Easter weekend rides

Ugh, what a horrible long weekend. We had high hopes of a repeat of last year’s Easter break when we did an 80 mile round trip to Cambridge and enjoyed glorious sunshine, sufficient for a picnic on the Cam whilst punting. Various plans were discussed this year for a long ride to end in Oxford, a more direct return route to Oxford another couple to Cambridge. They were all abandoned in the face of the weather forecast.
However, we are determined this year, given our Etape objective, so we all met up at 0815 on Friday morning fortunate to take advantage of the longest period of reasonable weather over the whole weekend. It was however extremely windy, possibly the strongest winds in which we have ridden this year.
Mike, Paul, Andy M, Tim and I set off initially with a strong cross wind, but as we turned west, we hit the teeth of the gale. We did a repeat of the last two weeks’ ride, 72 miles going over Ivinghoe Beacon three times. Having had two puncture-free weeks, it was not to last. Within the first 25 miles we had three: first Paul, then Mike punctured twice just outside Berko where he decided to call it a day. I phoned the others who waited for me in Ashridge forest.
Andy was in a class of his own this weekend winning all three climbs over Ivinghoe and up from Redbourn. I did manage a small breakaway after the last climb of Invinghoe, sprinting down the straight from the top just tipping 40 mph (thanks to the following wind) and catching a rider a half-mile ahead. I waited at the top of Bison for a few minutes, longer than I expected, but Tim had had cramp (or that was his excuse anyway (;-)).
Paul and Tim were mad enough to contemplate more and were out again for short rides on Sunday and Monday respectively, but were beaten back by the snow. Let’s hope for warmer times ahead.
As we have steadily increased the rides, Tim and I have had the first injuries (not counting minor falls), both of us seem to be suffering from hip problems. My self-diagnosis suggests ITBS, but who knows. Strangely, it felt better after the Friday ride, having been tender the week before it now feels just slighted stiff.

Sat 15 March ride - 3 times around the Ivinghoe Beacon loop

The weather forecast was not particularly good for the whole weekend, but clearly Saturday looked the better of the two days. So there was a good turnout at 0810 outside Chef Peking. Tim, Andy M, Mike, Paul and I set out on the route towards Ivinghoe, initially via Flamstead, Potten End Hill and Hemel. The weather turned out just about perfect for March, mild with hardly a breeze. As the morning wore on the sun came out and cheered us further.

As we ascended the hill on Felden Lane, we came across another group (going down) who were looking to join Hemel CC at the station. This meeting never happened and perhaps they mistook us for this group and they chased us down and reached us just before Bovingdon. We then joined forces for the next 20 odd miles. It was good to have some competition, particularly as one of their group (Colin I think) was pretty useful up the climbs (by our standards at least). So we had someone to push us along. This we clearly did as our average pace was up again from the previous week. After the first ascent of Invinghoe Beacon, the newcomers split off and headed home, whilst discussing potentially joining us again.

We then completed three ascents of Ivinghoe. Andy, Tim and I got separated from Paul and Tim on the third ascent and waited for 10 minutes at the pub in Whipsnade, but there was no sign and we pressed on home. We completed the 73 miles in under 4.5 hours (moving time), an average of 16.4 mph. We were pleased as we are clearly making progress, increasing the average speed, whilst also elongating the ride each time.

Rides 8-9 March

On Saturday, we had our first ride out with our coaching team, courtesy of Ben Spurrier from Pinnacle, the PCA team bike sponsor (Pinnacle) and a category 1 rider himself. He was dressed head to toe in Pinnacle kit and riding one of their top end machines . Initially he met us at the PCA offices and did a brief bike fitting. In the morning, Ben then took Andy M, Andy C and I out for a quick ride, just 90 mins, with a short break in the middle covering around 25 miles. Fortunately the weather forecast had proved wrong, with virtually no rain during either Saturday or Sunday. On Saturday, the brief ride went up to Hitchin and back via Preston. On the way out flat terrain and a moderate wind from the south meant we pushed along at over 20mph for most of the time, but the trip back was tougher. I didn’t hear what Tim and Paul got up to in the afternoon.

On Sunday, Andy M and I set out at 0830 in good conditions, unlike the heavy rain forecast, and covered 64 miles. It was another false dawn to spring given the gales today, but on Sunday it brought out the largest number and range of cyclist that I can recall which was great to see. The collection included a couple of all ladies groups and the older couple who I seen before on their tandem coming up from the bottom of Pedley Hill towards Berko. There was also the usual gaggle of off-roaders around Ashridge Forest. For the first time in ages, we had a few target to chase some of which we caught, but others that disappeared into the distance. Our route was the usual 55 mile route with but with an extra lap over Ivinghoe Beacon. Having completed the 2nd cresting of Ivinghoe, we were on the road out of Dagnall heading to Bison, when I saw someone a half mile ahead and I gave chase. Having put in a big effort I caught him as we turned the corner up Bison, he casually turned towards me as we started the initial rise, stood up in the pedals and powered up the hill leaving me for dead. We caught another two cyclist along Gaddeden Row, then powered down the hill to Redbourn. I pushed reasonably hard up the hill to HRFC and for the first time since Xmas didn’t feel like my legs were going into cramp. We finished back at Café Nero in around 4 hrs 20, around 15.5 mph average, not bad for me and another steady improvement. Andy thought it was around 20 minutes faster than his ride over the same route last week.

Rides over 1/2 March

A bright but blustery day greeted us with a 20mph NW wind made conditions more challenging than usual. We started out as a group of 5, Andy M, Paul, Mike, Tim and myself on the 55 mile route via Berko and Ivinghoe Beacon. The first few miles stretch north then to the west, so we were into the teeth of the wind. We managed to keep together for the first half of the ride then Mike and Andy got dropped as Paul pushed Tim and I on at more challenging pace than usual. It was clear Paul had put something extra in his porridge that morning. I had pushed ahead on some of the earlier climbs, but Paul started to move head as he smashed us over Bison. The last 10 miles along Gaddesden Row back to Redbourn were noticeable down wind and Paul again decided to press the pace, leaving us on one of the short dips pumping out of the saddle to create a break. I gave chase but only managed to keep the initial break from lengthening. By time we reached the last 3 miles into Redbourn, the wind was clearly right behind us as hit 35 mph at the bottom and kept up 29mph for the rest of this leg. Just to humiliate us further, Paul stood out of the saddle all the way up the final hill from Redbourn which I could just not match, however he appeared to slow when the gradient flattened out up to the White Horse where I just caught up, but I think he had just felt generous and slowed down to allow us bridge the gap. Anyway the pace Paul set meant this was our fastest trip over this route in under 3 hrs 30m with 4000 ft of climbing.

Tim, Paul and I waited in Café Nero after for Andy and Tim, but after half and hour we had to give them up. We later discovered that the pair of them had done another Ivinghoe Beacon run to finish with 64 miles and 4500 of climbing.