Monday 27 June

50 miles in some hot weather, did set out planning to do 70 but soon changed my mind, very hot and also surprisingly windy.  After a bout 30 miles I just felt empty, fatigued, took plenty of water, brioche, gels, jelly babies, all the usual stuff but today just took it toll on me.  The heat can be blamed for some of it it I'm sure but I think there was more to it that.  Followed pretty much the same route as last week but carried on to Diseworth and then on to Kegworth for the route home.  Felt tough out there, tougher than it should have.  Don't want to start over analysing it yet, you never know it could be exhaustion from all those races I've not been winning or sportives I fall off on ;)

Distance = 50.2 miles
Time = 3 hrs 09 mins
Ave Speed = 16 mph
Top Speed = 33.8 mph
Hillometer = 29.3 ft/mile
Max H/R = 190
Ave H/R = 160
Weather = Sunny, 28c

2011
Road Bike = 1120.3
Single Speed = 48.3*
Fixed = 16
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 1229

*edited for commute

Won over?

Had a fantastic day in London yesterday with Kelly celebrating her birthday.  The main purpose of the trip was to see Dirty Dancing on stage, her choice not mine!  Kelly had also arranged a tour of parliament with our MP Anna Soubry.  After a picnic in St James Park we headed for our appointment with Anna.

I admit I had pre judged her as a bit of a 'battleaxe' not a very approachable person.  What we got was a very light mannered, polite, humorous woman who has strong opinions and is not afraid to air them in a way that doesn't try to impose them upon you.  We have a whistle stop tour of the houses of parliament, some area's where the 'official tour' wouldn't take you.  When she found out the purpose of the visit to London, she quickly whisked us to the Strangers Bar and got the drinks in, what else but a Pimms for Kelly!  On the terrace boozing with our MP indeed!

She asked how we felt about the area we live in, the schooling, shopping, pubs and general recreational activities.  She listened and sympathised with our answers.  Gave us an insight into what's happening (and what's not) in the area and a brief insight into her vision.

Now I'm not gullible enough to not realise that much of this is an act to 'win us over' and take a certain element of it with a pinch of salt, but what I did realise is this woman has balls, she will stand up and fight and argue her corner, she does not want all our villages/towns merging into one, she wants to see each area retain it's own identity, residents to take pride in the village or town they live in.  She is against building for the sake of building, if housing needs to be built do it the right place in the right way, create communities, not just throw a load of houses up with no heart in the center of them.

I have never met Nick Palmer who preceded Anna as my MP but I have had dealings with him, and although it was always a pleasure to deal with him you always felt he was a bit of a push over, do anything to keep you sweet sort of bloke, not my ideal for an MP.  Anna seems to have the steel and grit needed to fight for her constituency.  If I were a voting man she'd get my vote.

To round the day off we took the tube to Covent Garden, had a wonder round the market and shops, popped into Lilly Cooper's (nee Allen) shop Lucy In Disguise and had a lovely meal in Palm Spring Brasserie before heading for the show, which incidently was pretty good too.

An open response to @adambird

I have chosen not to use the clubs forum to reply to your interesting thread titled 'Commitment' as this would not be of benefit to the club, I would however like to address a few points....

"I'm not about to rake up the past and challenge versions of events because that benefits no-one. At the time I deliberately backed away from challenging any further after an initial voicing of my opinion because of the reaction it received. This did not stop an increasing level of intimidating behaviour directed at me that only ceased when action was taken by Judy in her role as club Welfare Officer."

Is this not in fact raking up the past, mentioning something that happened well over a year ago?

It is only a matter of opinion and not fact that you were subject to 'intimidating behaviour'.  Any behaviour directed at you was a direct result of provocation by you publicly berating my efforts with public comments such as "I stood back and watched you throw my hard work away" .

