Just a fabulous week of cycling in the late Summer sun!

That has to be one of the best weeks this year for cycling and a few other reasons. I've coached, got out on my own in the week, had a groupride on the road and another off road. Somehow I also managed to get a run in too! I'm exhausted...but in a good way!

I didn't blog last week due to preparing for an interview on Monday. For the same reason I opted out of the 100km fondo ride with cyclasylum and instead joined the shorter ride.

Mark Skinner and I met up at Rushton Hall and were joined by another Mark, Marcus, Mike, Ian and Big Richard. This will start a series of calamities from me...I forgot my phone...I hadn't downloaded the route to my wahoo. No one else had the route. I could kind of remember it so ended up leading the group through the Welland valley. It worked out! We had a great ride and I was home early on. 

On Monday I got the job! Not a promotion but an excellent chance to manage some different teams and also, as its based in Kettering, to maintain the work/balance I've enjoyed recently.

To celebrate I led the cyclones in a hill climbing session. I was ably supported by Charlie as usual and the parents did a good job marshalling so we could stay safe. The kids did hill repeat races near Harrington. It's a tough hill. They were brilliant, such good attitudes, a joy to coach. It was the perfect end to a great day!

On Thursday morning I woke up and looked out of the window. It looked like a lovely morning and it felt like a waste not to go for a ride. So I did! A great way to start the day.

After a successful but tiring week at work I really needed my Saturday ride with the Cyclasylum. I wanted to do my fondo this week having missed out the week before. I considered joining the early birds at 7am but decided against it. I headed out for my own late early birds to get some extra miles in before joining the group but realised I'd forgotten that magic magnesium so came home. I then set off for a reduced later late early birds only to realise at the top of bunker hill that I'd forgotten my drinks!!!! So home again and then I only just made it to Kettering in time for the regular ride. Perhaps we should call that 'normal birds!' I do worry about me sometimes!!!

We had two groups this week and I opted for group two which looked less 'keen.' Just to keep the bird thing going I decided to race Amy Bird for village signs. Because youth and talent are no match for experience and treachery, I quickly held a 5 nil lead. This was mostly because I took 5 signs before announcing the competition!

After that I only took one more sign off the impressive youngster who just marked me and then destroyed me!!! This meant I spent a long time on the front and kept putting myself in the red for sprints. So by the time we made it to the coffee stop I was pretty wrecked despite taking my magnesium, drinking well and keeping my carbs up with jelly babies. The other thing of note was that we nearly got wiped out by dogs running across the road at Yelden. 

The Old Forge Tea Room was busy but well set up when we arrived. Group 1 were there but still waiting for food and drinks. Andy had booked which was good because people were turned away.

The food was top notch. I had a high quality sausage and bacon sandwich. The cakes looked good too.

The route finished at the cafe, leaving us free to pick our own direction home. Most of us headed to Grafton crossroads before going separate ways. Big Richard and I rode together back to Rothwell at a more sedate pace than earlier. We had a great chat though, putting the world to rights. He is great company!

Today we met up in a group of 7 for a long overdue off road ride. The plan was 33 miles so I felt an extra 10 to and from Geddington would be manageable. My legs felt tight as I set off but soon loosened up.

For some reason we met at the Ford and not the cross and then headed to Geddington chase. That glorious bit of downhill was dry and fast. Possibly the best I've seen it. The ride group today was Andy, Mark C, Marcus, Graham, Paul and Uncle Bob.

Paul started having tubeless issues so we all stopped to offer helpful advice which of course came by the way of unhelpful barely friendly banter!

We made our way over great gravel roads and not so great rutted fields and eventually arrived at Lievden New Bield. Where Andy took the usual photo.

From there it was through some great bridleways heading towards Aldwinkle but not getting there. I loved the downhill section. It was sketchy in places which adds to fun! At the bottom Paul gave up on his dodgy tubeless and took the short trip home. We headed back up a hill and 20 miles into my ride...my legs went wobbly. I'd had my banana 🍌 but I was also really hungry! This came and went for the rest of the ride but generally got worse.

