EF-Colney Heath-Radlett-Whetstone-EF (60.7km)

Great club ride today with a big turn out. Lots of news from the recent races and exploits of the Finchley RT, though no major results (they consider staying with the main pack in an Elite/1/2/3 race a good result... so would I!).

Kevin had a new bike and Werner is due to get the same one today - a new Shorter carbon frame with Campy Record and Zipp 404's - damn nice bike. The early pace was quite relaxed, with everyone chatting and joking about as usual. At about the halfway point, though Dominic, Werner, me and couple others broke away and rode at a higher tempo, gradually pulling away from the main group.

We must have gone about a minute ahead without really trying and had a comfortable enough margin to ride the first hill at a relaxed pace - the main group caught us at the top. On the other side of the first climb, Werner broke away strongly and I latched onto his wheel. He was pulling at 45kph constantly and I had difficulty keeping up. Before the next hill we slowed down to let the group catch up. Then it was game on.

Lots of attacks over the next 10km, with Werner being the usual instigator. I was well and truly knacked by the end of the ride and the cappuccino at our cafe stop was well deserved.

I did an extra 5km afterwards to go and pick up my racing license at Stav's place. Must start entering some of the mid-week races at Hillingdon!


View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-Redbourn-Gaddesden-Shenley-EF (94.0km)

Nice long solo ride today, taking advantage of a break in the strong winds we've had recently. The ride was without incident and I was able to keep my HR under control and pace myself well. My legs started hurting with 75km covered and I struggled over the last 20km, but didn't force the pace - just kept it nicely together.

View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-Dancers Hill-Trotters Bottom-EF (28.6km)

Another windy outing on the bike, but had to cut todays ride short as the wind was playing havoc with my handling and it was getting dangerous.

View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-Brookmans Park-Barnet-EF (39.0km)

A combination of stiff legs and horrible winds made for a short but tough ride. Wish I had have taken my HR monitor with, as I'd liked to have seen my figures on the route back - spending 15-minutes blocks without rest gouging away into the wind. Hope the weather is better tomorrow...

View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-St Albans-Shenley-Mays Lane-EF (57.5km)

Almost all the regular riders were absent from todays club ride, though notably present were Costa, Ben, Darren, Patrice and David (recently back from Oz). Decided to risk taking my Battaglin out today as well - risky because I've got slick tyres on and the roads were still wet from last night's rain.

The pace was fairly brisk, with Ben, David, a new saffa (can't remember his name!) and I taking pulls at the front. At St Albans someone had a puncture and it was here that five of us decided to call it a day and swing round Shenley for a shorter ride.

In lieu of distance, Ben decided to put the hurt on and pushed the pace pretty high going up the hills around Shenley, which caused me to loose ground and play catch up on the descents (oh the joys of a heavy steel bike...). I found my legs again on the last hill on Mays Lane and pushed the pace at the front.

Ben and I stopped for coffee after and had a nice chat. A good ride, if a little short.

View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-L.Berkhampstead-Woodside-EF (50.9km)

Nice solo ride through the hills north of Potter's Bar. Feeling good on the bike the whole ride and managed a few hard efforts into the wind on the way back. Generally pleased with the ride and look forward to the club ride tomorrow.

View this ride data at Motionbased

EF-Kentish Lane-Woodside-EF (43.0km)

Decided to skip the group ride today in favour of a little solo 'me-time' ride on the Battaglin. I put the Garmin in my back pocket, so had no way of telling what my HR was doing - I'd worry about that after the ride...

It was a blustery morning, but it felt warm, so decided on leaving the leg warmers off for the first time since October last year - it was a wonderful feeling to have the wind against my legs again. I warmed up properly and headed out, feeling a bit sluggish but generally OK. My breathing was a bit harder than normal, but I put that down to the awful wind which seemed to constantly be in my face.

I took a new, unknown road just off Kentish Lane at the top of the Elephant climb and went through an area called Woodside that had a longish descent, a quick, steep climb and then another descent that emptied out onto Great North Road. I then made a left and headed back home.

I noticed afterward that my HR was in zone 4.6, 165bpm average! It seemed way too high for the mediocre effort I put into my ride. I might be coming down with something... must watch my foods and get plenty of sleep tonight.

View this ride data at Motionbased