Decent ride yesterday - thanks guys
18mph door to door @ average HR 128 (my max is 237)
Decided the 18/19 ride was for me & was in speedy company with the likes of Steve, Adam, Paul & George - racing the next day.
The ride was really easy for me as I loitered near the back for the majority to the cafe. One stop for a puncture just before the through and off but otherwise OK.
With the group still quite large the T&O was reasonably easy and surprising smooth with so many people involved.
Coming into the sprint I Mark Mc front wheel blew up without warning a bike length inront of me which made me jump a little. Fortunately we were close to the cafe so we left him to fix it. The T&O never really got going again properly after that point. After a couple more turns i realised we were probably less than half mile to the line so decided the front wasn't the best place to be.
With Adam doing the work on the fron he got a small gap which was slowly increasing - figured it was now or never and almost killed myself to get on his wheel. Then just as I thought I could grab a couple of seconds rest on Adams wheel Paul came lying past. Left it a little too long and despite the 'encouragement' from Adam didnt have the legs to chase again.
Average to the cafe was 19.6mph
In the cafe the cake was again really nice!
ride back was tougher than the ride to the cafe - decided to do some work so was on the front for a little while.
This near killed me but fortunately at the golf course i nipped out in a gap in traffic infornt of evryone - this gap allowed me the time i desperately needed to slowly make my way over the golf course. decided not to stop at the church as was really struggling at this point. Again the small time advantage allowed me to get over Merstham and almost immediately as the rode turned downwards Steve and came came up alongside and it was a blast for the final mile or two.
Overally a good ride - I am starting to find my legs again after the layoff although the midweek running and swimming is taking its toll on the climbs.