Club Run Reports

With fifteen of us in France it would have been easy to assume that there would not be many out on the club runs.  Wrong.  Over twentyfive took to the roads over the three rides.

The largest of the groups met at the new rendezvous at Glaxo whilst a slightly smaller group met in Hertford.  The Hertford easies had a fairly uneventful (apart from one mechanical) journey to Jack's and were pleased to be likened to the Olympic Cycling Team by a five year old!

Many got out today, seduced by the thought of the warm, dry weather.  And for a while, all was good.  Then, sadly, the wind got stronger and stronger (depending how many miles you were trying to do) and even worse, it was a headwind on the way back.  At least that how it was for the meds.  With some trying (and failing) to ride to the start at Thaxted it was always about riding a 100+ mile day.  For many it was not to be.  For one unlucky rider, her bike's tyres did not match her ambition and she got as far as Elsenham before making her way home.  Another only intended to ride to Thaxted an

The weather is improving day by day and the large numbers out are at last beginning to get the benefit of their winter training.  Ian led a group of fifteen to Buntingford utilising a mixture of our normal routes and a few variations on the theme to create a most enjoyable morning out.  Mike led a group of a dozen to Emily's, whilst the fasties did what the fasties do.  For many it was the first occasion this year when it was possible to wear shorts and not worry about whether or not the weather would close in.

Over forty out on the three rides.  A strong southerly wind made the returns difficult although it was great to feel the warmth of the sun at last.  Despite the lack of necessity for many thermal layers of clothing, the meds encountered a frosty reception at the cafe stop.  Still, can't let someone else's bad-hair day ruin a good morning's ride.  A few punctures, but nothing unmanageable.

With over twenty Herts Wheelers taking part in Audaxes, Sportives, Time Trials or going across the Channel to watch the Paris-Roubaix there would not be a great expectation for a good turnout for the club rides.  Wrong!  Thirty riders turned out including six guests.  Most took part in the easy with eighteen out.  Seven on the medium.  Six on the afternoon easy although one rider doubled up by riding the morning easy and the afternoon easy.  Compared with other days this year, today was a glorious day.  As the weather warms up it will probably be viewed (in retrospect) as a cold day.

Well that's March done with.  Despite the cold and strong wind, we have been getting good numbers out on club rides as people look to increase their winter mileage in preparation for warmer weather (it's got to come sometime).  Over twentysix took to the roads today with most supporting the easy ride.  Fourteen out on that one, with eight on the medium and four on the fast.  The only mechanical was on the fast, but they stuck together and got themselves sorted.

We were beaten by the weather.

About twenty innocent souls met in Ware not knowing what lay in front of them. Had they known, they'd have probably gone back to bed.  Everything started brightly with (for the mediums) a fairly quick, brisk journey northwards to Royston.  Lost two to a puncture, one needed to get back quickly (lucky him) and one was struggling with inner demons, illness and fatigue.  Then it was time to return - into the wind, rain and cold.  Not nice.  Meanwhile the easy was a much jollier affair with no problems reported.

Looking at the facebook page about people racing, doing sportives etc yesterday showed a common link - the cold.  And so it was with the clubriders.  Not a good day for riding enjoyment.  The medium riders had a conflab and decided that Hinxworth was too near the arctic circle to be viable so they did a shortened route.  The easy Hardriders meekly followed the Bob out to Hatfield Heath and managed to arrive before the main throng.  Tea and cake was welcome and at least on the return the wind had the dubious pleasure of chasing them back.  Fortunately there were no mechanical problems, espec

Probably due to the Redbridge visit there were not as many riders out today.  However we still managed over twenty.  A dozen took part in Mike's easy, whilst Barry decided to lead out eight others on a tortuous and circuitous tour of the home counties just to get to Wandon End, losing one and gaining two more riders for the more straightforward return.  Started off cold, warmed up, and then the sun vanished and a cold wind appeared as if from nowhere!  And of course it was a headwind.

Lots of bods at Hertford, splitting roughly equally between the medium & easy with a couple vacillating between the fast or watching the Hardriders.  The easy took its usual way to Whitwell, whilst Valdis took eleven to Redbourn.  Unfortunately he only promised to get us there........!  It was a very cold day with flurries of snow but apart from the odd puncture it was always a question of trying to keep warm - a feat in itself.

Well we've finally cracked 30!!!  With fifteen out on the easy, twelve on the medium and five on the fast - you do the maths.  All found various parts of their course very icy, with the meds having to dismount in order to walk up the hill at Much Hadham.  Considering the numbers, there were only a couple of punctures although the early Sunday cold weather did account for more than just a few bruises.  The day soon warmed up, providing a stark contrast to recent weeks.

It's hard sometimes to wax lyrical about the club runs when the weather is so foul.  Yet sixteen still got out in the rain and made an effort.  Eight took part in the easy, yet I expect that one or two had wished they were on the slightly faster and therefore potentially warmer mediumer.  The five meds decided at the outset that, with snow promised later (it didn't materialise), they would forsake Hinxworth for a briefer journey that took in the wonders of Buntingford.  Whilst at the cafe the three fasties shot by, paused to ridicule our calorific intake before taking off again in self-righ

I got very upset on the medium ride today when I was told that on the return we would be facing the wind.  I thought that we'd been struggling against it on the outward bound.  Apart from the strong wind, and the cold, it wasn't a bad day for riding and again the numbers out proved this.  Over twenty, split between the three groups, saw action this morning with both Alex & Steve making the break from the fast peloton to join the mediums at Clavering Lakes.  No mechanicals on the medium, but a few Val related problems on the easy - or in his case, the not-so-easy!

The majority of today's cyclists opted for the easy ride led by Cap'n Bobster.  With some of the lanes still coated with a layer of ice and many with vast lakes on them, it was never going to get above a crawl - which suited most of those taking part.  We also came across a group that I had managed to mislead in the weekly email.  Hope to meet them again if I can get the basic information correctly to them!  With only four starting the medium (although they found two more en route) and six more shaking out the cobwebs on the fast there were plenty of us on the Hertfordshire roads.

Weather 1 - 0 Clubrun

With temperatures ranging from about 0-2 degrees it was never expected to be a day for mass participation.  Yet 25 were out.  Seems that not long ago 6 would have been a good turnout!  The Easies only suffered one puncture between them, which was caused by someone not adequately checking for any flints in his tyres, before starting!!!  The Fasties worked together in order to chain-gang their way around Hertfordshire.  The Inbetweeners proved themselves "Jack of All Trades" and "Master of None".  Off road, on road, narrow lanes, hills and after the sanctuary of the Cafe they blasted back sou

Interesting day.  There were lots on the fastie.  Many on the med, with one being rescued by an Essex White Van Man.  And the easies managed to see off mountains of flour, butter & sugar at their cake stop.  Those mediums who ride on Gatorskins all punctured, but John's Banana went one further and snapped.  (Was going to say Banana Split but some other comedian has got in first - see facebook).  In Essex, John had nowhere to go and no way of getting anywhere anyway, when a white-van man stopped, assessed the situation and took John and his wreck home.  Note to Holland - guess what's com

Last ride of the year and we found out that JohnF doesn't sink - or float.  Much to our amusement he negotiated a lake on his bike.  With the cold water up around his nethers the rest of us decided that we weren't going to save him, and we all turned around and retraced our route leaving our leader to his own devices.  Fortunately we soon all met up again although more by accident than design.  Most of us were complaining about cold feet and hands.  Nobody asked John!  We also found out that JohnM has a remarkable similarity to a yoyo and don't rely on Karl to keep the group together!  It i