Clifton CC

I did a TLI race on the Alborough circuit near Boroughbridge on Sunday. Billed rather grandly as the "National Championships" this was 7 1/2 laps around the circuit totalling 56 miles. A breakaway got away relatively early on. There was a great deal of disorgansiation in the bunch for what seemed like ages before some thru and off work commenced on lap 2 or 3. Going quite well until I stupidly lost concentration at halfway and "touched" wheels with a Liverpool rider. Fortunately neither of us came down. It was slightly reminiscent of the Ben Hur chariot race - the bit where Ben Hur's chariot wheels are effectively shredded by his enemy. In our case my wheel served to break several of my fellow riders spokes. I lost about five in the process. I aplogised profusely to my "victim" - the poor guy had travelled up from Liverpool for this! Anyway he seemed to take it well (on the surface at least) - saying that "it was part of bike racing". Managed to cadge a lift back to HQ before making my way home with tail between my legs.
That's it for me this season I think. Will be on hols from this w/e for a fortnight and will not get any opportunities to go on bike then. Really enjoyed my first season and looking forward to having another crack next year. The Sat. training rides have certainly helped me and I hope they continue. Will also have a go at the chaingang as well.

With Howard suffering from knee problems and offering a ‘non-spirited’ jaunt to Bridlington on Saturday, I jumped at the chance to tick the ‘H-Ride’ box.

Simon W and I joined Howard & Will as we followed the Training ride out of the Square and headed East into better weather. H and W forged a trail into a nor-easterly headwind through Leavening and Wold Newton to the café in a very sunny Bridlington. Will then kindly volunteered for the role of lead horse on the stagecoach and galloped us home through Kilham, Sledmere & Thixendale (where we bought some treats at the little shop!), before taking us on a flyer down Garrowby Hill and home. A fantastic route!

The two stallions on the front led us at a merry pace on the flat bits throughout before prancing up the climbs and waiting for us at the tops. I was clearly not in the same league on the climbs but once I had latched on at the re-groupings, Will displayed impressive strength on the front to have us flying downwind most of the way home. H’s new Italian tyres let him down again with two punctures on the day and, combined with his puncture in the Rumble last week, it is highly likely that by the time you read this, those particular tyres will have been deposited in a green wheelie bin somewhere!

Huge thanks to both Grandmaster H and the Hubster for paring back their usual speed, waiting for us at the top of the ascents and towing us all the way to Bridlington and back. I really enjoyed the treat and maybe in a year or two I’ll be strong enough to contribute as an H-ride regular. In the meantime, I’ll just have to pick my opportunities when H is troubled by injury or feeling low

Tan Hill next week …I might make an early start on the carbs

D.

I spent both this weekend and the last sampling the wonderful wine and food of the Languedoc! Went for a mtb ride with my son (12) on Sunday and he nearly killed me! Very depressing! Amazing how much fitness you can lose in 2 weeks if you really go for it.

I have to say I am very disappointed in my cake buddy Darren - he seems to be taking this training business awfully seriously all of a sudden. It feels a little bit like cheating to me! I think he will have to be banished from the Autobus or at the very least be installed as the permanent driver for Tan Hill this weekend. I think I will still give it a go though - hope to see some of you at the start.

Mark

I did the TLi race at Aldborough on Sunday. I set off with the 3rd group which had a mixture of 60+, juniors, ladies classes. The group stayed together for 2 laps, then 4 of my class escaped and I missed going with them, thinking we would pull them back but nobody else in the group wanted to work (why would they, they were in there own class apart from 3 of us). For the next 2 or 3 laps I was on the front most of the time trying to push along with the hope of catching but no chance, I felt like a lead out man for the 65+'s and ladies!. By the time the end sprint came I was shattered and they all left me.

It was a good workout though.

Dave

Got up late on Saturday and thought I'd have a sociable day with the Intermediate group at 10am. Arrived at the square to be handed the map by Kevin - a nice route out to How Stean Gorge. Excellent I thought and lead off with 7 others up the A19.

