Rain, wind and my first King of the Mountains

Since I started cycling again I have become much more aware of the weather, I know us Brits have an obsession with weather anyway but I now look at it in much finer detail. Things like wind direction, wind speed have much more interest than before. Wind is definitely not the cyclists friend and this week has been particularly unfriendly in that respect and for the first time I almost aborted a ride because the wind was so strong - I didn't but it was hard work with the crosswinds. One of the advantages of the wind is having a go at some Strava segments where the wind is shall we say, helpful. Strava segments are parts of rides that people have registered and then everyone who rides them can compare their times against everyone else. King of the Mountains(KOM) is the fastest person on that segment. I can proudly announced that I am KOM on the Swinley Road Sprint!! In fairness it isn't particularly well contested but hey! KOM is a KOM!

Sunday saw another sportive as preparation for the RL100 this time in the Cotswolds one of the Evans Cycles Ride It series. these are exceptionally good value as they give away High 5 nutrition goods equal to the value of the entry price which is already at a very reasonable £15. The course was a fairly flat 60 miles followed by two really big and at times steep climbs and then a gentle descent to the finish just over 88 miles in total.
The weather forecast had been dismal all week but the ride started in cool but dry conditions and at one point it looked like the sun was going to come out. It didn't last though and for the second half of the ride the conditions were absolutely horrible, heavy driving rain and lots of surface water, spray and muck from the roads. These were the worst conditions that I have cycled in and rules 5 and 9 of the rules for cyclists definitely applied. If you don't know what they are, then they can be found here!

I completed the ride a bit soggy but in a respectable 5hours 6 minutes an average speed of 17.3mph which is roughly what I was aiming for. A bowl of hot Chilli and a coffee went down very well at the end.

This last week has also been the Deloitte Ride Across Britain (John O'Groats to Lands End) ride. 984 miles in 9 days through some of the most beautiful countryside in the UK. This is a ride that I am planning to do next year so I have been keeping a watchful eye on progress. Most years they get a few well known people to ride it usually sportsmen or women. This year Kelly Sotherton (Heptathlete) and Danny Grewcock, Lewis Moody and Dave Flatman all Ex England Rugby forwards undertook the challenge and completed it! So well done to them. Rugby forwards are not built for cycling especially going up hills. Have a look at this video of Dave Flatman doing a piece to camera halfway through the ride. The fatigue is there for all to see, keep an eye on Danny Grewcock trying to open a packet of biscuits.














To sponsor me for the Ride London 100 in aid of Prostate Cancer UK and to motivate me on those hard training rides then please visit my fund raising page.