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| Club Ride in February Means Muck on Face |
Club Ride 14-02-15 Total Distance Ridden 46 miles
The ride started at 9 am in Cottingham. On this occassion the planned route takes the group past the north side of the Humber Bridge in the first few miles and that is where I planned to meet up with my club colleagues.
In order to get myself up, fed and ready to go on time meant setting the alarm for 7 am. Some people can just roll out of bed and onto the bike. Not me I need "coming round" time.
Actually my preparations to go on the ride began the day before by making sure everything was OK with the bike. To go to the bike 30 minutes before you are supposed to depart and find there is a problem with it would be a real downer. I hate last minute panics. And boy can I panic !
So the day before I had checked the bike over for problems, taken it for a quick pedal up and down the street to make sure the brakes, gear change were working OK and there were no funny noises and generally assessed whether my equipment was going to let me down or embarrass me in front of my colleagues. I had even put brand new tyres on and was happy my ride was looking well pimped.
So a final check list before I rolled off down the street
- Saddle bag stocked - 2 inner tubes, tyre levers, multi tool, CO2 cannisters & gun
- Mobile phone fully charged.
- Money
- Food in back pocket
- Waterproof in back pocket
- Bicycle Pump in back pocket
- Sense of humour
- Feeling of optimism and slight sense of nervousness
As I cycled slowly across the bridge to the meeting point I began to psyche myself up. I had only been a member of the club for about 18 months. The group rides I always found hard as the group dynamic meant that you always put far more effort in than if you were riding alone. There were some tough hills on today's ride. Would I keep up? Would I quit when the going got tough ? Would I ........PSHHTTT ! What the ..? Puncture !
Brilliant. I had not even got to the meet point and I had suffered a puncture. And why is it ALWAYS the back wheel. Hang on I came out with a Sense of Humour didn't I ? Chill out, just change the tube and crack on.
Half way across the Humber Bridge I set about changing the inner tube. When I checked the tyre I couldn't find any glass, thorn, debris, anything. I began to suspect the quality of my workmanship when I had changed the tyres the day before. Maybe I had pinched the inner tube somewhere along the line. It would certainly be consistent with my usual standard of work.
Anyway I managed to still meet up with the club run and we set off for the first significant climb of the day at Brantingham Dale. The full climb on Strava is 1.8 miles with an average of 3 % but within that are sections with an average of 10 %. OK it is not Mont Ventoux but if you are going up with guys that are better than you then there is the opportunity to really push yourself. As we approached the bottom I was thinking this is going to hurt, it is just a question of when it starts.
I certainly gave it everything there I noted my heart rate on the Garmin topped out at 190 beats per minute (bpm) on the steep bit towards the end. That is about as high as I have ever seen it. I fear that I have made my usual rookie mistake to give it absolutely everything on the first climb and thus on subsequent efforts I will be closer to hitting the wall. Still if I am to improve I have to put myself in the red ( don't I ?)
We moved on down Beverley Road into South Cave Every time I go down this steep descent I seem to get less and less confident about it. For sure describing my inadequacies going downhill can be the subject of another post, but not today.
Through South Cave onto North Cave and then heading out towards Hotham before turning right up a moderate climb called Pitbalk Hill before coming to the bottom of the B1230 up to High Hunsley. "Not the B1230 up to High Hunsley !" I hear you cry. The very same.
According to Strava the full climb is 2.1 miles at an average of 3 %.Similar to Brantingham there are steeper slopes lower down up to 9 % and then a long section where the road goes on for a long time gradually rising all the time. As we approached it I remembered I had been up it before on a previous club ride and had been unable to to keep in touch with the front guys. No shame in that there are plenty of riders (male and female) in the club who are better than me. So long as I tried my best and if possible improved from the last time I would be happy. Here we go.
When the front guys pulled away I managed to crawl up to the back of Wayne in the blue top and stick with them all the way to the top. I don't believe they were going full gas anyway. Did you see the ease with which Chris ( big thighs and white stripes on his tights ) came to the front? There was plenty in reserve there. It did my ego no harm at all to stick with those guys to the top. However, I knew that was it for me now on the climbs. The final climb of the day Trundelgate I would be chugging up.
From High Hunsley we went down the hill into North Newbold, another steep descent for me to wimp out of and marvel at the confidence and bravery of others. But as I have said in previous posts I am not a brave man.
At the bottom we turn round and line up to come back up Trundlegate and Whin Lane. The full climb to the junction at the end of Whin Lane is another 2.1 miles at an average of 3 % but similar to the previous 2 climbs there was a steep section up to 12 % followed by a gradual rise all the way to the top.
By the time I got to the bottom my Go Pro battery was flat ( as was I ) so no pictures for this one but take my word for it the pace was funereal. Speaking of funerals I am afraid I nearly caused one on the way up. The road going up is just a bit bigger than single track and during my exertions going up the hill I had wandered into the middle of the road. Suddenly up ahead round the bend, coming at breakneck speed, a cyclist appeared tearing down the road. He must have been doing about 40 mph and I was in the way !
So I got out of the way but not before the gentleman concerned had a huge fright and let me know his thoughts on the matter as he sped past. For sure I shouldn't have been where I was, that was my fault but I do think he was going too fast. If I had been a car he would have had no chance. Anyway no-one was hurt (physically) and I learned my lesson.
We all regrouped at the top and then made our way back to Cottingham. I peeled of with Tracy and Steve to make our way back to North Ferriby. I said farewell to Tracy and Steve at North Ferriby and cycled solo back to the Humber Bridge and back home to Barton-Upon-Humber.
46 eventful miles all told. Good miles in the legs but I need to do twice that. Must come up with a training plan.
One dissappointment to report. Like most cyclists , I suspect, before showering, eating, saying hello to loved ones and definately before cleaning the bike the first thing that MUST be done on completion of a ride is to upload the ride from your Garmin device to Strava ( other devices and websites are available ).
I felt for sure there would be some PBs on there plus I could embed it in my blog. So I connected the device to the laptop, logged onto Strava went to up load and ......NOTHING ! I was surprised at how strong my emotions were that the ride hadn't been recorded. I was gutted ! After a short while though I started to gain some perspective on the matter. I knew I had done the ride and ultimately that's all that matters.
I have embedded the course though from Garmin which isnt as good as the actual activity from Strava.
Overall I'm glad I got out of bed in the morning.
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