Friday, 27 April 2012
Mallorca 312 sportive
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Mallorca day four
Mallorcan energy bar/tart
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Mallorca day three
Mallorca day two
Later Nick had a puncture which he fixed while the rest of us had a relaxing coffee and cake. 90 mile by the time we arrived back at the hotel.
Mallorca day one
Gary Dodd and Andy Hicks leading the way.
Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Having spent the last many months carefully tending a consultancy contract and therefore implicitly ignoring the mores of a new season, my body told me it was high time to readjust the balance. Indeed if I had not, my balance on the bike would be seriously impeded by the excess baggage and would have needed more than mere readjustment.
So with this in mind I spent a while researching warm weather multi terrain cycling and having been to a couple of training camps around Alicante before, I settled upon Costacycling as my base. Boy when I arrived I realised how much I really did I need some hours in the saddle ( I do not record specific miles ridden) so with as little as 10 days preparation in the gym since Christmas I set off with high hopes but some trepidation as to what I may achieve with only my bike and and myself for company. i.e. no plan to ride with anyone else.
The traffic free super smooth Spanish roads for my only company were very encouraging and the weather on arrival warranted only arm and leg warmers and no hat, cold wind and bright sunshine were the order of the day and in the first few days, and in respect to my paltry fitness levels, I cycled mainly in all places that were predominantly flat just to get some time in the saddle. Spanish cyclists seen along the way, were dressed as if the next ice age were soon to arrive but for a hardened UK cyclist, albeit an overweight track cyclist the weather was merely bright but cool.
So an hour on the evening of arrival, followed by 3 1/2 hours pan flat the next day, followed by 4 1/2 hours lumpy the third day left me aching and retiring early to bed each evening. The fourth day was taken up by a walk into town ( 7 k ) for coffee and beer.
Then really I set too, straight up climbs with big loops into the hinterland 4 – 5 hours each day never over stretching but nevertheless upping the physical ante everyday, feeling progressively less tired and stronger as the days progressed and all the while pretty much seeing or riding with no one !
One evening my host said to me having assessed my proposed next day route, he said please prepare yourself you will no encounter much on those roads, he was not kidding, no single being, human, dog or cat for a clear two hours on the ride, oh why cannot Surrey be like that sometimes ? See attached picture for the scale of nothingness, and these roads for sure all went somewhere,…. just no one wanted t go there ! I still only took one bottle and a bar all day though.
The last day was reserved for a final bash on the big ring, dead flat, plenty of tough wind and imaginary minutemen to chase, so chase I did, and I felt the transformation of a former cycling body emerging from a long winter hibernation, throwing off the winter layers and at last feeling like I wanted to face the upcoming jaunt to the see Giro and whatever madcap schemes for racing I secretly harbored .
Oh I am now really looking forward to that Italian trip, only 5 weeks to go !
My host in sunny Spain CostaCycling Paul Durrant, www.costacycling.co.uk , Paul and his wife were very hospitable, perfect hosts for a middle aged cycling mad banking consultant's retreat, Paul pictured here in a typical cyclist' s manner but egged on by yours truly, caught on his turbo well before his surgeon's recommendations, following a nasty crash in which he had broken his hip.
PS clambering up the Dolomites with Dudley and friends, to watch the Giro, an altogether a larger experience but at a lot less intimidating now, thank goodness.
Safe riding,
Martin
So with this in mind I spent a while researching warm weather multi terrain cycling and having been to a couple of training camps around Alicante before, I settled upon Costacycling as my base. Boy when I arrived I realised how much I really did I need some hours in the saddle ( I do not record specific miles ridden) so with as little as 10 days preparation in the gym since Christmas I set off with high hopes but some trepidation as to what I may achieve with only my bike and and myself for company. i.e. no plan to ride with anyone else.
