So I had a quick look for Tour of Ireland information and found these..
Monthly Archives: November 2008
I didn't think it would be worse..
than yesterday, but it was.
It was raining so I assumed the temperature would be warmer than yesterday. Weather judgment fail. On the way to the Willesden clubrun I was feeling pretty bad – tired legs, no reason to spin them up, just general blah feeling. Oh, and the ride would be heading towards Wokingham, which has an even higher percentage of cockheads in cars than the Chilterns.
Running a bit late and just before getting to the start point I thought “I only have to do 80k according to my program, if they’ve already left, I’ll just repeat yesterdays A-road ride to Great Missenden”. Ha! Too easy 🙂
As I rode past the start point, there were only two riders waiting there. “Bugger that” and I waved and rode on. It was heavy drizzle and by the time I got to Gt Missenden I was wet through and frozen. Turning around, at least I received the benefit of a tailwind. Back the way I came along the fast (for cars) A413 and then into the house.
Stripping off, I was bright red almost everywhere! Imagine slapping your entire body, hard. That’s what I looked like. Even my arms, which were covered by a jacket, were pink! It took at least 10 minutes under a hot shower before the pins and needles started in my toes. Another 5mins before they felt ‘normal’. Cold! I can’t wait to get back to Oz! 🙂
So, I guess I'm training again..
The Law has a program for me and I’ve actually been sticking to it. Three weeks in a row of killing myself at Willesden’s turbo training so far with some longer stuff on the weekends. It’s actually the longer stuff I’m finding harder to get motivated for. It’s easier to hurt for an hour than to head outside in the chilled air and struggle with places to ride for 3 hours+.
Today’s 80k ride was straight out along the A413 to Great Missenden and back. I’d left it a bit late and not taken a front light with me so I had to haul on the return leg so as not to get caught out in the dark. Legs are feeling it. Good!
2008 Ghent 6-Day
The lovely gents at Rollapaluza shuttled a bunch of us over to Ghent for a couple of days of track racing action at the Kuipke velodrome during the Ghent 6-day. Fun times.
We left Saturday morning, arrived early afternoon and wandered to Plumes bike shop for some shopping and gawking at their little museum section. Then we ate some steak and chips or moules and frites and headed to the track where we yelled at riders, listened to great eurotrash dance music and got pissed up until 2am. Or 4am Rob?
Sunday morning was a bit rough. Drove into town and then explored the snowy city again looking for random places to eat at. Did some gift shopping and ate more than back to the track for the final day of racing. Erik Zabel was well received but not quite as well as local lad and eventual winner (with partner Robert Bartko) Iljo Keisse! 🙂
Snowy trip out of Ghent, calm ferry ride, back at Caspar’s around 12-12.30 and then ride home for 1.30am.
www.cyclingnews.com results here.
LFGSS Bridges Ride V
Last night 140-ish mostly fixed wheel riders took to the streets of London’s famous London and criss-crossed the bridges from Tower Bridge to Kew Bridge. Starting at 10pm and finishing at 2am (or 5.30am if you count our detour to dj’s place for whisky and coffee).
140 people!! What a change from the Bridges Ride 3, which was just Dave and I!! 🙂
3.5 Years
in London before I crashed without the influence of a twat driver. Note to self: sleepy + speedy + slippery + lazy = pain. All good.
Brass Monkey – Winter Rolla League
Wed 19th Nov – 500m – White Hart – E1 4TP
Wed 3rd Dec – 1000m – Horseshoe – EC1R 0AG
More dates will be announced..
Seatless Hour Record
Okay, fan of the Hour I am, but this is just warped!
“News has filtered through to us that a 49 year-old Dutchman will attempt to break the World Hour Record for riding without a saddle (or a seatpost). Maas van Beek, a former tandem pilot of Jan Mulder, will attempt to better the mark of 45.848 km set by none other than Fausto Coppi on the track in Alkmaar, The Netherlands, on Saturday, October 8.
He?s doing it for a good cause: to raise money for the Polar van de Donck foundation, which helps children in Africa who have AIDS.“
The Bike Whisperer
Getting a haircut (and I’ve shaved the beard off.. uh oh) and I’m talking about bikes (is there anything else) when the hairdresser mentions a couple almost on my street who do bike repairs and coaching and stuff. Email them and they even specialise in Powertap work! I’m going to try and take my wheel to them for its battery swap and get some other bits while there. I thought I’d mention them since even before visiting they seem better than Ealing Cycles.
