Legs, Feeling No Pressure

Archive for February, 2009

Saturday, February 21st, 2009

Ride of the year

Today’s 4.5 hr circuit from Epsom was the ride of 2009. Sun, actual sun, clear blue skies and dry roads. Millsy and I rode a combination of this loop (from Epsom down to Rusper and up to Capel), the Pyreneen through to Ewhurst, joining this northerly loop into Shere, over to Ockham and then back up to Ranmore to finish on Box Hill.

We bumped into Jock at the top of the zigzags and finished up with a brisk 20 min scramble back to Epsom. I still had more in the tank as well. Can’t wait for the Puncheur next Sunday…

Tags: capel, epsom, ewhurst, jock, millsy, routes, rusper, shere
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Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

Swain’s Lane

swainslane

Last summer I used to train on Highgate West Hill, adding some reps of that after riding Regent’s Park. Now Swain’s Lane is my new favourite hill in north London.

It starts gradually, and you can big-ring it all the way to the cemetery gates, but then rounds a slight corner and kicks up, and the final gradient is severe. Today I did 4 reps, alternating seated and out of the saddle.

Thanks to greenpiano1 for the above shot of the corner where it gets steep.

Tags: hill, northlondon, routes, swainslane, training
Posted in training | 1 Comment »

Wednesday, February 18th, 2009

February: shocking start, improving steadily

Last week was a bad one. The harsh weather was dragging on, the fall on the ice near Buckland was painful, and I was prevented from even a cautious commute by further sleet and cold winds.

But then, the weather started looking up. I put in 2 hours on Saturday – some brisk intervals around Regent’s Park – followed by a 6-hour epic on the Sunday, starting in Brixton and heading out to Cobham and the North Downs via Richmond Park, then returning all the way up to Archway. I followed this with 2 days of commuting, and another good session this morning – of which more later.

The sight of this weather forecast was truly a morale boost:

weather

Tags: regentspark, training, weather, winter
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Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Rapha kit

My recent birthday brought with it a couple of choice new items for my cycling wardrobe. The first was a Rapha long sleeve jersey.

rapha1

Basically, everything you’ve heard is true: exquisite detailing, great fit, good looks. Every serious cyclist would love to own some of this kit. I haven’t worn it yet because I refuse to subject it to winter grime (so maybe in June, then). I mean, you have to like this:

A Pantani homage in the back pocket. Unreal.

Tags: jersey, kit, pantani, rapha
Posted in kit | 1 Comment »

Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Product review: Rema Tip Top Hand Cleaner

Get some. It works.

Tags: cleaner, cleaning, hands, tiptop
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Wednesday, February 11th, 2009

Totally done with winter

I fell off my bike today, twice. I was attempting another run at the Gerrard’s Cross loop (without the extension):

View Larger Map

This is a nice route which I did a fortnight ago. It was cold then, and it was cold today – but today, after the snow and then the heavy rain over the weekend, the quieter roads were slick with ice. I saw one major vehicle stack-up, and another smashed car abandoned in a ditch.

I powered through the slush for about 2 hours before coming off on the 13% gradient down from St Leonards. I trudged through snow until the slope flattened out, then remounted. Then fell off again. Following this I decided to cut the ride short and headed back through Wendover to Princes Risborough.

It must be spring soon.

Tags: fall, ice, route, snow, stack, winter
Posted in routes, training | 3 Comments »

Friday, February 6th, 2009