Cherry Popped....Finally

Ow My Life......How long have I been mentioning this?! 100 miles, the tonne, the Century ride.....

I've wanted to ride 100 miles since I started riding road bike's. I set it as a target for last year. Didn't acheive it, didn't think i'd ever acheive it. Started to think it would take too long and be boring and who give's a crap if you do. Started to get a little negative about it. Made excuses for never doing it and not planing for it.

Then I got drunk and signed up for this, the Evans Ride It Woking event. I was a wet night in Decemeber and I'd gotten to the point where (after 3 glasses of red) I just thought, 'screw it'. It's only £15, if I don't turn up its not the end of the world, after all a full sportive is about £30, I'd be a little more bothered about losing £30.

So I then thought, 'right, I don't really want to do this alone'. So I started bothering my cousin. Handn't seen him for years but I follow him on Strava and know he rides and more importantly, rides well. You don't really want to turn up to ride a distance and have to pace someone do you. You wouldn't ever say it but I know you're thinking it.

Turns out, when you sign up for an Evans Ride It event 4 weeks in advance you get a free HIGH5 nutrition pack, check this lot out:

And that's after me taking 4 gels out to consume on the course. I defo recommend the early sign up. That's like a summers worth of nutrition sorted right there.

Anyway the event......Now I've never done an Evans event so I had no real expectation. I'd heard they weren't full sportives and potentially used as sales events with plenty of product to try out. In all honesty, as long as my £15 bought me nutrition for the ride and a few colourful arrows I'd be happy.

My cousin didn't actually sign up to ride but he knew the roads well so joined me for the distance, I see no harm in that and I'm proper pleased he did. Looking at the list of finishers' on the 'Ride It' blog, I can't see they'd have any arguement either, for the long course there seems to be as many DNS entries as there were finishers, although they weren't taking entries on the day as all places were booked........hhhmmmnnn hindsight...check out the Evans Ride it blog for the list of finishers. I'm rider 6499, if anyone cares?!

Anyway, the route was a great one, with food stops at 35, 65 and 75 miles. Listed as 2/5 of the climbing difficulty scale this seemed like a good event to hit the magical 100 miles. The event was only a 90 miler but riding to/from the start/finish from my parent's house was just under 14 miles so I knew I'd be hitting that magical number at some point. It's funny, I remember seeing Matt (my cousin) and saying prior to leaving the start that the only expecations I had for the day was to hit that magical tonne, I had no expectations around speed or timing. It was good to know he felt exactly the same. 

As it was pretty flat and there was no wind (what? I know, mental) Matt and I preceeded to kick the arse out of the first quater of the route. We did mention the fact that sitting on the back of a fast group was probably a good Idea but we just kept on over taking. Of course this wouldn't last for ever so at about the 25 mile mark with an average speed of 18.2 mph we decided to take it back a notch. This was a beautiful route on lovely country roads with very few car's, it was turning into an ideal ride.  The lack of hills was a real plus, don't get me wrong, it was lumpy but nothing too fierce.

Now I'd ridden out just 7 days ago with another mate on a 70 mile route (of the Chilterns) and I don't mind telling you that after 45 miles, I was toast. I simply don't ride that far, I commute daily 14 miles each way with an 8 hour break in the middle, suddenly requesting 70 miles from my legs was quite an ask.  Also I didn't eat well, I never do. This time I was determined to do so. I ate porridge, honey on wholemeal toast and 2 banana's before the ride. Then I proceeded to shove everything offered to me that was edible, into my face. This served me well and at no point in the ride did I feel hungry and more importantly my legs stayed strong for the duration. 

I felt better at 80 miles, than I did last week after 50. Funny what a bit of distance in the legs and a whole lot of nutirition can do. I think the slowing down did us good as we were able to up the pace again in the last 20 and drop plenty more riders. 

It was a great ride with great company on a great route, one I'd happily ride again. I'd probably say the weather was just about spot on too. It's funny, I did feel a little odd passing the 100 mile mark. It's something I'd waited for, for so long and there it was, just another number on my Garmin.

There it is, look at that, check it out. BOOM. FINALLY my Garmin reads over 100 miles in a single ride. And how do I feel for it? Good....It's finally done. I'm a centurion! I've got the Wiggle Ups and Down's on the 28th, 100 miles with 6404 ft of climbing,  I'm sure in comparison this will feel like a picnic in the park.

Ow well, at least I'll get another HIGH5 nutrition pack for my efforts. 

6 days and counting

With 6 days to go until my first Sportive (ish) ride of 2013 it seemed inevitable that I'd need to ramp up my mileage a little.

Needing to do this made me realise I don't really do long rides, in fact all I ever seem to do is commute. My max distance is around 30 miles a day, I do ride every day I work (give or take) as I don't own a car but my real struggle is distance.

