Having not quite had enough to blog about last week, this week it feels like I've got too much. I've got the ride around the Leicester circuit with KCC Cyclones, a lovely return to the Saturday club/shop ride with C&D Cycles CC and a bit of solo off road action. In addition there's an update on SuperSam and I and the early morning indoor training AND a lovely find on YouTube regarding the rivalry between Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree. Best get on with it!
On Friday 16th March we headed to Leicester with the KCC Cyclones for a whizz around the circuit at New College newcollege/ccircuit/ It had been a lovely warm day with beautiful Spring sunshine. So of course at 7pm the weather had turned and we were freezing our socks off. Earlier in the week I had enquired if "extra help," would be required from the parents? As the answer was yes I loaded my bike on the car too! Like most people attending this venue, even though we'd been there before we allowed ourselves to be fooled by satnav and got a little bit lost. I worked it out but then we passed Eddie and Ken going the wrong way too. Ken would get his revenge on me (in the very next paragraph,) for figuring it out quicker!
Once parked up there were some technical issues which took me from hero to zero in short order. First of all there was a Cyclone frustrating their parents by creating a flat tyre. He'd decided to try and pump his tyres up to max pressure with a hand pump. Inevitably he cracked the valve stem and it was time for a tube change. Then the frustrated Dad snapped a tyre lever trying to get a VERY tight tube off. I came to the rescue with my well practised levers (I mean who has more punctures than me?) I'd also remembered my Scout motto and was super prepared with track pump and spare tubes (long valve as their spare was also too short.) All very ironic given that I was on my very well set up tubeless tyres. Hero status was however short lived as another cyclone asked me to help with their brakes. The cyclones have loan bikes which come with on and off road set ups. The brakes are cantilever and I find them very pesky. The cable either slots back in first time or its hours of fiddling. After a failed few unsuccessful minutes I conceded defeat and let Ken have a go. As predicted the ridiculous contraption went back together incredibly easily for him at first attempt.
one of those annoying things
Once the technical things were sorted I helped out with Brian's group of the older kids. They had a great session and Brian should know that Sam said the following:
"I like Brian as a coach, he really knows how to encourage everybody!" The kids did really well to ride with determination on a freezing cold night.
By Monday night wintry conditions had once again set in and the regular cyclones sessions were cancelled. Sam and I continued with our early morning indoor training sessions. Sam now fits on my road bikes and therefore I've set him up on the ever dependent 'Clive.' Strava shows that I've done over 14 000km on that bike. Sam continues to use the GCN training videos on the turbo and I'm making it up as I go along on the rollers.
Clive needs new bar tape...I tried to clean it...it's impossible!!!
I like to do some intervals and also some longer sessions at a set pace. I mix these up by practising no handed which after a couple of days of losing this skill it's inexplicably back better than ever. I'd been trying things out like taking things out of my back pockets and taking selfies. Then I went one further to see if I could get a rain jacket from my jersey pocket, put it on and take it off and then away in a jersey pocket. It turns out I can! Next time I'm going to try the trick below.
Yesterday I decided it was time to get back to the Saturday morning shop rides which changed my whole cycling world. Prior to discovering C&D Cycles I'd done a lot of cycling but this was mostly on my own. I'd encouraged friends to ride but mostly they weren't as into it as I was. Then I took my bike in for a service and I was invited to try a shop ride. It was here that I discovered that it's easier to make friends with cyclists than it is to get your existing friends to cycle! There was a couple of years when the thought of not riding on Saturday morning would just have seemed ridiculous. However things happen and despite getting out with the club for off road rides it's been months since I've ridden with this group.
The gathered mamils
Tony with his ingenious tri-bar spot light arrangement
On arrival it was like old times. Banter flowed and questions were asked such as: "is that really you?" A large group of us set out in horrible damp and dirty conditions for a well ridden route. 30 seconds into the ride and two thirds of the group blindly following each others malfunctioning Garmin's turned right when the route was straight on. 6 of us went the right with a mixture of worry about the correct course of action and the usual splitting of our sides. We were mostly re-united by Geddington but still missing some of the group. However the following rescue plan worked. We called Andy at the shop who called the missing cyclists. We then arranged to meet up in Rushton and continue on together.
Jamie effortlessly glided up the hill, he denies this,we all saw it!!!
Despite the filthy conditions it really was lovely to be out. This is a splendid route with a challenging climb through the village of East Farndon. Having not been out much on the road recently I was a bit nervous of the climb and decided to take it easy. Bewilderingly by doing that I completed the Strava segment in my third best time. Don't be deceived though, I was out of breath and knackered way before the top. This is about as tough as it gets in Northamptonshire. For anyone reading this from somewhere genuinely hilly like Yorkshire or Wales, East Farndon Hill is a difficult flat bit.
wonky glasses, wonky helmet, filthy face...yes I'm quite the catch!!!
Kelmarsh Hall
Harrington
more Harrington
Last pic at Harrington. It's usually such a pretty place. Looked grim yesterday!
After the hilly bits it was nice to have a blast into Loddington before saying goodbye to the group. I really enjoyed getting back out with the club so I better try to make it a habit again!
In the week I discovered this gem on YouTube. It's a documentary concerning the rivalry between Chris Boardman and Graeme Obree. It's fascinating to see the contrast of Boardman supported by a professional team with all the latest equipment and Obree who built his own bike and got his brother in law to give him a hand. It was also amazing to see that British track cycling used to hold it's championships on an outdoor velodrome in Leicester. It was demolished in the 90's but here's some history: Cycling Weekly I also got excited when I read that Obree's film about the land speed record for a self powered vehicle, Battle Mountain was available on the BBC iplayer. It's not...it was there only until early March!
seriously good watch, warning: it's an hour long
In Northamptonshire we have our own historic velodrome but many people don't realise. Built in the 1930's it's currently the go-kart track in Wicksteed Park. Every now and again they let us cyclists on it but attempts to make this a regular thing have been unsuccessful. We'd love it to be a safe tarmac venue for Cyclones. Here's a link but it's difficult to find more info! Anglia TV I know my Dad trained on the velodrome with Invicta Road CC (Northampton,) and that KCC held events on it. It would be awesome if we could get this resource back.
Today has been a simply beautiful Spring day. I decided that the best plan was off road and even better was to make use of the longer day that British Summer Time has blessed us with and wait until later on. So first things first we needed a dog walk. East Carlton park was the venue and it was superb.
I also had jobs to do such as a tip run and re-felting the shed roof. Can't let the water in, six of our eight bikes live in there! Finally though I got out at about half past three.
First up I tried my nearest woods where I plan to do a lot of training over the coming months. It was too wet still!There are really steep slopes I want to test myself on but with soft ground it just wasn't good riding...
So I nipped over to Desborough where they have a fantastic greenspace. It's a lovely leisure area around the new estates that have been built there.
It's got nice signs
Some bird spotting advice...Red Kites are ten a penny around here
I had a couple of goes around the area the kids call "the trails," which is good off road riding in the summer but there too it was too muddy still. My tyres just caked up with mud and the lack of grip made it disappointing.
muddy tyres
Nice shot of the trails...oh yeah and of that loveable bike!
Ubiquitous shadow shot
So that's a great couple of weeks cycling. If I pull the inner tube on the rollers trick off I will get Sam to do a video. If I post in another cast, you'll know something went wrong.
Happy Pedalling!
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