ifield with Dan while Adam took the rest off. Great ride out with some quality riders making it a very smooth enjoyable ride, although I was the only one with mudguards .

Approaching the cafe saw Ant fixing a puncture so pulled in and made use of a tree, and then whipped out my long one (pump) for Ant - size matters in these things and Ant soon had it nice and firm.

As the rain was falling I decided to keep going so just a quick pitstop at the shop for a choccy bar. Bumped in to fellow testers Terry and Steve and with Ant the four of us set off for home.

Terry and Steve waved us on as we neared the estate before the church so Ant and I carried on our way, having a nice natter and a good spin along at a reasonable pace in to the wind and rain.

Ant collected another puncture at Hooley so I gave him a tube, switched my lights on as it actually seemed quite murky so I thought better safe than sorry, and set off for the final run in home.

I thoroughly enjoyed today, I quite like riding in that sort of windy and wet weather (not all the time but every so often) and with winter boots, a good waterproof, and mudguards I stayed warm and by and large dry. Made all the more enjoyable today by riding with some very nice people.

Ta, Andrew.

[Dombo]

I could have posted this at 1130 but have only just thawed out.
Having joined the 19s to make up the numbers, the eight of us headed off down the A23 at a reasonable pace, descending the Merstham Drag fast enough that I could stay off the brakes. Our little peloton stayed together up the Reigate Steps and on through the town to the left turn by the Balamory houses. Through the lanes the pace picked up, helped by the brisk northerly at our backs, but momentary lapses of concentration had me drift off the back and then go eyeballs out to catch up
Finally it was my turn at the front, paired with a black Specialized Allez that pulled away like a motorbike, upping the pace further. That was it. I fell back, lost his wheel, then everyone else sailed past, spitting me out the back.
Press on or go back? I'm no Macbeth, and as my peloton grew smaller in the distance I chucked a U-ey as it started to rain at the 20 mile mark and headed for home, greeting various other groups along the way. Average speed to this point had been 19.7, my solo effort into driving rain took that down to below 17 when I reached my house
Nevertheless an enjoyable CR, floundering out of my depth outside my comfort zone.

[carl f]

Good to be out with the agreeables again,been way too long!
Me and polish vic went in the 17's with monty,alex et al,was vics first ride with the club-he really enjoyed it,pretty sure he'll be joining...
Good blast back up the front,only having to drop back to look out for vic,didn't want to leave him in the wilds of surrey
Thanks to everyone for making vic feel welcome
Cheers
Carl

[Dombo]

[quote="Andrew G"]
Approaching the cafe saw Ant fixing a puncture so pulled in and made use of a tree, and then whipped out my long one (pump) for Ant - size matters in these things and Ant soon had it nice and firm.

[Ian A4size]

Fnaarrrr

[Andrew G]

New long one Sean .

[Ian A4size]

Zephal HPX 2?

[mlocke]

There would appear to be plenty of filth and not too much about the club run in here!!

[Andrew G]

[quote="Ian MunneryA1size"]Zephal HPX 2?

[Ian A4size]

Good pumps they are too, better than the chartum!

[Amy]

Do you lot mind? There are some ladies in the club, you know

Mind you, they're not likely to be on the forum much, being ladies, so that rules me out

[Dombo]

Sorry Amy.
You know us boys. Once we get started these jokes just write themselves.

[Sylv]

Sorry for the short spell of lorry-drafting after the Merstham drag Adam, I know how you like to get to Hooley / Coulsdon first - I was soaked and heading for the showers

The sprint to Charlwood with Paul was really entertaining. Our initial group of six had dwindled to just the two of us, after we'd lost Kevin on the Reigate steps, Antloony on a puncture just before Rusper, then it was four of us on the DC, three of which taking turns, and when Paul attacked on the lanes, Rob W gave up the chase. The headwind was horrific and by the time I'd got back into Paul's wheel and recovered a bit, it felt like he'd slowed down to a crawl, which allowed me to counter-attack. But the wind, oh my word. This is where a rear-view mirror would have come useful as I wasn't sure whether it was worth pushing on any more or if Paul was slowly getting back to me. It was just too hard and too far to go, so I chose to ease off and Paul came to the front for the final few hundred meters, it was perfect as it allowed me to rest a bit and really push for the sprint and get it - wasn't easy though.

Excellent ride altogether and I felt really good despite having done over 13h during the week. Something's working out right

Max HR 182 (sprint), 180 on Reigate steps, seated
Aver HR 154 (but including a long wait on my own before the DC )

Sorry didn't manage any innuendos (innuendii?)

[Amy]

[quote="Dombo"]Sorry Amy.
You know us boys. Once we get started these jokes just write themselves.