Training: EF-Cromer-Great Munden-Brickendon-EF

2nd ride with the Finchley Racing Team guys, though today it was a longer ride. I hooked up with Werner beforehand and we met the guys at the start in Finchley. The first 60-70km were ridden at a really slow pace - just cruising along with everyone chatting and fooling about. Quite a few punctures due to the wet roads and a couple of natural breaks brought the average speed to below 28kph.

After a shop stop in Great Munden the pace was suddenly upped and Werner and me got involved with pushing the group on the front. Once we hit Hertford the group headed up to Brickendon - nice 3km drag and Werner decided to drop the hammer big time. I held his wheel for as long as I could, but slowly I saw him getting a gap which eventually grew until he disappeared around a few corners. I was well and truly on my limit!

We regrouped at the top and then pushed it again through to Potter's Bar. We split up and a few stopped for coffee at Whetstone. I found out about their Tue and Thu night sessions which I will definitely check out next week. In all a good ride and it's nice to meet and get involved with an active club.

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Training: EF-Colney Heath-Radlett-Whetstone-EF

First ride with the Finchley Racing Team group that meets in Whetstone. Nice bunch of guys and a fairly leisurely pace (except for the hills), though this is the usual pace of their Saturday ride and Sundays are apparently a bit faster and longer. There were a couple of familiar faces of riders that used to meet in Potters Bar... apparently many of these guys are now riding with this group due to the dissolving of the Finsbury Park Sunday group.

At the end of the ride we stopped at a coffee shop in Whetstone - all 15 or so of us taking over the tables outside the cafe. The shop owner, in jest, asked us all for urine samples - classic! We chatted about the Tour de France and the scandals that have hit it over coffee, tea and cakes and then moved off on our separate ways. I told them I would see them tomorrow for the ride that actually starts just down the road from me in East Finchley, though its quite early - 8.30am. Should be good.

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Training: EF-Essendon-Brickendon-EF

Very hilly and very windy solo ride after spending the last 3-4 days off the bike. Suffered quite a lot on the way back home as it was all into the wind and a lot of time spent riding uphill. Ended up just taking it easy over the last 15km.

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Training: EF-Broxbourne-Hertford-Essendon-EF

Hooked up with Werner at Potter's Bar this morning for a nice little pre-Tour de France watching killer ride! Told him from the start that I wanted to get back home quite early to watch the first Pyreneean stage of the tour. We agreed it would be short but fast.

Working together very nicely for the first 40km or so, our average speed was up to almost 33kph before the big climb of Essendon. Werner started pulling away on the lower slopes while I took it at my own pace and came back to him at the top (though I think he waited for me a bit). The last hill was a full on big dig to the top and I managed to stay right on his wheel to the top.

We split again at Potter's Bar, feeling invigorated and ready to watch a nice mountain stage of the tour!

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Training: EF-Dancer's Hill-May's Lane-EF

Warming up ride that quickly turned into a time trial and then a 5km pursuit after another cyclist along Mays Lane. Felt strong and rode a pretty fast pace considering the first 15-minutes of the ride were at warm up pace.

Distance: 32.7km
Time: 1:00:32
Speed: 32.4kph

EF-Broxbourne-Hertford-Essendon-EF

Another solo ride - decent pace and the conditions were good.

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EF-Essendon-Little Berkhampstead-EF

Quick ride around the Essendon hills - felt good and made a surprisingly good time despite the strong winds.

Distance: 50.2km
Time: 1:38:03
Speed: 30.7kph