The traffic free super smooth Spanish roads for my only company were very encouraging and the weather on arrival warranted only arm and leg warmers and no hat, cold wind and bright sunshine were the order of the day and in the first few days, and in respect to my paltry fitness levels, I cycled mainly in all places that were predominantly flat just to get some time in the saddle. Spanish cyclists seen along the way, were dressed as if the next ice age were soon to arrive but for a hardened UK cyclist, albeit an overweight track cyclist the weather was merely bright but cool.
So an hour on the evening of arrival, followed by 3 1/2 hours pan flat the next day, followed by 4 1/2 hours lumpy the third day left me aching and retiring early to bed each evening. The fourth day was taken up by a walk into town ( 7 k ) for coffee and beer.
Then really I set too, straight up climbs with big loops into the hinterland 4 – 5 hours each day never over stretching but nevertheless upping the physical ante everyday, feeling progressively less tired and stronger as the days progressed and all the while pretty much seeing or riding with no one !
One evening my host said to me having assessed my proposed next day route, he said please prepare yourself you will no encounter much on those roads, he was not kidding, no single being, human, dog or cat for a clear two hours on the ride, oh why cannot Surrey be like that sometimes ? See attached picture for the scale of nothingness, and these roads for sure all went somewhere,…. just no one wanted t go there ! I still only took one bottle and a bar all day though.
The last day was reserved for a final bash on the big ring, dead flat, plenty of tough wind and imaginary minutemen to chase, so chase I did, and I felt the transformation of a former cycling body emerging from a long winter hibernation, throwing off the winter layers and at last feeling like I wanted to face the upcoming jaunt to the see Giro and whatever madcap schemes for racing I secretly harbored .
Oh I am now really looking forward to that Italian trip, only 5 weeks to go !
My host in sunny Spain CostaCycling Paul Durrant, www.costacycling.co.uk , Paul and his wife were very hospitable, perfect hosts for a middle aged cycling mad banking consultant's retreat, Paul pictured here in a typical cyclist' s manner but egged on by yours truly, caught on his turbo well before his surgeon's recommendations, following a nasty crash in which he had broken his hip.
PS clambering up the Dolomites with Dudley and friends, to watch the Giro, an altogether a larger experience but at a lot less intimidating now, thank goodness.
Safe riding,
Martin
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Midhurst A clubrun
It was a typical spring day, not quite warm enough for shorts but not cold enough for overshoes. There was a good gathering of club members at the normal meeting point in Cobham carpark. It looked like the Uppers and Downers are getting a dedicated following although I'm not sure who blows the whistle when Roger is away. The B+ group were as usual being lead by Paul Gadd and Alan Brunsden, headed off towards Petworth while the B's lead by Bob Maylin went to Southwater. Paul and Lin's C group is really getting too big and I think some joined the B's to make it safer on the roads and quicker at the teastops.
Ten members started out with the A's, on the route that headed pretty much southwards, over the North Downs, across the weald, until we reached the South Downs, as always planned by Mr Routemaster Trevor Lenthall. It's around here that the lanes really do become lovely and quiet and a bit muddy, although I'm not quite sure all of it was mud by the smell that was hitting my nostrils. We had a couple of good testing climbs, the first was Bedham, which riders descend in the Spring Onion sportive, and then a main road climb up to Duncton beacon, before some fast roads down towards East Dean where Trevor sneakily got past Dave and I on the gravel to claim the village sign.
The next sign was the tightest of the day, reminiscent of last weeks World track championships in Melbourne, but in slow motion of course, between Dave and myself and where I reached my highest speed of the day, 36mph. Chris Hoy can manage 45mph, need I say more.
I had ridden 65 miles by the time the group (minus Nick Allen & Mark Williams who had turned early) had reached Midhurst and so were ready for a little bit of lunch. The tearoom there is very nice and we decided it was just about warm enough to sit out in the garden where all 8 of us crammed onto a single table. It was very cosy. I don't know if we have all been spending too much time together recently, but when you see the table when our food arrived you'll get the picture.