Now most weeks I'm heading out at 9:15 with Howard et al - Howard usually leads over the roundabout and up the main road. I guess I was on autopilot therefore - forgetting that it was now 10:15. Consequently the roundabout was busier than I was accustomed to and the traffic flow meant that we had to stop at the white line.

When a gap in the traffic appeared I started off around the roundabout only to find that the car on my right, which had also been waiting to set off (presumably it's driver looking right and not where he/she was going) veered into the rear of my bike! Fortunately the resulting contact was more of a nudge than anything and I stayed upright. The car then proceeded to pass me, scraping itself on my rear mech before heading off up the A19.

I regret to say I was too 'gobsmacked' to note down the Reg. No. as I was assuming that they would pull over and apologise once clear of the junction, but instead the car kept going. Fortunately the only damage - to me and the bike - was a bent rear mech but this was enough to reduce gear changing to a graunching lottery and so after initially trying to carry on as if nothing had happened I was forced to resign myself to heading back so I passed on the map to Jon G and trundled home with my tail between my legs. Hope everyone else enjoyed the day!

In retrospect I realise that what is a reasonable route at 9:15 is unwise an hour later and that I should have used the underpass. This doesn't however excuse the driver who firstly shouldn't have driven into me, and secondly should have stopped! Luckily an hour spent with an wrench and some judiciously applied leverage seems to have straightened out what was a brand-new rear mech - hopefully it has survived to shift another day.

I was out on Sunday for a change this week. Arrived at the square to be met by only 3 others, Paul, new guy Ted and a guy up from Cambridge (sorry can't remember his name now) who was keen to sample the Clifton hospitality.

With the sun shining we set off towards Wetherby with a view to doing the classic Wetherby, Otley ride to Bolton Abbey and then back via Pately Bridge, Ripley and Aldwark Bridge.

Ted who I understand is just getting back into cycling found things a little tough on the way out and decided to make his own way back before Wetherby with a promise to try and get out with Kevin on a Saturday.

We split again just before Otley when our friend from Cambridge diverted to get back to York via Harrogate in time to meet the family which just left the 2 of us.

Must admit I found the little climbs difficult not helped by losing half an energy bar out of my back pocket on one climb and then my second bottle on the descent. Realised my bottle had gone and rode back to where I saw it drop expecting to find it sitting on the side of the road. Nothing. I rode up and down and even with Paul joining the search it had simply disappeared. It reminded me of losing a golf ball. You see where it lands but when you walk over it's no where to be found. Still can't understand how I could lose a whole bottle though!

Made it to Bolton Abbey cafe without any further mishaps however.

Ride back over the hills and up to Stump Cross was hard work. Couldn't stay with Paul on the hills and although the scenery was fantastic and the sun was shining I was reduced to staring at that 1 foot square piece of moving tarmac in front of my front wheel as usual.

We pushed on after the descent of Greenhow but I was having to dig deep (both a banana and emergency gel) and the missing bottle was now starting to make itself felt (thanks to Paul for the generous top up).

Made it back to York for 3.30 with 97 miles on the clock and a modest average of 17.5mph.

A good day in the saddle and thanks to Paul for the good company and the tow.

What it did highlight is you get used to what your doing. Having ridden almost exclusively the Saturday training rides and some fast but short races I had thought I was reasonably fit. I was surprised at how hard I found Sunday. Need to get some longer rides in and am looking forward to Tan Hill on Sunday!

JohnS wrote:What it did highlight is you get used to what your doing. Having ridden almost exclusively the Saturday training rides and some fast but short races I had thought I was reasonably fit. I was surprised at how hard I found Sunday. Need to get some longer rides in and am looking forward to Tan Hill on Sunday!

Absolutely! I've found that this year I'm no slower over shortish distances but my endurance has tailed right off on longer rides. I think complacency is at the root of it for me. I start with good intentions of getting the miles in but often CBA and end up having a 20 mile blast. It's OK for maintaining a semblance of fitness but no substitute for proper endurance rides.