Glad you found a place, Vince. If anyone else is interested in joining the blue train, I think John Thorpe's place might still be going spare (- lives in Guilden Morden, but I don't have contact details, I'm afraid)
I think the Gran Fondo Team now stands at: Shaun, MC, John P (formerly Stef), Daniel D, Vince, Martin H, Alex (formerly Nathan), Martin L, Robbie, Andrew, Ian S, James B (formerly Skelders) and me
Not going to be able to do the medio tomorrow (haven't recovered enough from an opp I had on Wed) so if anybody would like my place just give me a shout.
Yep place is still available if you are up early enough to see this. I'll be at the start this morning with Emma so if you still want to do it give me a txt/ ring on 07906279573 and I'll find you and give you my chip etc
Well in Davids absence I was a solo carriage on the blue train for the medio fondo. So instead I treated it like a 76 mile time trial where I also achieved a PB!
5hrs 21mins actual ride time with an elapsed time of 5hrs 48mins due to the mega long queues for the loos and a Lidl jaffa cake!
Excellent weather and some tough hills although I thought the descending was much worse than the climbing! Good to catch up with the Gran fondos at the end.
Alex............ pleased to hear you got a place and sorry I didn't get back to you earlier. By the time you replied I was on holiday for a week and unable to get the package to you. Hope you all had a good ride.
John
Well done team! You all looked good from my view from the back, before you disappeared over the horizon! We've got a lot of fit riders in the Club. Great stuff.
I thought it was really well run, and it's hard to say no to the 'hardest sportive in the South East' or whatever their promo is, when it's only a 45 min drive away. The scenery, as it gets out west, is really nice too. Recommended. Definitely one for a compact cassette.
A few offs on the gravelly bits at the bottom of many of the steep descents that ended in T-junctions. I think recent rains have put a lot of muck at the bottom.
Crumps pork pie did the business too for the middle miles. Also recommended.
And the whole name-checking loudspeaker tannoy thing as you finish is a fun touch.
And MC and Vince recommend the very reasonable £10 post-ride massage.
Very well run event and enjoyed being part of the blue train again (even though I got a subtle telling off by Daniel for not wearing CCA gear I will get one soon!!)
The massage afterwards was great and I think saved the day. Still able to walk today which is a nice unexpected bonus.
Eddie is just waiting for the final results to be declared before he can work these out. Apparently, Human Race has decided not to have standards or individual awards, because they want to reduce the level of competitiveness. Ba humbug
However, he says they've agreed to calculate team results using the previous standards when HQ was at Amersham - as the distances are close. I will of course keep you posted
Comments
If any last minute jitters let me know.
Getting fat waiting for luck to organise my training.
Enjoy the ride
disappointed not to be there
however you have a much greater chance of team gold with me not there!
I am going for lead not gold.
I think the Gran Fondo Team now stands at: Shaun, MC, John P (formerly Stef), Daniel D, Vince, Martin H, Alex (formerly Nathan), Martin L, Robbie, Andrew, Ian S, James B (formerly Skelders) and me
Medio Fondo: David J, Emma and John L
This has all the makings of a beautiful day
I just got back from a wedding so i will be thinking of you when I wake up at 3 tomorrow afternoon
Yep place is still available if you are up early enough to see this. I'll be at the start this morning with Emma so if you still want to do it give me a txt/ ring on 07906279573 and I'll find you and give you my chip etc
5hrs 21mins actual ride time with an elapsed time of 5hrs 48mins due to the mega long queues for the loos and a Lidl jaffa cake!
Excellent weather and some tough hills although I thought the descending was much worse than the climbing! Good to catch up with the Gran fondos at the end.
John
I thought it was really well run, and it's hard to say no to the 'hardest sportive in the South East' or whatever their promo is, when it's only a 45 min drive away. The scenery, as it gets out west, is really nice too. Recommended. Definitely one for a compact cassette.
A few offs on the gravelly bits at the bottom of many of the steep descents that ended in T-junctions. I think recent rains have put a lot of muck at the bottom.
Crumps pork pie did the business too for the middle miles. Also recommended.
And the whole name-checking loudspeaker tannoy thing as you finish is a fun touch.
And MC and Vince recommend the very reasonable £10 post-ride massage.
Very well run event and enjoyed being part of the blue train again (even though I got a subtle telling off by Daniel for not wearing CCA gear I will get one soon!!)
The massage afterwards was great and I think saved the day. Still able to walk today which is a nice unexpected bonus.
Alex
Eddie is just waiting for the final results to be declared before he can work these out. Apparently, Human Race has decided not to have standards or individual awards, because they want to reduce the level of competitiveness. Ba humbug
However, he says they've agreed to calculate team results using the previous standards when HQ was at Amersham - as the distances are close. I will of course keep you posted