Cycling, bikes n stuff

[cambcam]

Well well well, the ballot places for the 2015 Prudential London 100 were announced yesterday and couldn't believe it but I'm in! Well chuffed. Amazingly the missus got picked too, which is great and we're considering ourselves very fortunate with the 86000 applications for 25000 places.

Still quite a long time 'til the summer, so will have time to prepare properly. Just did one event last year (the London to Cambridge) and not been out on the bike since - I don't think riding home down Mill Road pissed, on a bike with a basket really counts too much. The good lady hasn't done any cycling events at all, but she's generally pretty fit (doing the Cambridge half-marathon in early March), so with a decent bike and a bit of training should be fine.

At this time of year it's probably only the hardcore still out there riding (lightweight Lycra and shiny bike man me), but wondered if anyone is still grinding away, or has anything planned this year?

P.S. Sneaky, I missed your video when you posted that originally. Brilliant - very inspirational! Well done, bloody good time you did too. Roll on the summer!

[kdwyellow]

I did a 4 hour off road Enduro race at the end of Jan. Cold start but the weather was fairly kind to me. I've got quite a lot planned race wise over the summer. I finished in the top 60 nationally for my category in XC racing but I'm in the veterans league this year so it's actually tougher racing against all the old timers.

I'm planning a trip to France on the road. Got a week to try and take in Alpe d Huez and the Ventoux plus a few days between Nice and San Remo.

[sneakyfate]

Feb 5, 2015 10:46:07 GMT cambcam said:

P.S. Sneaky, I missed your video when you posted that originally. Brilliant - very inspirational! Well done, bloody good time you did too. Roll on the summer!

Hi, just seen the updates on this thread, I very rarely come on the Social Chat board. After my 2013 "triumph" in the London 100, I got a ballot place last year. Wasn't so much fun, due to weather which was more suited to Noah's Ark than cycling, I think it was only the spirit of communal suffering amoung the participants that got me through. Plus they missed out the big hills for safety reasons - not surprising, there were loads of spills even without them. I've missed out in the ballot this year myself, but well done Mr & Mrs CambCam. I've considered going for a charity place, but a colleague has got in ahead of me and is probably going to mop up all the sponsorship at work, plus I'm also suffering from some virus or other that's left me with very low energy levels at the moment. I've had to pull out of running the Cambridge Half Marathon because of it, which is very frustrating.

If it weren't for that, then I would consider entering the Tour of Cambridgeshire Gran Fondo which still has individual places left according to the website. At £56 for an individual entry, it's not cheap, but it is on closed roads, which sounds brilliant, even if it does start and finish at Peterboring!

[sneakyfate]

Actually writing the above made me take another look at the Gran Fondo, and now I've decided to go for it!

[cambcam]

Now the weather is improving thought it time to dust off the steed and get the lungs and ticker working again.

Took part in the Welwyn Garden City 60 miler on Sunday, which went out towards Buntingford, Royston, before looping back over some killer hills. Really nice event this one, great weather, good turn out and a good safe route through some very pretty villages indeed.

That said, I did find this (by far) the most difficult ride I've done yet. Perhaps because it's the first ride in a while, but talking to others it did appear everyone was struggling and average speed/times were way down on what you'd normally expect. The first 25 flew by, but the mid-section between 25 and 45 miles was absolute murder. It was around here (Royston) that the road turned sharp left and the lane headed up a steep hill (the road that splits the golf course for those that might know it) and we had a spell of climbing and descending, which just went on and on forever. Jesus Christ that was hard. I figured I was more the build of a 'climber' than 'sprinter' (slim/light than muscular/heavy), but the hills seem to kill me and I zip along on the flat quite effortlessly, so it seems back to front - not sure what's going on there.

At around 40 miles I was gagging for a stop, but wanted to keep climbing and wait for it to level out first. Eventually, at 45, I got to the top of what looked like the last hill for a while so pulled over onto a triangular piece of grass for a recharge. There were two other guys there doing the same thing, grabbing some water and a banana. We started talking about that killer section and bugger me, it was David Seaman and Bob Wilson!! That made me smile and cheered me up no end. Two really, really nice guys, a memorable stop that.

After that it was plain sailing. The last 15 were 'relatively' straightforward and it was back to basecamp for another chat with my mates Bob and Dave.

Trying to enjoy the rides this year rather than getting too bothered about times, but you can't help getting sucked in, it's part of it I suppose. I didn't quite manage 15mph average this time, but as mentioned everybody was well down on normal. The 10 year old inside me couldn't resist giving it a go down one of the hills, so quite chuffed with a new maximum speed of 39.0 mph! As the missus says, "You're a bloody big kid and will get yourself killed". Yeah, way to go!

So, if anyone fancies getting a bike out, take a look here:

www.bike-events.co.uk

I just tend to do a few of these because they are non-competitive, fun, and you can do your own thing. Enjoy.

[kdwyellow]

Had a big summer planned but ruined it all by crashing during race practice at the newly opened trail park at Hadleigh Farm in Essex. After several successful laps and despite having raced there last year I cocked up the tech section at Deans Drop and broke both my wrists. Operation on one to pin and plate it together again and both wrists currently plastered up to my elbows.

Summer trip to France cancelled. Race season over. Planned sportives out of the window for now.

[rocky]

Aw sucks, kdyellow. Jolly bad show, ol' chap. Here's to a speedy (no pun intended) recovery.

[belly77]

Sorry to hear that KDyellow. Both wrists, thats a killer, how do you get anything done?

I'll be doing this tourdemon.co.uk again. It was hell on wheels last year as the wind was gale force and in your face for the last 40 odd miles. Was literally crawling along mile after mile. The scenery and comaraderie keeps you going though. Despite saying I'll never do it again last year I'm now really looking forward to it.

