Clifton CC

I'll kick this off since I'm trying to keep very still, so the cramps in my thighs don't kick off again...

Dunno what happened to that pootle I promised myself. Closest I got to it was yesterday's Kev ride, another one of those wonderful routes into Kevin's Hidden Worlds (Muzzy and Rob might know about them too but I suspect when all of them pass on, the few residents will have much less contact with outside civilisation). An early puncture-fest made it a bit of a late lunch, so when Rich and a couple of others commented they needed a swift return ride, Steve (on a lovely Italian steel frame) and I seemed to get the unspoken vote for duties up front. So, maybe 6 out of ten on the pootle-o-meter.

Today started with a 22mph tow up to Easingwold behind Shaun W for the Arthur Metcalfe, and the doubts that this sowed were deepened when I found registration involved dishing out numbers. Now, I've raced for long enough to know what putting a number on your back does... ...I carefully folded mine into my back pocket, and when the bunch of around a hundred riders set off, I decided that sticking within sight of Dave Cook ("It's not a race, Phil") was probably a good plan. Dave, of course, then decided to tow the entire bunch along as far as Terrington Bank, but there the fast blokes got decidedly faster and it all broke up.

I ended up in a group of about ten with Dave and a couple of other familiar faces. Including a picturesque little detour part-way round it was 72 miles at 19.1mph, so well, yeah, maybe 1 out of 10 on the pootle-o-meter, purely for the final mile into Easingwold where cramps got my thigh and I had to resort to a very steady final landing approach to the tea and cake.

I'm now heading for the sofa. Since hanging up my race wheels has clearly left me open to this sort of madness, I think I might hang up all my other wheels too just to ensure some proper R&R. Talking about racing at the pub is just about safe... ...I think.

A weekend spent with myfeet up am afraid due to about of the lurgy. Mostly spent watching other people par take in sporting activity. It started with the marathon world record been broken my a Kenyan in Berlin, then a whole afternoon watching the elite road race (I won't tell if nobody knows yet) and Europe women golfers winning the Solheim cup, not a massive golf fan but that was good telly. Im sure nobody likes getting ill and I'm no exception but have avoided since about January I think which makes it even more annoying. Thankfully a few days holiday next week for me, forecast look good so am aiming to be fit for the hill climb next weekend. Hope others had good rides on and off road this week. Anyway Phil 19mph av for 72 miles sounds like a pootle for you guys to me

Jon

Spent Sunday Cheering on the boys - Congrats to Cav the New World Champ and Lucy Garder Junior Womens World Champ.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/a ... Men-s-RR-0

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/articl ... men-s-RR-0

"Anyway Phil 19mph av for 72 miles sounds like a pootle for you guys to me"

...probably will do when Muzzy reports on his version of the ride....

Like Phil I too was riding my final race of the season. I like the Arthur Metcalfe - I just go with the attitude that you can ride it how you like because its for charity and you need a few people pulling on the front to break the field up a bit, it isnt a silly distance and its near enough to York to ride out. I also think if I cant ride this hard what am I doing racing? Anyway got near the front up Terrington Bank, on the front at Coneysthorpe, off the front at Nunnington, nearly off the back at Coulton, on the front at Kilburn, on the back on the climb out of Coxwold and was nearly a gonner. From there there were only 13 of us left and I just hung on. Back in the hq by one o'clock. Really enjoyed the ride and I reckon I was just about the youngest in the group at the end - about 500 years of cycling experience between us, proper club riders and racers and everyone was doing a full shift and putting in a few digs.

I would have stuck around at the end but was worrying about seizing up totally. Even with a very gentle ride back I'd averaged 19.5 mph d to d. Caught the last couple of laps of the Worlds when I fell through the front door. Makes you proud to be British showing Johnny Foreigner how to ride a race. Superb stuff.

A good run out on the intermediate ride on Saturday- over the wolds to Dalby and back via a HUGE piece of cake at the cafe in Thornton le Dale. We also had some interaction with several rally cars in Dalby- not sure who was most surprised, I doubt the 'slow down for several blokes on bikes' featured in the route cards!

A particularly good effort by Toby who hadn't ridden that distance before but rode really well all day, then had to go to work for the evening!

Joined in the tow to Easingwold this morning, which made me very happy that I was riding it with friends, not the Clifton train. After the 92 miles yesterday all I wanted a nice steady day- we may even have stopped at the cafe in Hovingham part way round. Rode back to York at a much steadier pace than we rode out, in the company of Virginie and my mate.

A fantastic weekend and potentially some more club members as my mate and his wife seem keen to come out...

Oh yes, and GO CAV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!