Ride Reports

The Running Man

Wow Iain : what an epic ride : well done that man (he said with a mix of envy and admiration!!)

The Running Man

So Sunday : the route was Neston, Atworth and Bradford-on-Avon, then Frome. Soon after we hit the longest climb of the day at Gare Hill before sweeping down to Longbride Deverill and then almost turnng back on ourselves at Sutton Veny. We went past Shear Water and then a fast swoop down into Longleat where the house and grounds looked magnificent.

At around three quarters distance we stopped at the excellent cafe at Brokerswood then back through Bradford-on-Avon and to Sainsburys in Chippenham. I hooked up with a guy who was heading back to Melksham and extended the route home to make my 100.

Eventually did 105 at 18.0 mph average and had plenty in my legs at the finish.

What a difference some warm weather makes .....

benno68

The Running Man wrote:

had plenty in my legs at the finish.

You couldn't have been trying hard enough

Seriously - great ride RTM, 105 miles at 18mph is good going!

Rich158

OK here's my ride report from Crystal Palace last night.

It was obvious from the start that the first race of the season at CP had attracted a larger than usual crowd, and first night nerves coupled with my determination to try a new cornering technique recomended by a club mate left my stomach in knots. At least the race was going to be cut short due to the park closing at 8.

Lining up at the start there must have been about 60-70 in the 3/4 race, and on the off I had trouble getting clipped in and couldn't force my way to the front of the group. This led to a very poor first lap trying to keep up and test whether I had indeed clipped in properly. With the first lap out of the way, and gasping for breath I set about trying to stay with the group, but lack of confidence in my cornering and being too polite to force my way past on the hill led to me sitting at the back watching the lead group gradually stretch away. I started to pick off a few riders as they were spat out the back of the leading group, but however hard I tried I just couldn't close the gap to the leaders. They were tantailisingly close on the hill, and in retrospect i wish I had just buried myself a couple of times to get back in the pack.

Still I was only lappped once by the E,1,2's, and managed to stay in sight of the leading group, better than I had hoped for. My stats ended up as about 13 miles at an average heart rate of 156, a max of 170 and an average speed of 23 mph. Will I be back next week, you bet your life I will

cjcp

Good stuff, Rich . A work-related event scheduled for next Tuesday has been cancelled because of the travel disruptions, so might well be along next week instead.

jonginge

cjcp wrote:

Good stuff, Rich . A work-related event scheduled for next Tuesday has been cancelled because of the travel disruptions, so might well be along next week instead.

That's my plan, too.

Oh, Emma Pooley just won Fleche Wallone
Edit: and Nicole Cooke was 2nd

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Good stuff, Rich . A work-related event scheduled for next Tuesday has been cancelled because of the travel disruptions, so might well be along next week instead.

That's my plan, too.

Oh, Emma Pooley just won Fleche Wallone
Edit: and Nicole Cooke was 2nd

Get in . Mmmm, Emma Pooley.

londonlivvy

I shan't be entering CP (too slow / unfit) but as I live round the corner, if you lot are all entering I shall come and spectate and shout words of support / smart remarks. Tues is in the diary!

jonginge

Popped into Richmond Park for a quick lap after work. Was a beautiful evening; very few cars and a tailwind up sawyers hill. Left the park as the sun was dipping below the tree line. Stunning.

Tarte au citron: recovery food of the gods

itboffin

JonGinge wrote:

Popped into Richmond Park for a quick lap after work. Was a beautiful evening; very few cars and a tailwind up sawyers hill. Left the park as the sun was dipping below the tree line. Stunning.

Tarte au citron: recovery food of the gods

Pah Guinness is all a man needs... ALL! :shock:

cjcp

JonGinge wrote:

Popped into Richmond Park for a quick lap after work. Was a beautiful evening; very few cars and a tailwind up sawyers hill. Left the park as the sun was dipping below the tree line. Stunning.

Tarte au citron: recovery food of the gods

+1. It's just a great place to ride.

gert_lush

I know a young cyclist who swallowed fly, I don't know he swallowed a fly, perhaps he'll die! (also almost swallowed a butterfly, although not sure that would have caught the fly!)

A ex colleague of mine wanted to to do sustrans route 10 "avon cycleway" around bristol and today was the earmarked day what great weather! chuffing cold at 0730 but soon warmed up, can recomend anyone who does it to take the free map you can pick up somewhere, as the signposting is very dubious in places, a few junctions there seemed to be none at all, and others they were on the wrong side of a tree so have to really keep an eye out etc :twisted:
Anyhow apart from that, thouroughly enjoyable ride, its 85 mile round trip, but managed to make it over 100 by cycling to the meeting point some great country roads most of the way, some great pretty villages and nice houses in the country to look at (yes I'm getting old, I also enjoyed the well trimmed hedges, can't beat some nice topiary!)

