An excellent ride in the training group today, just Paul H Keith me and Rob (on and off). Hey people what's up with the leg warmers, it was +12c by 8am this morning! (eh Chloé) I bet some of you were well cooked by the time you reached Charlwood.
Paul was suffering a bit with what he thinks is a fractured ankle (
) so not quite up to his usual standard (but not far off), Keith was super strong and we were pretty matched in our efforts, Rob was doing well keeping up and taking turns but getting dropped occasionally. I tried to go for 1,000w on the short climb after the golf course out of Reigate but only managed 943 - with my rear end boucing left and right off that rough rough road.
Nice fast run on the lanes, despite the strong headwind, I led the way up the climbs before Rusper, all the way to the last one, where Paul and Keith got the better of me in the final part, which I never seem to get right and run out of steam with 50m to go. I knew Paul wouldn't wait at the top so dug deep to stay in touch with them. Keith went for the sprint at Rusper and I (just) managed to edge past him. This gave us a bit of a gap on Paul who lost touch on the following descent, then a good fight to the dual carriageway. Managed 1,015w on the final rise (cheers Keith, couldn't have done it without you
), when Keith came through for the summit, we were side to side and I was at my absolute max - the only way I managed to edge past him was get lower on the bike
. My average to there was 248w and strangely enough Paul with 12kg more only 239.
Thru and off was good with the wind in our backs, but I started to feel properly cooked. Paul was having a second wind and I had heavy legs at the high speed we were doing. Bit of a blur what happened for the sprint, I think I was at the front approaching, when Keith attacked hard in a big gear. I couldn't get on his wheel, but it was a fair way to go, so I had a try at it and was coming fast back at him, timing it to perfection (
) for the sign. Keith said he couldn't change gear on his winter bike!
Went back via Box Hill in a group of ten-ish with Alan, Chloé, Steve, Mark, Serge, Ben, Paul D and a few others. We kept it mostly together until Newdigate, when things started picking up a bit, after Alan had sprinted to his invisible sprinting line as usual. Serge and I had a good run to the right-turn, I tried as hard as I could but just like a mosquito I just couldn't shake him off!
. I reckon training group no probs next time. I tried Box Hill in the biggest gear (cadence 40rpm) so Serge had an easy win (or did I just chicken out of it?). Then good quick ride back to base chasing the occasional car.
Sometimes you have a nice thumping song in your head which helps on a fast ride, but today it was "Another day full of dread"
by Will Oldham. Yes it is a sad, slow (and unbelievably beautiful) song.