Sunday was a disaster. My mate and I headed for Polesden Lacey where I encountered trouble. I will let him describe it to you in the words he used to circulate the news t the Guilford Pellaton.
"Hope everyone got out at the w/e. I only made it out on Sunday but that was enough drama for me. I was out with our spiritual leader (el Duncano) and we were in the vicinity of Polesden Lacey (nr Ranmore). As we crested the hill I uttered the immortal words "be careful on the descent it might be a bit greasy". Anyway, on a fast right hand bend on a 20% section Duncan's bike slipped from under him and he gave the ground an almighty thump, followed by a forward roll and triple salchow (5.7, 5.8, 5.7, 5.9).
No damage to the bike but our man was not in good shape. A tarmac tattoo on his upper thigh and a very sore and stiff hip and leg. He eventually soldiered on to the top of Mount Box (note, no trains on Sunday from Box Hill station) to await collection from his very own Florence Nightingale. An afternoon in casualty and a few x rays later he was sore but not broken and on the bus home.
Not sure if he's made it back into work yet on his crutches but hopefully we'll hear soon and he can give you all the full version of career injury no. 357."
Needless to say there were a few responses to this, concerned but humerous, but here is what I posted to the respondents on Tuesday.
"Those points seem a quite generous considering the lack of rehearsal. Maybe the judges were swayed by my good looks and the amount of dramatics in the rolling around in the mud in agony straight after the accident.
I am at home. I was recovering well yesterday but today I seemed to have relapsed today. I tried to not take the drugs this morning but by lunchtime I could stand it no longer and took the drugs and went to bed for 90 mins. Just been lying on the settee since getting off my bed and catching up on the last Grand Prix that I never got time to watch. Again Hamilton was beaten by Raikenen.
I have to be in the city tomorrow lunchtime for a meeting then I think I will come home again.
The tarmac tattoos on my hip and forearm are healing well, have stopped pussing and dried up. The shoulder is sore but no physical sign of bruising, but the left leg is so stiff and sore.
The bike is still dismantled in the back of the car as I am not fit enough to get it out. My watch took a lot of the friction off the forearm and will never be the same. At least it was a Sekonda unlike those Rolex and Omega that you Investment Bankers wear.
The Wife is not happy either. Lost any brownie points I might have had banked (probably was in overdraft anyway)."
Friday, 30 November 2007
Saturday Nov 23rd 2007 Around the Park with the Dynamos
I decided that today I would train around Richmond Park with the Dynamos. My mate was going to join me at the meeting point. He didn't show up by the time for the off so I went without him. I later got a text saying that for once his alarm, his 3 year old had slept in and he hadn't woken until to late.
Last time I did this I struggled after two laps so this time I was looking to go in one of the slowest groups. The first two groups went off (faster riders) but then everyone started to be reluctant to go forward. Group three eventually formed but no one wanted to go for group four waiting for groups five and six. I moved forward reluctantly and eventually we formed a group of ten and set off.
I was still there at the end of the second lap. We lost a few and gained one from ahead (and I think maybe one or two from behind). As lap three went on I struggled on the hills and as we started lap four I was dropped. Well, at least only one lap on my own and I wasn't caught by the next group. When I got to the cafe I was welcomed by my group and enjoyed a warm coffee.
Quality 41 miles by the time I got home.
Last time I did this I struggled after two laps so this time I was looking to go in one of the slowest groups. The first two groups went off (faster riders) but then everyone started to be reluctant to go forward. Group three eventually formed but no one wanted to go for group four waiting for groups five and six. I moved forward reluctantly and eventually we formed a group of ten and set off.
I was still there at the end of the second lap. We lost a few and gained one from ahead (and I think maybe one or two from behind). As lap three went on I struggled on the hills and as we started lap four I was dropped. Well, at least only one lap on my own and I wasn't caught by the next group. When I got to the cafe I was welcomed by my group and enjoyed a warm coffee.
Quality 41 miles by the time I got home.
Monday, 19 November 2007
November 17th Weekend
Did you all buy Cycling Weekly this week and read the article about theEtap 2008 course? Some bloke rode it and I don't think it is as easy as some people are making out.
I don't know how you all got on over the weekend but I managed 41 miles on Saturday and 36 on Sunday even though The Wife had last week told me not to make any plans. It was not easy though, (the cycling that is rather than getting permission from the wife, but believe me getting permission wasn't that easy either, and despite getting out most weekends at present and visiting the gym occasionally (very occasionally, but I did manage two sessions in the gym last week) my fitness is at an all time low.
Saturday I was out with the London Dynamos in Richmond Park. I managed 3.5 lapsbefore being dropped, and only lasted that long because we had to slowdown after 2 laps because we had caught the group in front. If we hadn't had to slow down I would have been dropped at the end of that second lap. I managed to get home at 11:20, only 20 mins after curfew.
Sunday I was only given the all clear at 8:00 AM by The Wife so I shot out the door before she could change her mind. I stretched the 11:00 AM curfew deadline to 12:00 PM and managed a slice of coffee and walnut cake, a Box Hill and Ranmore both sides (800 metres of elevation according to my Polar CS600).
I have faced up to the fact that for practical reasons he Etap is not on for me next year, so I won't be joining the Guilford Pelaton at the gitte, but I am dammed if I let them do the training without my input. Besides, if I don't do the training all this cake I have got used to eating is going to cause me to balloon, or if I give up the cake the National Trust Tea Shop on Box Hill will go bust, and we wouldn't want that would we?
I don't know how you all got on over the weekend but I managed 41 miles on Saturday and 36 on Sunday even though The Wife had last week told me not to make any plans. It was not easy though, (the cycling that is rather than getting permission from the wife, but believe me getting permission wasn't that easy either, and despite getting out most weekends at present and visiting the gym occasionally (very occasionally, but I did manage two sessions in the gym last week) my fitness is at an all time low.
Saturday I was out with the London Dynamos in Richmond Park. I managed 3.5 lapsbefore being dropped, and only lasted that long because we had to slowdown after 2 laps because we had caught the group in front. If we hadn't had to slow down I would have been dropped at the end of that second lap. I managed to get home at 11:20, only 20 mins after curfew.
Sunday I was only given the all clear at 8:00 AM by The Wife so I shot out the door before she could change her mind. I stretched the 11:00 AM curfew deadline to 12:00 PM and managed a slice of coffee and walnut cake, a Box Hill and Ranmore both sides (800 metres of elevation according to my Polar CS600).
I have faced up to the fact that for practical reasons he Etap is not on for me next year, so I won't be joining the Guilford Pelaton at the gitte, but I am dammed if I let them do the training without my input. Besides, if I don't do the training all this cake I have got used to eating is going to cause me to balloon, or if I give up the cake the National Trust Tea Shop on Box Hill will go bust, and we wouldn't want that would we?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)