We did it anticlock wise which was good, apart from we started in East Bristol so we got all the sharp steep hills on the last 15 miels, which was ok for me, but for those who had not done more than 60 in a day before they found it a bit energy sapping by then

anyhow, found some great new roads to ride again sometime, and will probably go out and do it on my roadbike sometime and try and get a lap record , competitive with myself, me..no sir

hambones

Underestimated the temperature this morning! 5.45am start and I was absolutely freezing - only thankful that I had 2 layers on and long-fingered gloves!

Great ride though - 60 odd miles of hill sprints, intervals and who knows what else. Got home and the family were still having breakfast so didn't spend the day in the doghouse.

markshaw77

Another early riser here - off and away by 6:15 to be back for family breakfast.

Took on one anti-clockwise loop of the Kent Invicta Grimpeur route which with the added mileage from my house to the start point in Otford made a nice round half century

Riding alongside Bough Beech Reservoir at barely 7am in the bright bright sunshine was just glorious and even managed a full on scalp of a TT competitor (skinsuit, tri bars, disc wheel, the works!!) when crossing the A21 - anyone here competing?

Saw very few cars, but plenty of other cyclists and had a good tussle coming back along the valley to Eynsford with another roadie in team kit - chapeau sir - some good pace and made me MTFU for the last 10 miles home!

Can't wait to give it another go and do it clockwise - I am sure it must be harder that way with Carter's Hill and Yorks Hill (both 20%+ in places) in the latter half.

Day's like today remind me why I ride!

suzyb

Was a case of a hill too far today.

Decided to head down into the Clyde valley then up the other side. Was horrendous almost from the start, lots of little hills that seemed to slow me right down. Then I came to the big one.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=55.678897,-3.847691&spn=0,0.002411&z=19&layer=c&cbll=55.678636,-3.845454&panoid=4SCCopf_mgGg4nfXaU4LHQ&cbp=12,277.04,,0,5

I had originally planned a route that would end up heading down the hill however with it being wet this morning and still quite cloudy I didn't fancy cycling down it in the rain plus I didn't know how good a road surface it would be (OK yes I was really just too scared :oops: ).

I had intended staying on the same road and doing a 35 mile loop but by the time I got to Blackwood I just couldn't face heading out up any more hills so I headed along the B7078 before heading back home.

And then the real fun started. I crossed back over the river then had to climb back out the valley to get home. So I decided to take the shorter route that is slightly flatter. However to get to that flatter section there is a rather steep hill. And it proved a hill to far.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=55.741873,-3.913279&spn=0,0.038581&z=15&layer=c&cbll=55.742082,-3.91387&panoid=qlUxPSG0KCQ4Wde9eQbVOg&cbp=12,129.63,,0,5

I somehow made it around that first corner (mainly due to the speed I had from going down the hill) then over I went, I just couldn't pedal anymore, fortunately landed on the nice soft grass verge but I ended up walking until I got to the junction where I turn off.

And then it was a very slow crawl the rest of the way home.

davis

Woohoo! Did my first metric century today. Not too bad really, ate often, didn't press for speed, and only one real hill.
Still, biggest distance so far, will probably look at increasing the distance.

And I still don't need (or want) padded shorts. Guess I've got my answer.

Agent57

Did a 60 mile route from Lancaster via Grange and Cartmel back to Lancaster today. Nice weather - warm enough, but not sunshine. There was one very nasty descent; steep, damp, mossy, gravelly and tight bends (Tow Top Road, near Witherslack, if you know it). The rest wasn't too bad though; any route I can get round on my compact is OK in my book.

rolf_f

Second consecutive Sunday 100 miler

From Escrick, just South of York over to Thixendale in the Yorkshire Wolds (last place in the UK to get television - about 10 years ago), to Fimber, Wetwang, Dalton, Cherry Burton, Newbald, Everingham, Bubwith and back to Escrick (86 miles) and then on to Stillingfleet, Naburn and Fulford and back to Escrick to make up the 100.