This again proved to be the case on Sunday. I rode with a mate who is far more accomplished at riding distance and manages his performance accordingly.

My legs weren't feeling great after a run on the Saturday, I don't run as a rule but like the idea of being able to exercise in 30 minutes. The last time I ran, I ran 3 miles then struggled to walk for a week.

Little steps....I ran 1.2 miles, I was gone 8 mins, the wife questioned why I even bothered but it's good to build up slowly.

Anyway, about an 2 hours in I decided to test my legs by jumping on the wheel of another cyclists who just happened to pass on one of many Chiltern climbs. I stayed with and felt good, it seems that may well have been the high point of my ride. I dropped my ride
Buddy who then preceded to 'carry me' for the remainder of the ride.

It seems I struggle over 40ish miles, not great with a 95 miler coming up. Now I could blame nutrition as I'd only eaten Hot cross buns pre ride. I always under estimate the effect of a good feed.

It seems I may need to pace myself and ride within my means for the first 40. Pride eh?!

A real highlight of the ride was a coffee stop in Henley, an exceptional cappuccino alongside a heavenly Peice of Tiffin at the 55 mile mark was much needed.

My ride buddy rides a Canyon (full carbon) to my Alu Cannondale, weighs about a stone more than me and descends like a eff'ing bullet, if neither of us pedal and both crouch he'll pull a huge gap before the descent is over. I didn't even have the energy to pull this back on the flat, so kudos goes to Martin for staying with me.

At 70 miles, post leg cramp, I was just happy for the ride to be nearing the end. Thankfully, while I was out ruining myself, my better half was cooking roast chicken and all the trimmings, which I devoured upon my return. If it hadn't of been for a post meal walk around the Look Out, my legs would feel worse today than their current 'glass' like state.

https://www.strava.com/activities/46648926

Looking toward next weeks 90 miler, I'm feeling that losing 15 quid isn't the end of the world, after all 'who needs distance cycling'?

Nah, I'll give it a bash and see how I get on, hopefully it'll be cancelled due to the weather.

That's the attitude.....

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The memory remains....

Wow, that ride home was awesome. Ok so it was dark and it was pissing down but it was awesome.

Simply put, my ride was awesome because I caught and rode with a cyclists that has consistently kicked my ass for the last 2 years.

Back in October 2011, I wrote on this blog (really, you've been chatting shit for that long?!) about a cyclist that rode a bike similar to mine but rode like the freaking wind, I mean this guy was so consistently fast it was scary.

I got to a point recently where I could catch him on a climb (he's beatable on an ascent) but he'd beast me on the flat and I do mean beast me. This bothered me. I haven't really been trying to get faster but you don't want to stand still right? I just started to ride a different route, longer with more climbs.

I only generally ride the shorter route every now and again, usually when the weather is shit as its more protected from the elements or when I simply can't be arsed with the additional mileage.

Tonight was time to hit the short route. With pissing rain and a strong wind, a ride across the open expanse of Windsor Great Park really didn't appeal.

Then I noticed him as I was sat at a junction just over the Thames in Staines.

'Screw it, I'm not chasing him' was my initial thought. I could see him in the distance but wasn't chasing him down. It's Friday after all, after a week of riding my legs are toast.

He wasn't getting away but I wasn't gaining, I was happy with that. Then came Egham hill. Steep enough but short enough to not really matter, before I knew it I was riding on his wheel. Been here before though, I need to keep with him on the flats.....

And I did and he wasn't getting away and I was clearly stronger on the climbs. He knew this too.

We got to the lights at Wentworth golf course and we were level, I rode past him with an approving nod and a "hello mate".

Now I was leading, shit. I gotta step it up. I lead for about 5 miles, he didn't come past me. Finally, I was fast enough to stay with him. Now don't get me wrong, this wasn't easy, in fact, it's the fastest ride home I've done for, well on this route, ever!

I rode at the front on the hardest section of the ride, numerous small climbs on narrow roads with tree's acting as a canopy, proper dark too, cars far too close for comfort but I didn't care, I was leading.

We rode up the last notable climb into Ascot and at the top he passed me and gained 10 bike lengths instantly. I was ruined.

We stayed as this distanced through Ascot high street, I was too busy getting my breath back to care about the gap.

We reached the roundabout by Heatherwood Hospital level again, I was back in the room and no longer panting. I got up to stamp on the pedals and my left leg started cramping. Jesus, I haven't had cramp in my legs from riding for years.

And then my right leg, haha this was comical. I managed to spin off the cramp enough to pick up speed and hold his wheel on the short decent back to Bracknell.

My fastest ride and cramp in both legs but what a commute. Finally I managed to keep pace. It's only taken 2 poxy years!



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Hacked off

Summer bike or Winter hack?





