19th July ...here we go...

All packed up - bikes loaded up - bags all packed.
Off down to Leatherhead.
Meet & register at Chessington Holiday Inn ready for a 0900 start!
No riding for 8 days...our legs are ready to start!
Hopefully can update here - or go to twitter.com
search for septic77 and my tweets will be there!

10th July 2011 THE WILD ONE!

This was the Peterborough CC organised Sportive.
Despite storms in other parts of the UK the morning was absolutely perfect! Blue skies and only a light wind. We left Southwick soon (after a wasp sting to my head) at Harringworth, then Liddington, around the beautiful Eve =brrok Resevoir and after a fast stretch scrounged a cup of tea off Tim in Medbourne. Then up the steep Nevill Holt Hill and a run through past Goadby and onto the B6-47 through the Langtons. A second stop at the Rockingham Wheelers base in Middleton and we were ready for the three major hills home Cottingham.Rockingham and Harrington. Pretty weary we came home in good spirits...nice pint of SHACKLEBUSH Ale(!) eassed them aching legs.
Well thats the major training all done - MANY THANKS to ALL who have sposored us - we now feel fit & ready for the 'off' in 10 days....
90m 5h57m @15.3mph 4100ft climb

4th July - here we go

Time constraints/work commitments this week have meant that the daily rides may not be long, but will be pushed along at a good pace!

MON 4th Desbro/Harrington 20.9m 1h17m @ 16.2mph
TUE 5th - Harrington loop 16.5m 1h55s @ 16.5mpg
WED 6th - harrington/pychley 14.3m 1h37s @ 14.3mph - very wet!
THU 7th - Luke-harrington/lamport ~24m Clive Harrington loop 16.5m 55m48s @ 17.8mph
FRI 8th - 28m Grafton/geddington/desbro/rothwell @16mph
SAT 9th - rest up
SUN 10th - THE WILD ROUTE

13/6-3/7/11 various rides short & long

quite a few local rides - and a few days off on golf tour!
Plan is do do intensive DAILY rides from Mon 4th July - with a tough 88m Peterborough Cycle Club Sportive (WILD ROUTE) on Sun 10th July as our final large bit of work.
http://www.peterboroughcyclingclub.co.uk/content/view/517/70/
Then some short sharp rides allowing 6-7 days rest before the off!

12th June Bury St Edmunds 100

We were up early and at the start ready for the 0830 off. Initially bright & sunny the temperatures dropped and clouds gathered. I was disappointed that a new route had been imposed. Initially pleasant the terrain became more dull & dreary as we neared Ipswich. The cyclists thinned out and as we headed north the rain started. In the end we decided to cut our losses and head for the start. Not 100 miles but over 100k completed, and we were shattered.
63m

5th June - THE NORWICH 100!

FIRSTLY BIG THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SPONSORED US SO FAR - We are training hard and every penny is spurring us onwards towards our goal in Paris!

Michiel got the nod and the Shacks headed off to stay the night at Wensum Valley Hotel just outside Norwich. Memories of the 2007 golf tour for Clive, the course looking as dry & sandy as I remembered.
Up early for breakfast at 0700 & off into the confusing town of Norwich. We ere dropped off and went through to meet Michiel at the start along with 3000+ others in the glorious early summer sunshine.
We were off and the gusty NE wind promised a tough first half, but an 'angels breath' to help us on the run in. This is a great ride and we swished through the lovely countryside and 'Old world' villages, cruising along hardly doing any work! A few hills came along before the lunchstop at Sheringham School. In our team ACTION MEDICAL shirts we adopted several riders as our pacemakers.
Gradually as we slowly turned southwards the wind helped more & more to compensate for tiring legs. Luke lost his 70 80 90 & 100 mile virginity with ease.
A pint at 90 miles (where we met up with Finn & Ali) gave us fuel for a fast ride back into Norwich, steaming past other cyclists, and buzzing with adrenalin and serotonin!!
Through the finish line our medals awarded we headed home - for me this is a ride I want to repeat...every year!!
100.04m 6h52 @ 14.6mph 3328ft climb
Here's a few clips that capture the feeling.............

28th May-1st June

Four smaller rides totalling 72 miles.
Met up with Michiel early on the Bank Hol Monday in Lutterworth with a planned cycle to Shacklestone & back via Bosworth (battle 1485) Field.
Unfortunately the rain & cold defeated us and like a group of soggy wimps we retreated home, vowing to do the ride another day soon.
Hopefully warmer for the Norwich 100 next weekend!