[kdwyellow]

The left is out of action after an operation to repair it. It was described as an impact fracture which shattered a majority of the bones in my wrist joint. A doctor friend told me from looking at my notes that the skin was about the only thing holding it together.

The right is a non displaced fracture and is cast in such a way that I can use my fingers to a reasonable extent. I'm hoping in 2 weeks from now it will be healed. I'm living with my parents for a while until I can get myself a bit more independent. I've stopped taking the morphine I was given. I'd rather feel the pain so I can work out my limits but that leaves a constant ache. It also highlights the fact that my knees and ribs clearly took a bit of a pounding too.

I'm reasonably fit otherwise and would hope to be back in action in 6/8 weeks. I'm told I will fully recover although my left wrist might never be quite the same again.

The morphine was handy whilst I was in hospital as I didn't need a crap the whole time I was there. By the time I got out I was capable to carry out my own wiping duties! That's always the first thing people seem to ask. I had to prove to the occupational health nurse that I could sit down and stand up from the toilet on my own before they would discharge me. I think they are used to dealing with OAP hip replacements.

[cambcam]

Took part in a one hour taster session on the London Olympic Velodrome yesterday, which the good lady treated me to as a birthday gift.

Naturally quite nervous as never having done anything like that before, but what a great experience it turned out to be. Very, very impressed with the velodrome itself, and booking a quiet slot on a Monday was a good move too. There was a group of about 12 of us, a broad range of ages, male and female, all evidently reasonable cyclists but plenty of anxious faces too.

After the usual safety briefing we had a few laps of the ground level, working on accelerating, slowing down (there are no brakes) and track etiquette etc, we made our way onto the inner blue board. Once up to speed and confident, we were then moved individually into different lanes slightly higher on the track, and when competent once more, guided above the blue line into the full race area. The steep banks at either end were pretty daunting to say the least, but I figured on trusting the instructor and if he said you were 'good to go' well, it was up to you to maintain the necessary speed, although you were in no doubt it was going to hurt if it all went wrong.

I wanted to get up to the very top of the bank at least one time for the sense of acheivement, but was pleased to get there and keep right on the outside rim for the whole of the first 5 minute session. We came back in for water and a breather and was feeling pretty knackered already. The speed necessary to maintain a line at the top had drained the energy tank very quickly, but I wasn't bothered, I'd done what I set out to do. Was pleased to see others blowing just as hard, and the look on a few faces was quite telling when the instructor informed us we were going back out to do the same again for "20 minutes this time".

For the second session I pretty much kept a line about half way up, maintaining a decent, steady pace but still working hard. The quick, powerful guys really wound it on towards the end, but it was nice to see some others get to the top that hadn't had the confidence (stupidity) to get there during the first session. By the end everyone had achieved something and we all felt good, a really nice camaraderie.

Not everyone's cup of tea for sure, but I loved it. If you're into bikes at even a modest level, I'd recommend giving it a go, with the one hour 'taster' session perfect.

Great that these facilities are available to the public at a 'not unreasonable' cost, it all felt a bit 'special' to say the least, so fair play to the legacy committee for getting that one right.

A bit out of focus (cos I was going well fast like), but here's the proof, up at the top...woo-hoo!

[kdwyellow]

I've got a taster session booked to be used by April next year. My wrists have ruined my plans to go to the Alps in July but managed to cancel all my hotel bookings without being charged. I'm at the hospital tomorrow for another follow up appointment with more physio the week after. Hopefully not far off recovery now. The turbo trainer is set up but as yet my left arm isn't strong enough to rest on the bars.

Hoping to book the Velodrome before the summer is over.

[Andrewlang]

I'm not a competition cyclist myself. I hate the feeling of being competitive with anyone other than myself, it takes the joy away from it for me.

I mainly cycle the to work and back three times a week (Google maps tell me it's a 44.5mile round trip) and throw in a longer trip at the weekends.

The other day I cycled back on the busway and had a chap sit in my slipstream the entire way. Now, I don't mind that but at least take your turn, y'know? It's no achievment to cop a free bloody ride from my effort.

I sympathise with your wrist problems. I broke my shoulder a while back (almost two years to the day actually) when I hit *something* on Lensfield Road at night and my bike sommersaulted with me still on it. I cycled to the hospital in agony and was unable to cycle for about 3 months.

Andrew

[kdwyellow]

My D Day was May 3rd so I'm hoping to be back in the saddle soon.

As far as competition goes, I never thought I'd get into racing but once I'd taken part in my first race I kind of got hooked. I'm never going to win a race and I don't have a burning desire to win which possibly lets me down in my race tactics. The people who win really want to win as well as training harder and being more dedicated but winners have a mental edge for sure.

[danu]

Jun 25, 2015 14:21:19 GMT Andrewlang said:

I'm not a competition cyclist myself. I hate the feeling of being competitive with anyone other than myself, it takes the joy away from it for me.

I mainly cycle the to work and back three times a week (Google maps tell me it's a 44.5mile round trip) and throw in a longer trip at the weekends.

The other day I cycled back on the busway and had a chap sit in my slipstream the entire way. Now, I don't mind that but at least take your turn, y'know? It's no achievment to cop a free bloody ride from my effort.

I sympathise with your wrist problems. I broke my shoulder a while back (almost two years to the day actually) when I hit *something* on Lensfield Road at night and my bike sommersaulted with me still on it. I cycled to the hospital in agony and was unable to cycle for about 3 months.

Andrew

Try using the Strava or Map My Ride apps, they give you the total distance of your ride and average speed, both are decent but my preference is Strava.

[kdwyellow]

I use Strava for everything. It's way better than the other apps. You need a decent device for accurate stats though. My iPhone is sketchy but my Garmin 500 is bang on!