Soon it was back on the bikes and time to head back in a northerly direction, up and over the North Downs. you will be able to trace our route on the Garmin site here below if you are so inclined, just click on VIEW DETAILS for a more detailed map.
With Lawrie and Toby joining the A group rides recently it has got me more interested in the STRAVA site that they both subscribe too. You can see the SWRC page by clicking on the SWRC activity button on the RHS of this blog. The other week (24th March) on our club ride down to Hartfield I was really struggling to keep up. This week I was feeling 100% better and in some parts it was due to a couple of audax's I had ridden down in Dorset the following weekend. It does go to show how a little bit of extra training can go a long way. One of these rides had 4500m of climbing, which is on a par with the mighty Marmottee sportive in the Alps. It got me thinking and for the first time this year I had the energy to give our very own Col du Galibier, that climb we all love to hate, yes the Col du Coombe Bottom a real go at. Yes, you see, if you possess a Garmin GPS on your handlebar you can time yourself over ANY climb in the country and see how you compare to all the other cyclists who have ever ridden up that same climb. This is were some of you reading this have probably switched off and gone back to doing something more useful but for others it has a slight fascination. Especially for me who is not the greatest climber but I have still managed to be club Hill Climb Champion for the past four years and so should be promoting this sort of thing if ever someone else is going to take on the champion's mantle.
Here are the pages and as you can see I'm only just slightly in front of my other Alpha college Richard Gordon, but where is that other super hill climber that spends many an evening training on so many of these hills and must be in with a shout on the leader board.
The question has to be asked is this where the club championship will be decided in a few years time. What do you think?
Ten members started out with the A's, on the route that headed pretty much southwards, over the North Downs, across the weald, until we reached the South Downs, as always planned by Mr Routemaster Trevor Lenthall. It's around here that the lanes really do become lovely and quiet and a bit muddy, although I'm not quite sure all of it was mud by the smell that was hitting my nostrils. We had a couple of good testing climbs, the first was Bedham, which riders descend in the Spring Onion sportive, and then a main road climb up to Duncton beacon, before some fast roads down towards East Dean where Trevor sneakily got past Dave and I on the gravel to claim the village sign.
The next sign was the tightest of the day, reminiscent of last weeks World track championships in Melbourne, but in slow motion of course, between Dave and myself and where I reached my highest speed of the day, 36mph. Chris Hoy can manage 45mph, need I say more.
I had ridden 65 miles by the time the group (minus Nick Allen & Mark Williams who had turned early) had reached Midhurst and so were ready for a little bit of lunch. The tearoom there is very nice and we decided it was just about warm enough to sit out in the garden where all 8 of us crammed onto a single table. It was very cosy. I don't know if we have all been spending too much time together recently, but when you see the table when our food arrived you'll get the picture.
Poached egg and beans on brown toast, 7 times.
Looking round the tearoom you can see a vast array of ornamental teapots, some small but the one in the front window enough to supply tea for every member of the SWRC and some more.
Soon it was back on the bikes and time to head back in a northerly direction, up and over the North Downs. you will be able to trace our route on the Garmin site here below if you are so inclined, just click on VIEW DETAILS for a more detailed map.
With Lawrie and Toby joining the A group rides recently it has got me more interested in the STRAVA site that they both subscribe too. You can see the SWRC page by clicking on the SWRC activity button on the RHS of this blog. The other week (24th March) on our club ride down to Hartfield I was really struggling to keep up. This week I was feeling 100% better and in some parts it was due to a couple of audax's I had ridden down in Dorset the following weekend. It does go to show how a little bit of extra training can go a long way. One of these rides had 4500m of climbing, which is on a par with the mighty Marmottee sportive in the Alps. It got me thinking and for the first time this year I had the energy to give our very own Col du Galibier, that climb we all love to hate, yes the Col du Coombe Bottom a real go at. Yes, you see, if you possess a Garmin GPS on your handlebar you can time yourself over ANY climb in the country and see how you compare to all the other cyclists who have ever ridden up that same climb. This is were some of you reading this have probably switched off and gone back to doing something more useful but for others it has a slight fascination. Especially for me who is not the greatest climber but I have still managed to be club Hill Climb Champion for the past four years and so should be promoting this sort of thing if ever someone else is going to take on the champion's mantle.