Mostly a nice day for cycling - weather forecast was for cloudy warm sunshine, the odd shower and possibly thunderstorms later. Didn't bother with a showerproof (nearly bought one in the Cycling Promototions sale at Woodlesford in the morning......) so decided to carry a base layer which I could put on after any significant rain. Weather, as promised, was mostly sunny and cloudy with the odd shower. Until I reached North Cliff on the way back to Escrick. Sky ahead looked rather nasty and, by the time I'd finished hastily scoffing my Eccles cake, a heavy, gusty headwind hit me. Light rain bothered me less than the colour of the sky ahead which was darker there than in any direction I wasn't going. By the time I was approaching Everingham, thunder, lightning, heavy rain and road floods were all I could see. I decided to bail into a pub in Everingham only there wasn't one. I had to make do with a bus shelter (nice one though - brick with a bench inside!) - dried myself off a bit, put the base layer on, ate some Haribos and waited keenly for the rain to stop before I got too cold. And it did – set off again, warmed up again under rapidly blueing skies and actually started enjoying the ride again! Enough to carry on and do an extra loop to finish the 100.

A nice run but the rain was a bit harsh – but exactly as predicted by the met office.

Bonus is that it has put me into the top 20 on SCS. 8)

Only need another 100 miles this week and I’ll have equalled my total mileage for the whole of last year in 4 months.

Kieran_Burns

suzyb wrote:

Was a case of a hill too far today.

Decided to head down into the Clyde valley then up the other side. Was horrendous almost from the start, lots of little hills that seemed to slow me right down. Then I came to the big one.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=55.678897,-3.847691&spn=0,0.002411&z=19&layer=c&cbll=55.678636,-3.845454&panoid=4SCCopf_mgGg4nfXaU4LHQ&cbp=12,277.04,,0,5

I had originally planned a route that would end up heading down the hill however with it being wet this morning and still quite cloudy I didn't fancy cycling down it in the rain plus I didn't know how good a road surface it would be (OK yes I was really just too scared :oops: ).

I had intended staying on the same road and doing a 35 mile loop but by the time I got to Blackwood I just couldn't face heading out up any more hills so I headed along the B7078 before heading back home.

And then the real fun started. I crossed back over the river then had to climb back out the valley to get home. So I decided to take the shorter route that is slightly flatter. However to get to that flatter section there is a rather steep hill. And it proved a hill to far.

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=55.741873,-3.913279&spn=0,0.038581&z=15&layer=c&cbll=55.742082,-3.91387&panoid=qlUxPSG0KCQ4Wde9eQbVOg&cbp=12,129.63,,0,5

I somehow made it around that first corner (mainly due to the speed I had from going down the hill) then over I went, I just couldn't pedal anymore, fortunately landed on the nice soft grass verge but I ended up walking until I got to the junction where I turn off.

And then it was a very slow crawl the rest of the way home.

So, what you're saying is: You pushed yourself to your uttermost limit?

In which case, I genuinely bow to your greater perseverence. 8) True and genuine hats off.

The Running Man

+1 with Kieran

Cracking effort SuzyB : well done that man!!

benno68

Top effort Suzy B - Chapeau!

itboffin

Very large, low moon tonight - black magic I tell you BLACK! :roll:

Rich158

Crystal Palace last night again for me, god that was hard work!!!! I was determined to get away to a good start, and made it through the first corner mid pack, which was a definate improvement. Buried myself on the hill, and managed to stay with the main group for maybe 5 laps or so. Eventually that feeling that my lunch was about to make an appearance got the better of me on the hill, and I ended up in a mid pack group who were sliding very slowly backwards. I stayed with the group pretty much untill the end, with a few people slipping off and then getting back on, and pretty much everyone working. It also encouraged me to be much more assertive with my track position and not give way quite so easily. Towards the end I finally sneaked a few glances down at my computer and my lowest HR was 165 :shock: and it tended to sit at arround the 170 mark which I normally only ever hit on hills.

Still the hard work is paying of, I managed to sit at a HR of about about 160-165 at times this morning without any problems at all. Bring on next Tuesday

Roastie

Rich158 wrote:

Crystal Palace last night again for me, god that was hard work!!!!

Well done! I am very jealous.

Hopefully I'll join you next week!

spasypaddy

Barnet to brighton on sunday (72miles)

left my house at 6.30am to meet my mate in angel (8miles), then onto the start point for our group in clapham, another 8 miles, then from clapham to brighton 56miles.

it rained and poured from the moment i left my house all the way to brighton.

my gears stopped working and the support mechanic couldnt fix them, until i suggested it might just be the delimiter screw.

Over the course of the ride of 4 of us that werent riding with the main group as they were averaging 8mph managed 5 p********. I led the way as the strongest, fastest rider, (and the one with the garmin), which meant alot of waiting around on street corners for them.

So ride time was 4 hours 30mins for the 72miles which im happy with. unfortunately we had over 2 and a half hours of wait time whilst we fixed bikes/tubes/tyres. all thanks to the weather.

Jay dubbleU

Warm up ride for next weeks sportive - 30 miles - 2 hours which is good for considering the evil headwind which seemed to be in my face most of the way - seemed much easier today so maybe fitness is coming ?

