Despite poor weather in the rest of the UK the surrey hills were dry and unseasonably warm this weekend. Temperatures reached 13 degrees (high fifties Fahrenheit). We did over 100 miles and over 2000 metres of climbing over the two days and I am now in serious deficit on my Brownie point account.
Big G and I set out on Saturday to reckie some of the SWRC 100 Km course. It was a bit of a mystery tour but fortunately we took a map as Big G gets anxious because my memory of routes and laissez-faire attitude on directions it means we are not always sure whether we are on the right road or where the road leads, and we did have to consult the map a good number of times.
We went out through Leatherhead, Polesden Lacy, Ranmore Common, Leith Hill and Forest Green south as far as Ellens Green before returning through Cranleigh towards Guilford.
At Shere we stopped at the Lucky Duck for a refuelling stop and enjoyed a baked potato and coffee before returning home.
A good 55 miles and over 1000 metres of climbing, however, unfortunately I was out beyond my curfew (we got back at 3 PM, about 1 PM was my limit!). Trouble!!
Sunday S joined us from MK for his first venture into the Surrey Hills, and 48 miles and 1000 plus metres of climbing later he had put us to shame on his Specialized Allez. Our performance was somewhat affected by the previous days mileage (that’s our excuse).
We started same as Saturday but after Leith Hill we turned East and came back through Coldharbour and Dorking, back up Ranmore and on to Mont Box. I crawled up Mont Box at 5 mph rather than the usual 10-11 mph and watched S dash away from me as if it was his first climb of the day. I was truly grateful of the tea, bread and butter pudding and a SIS gel at the National Trust teashop.
On our way back down Ranmore we spotted two others from the Guilford Peloton and exchanged greetings (Of course it would be easier to spot each other once those shirts turn up).
Big G has equalled his longest ever ride and has by far exceeded his longest weekend mileage, S has proved to himself that he can ride with the best of them and will be contacting his local club in MK to ride with them going forward, and I proved the leg is getting better but that I need more fitness before I do any more racing.
My brother C has spent the weekend climbing the Peyresourde on his new iMagic as the weather in St Albans has not been as unseasonably dry as Surrey, and my usual partner in crime M was confined to barracks parenting due to the work commitments of his partner (though he did get 42 miles in on Saturday afternoon).
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