Lets not forget that the current website was born out of the fact that you at the last minute withdrew your offer of creating and hosting a new website which other people had spent time and effort assisting you in the design and listening to your proposals in their own time.  We the committee (at the time) were extremely grateful for your efforts and were very happy with the proposed website you had created.  Then in the 11th hour you pulled out citing work commitments as your reason for not being able to continue.  That I can understand, we all have lives away from Beeston CC, but please forgive me for feeling a little shy as we have already been bitten once! This I am sure is where the mentioned concern stems from, funny you don't mention that in your piece written on the forums!

"The most important aspect is that we're part of the new wave of cycling clubs in the country and complete access to the Bunch Rides application puts us at the forefront of that movement."

You speak of a new wave of cycling, is this what the majority of Beeston CC want?  BCC is no longer the same club you helped get of the ground, it has evolved beyond a small group of like minded folk into a diverse range of membership, we don't all share the same vision as yourself.

I like the fact the club is different to the traditional cycling club and the fact that the members arrange ad-hoc rides, the members drive the club, not the club driving the members.  I personally do not feel that the club needs to be a part of a 'bigger movement' it already achieves what the majority of its membership require.

In short I understand your need to express your commitment but find the way you have chosen to do so quite unsavoury.  Employing 'dirty tactics' to perhaps try and discredit myself and therefore the clubs current website, very good!  If you like that kind of thing.....

If you feel the need to continue to provoke me please carry on to do so, just don't feel too disappointed if I fail to make as bigger fool of myself as you do.

Sunday 19th June

Took a steady 52 mile ride into North Leicestershire with a couple of club mates this morning, easy pace which left me enough energy to absolutely slaughter any hills we came across, I felt like Bertie Contador dancing on my pedals in big gears going up hills, only difference being I had not eaten chemically enhanced Steak the night before :)

We were on a reconnaissance mission for the Beeston CC 75 mile Challenge Ride, the 1st section of the route has been passed and approved, second part to be approved after next Sundays recce part 2.  This mornings route followed a familiar path out to Six Hills and back home and was finished off with coffee and a natter at Nero's.

Today I was Bernhard Eisel to John's Mark Cavendish.

Distance = 52 miles
Time = 3 hrs 22 mins
Ave Speed = 15.4 mph
Top Speed = 29.9 mph
Hillometer = 23.2 ft/mile
Max H/R = 183
Ave H/R = 138
Weather = Cloudy, Breezy 13c

2011
Road Bike = 1070.1
Single Speed = 44.9
Fixed = 16
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 1175.4

Manchester Velodrome

Disscussing 'tactics' for the team pursuit

Beeston CC took a road trip to Manchester last weekend for a track session at the National Cycling Centre, and what fun it was!

First time on a fixed in over 25 years for me and first time on a track. 

After getting changed we walk up into the arena, first thing that strikes me is just how steep the banking is, it's like a bloody wall!  Too late to panic now, off we trot to claim our bikes and get our shoes on.

Once ready Russ our coach for the session briefed us on the 'rules'

Rule 1: Don't stop peddaling
Rule 2: You can't go too fast!

Then we were off, a couple of laps on the flat surface next to the track then as we sped up Russ told us to get on the track and onto the black line.  First corner on the black line and I'm thinking "shit this is steep I'm not going any further up"

58cm Dolan Track Bike (83.5" gear)

Then the bike starts pulling me back down off the track, it's then I realise why Russ told us to go hard into and round the bends, if you dont your heading south!  So the next bend I crank it up a bit and keep going through the bend, wow what a feeling, I've been bitten by the bug already.  Next time past and Russ is shouting me to go on the red line, further up the track, out I move and kick into the bend, again WOW!  As I pass coach Russ on the next lap he shouts "Blue, blue" out I move to the blue, it's even better, who'd have thought, within 4 laps I'm used to the fixed gear and I'm loving the track, something that has never really appealed to me.  Fun over for a few minutes, coach Russ is calling us back in, how do I stop this thing?  Slowing down is not an issue, stopping it and getting off is quite another, I pull in and start grabbing for the barrier, firm grip on the barrier, I've stopped, unclip feet, that was easy!