The Running Man

The first half of the Sunday ride was an ar*e : no other word for it.

I left the house at 8.30a.m. in shorts and a short sleeve top albeit at the last minute I grabbed a light summer jacket. It starting p*ssing down about 30 minutes from home and more less didn't stop for 3 hours til we got to the coffee shop at the Cotswold Water Park. The wind was blowing a bl**dy gale into our faces as well and it was just evil. You know it's proper cold when you get the stage where you're shivering and so wet that you can't help laughing like a lunatic?

Added to the mayhem one of only the 5 hardy souls who braved the weather had a visit from the PF and with a mixture of ineptitude and cold fingers took 20 minutes to change his tube while the rest of us stood around trying not to die of exposure ...

I spent 15 minutes in the cafe loos trying to dry out my gloves and socks under the hand dryer after buying one mug of coffee to drink and another to warm my fingers on.

The return journey wasn't as bad and after about 20 minutes it did stop raining and the wind stayed faithful and we had a good if damp ride back.

It was all I could do not to go straight home and jump in the bath, but I managed to discipline myself to do another 25 miles via Melksham and Devizes to make it a half decent 90 miles.

Monday on the other hand was lovely. Missed all the showers, lovely 60 miles round Malmesbury, Cricklade, Brinkworth and home over Wick Hill in the sunshine.

Still : that's the first 150 out of the way

davis

The Running Man wrote:

It was all I could do not to go straight home and jump in the bath, but I managed to discipline myself to do another 25 miles via Melksham and Devizes to make it a half decent 90 miles.
...
Still : that's the first 150 out of the way

Chapeau! That is all.

coopster_the_1st

Did my first metric century, 69 miles (111km) around Kent on Monday with a couple of friends.

Ride started nicely with it being flat on the marshes and feeling little wind for the first hour(it must have been behind us but the speeds did not tell this).

Then we came to our first hill (Lymnpe Hill) which is 11% for 0.5 mile. This was probably the toughest climb on the route. Was my first time at riding up the hill and I decided to grind up in the granny gear.

We then hit the wind and spent the next 2 hours riding into to. Boy is riding into the wind deflating.

After grinding up the first hill my legs then felt like they had been swapped for lumps of lead.

We then rode up onto Wye Downs from Sellindge up a short sharp climb. This was made harder by the hail shower at this time. A lovely decent into Wye where we all hit 40+mph despite riding into the wind.

After a short stop for provisions we tackled White Hill towards Challock. This is 6% for 1.3 miles and my legs were really feeling the grind up Lympne Hill.

We then rode to Selling, Painters Forstal, Lenham, then back to Ashford via Charing and Great Chart. This part of the ride was rolling but could hardly find a direction where we were not riding into the wind and we had another hail shower to top it all off.

A total ride time of 4:45 but 6 fairy visits between the 3 of us made the time out a lot longer but that was caused by the heavy rain the day before. Don't think I will ride again the day after heavy rain. Just gives the fairy too much ammunition.

Legs are tired today but feel much better for doing the distance.

Jay dubbleU

The Running Man wrote:

The first half of the Sunday ride was an ar*e : no other word for it.

I left the house at 8.30a.m. in shorts and a short sleeve top albeit at the last minute I grabbed a light summer jacket. It starting p*ssing down about 30 minutes from home and more less didn't stop for 3 hours til we got to the coffee shop at the Cotswold Water Park. The wind was blowing a bl**dy gale into our faces as well and it was just evil. You know it's proper cold when you get the stage where you're shivering and so wet that you can't help laughing like a lunatic?

Added to the mayhem one of only the 5 hardy souls who braved the weather had a visit from the PF and with a mixture of ineptitude and cold fingers took 20 minutes to change his tube while the rest of us stood around trying not to die of exposure ...

I spent 15 minutes in the cafe loos trying to dry out my gloves and socks under the hand dryer after buying one mug of coffee to drink and another to warm my fingers on.

The return journey wasn't as bad and after about 20 minutes it did stop raining and the wind stayed faithful and we had a good if damp ride back.

It was all I could do not to go straight home and jump in the bath, but I managed to discipline myself to do another 25 miles via Melksham and Devizes to make it a half decent 90 miles.

Monday on the other hand was lovely. Missed all the showers, lovely 60 miles round Malmesbury, Cricklade, Brinkworth and home over Wick Hill in the sunshine.

Still : that's the first 150 out of the way

We must have passed each other going in the opposite direction - I did Swindon, Cricklade, Cotswold Water Park, Malmesbury, Wootton Bassett and back to Swindon on Monday - evil headwind all the way to Cricklade