Here are the pages and as you can see I'm only just slightly in front of my other Alpha college Richard Gordon, but where is that other super hill climber that spends many an evening training on so many of these hills and must be in with a shout on the leader board.
The question has to be asked is this where the club championship will be decided in a few years time. What do you think?
Monday, 9 April 2012
Maratona dles Dolomites 2012
Wonder is anyone planning on doing this? If so, how are you getting there, and when?
Cheers
Ann
3 Down
A year ago I rode this Audax event with Alan and we blogged a report on it last year.So a brief report.It is a great route -starting at Chalfont St Peter and going out through Bucks and along the Test Valley with a loop through the New Forest which at 152kms marks the half way point.Until a few kms in the last 10km or so the route is entirely on minor roads and on saturday ,with it being Easter,they were particularly quiet.There did not seem to be any wind on the way out -but as is to often the way -one may not notice the wind behind you but one certainly does when it is in your face.This meant that the lumpy second half was quite hard work-for the person I was sitting behind .And meant that the second half took us quite a bit longer.
I had missed the lead group leaving at the start but fortunately caught them at the first control after 50kms as they were finishing the food bought in the Pangbourne supermarket.( This is an upmarket Audax with only one control in a garage!). I ended up riding the rest of the route with John ,pictured below in the white gilet. Before I was too stuffed to talk and could ride alongside him I gathered that he had done a lot of riding including numerous PBPs and other 1200kms events in Spain ,Bulgaria and twice ridden the 1600kms Mille Miglia . in Italy and was now in training to do it again in august and hoping to do it under 80 hours . It was only later on that I learned ,with John having been v modest in his exploits which I only learned of by asking all the questions, and asking for his name, that I realised he had been first Brit back in last year's PBP. And I only deduced that as Alan had happened to ride with him for a while on an audax a week ago.
Once I was too tired to do anything other than to ride on his wheel ,I worked out that I was actually doing him a favour in helping him with his training.So in best SWRC fashion I acted like a gentleman and let him maximise his efforts. I would just add that riding with John ,though a pleasure,was actually worse than riding with Matt Scholes 2 weeks earlier as this time I did not get to sit down at a control at all.Come back Alan all is forgiven………….
Ride time was 13 hours ,30 minutes for the 311.5kms,and average riding speed 15.8 MPH with 9 800feet of climbing.
Below,event organiser Ian Oliver ,who did a great job.He laid on breakfast from about 5am and was serving a range of home made hot meals at the end and would be staying on at the finish till about 1.30am. A very fine effort.Alan and I rode half the route with him on his test ride a week before the event proper a year ago.
A contender for poorest quality picture on any blog.John,me and Rich who had been ahead of us with another guy all the way along with us meeting at controls until the 3 of us rode until the end from the penultimate control.
control in the Test Valley.
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Tour of Flanders
I am very sorry that I missed the Club road race promotion,
because I was entered in the easy version of the Tour of Flanders; part 2 in
the uci “golden bike” series; most unfortunate.
As it happens my Flanders was pretty uneventful, but the weather had
turned very cold but thankfully dry: nothing worse than descending on cobbles
in the wet.
I came to the conclusion that as I had done this event twice
before on a stripped down road bike and as I wouldn’t be vying for a place on
the podium that comfort and pleasure would be the priority and I chose to ride
my touring bike, fitted with very low gears and 35mm tyres.
This was wise as within a few kms the first obstacle reared
up ahead; the Koppenburg:
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