Winter Club runs start with a medley of mechanicals!

After last weeks heavy rain, winter rides started properly today with six riders (Alan, John, Roger, Dave, Bix and me) heading off from Epsom in misty but dry conditions.

Heading out west through Malden Rushett and on to Cobham and then through the country lanes to Hungry Hill. First mechanical - Despite careful daily maintenance, Bix's freehub decided to give up and lose any drive. A push into Ripley left him waiting for his daughter's rescue and with the café closed I could see him eyeing up the local pub.

Down to five we retraced and rode on through to East Horsley and over the Col du Staple Lane tearing our group to bits and getting the heart rates pumping. Descending down (past a serious looking Cliff Dent going the other way) to a welcome coffee and cake at West Horsley Garden Centre.

Feeling refreshed we rode up Crock North, dodging the diesel covered roads for  mechanical which two saw Alan test his puncture repair skills. Wearing snazzy latest gloves the repair was soon complete. Pic above shows Roger making everyone laugh with his tube folding skills.

Back on the road, for a fast descent of Ranmore and making straight for the Zig Zag and some more heart pumping toil. Over the top and mechanical three - John joins his Dad with a front wheel slow puncture but keen to get home, went for the pump and stop relay back to Epsom, instead of a tyre change. 50 miles from Epsom and thank you all for a nice ride - See you next time.

Next Rides:
Saturday 6th December - (Dave's Christmas Lunch) 10.00am - Epsom (Lester Bowden)
Sunday 14th December - 9.30am - Epsom (Lester Bowden)
Sunday 21st December - 9.30am - Epsom (Lester Bowden)
Monday 22nd December - Guy Le Ray Cook - Christmas Ride -( Details to follow)

My First Cycle Race

Havnt posted since my first triathlon so though this would be a good one. be great to get some tips as i had a few issues.

I was easily convinced by my girlfriend' brother Darrell to join him in the Bintan 6 bridges 134km race in Indonesia. I did a couple of training runs to try and get used to the distance but bonked at 100k. The night before the race I stripped all my accessories from my bike to make it as light as possible. I prepared mashed sweet potato and raisins for my fuel for the race, rice and eggs for breakfast and  my own homemade electrolyte drinks from water, lemon, salt and honey. I met Darrell at 6am at the ferry terminal in Singapore where the race organizers sorted everything from visas to bike transfer, we passed through the electronic immigration and I was on the cat 2 boat before I knew it. I signed up for cat 2 as cat 3 was full. Donning my festival kit some young bloke called Max said he knew the club from when he lived in the uk he cycled with the festival old boys (even older that my dad) and he tried to convince me to start with cat 2 but I'm rubbish and Darrell was cat 3 so I 'missed' the cat 3 start.
It was 36 and 41 degrees and high humidity (as it usually is on the equator) through the ride and continuos undulating hills proved a killer from the start but with the 100 odd racers fighting hard for the back the pace wasn't too bad at all. After the controlled 17k start to the main start from the ferry terminal onto quieter roads a few attack attempts were unsuccessful. I was following my triathlon coach 'Michael Lyons's' tip to stay near the front and get with the break away group as there will be less chance of a crash due to better riders in the break away group. Before I knew it I was indeed with the breakaway group. It was hard, but being cat 3 also known as the girls race as all the women start with cat 3 and generally are faster than most of cat 3 men it was about 32 ave as a lot of hills and the view wasn't too bad. I got dropped at 85k and rode on my own for the next 53km jumping on the back of stragglers where i could, they would take me ahead for a while and I would drop back, each time i would pass a local who couldn't speak English and then he would pass me when I fell of the stragglers, maybe I should of paced with him, not too sure what the right tactic was there. Every KM took longer and longer and every hill got harder and harder. After passing the finish I stopped off at a shack on the side of the road for a coconut just before a storm came in which canceled prize giving as everything blew away.
A very well organized promoter got us all on busses out of the storm and to the ferry terminal for a boat back to Singapore.
I think I need to work on my bike set up as I had a really saw bum from the very start, my left hand and fingers went numb. Also my little toe on one foot goes completely numb and I had to take my foot out the shoe and peddle on top of the shoe until it goes back to normal.
Next week cycling bintan Malaysia and two weeks later cycling Singapore to malacca. Then a few running and triathlon races to prepare me for my half iorn man in bintan Malaysia in august.
See you soon, Laurence

Club Run News:

Winter club runs continue and are now on a weekly basis.

We meet Sunday mornings at the Spread Eagle (Lester Bowden) Epsom at 9.30am. Distance, pace and optional café stop to suit those out. For more details call or text me on 07799505546. Hope to see you there!

Colin McDermott