'Team Novice' Team Pursuit

Team pursuit was next, we were split into three teams, Team Blue made of club members in club colours who have all ridden the boards before.  Team Black, mixed ability team of club members and guests, and finally Team Novice, the first timers on the track, me included.  Team Blue did a good tight ride and worked well together, Team Black put a pretty good effort in too. 

Team Novice however were an absolute shambles, by lap 2 of 8 myself and Steve were half a lap ahead of our 'team mates', we held up for a couple of laps but the boys were not catching us so we buried it for the final two laps and finished 3/4's of a lap ahead of the rest of the team.  Oh well, something to work on next time!

Next up was the 200 meter sprint with rolling start, after studying club mates lines and taking advice from Russ it was clear I needed to be at the top of that banking coming into the straight before the start line and then drop down the banking in the bend where the start line is.  As my time comes around I nervously set off knowing I need to go higher up that banking than ever before and with only just over 1/2 a lap to get up to speed.  Off I set gettig up to speed as quick as possible trying to save energy, round the first bend nice and low, into the back straight moving up the boards and bringing the speed up, pushing hard to get above the advertising markings on the track, I'm up there, bloody hell this good!  Into the finish straight I'm as high as I can go ready to drop down to the start line on the next bend.  Hit the bend and head down to the line.  WOW what a feeling, peddling as hard as I can heading south, what acceleration!  Now remembering to keep as tighter line as possible for the next 180 meters, down the straight into the bend, keeping as tight as I can at 30 mph, onto the finish straight and over the line 15.31 seconds after passing the start line.  No danger of breaking any records but I'm pleasantly surprised with my time.

The sprint was followed by a 'free session' for a bout 20 mins for us to do what ever we liked, I headed out with one thing in mind..... going round the bends at the very top of the boards.... I did it :)

I only went for the experience, I had no intention of ever going again, it was an experience to tick off the list.  My name will be down for the next visit!  It was great, a real buzz going fast on a fixed round a track.

Track Session = 16 Miles



2011
Road Bike = 1018.1
Single Speed = 44.9*
Fixed = 16
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 1123.4

*= edited to add commute

Sunday 5 June

Today was a recovery ride after yesterdays longer effort.  Followed the @beestoncc 35 mile social ride but cut a little section out to ensure my riding partner today got home in time for his family commitments.  Was a breezy morning out there but nothing too strenuous.  Had some good chat about the club and current proposals and even came away with new ideas and an offer of assistance.

So after a good weekend of cycling including a recovery ride I think it's time for some recovery snap and maybe even a recovery drink or three.



Distance = 31.9 miles
Time = 2 hrs 5 mins
Ave Speed = 15.3 mph
Top Speed = 35.7 mph
Hillometer = 21.7 ft/mile
Max H/R = 177
Ave H/R = 142

Weather = Cloudy, Breezy 12c

2011
Road Bike = 1018.1
Single Speed = 38.5
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 1101

Saturday 4 June, Peak Ride

Took a ride into the Peak this morning via Crich, Cromford and up Via Gellia, this proved much easier than the profile suggests.  From the top of Via Gellia I headed to Fenny Bently to see the family who are camping there for the weekend whilst I'm at work.  After a quick refuel I continued down into Ashbourne, then back up out of it!  Took the lanes back from Ashbourne to Keddleston, Little Eaton and Drum Hill, man that is hard after 60 HILLY miles, from Drum it was home through Spondon, Draycott, Long Eaton.  Bonked in Draycott, the last 3 1/2 miles were murder!

Really enjoyed this ride, a tough workout with over 6,500 ft of climbing, the weather was warm.  Via Gellia is one of those on my list, so glad I've chalked it off, would be nice to come back down it some time though.  Next trip that way I will be tackling a couple of the 100 climbs in Matlock.



Distance = 73.8 miles
Time = 5 hrs 34 mins
Ave Speed = 13.2 mph
Top Speed = 45.6 mph
Hillometer = 90 ft/mile
Max H/R = 193
Ave H/R = 159

Weather = Sunny, Breezy 18c

2011
Road Bike = 986.2
Single Speed = 38.5
Indoor = 44.4
Total Mileage = 1069.1