Andy's sponsored Hope socks deserve a mention

We ended up on the trails between Thrapston and Stanwick lakes which was good for me as they're flat. It was busy with joggers, dog walkers and other bikes. 

Eventually though we headed uphill through Little Addington. My legs died again! I trudged on until we got to the A510. I was cursing myself for not packing some food. I could've murdered a Mars bar! 

On the road we passed the impressive round house. I featured this in a blog a few years back. That's long forgotten so I'll share this link again which explains what the building is about. Roundhouse Farm

Andy left us to hurry home for a family lunch. We were soon all cursing him as we crossed an oppressive ploughed field. My hand cramped from being smashed around.

It was a relief to make the other side. From there we headed to Cranford and into Kettering. I just wanted to get home by the shortest route. I said my goodbyes and headed to Warkton. I was so tired I didn't enjoy the trails through Weekly Glebe and onto Weekly Woods. It was tough just to keep turning the peddles and a massive relief to get home. To recover, I inhaled about ten maryland cookies 🍪 and a pint of milk. My best guess on all of that is I depleted my leg energy the day before and just needed to fuel better today...maybe I should also stop trying to outsprint teenagers!

In other news...how good is this Tour de France? Possibly the best one in years.

Happy Pedalling 

Storm Francis, lights, winter jersey...is summer over?

Its not unusual for the UK weather to let us all down and bank holidays it seems are often a disappointment. But on August 29th...I have lit the log burner!!!

Despite this, there have been breaks in the rain and the wind has dropped to 'safe to ride,' even if it remains hard work. My cycling week has been a really good mix.

On Monday we decided to run a cyclones coaching session. The week before we cancelled, based on the weather forecast and a fine evening made a fool of us all. The forecast was dodgy again this week but we risked it and once again it was a fine evening. I love coaching these kids. I also had some off road fun of my own. On the way home I needed my lights for the first time in a long time. Winter is coming!

On Wednesday, my son Sam and I headed to the Rockingham Forest Wheelers clubhouse for the short course TT dash. This is a real fun event from Ashley back to Middleton. With an easy course to navigate, Sam allowed me to also take part. We both did our best but having not practised this it was difficult to know how to approach it. I just rode as fast as I could until I ran out of steam. Then I eased off for a bit before going all out again for the finish. Sam held back for a planned sprint finish and then didn't realise where the finish was! Every day is a school day!!!

I only managed one run this week. My slow splashy effort on Friday was strangely therapeutic. Sometimes all you need to do is find a rhythm.

I woke up on Saturday morning to a damp, cold and breezy day. This was not summer at all. It was more like November. Has August 2020 just given up? I opted for a winter jersey and didn't regret it once! 

A smaller group than usual met at the swimming pool and we opted for one group of 6 plus some! Our first destination was St. Mary's Road where Kettering Borough Council have installed a bike lane. Frankly I think its a half arsed token gesture. The road is also a lumpy bumpy mess! What do these bollards that apparently cost £20k achieve? To me they say to cars...just pass us with one bollard width to spare and don't worry we'll ride in the gutter! Muppets.

My bike was rattling like crazy and I couldn't figure out why. Then I saw my stem cap jump and I realised the bolt was very loose. Well that was a relief, like most cyclists I obsess about squeaks and rattles and then panic that an expensive repair is required!

As ever Graham set a good pace on the front and we all tried to hang on. If we thought we were going fast Bairdy, Neil Hickford and the rest of Veloelite came past at an impressive pace.

The ride seemed to go quite quickly despite a testing wind. I felt great at 30 miles but was starting to fade at 40. As we headed towards the coffee stop in Woodford we started to notice wool decorations everywhere.

I stopped to enquire what was going on and a local lady told me: "we should've done this at feast time but because of the 'carry on,' we decided to do it now!" Only in Northants would someone describing a global pandemic as a 'carry on.'

I have no idea when feast time is but this seems like a lovely local tradition. Thankfully they don't appear to feast on inquisitive cyclists.

At the coffee stop it was the usual banter. Mark has some unusual advice for getting rid of wasps. His poxy plan is to clap at them...we tried, it didn't seem to work. 

