A good ride made better

There is something to be said for riding and more importantly riding with pals.

the route strava – click to go there

Up the crow – normal ride on Sunday and joined by ‘new to the road bike lark’ pal. He said up to 60km was fine so this was going to be just under that – up the Crow Road and the Campsies and then straight back down.

Got out of bed – weather report had said sun – made a wish pulled back curtains to drizzle. so running tights over the cycling 3/4 and a waterproof top were donned. Met at his house at 9am then off we went chatting and cycling. Kept the speed low around 22-24kmh on the flat and then headed north. The etiquette on the crow is ‘go for it’ so went up a bit harder then doubled back at the top to come down and join him on his climb. brief stop ….

nick at the top in the mist

 

in my fetching new Campag top (style police say German colour / italian top / american bike / Japanese group set / mild confusion)

 

lot of gunk and grit on the road and the bike needed a wash on its return to the flat …. quick bucket downstairs then back inside ….

sorted

 

The Back of Hell – video

The dust hasn’t quite settled yet from this past Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix—and the riders have at least one more day before it has cleared their lungs—so we’re still talking about the race. And though no worn-out string of clichés and superflous adjectives can do adequate justice to Fabian Cancellara’s victory, we’re happy to know that people are also interested in the more human side of the sport—in the dreamers and also-rans.

In Last But Not Least, his piece for Rouleur, writer Andy McGrath tells the story of Chris Juul Jensen, the rider who finished dead last in Roubaix this year. Professional bike racers typically don’t ride all the way to the finish just for the satisfaction of doing so—but Paris-Roubaix is something special.

And then there’s this poignant video from NOS, which shows the race from a perspective you didn’t see on Sunday’s television broadcast—the view from from the back, from the broom wagon. Climbing into the broom wagon always leaves a little scar on your soul, as the pain of riding on alone is traded for the shame of admitting total defeat. For me, the worst part of the broom-wagon ordeal was watching, and feeling utterly helpless, as my bike was loaded onto a trailer or into the back of a large van.

see the video HERE at their site

 http://www.pavedmag.com/featured/video-the-back-of-hell/

it’s all about the taper

Selkirk MTB marathon on Sunday – Anyone else doing it and still deciding whether to enter the long or medium ride. (reminder to oneself check weather then decide)

So last nights 5 a side game was my last exercise …. taper down now so that I am super fresh for Sunday …..

Polar Training load – looking nice and low for Sunday …

Lost in the Dark

There are some things that you don’t always take into account. One of the more obvious ones would be daylight. Douglas and I found ourselves somewhere between the canal and the Botanics running through the tunnels and under trees in total darkness. Knees up, arms outstretched and ears tuned to the faintest crack of twig lest we be set upon by a gang of ruffians.

Somehow we managed to navigate our way out onto what we thought was Queen Margaret Drive only to find ourselves at that weird shop on the corner of Kirklee Road and Great Western Road.

Excuses, excuses… had we not been benighted along the canal I think we might have turned in a fairly good distance in the allotted 1 hour 20 minutes which would have saved us the mile and change walk home.

3rd Sunday Long Run

9.2 miles / 14.8059648 km

Created 09.26.11 by Findlay

[This post originally appeared on Findlay Napier’s blog]