Sunday, May 17, 2009

Training weekend...

This was a good weekend for sport!

Saturday got up a little earlier than normal to get a quick 7km run in then in the afternoon, after a Cougars 7-0 friendly win Luca had squash and with Sue and Amelie at the garden centre i went for a nother run. This one just over 8km but at a much slower pace. Was great except for being heckled by a 13 year old who then scarpered when i chased him!! Never have a 13 year olds legs moved so fast! I was livid!!

This morning was a Tri Club ride - we left at 7:30 with the weather pretty good despite the horrendous forecast. The plan was a 55km ride over Cleeve Hill. We set off in shorts and a single pair of socks with the warmer weather. The ride was great but the wind was slowing us down and sapping our strength. As a group we can cruise around 35kph in the first hour. We turned onto the A38 and into a headwind that slowed us to 24kph. A real slog.

We carried on through Stoke Orchard, Bishops Cleeve then out through Gotherington to Winchcombe - a really scenic ride and with signage for the British Heart Foundation Cotswold Ride (40miles).

We dropped down into Winchcombe and then was the King of the Mountains points. We started as a group with the 2mile climb. The order then took shape with Le Fassett pushing on followed by Mark. Darren pushed me hard and i think it was probably the best team performance to the top of the hill that we have had. We were all riding hard.

As we started the descent the rain started. The road down was slippery and greasy making for nervous descending. At the foot of the hill we hit the Heart Foundation riders as they approached the mile2 marker. The rain by now was hammering down and we were drenched. Spray from back wheels was also flying. We left the HF's and contined through town and up Bath Road. The rain was o bad at this point that i could barley see beyond my front wheel.

As we cam to the end of the ride Le Fassett and the Flying Dutchman set off. I could not grab the wheel and Mark was some way behind me. The placing went to Darren in his first victory, Le Fassett second.

We were soaked and cold through and it felt great!