Today's venue was the Grain store coffee house. I can't resist a dirty chai little and decided I'd earned a bumper breakfast sandwich. I didn't think of taking a picture until too late!

As we set off I felt completely rubbish. I'm never as good after a break and wonder if I should start giving the cafe stop a miss. At this stage I realised that I didn't have my glasses! I put the group out of its misery of waiting for me by heading home via Grafton Underwood. Justin came with me to the crossroads and then I headed on solo to Geddington. Because I could I took the offroad shortcut through Weekly Woods.

Mrs L and I headed back to the Grain Store Coffee House where we found my glasses in the bush that my bike had fallen over in. I treated the queen of cakes to a cream tea and because it would be rude not to, I had another dirty chai. Then we went for another look at those wonderful wooly creations.

On Sunday morning I needed a light ride and that's what I got. In aid of Cransley Hospice the KCC Cyclones held a cycling treasure hunt. We started at Kettering Rugby Club and the first obstacle was a locked gate. It was sorted after a few phone calls. The clues were provided by club chairman Roger Reed. Some great features such as the Grafton Underwood Church stained glass window, the war memorial nearby and the Eleanor Cross at Geddington. All things that have featured in this blog before.

I took my Forme Calver cyclocross bike out for the first time in ages and initially it felt weird. Knobbly tyres at 30psi are very different to my road set up. However I wanted to mix it up a bit with some off road fun thrown in. As I got used to it again I remembered what a fun bike it is!

It was a great little loop for the kids and then I was free for some off road fun back through Weekly Glebe, Weekly woods and the track to Rushton. 

Today (Bank holiday Monday,) it was time for another group ride with the Cyclasylum. Due to everyone's commitments we decided on an early start time of 7.30am. Some of the group have been doing this anyway in an 'early birds,' ride. Today Steve Minney met us at the swimming pool but had already done his ride, making him an 'early, early bird!' Anything goes, we are a tolerant bunch. In fact the only thing we won't tolerate is intolerance and probably baggy shorts on a road bike. Also I was the first to arrive, which is a first and very unnerving! I wondered if a secret message group had arranged a different ride. Eventually Andy, Mark, Marcus, Ian and Mike arrived. We picked Pete up at the top of the hill on Arthingworth Road.

At this stage I should mention the weather. It was cold! I had my winter jersey on again. However we also had the lightest winds I can remember for a ride. 

As we left Kettering I got ahead of the group on the downhill and was determined not to get passed by everyone as I headed towards Loddington. As I headed up the hill I was feeling good as no one passed me. Then I looked over my shoulder and no one was there! I looked down at my Wahoo and I was off route! What a prize plum. I cut across from Thorpe Malsor and then up the bumps to Loddington where everyone was waiting for me and as you can imagine, much mockery occurred! 

This is the downside of having a GPS device. I've stopped checking out the route. Someone posts it, I download it and then I follow it! Before I'd memorise the route and know where I was going!!! 

This was an Andy P special. We sought out every hill and after an hour I'd done 17 miles over 1000ft and I was only 2 miles from home!

At Welford, Marcus left us and Heather joined us at the exact same junction. This seamless substitution was completely unplanned. It was great to see Heather though!

For bits of this ride I managed to get on the front. That's because in between the hills Andy had put in some fast flat bits. I especially enjoyed the stretch from Naseby through Sibbertoft and onto Welford and then again into Long Buckby before the hill!

There was a nice fast rolling section again to Holdenby before significant climbs up to Spratton and again to Brixworth.

At Brixworth we were rewarded with a coffee break at The Workhouse. I enjoyed a lovely golden chai latte and some Twix tiffin. 

From there I stayed with the group until Old and made my own way home via Harrington.

Northamptonshire does not have the stunning scenery of other areas. However our rolling hills are very pleasant. This route showcased that perfectly.

In other news I need to give a big shout out to my cycling friend Clint Boodhist. After an already epic year, Clint and fellow superhuman Emily Campbell, completed a 24 hour 300 mile ride! Chapeau you two!!!