My precious Cannondale. The one I needed the wife's permission for. The one that only see's the sun, never ventures out in the rain or muck.

The one I'd only ever upgrade if parts wear or break, no cheap fix here.My pride and joy.....you get the picture.





I keep it under lock and key and to be honest, rarely ride it. I've upgraded the wheels and added a white saddle (bad idea) put it back in the shed, awaiting summer.

Now it's my bloody winter hack, I hate using it but my wife tells me "it's only a bike". I hate seeing it like this and today's weather is the worse type for keeping a bike clean, wet and filthy.

The annoying thing is that I have the perfect winter bike, with mudguards and lights and I don't care about it as long as it works but it doesn't, it's buggered. Has been for about a month. Cash flow or the obvious lack of has kept it broken in the shed and kept me on the summer bike.




Finally I've bought all the parts I need and the winter bike is booked in with my LBS for 9:30am to get sorted. I can't wait to clean the summer bike and put it back safe and warm.And mudguards, god damn I've missed mudguards.

Trying to commute in England in February without mudguards is insane, ok it's not gonna kill you but bugger me will you get wet.

But it's soiled now, the summer ride will never be the same again now I know the bike has seen some abuse.

Every nut is rusty and caked in crap..... Ah well, it's only a bike....

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Certification

Yeah baby, this excites me! Can't wait to get my kit and get started.



You never know, this could be the start of something beautiful....


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Sky Ride Leader

Well why not?

It all started on a whim when I fancied a ride. Not fast, not specific, just a ride. I searched the Sky Ride website and found nothing in my area, well nothing I could be bothered to actually ride to anyway. So I thought I'd volunteer my services when I saw British Cycling wanted ride leaders in East Berkshire.

A full days training on a Saturday, that's all it took. It's not rocket science after all, the criteria is the ability to ride a bike and the want to be there and give something back. Thankfully, I fit the criteria.

Training was a mix of classroom sessions and practical, the classroom sessions being mainly road awareness and presence. The practical was more fun, almost teaching us how to ride a bike again, the point to make us aware of the need to deliver to the audience. I mean, you can't expect everyone to turn up in full Lycra with lid in hand and a quality road bike.

We took turns to lead the group around a housing estate, learning to ride for a group and managing the group as a whole. Quite different from my daily commute and riding for myself.

The difference from club riding is your responsibility for the group, you as a ride leader need to ensure they are safe, able and prepared. Assessing their ability prior to setting off.

I'm really looking forward to getting started, Ride Strong I recon, average speed 13-14 mph for a few hours, that's a slow pace for someone riding on the road regularly but it will be fun and help get my mileage up over the summer, not to mention, helping other like minded riders.

Did I mention you get paid? Doesn't matter, I'd do it anyway but win win right ?



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Point taken...

Now I am a 'break - fix' type of guy, if it works then I ain't touching it. 2 years I've had the Tricross and to be honest other than the addition of new tyres and some mudguards, the only thing I've changed in that time is the chain and the cassette.

That was near enough exactly a year ago. Now due to the addition in 2012 of my new 'summer bike' my Tricross handles only the shit weather, the pissing rain and the freezing temperatures, with zero maintenance from me, I literally add oil to the chain every now and again. I clean nothing. The 'summer bike' on the other hand looks like new as it only ever see's sunshine. I can count on one finger the amount of times it's been ridden in the rain, let alone anything worse.

This attitude has worked ok for me up until this point where I have now been bitten on the ass, royally. My gears have started to slip, no biggy, just adjust the barrel adjuster on the rear mech and sorted, only I can't as its stuck, it won't budge.

I play with front mech and gear cable to make sure both are working, hmmn that'll do. I continue to ride around the bikes frailties promising a gear service some time in the future, only the problem gets dramatically worse.

At that point were you just simply have to stamp on the pedals to put the power down to avoid imminent danger, the chain slips, again and again. This just happened to be on the busiest roundabout on my commute connecting the A30 to the M25, yeah right, the busiest motorway in the country. yay.  Thankfully the driver aiming at me could see my plight and allowed me the time to escape....

Fuck it, gotta stop putting this off and get the damn bike fixed. Visited the LBS who took one look at it and said, "right, new chain, new cassette, new chain rings, new jockey wheels". Chain has stretched, teeth on the chain rings are mullered and the jockey wheels look like your nan with her teeth out. Wicked.

Balls, I don't have the cash to replace the entire freaking drive chain, a stag do and 2 weddings coming up take preference. Serves me right really, 2 years of wear with nothing in the way of TLC is taking the piss a bit. " at least the summer bike looks pretty". Not anymore, tis now the only bike I can actually ride.

It pains me to do it but the newbie now has lights fitted and is ready for the rain (inserts sad face).