Great Dunmow and the rain

Sunday saw the return of a normal club run. I rode out to Much Hadham for the start and joined six or seven others for a ride north to Little Hadham, turning right up a steep hill towards Farnham, then across to Stansted (village not the airport), Elsenham, Broxted, Little Eaton and down to Great Dunmow and the Tea Tree cafe for some tea and cake. During the stop it started to rain, so I decided to join Peter and Brian for a faster, direct return to Ware along the old A120 to the M11 roundabout and then along the A120 to Puckeridge and the old A10 down to Ware 23 miles in about 90 mins. A good workout but we got very wet.

Speed Judging Competition

Last Sunday (7th Nov) was the speed judging competition. We met up in Hertford and had a gentle ride to Epping Green. Then we did a 4.5 mile lap first in one direction and then in the other direction and the closest to their own time won. As you can see I came fifth, and that it was not about going round in the fastest time, as Peter, Jason and Josh could all beat me easily in a time trial.

Pos Name Anti-clockwise clockwise time diff. (sec)
1st Pete 18.51 18.40 - 0.11
2nd Jason 16.51 17.05 + 0.14
3rd Bob 17.13 17.30 + 0.17
4th Josh 20.51 21.09 + 0.18
5th Me 15.39 16.10 + 0.31

My strategy was to go as fast as I could, both as practice and because I reckoned it was the easiest way to judge my times on both laps. I was pleased with both the times and the difference, though was surprised that the other guys could judge it so well.
After the race, I rode home back to Ware in time for a late lunch.

End of summertime audax

Met up with Jason, Brian and Josh at Ware College, then Graham and Pete at Hertford North en route to Stevenage Fairlands Valley Park for the End of Summertime audax - 60 miles to Saffron Walden and back. After a group photo on the start line we set off in Group F, and headed east out of Stevenage via Aston up to Bennington where I fell behind. I knew the roads through Dane End, the Mundons and Buntingford over one final hill to Hare Street and the first checkpoint. 15 miles in about an hour. We all set off together again for a fast and flatish section east to Clavering, Newport and up to Saffron Walden with a couple of nasty hills just before Saffron Walden where I slowed up again. We were still keeping good time, 30 miles in 2 hours. At the checkpoint we had our own snacks and had a brief stop. Section 3 over to Barkway, Reed and Therfield seemed to be all uphill for most of the 15 miles, so I struggled, running out of energy and not enjoying the drizzly weather. The guys waited for me at one tricky junction to make sure I didn't go the wrong way, but still left me standing on the next hill. At the cafe stop we had a proper break -tea, flapjack and chocolate cake and a 20 minute sit down which i really needed. Off we set again all together and I managed to keep up more or less as it was flatter and more downhill than the previous section. Graham and Josh pulled ahead and then Jason had a flat. After a two min rest, I cycled on alone, at Peter's suggestion and they caught me in Weston a few miles down the road. I followed the group back into the maze that is the Stevenage cycle paths back to Fairlands Valley Park arriving at 15:43 - 5 hours 20 mins for 60 miles plus stops. Graham and Josh were waiting in the cafe, both looking a bit cold, and wanting to go home, so a brief stop - bottle of coke - adn we all set off for home via Watton and Hertford. We rode pretty fast in a line (ave 17 mph) along the smooth fast roads, dropping Peter at Hertford north. I peeled off at Chadwell in Ware and walked up Middleton road back home.
Photos from Stevenage CTC - I am on picture 063