It's also great to see the Tour de France 🇫🇷 has started. So far its been a thoroughly enjoyable race. In weird old 2020 it feels like this is the most open race ever.

Well that was a great week.

Happy Pedalling 

Blown away

I was expecting in my second week of leave to get a lot of cycling done. Sometimes it doesn't work like that. A couple of runs and one group ride are all I have to show for the last 7 days. We did get some decorating done, walk the dogs loads and had a trip to the seaside!

I was really pleased on Monday that Niamh asked to go for a run with me. She was once a talented athlete but a combination of bad luck and injuries that in her esrly teens. I'm sure with encouragement, Niamh, who still has pace and an impressive cartwheel, can become a good runner.

On Monday night we should have had cyclones but the weather forecast for the week was for heavy rain and thunderstorms. So we cancelled! Then the weather made fools of us all. Other places had storms and flooding, Kettering stayed dry until much later that night.

On Tuesday I was fitting my new brake blocks. Hooray no more loud brakes!!! 

old...

New!

However I also spotted a tyre issue. My rear tubeless Hutchinson Fusion 5, a tyre I've been totally impressed with looked wrong. There was a bulge and a build up dried sealant on the side wall. It looked wrong and I wouldn't feel confident riding on it. When I peeled off the sealant it didn't reveal a puncture it looked as though the sidewall was worn down to the webbing! 

As we wanted to ride the Rocko TT the next day I ordered a new tyre on next day delivery. Normally I'd order 2 but the front was still in very good. As it happens the tyre didn't arrive in time but Sam was far from keen on a miserable Wednesday evening. One of the things I like about Hutchinson tyres is that they just work. The trusty lemonade bottle tubeless tyre inflator worked on the second go. The rim popped in, I inflated to 80psi and it hasn't lost a molecule of air since!

On Thursday we went to Wells Next the Sea for the day. It was the best weather of the week and Wells is very nice. The dogs had a good swim and we had proper seaside fish and chips. The only issue was that the place was packed due to the nice weather and people were ignoring the one way system and social distancing. This made Mrs L who has been shielding uncomfortable and therefore we didn't make it to the main beach.

On Friday I went for another run at Desborough airfield. With Niamh on Monday I realised that its just over a 5k flat loop and perfect for setting a notparkrun time. Well it would have been. The wind was horrendous and after a couple of km with a tailwind I turned into the headwind. Wow it was tough! Nevertheless that's my best time in ages and it answers my question about my times on my regular hilly route. 

On Saturday I was playing it by ear. High winds and group rides are not a clever combination. However the wind had reduced to a strong breeze so I headed out to join the group at Kettering swimming pool car park. We split into 3 groups and I headed out in group one with Graham, Steve Minney, Ian, Mike and we picked Mark Skinner up in Loddington.

The other side of Loddington I felt like I'd picked the wrong group as Graham set the pace. Thankfully they slowed down a bit but I felt it was a notch too fast all ride. That's more about me though, two weeks of indulgence never helps my cycling pace!

We headed up a road I'd never even noticed before after Kelmarsh. The route tried to send us across a field. I'm planning to explore that on a different bike but for this ride we had a detour before picking the route back up in Naesby! 

This ride got seriously lumpy after that! The hills into Guilsborough, the glorious descent into Hollowell, up to Creaton and then the daddy hill of the day at Haselbech (still no idea how to pronounce this.) This has been used as a QOM in the Ladies tour and still has paint on the road from supporters. As we headed back through Rothwell I gave the cafe stop a miss...mostly because I'd already been up Bunker Hill once that day. I didn't want to tax my legs twice! The only disadvantage was that I didn't see anyone from the other groups.

I rewarded myself with some quality ales from Wine Time. This will have to stop for a few weeks as I have a post holiday health kick. Live like a monk, train like a ninja!!! (Not the type of monk that makes the ales above!)

Whilst we've been off Mrs L has decorated the man room. My trusty Giant has a new home. I'm still deciding on getting a bracket or leaving it on the worktop.

Back to work tomorrow but still lots of riding to look forward to. 

Happy Pedalling