Mini-indoor triathlon

I had a go at this month's challenge in the gym, a mini-indoor triathlon: 1.75km running, 7 km cycling and 1.5km on the rowing machine. Total time 31:10. I haven't used a treadmill in over 8 years, so was pleased with the running bit at 9 mins 34 secs. The cycling machines are uncomfortable compared to a bike, as the saddle is huge and the position is very upright, but I did 7k in 14 mins 10 at a very high cadence (over 100). The rowing was hard after the running and cycling, and as I was out of practice too, I did 1500 m in 6 min 25.

It took a while to recover and at least that has set me a target to try to beat perhaps next week....

Fast club run to Royston Garden Centre

So I thought I would try the fast club run, ~60 miles up towards Royston Garden Centre (actually in Shepreth near Royston). We set of at a fast pace and I was struggling right from the start. However coming to Datchworth, Peter W had a flat so we all got a breather. His mechanical problems took longer than normal to fix, so the first group of 6 set off with me included. I held on until after Watton at Stone, when I just could not keep the pace up the rolling undulations (small hills to me which slowed me right down). I went on my own thinking the second group would catch me sooner or later, but at Cromer (15 miles in) I was ready to peel off and go home. After phoning Peter, he persuaded me to carry on so I did and went reasonably well carrying on northwards and was caught by Josh just coming into Ashwell (21 miles). Peter had more mechanical trouble, so Josh and I cycled to Shepreth and the garden centre (33 miles) where we stopped for a sandwich and a drink, met up with Sarah and after 10-15 mins, Pete and Michelle joined us. It had felt quite a hard ride into a light but cold north wind all of the way. Refreshed we headed back towards home along the B1368 (fowlmere, barkway, braughing, puckeridge and along the old A10 back to Ware). Michelle and Josh left me standing, but Pete and Sarah stayed with me until Sarah peeled off home, leaving Pete and I. Pete had run out of spare inner tubes so as well as being generous to ride slower with me, he was also covering his need for a spare. Unfortunately for him, we split at Thundridge so he could ride back to Hertford and me to Ware, and he got a flat shortly afterwards, limping home trying to avoid damage to his tyre and wheel. I had forgotten how hard a 60 mile ride can be when you are not in top form. Still it is good preparation for the end of summer ride from Stevenage to Saffron Walden on 31st October in 2 weeks time.

One major milestone was that I passed 2000 miles today on my bike since Jan 31st!!!

Digswell Hill Climb

Today was the end of season hill climb up New Road, Digswell over a distance of 0.98 mile. So I had a go and did it in 4 mins 44 secs. I was quite disappointed with this time at first as I was quite a bit slower than the majority of riders. On reflection though, it is my first year of cycling and to help me go faster up hills I need to improve on two things - tactics of going up this hill (which gear and how fast to pedal in different bits) and more importantly, losing another 5 or 6 kg over the winter...

back in the gym

So after a summer on a bike it's time to get back inside again now the weather has turned. Also two colleagues are on a fitness boom, so I joined them for a short burst similar in style to my spring programme - 5 mins warm up on a bike, 2000 m on the rowing machine (8 mins 14 sec) a few weights and stretches then out. I could tell I had not been on the rowing machine for a while as I was 25 seconds slower than my best time from april/may... Ah well, back next week

End of season time trial - scrubbers

Today was the return of the 81" restricted gear event, with a prize on offer to anyone who hadn't raced in any of the club time trials during the summer season. I was not eligible for this competition as I had done one official time trial in April after also doing the start of season restricted gear event in March. So today I rode 31 mins 05 seconds on the Cole Green circuit. I was the slowest of the entries. But all is not lost as I had ridden the course in April in 34 mins 15 secs with all gears available and 36 mins 57 secs in a 72" restricted gear event in March. So effectively I was nearly six minutes faster on the same course from back in March when I did my first time trial. Not a bad improvement for my first year of propoer cycling! ROll on next March with targets to beat this year's times and perhaps crack 30 mins....

Link to 2010 club time trial results

Just for the record, Tony won the scrubbers brush trophy with a time of 26 mins 42 sec and Brian was the fastest with a time of 25 mins 27 secs