There are a few lads in the office who have been talking up their chances re the Ride London race this weekend - it's massive here and the equivalent of the London marathon weekend. One of them I know well and he's basically as near to a pro as it gets. He came 9th last year which says a lot with Tom Boonen winning today.
Anyway it got the competitive juices flowing and so committed to my 34k TT from the off. With 450ms or so of climbing and on the windy country lanes it is hardly conducive for quick times but it's my mental battle against myself and oh hell how it hurts. The first split crossing the Layham's road cross-section I was at 16 minutes blowing hard and then the left switch back down to the valley bed before the 4k drag up to the high point behind Tatsfield. It goes on forever but was stoked when I got to the top in 32 minutes. Pretty sure 2 minutes quicker than ever before.
Then it was a case of holding it all the way back which is essentially all down hill with the exception of three very short and steep hills. The first is at Tatsfield, followed by Cudham and then the mother of all hills at Downe. With me hitting as much wattage as I could handle I even started cramping at 40 minutes which is rather pathetic but symptomatic of my effort. I reckon this cost me 120 seconds to get me home in 1.07.45. Still stoked with that given it was my 4th ride in well over 12 months. I have the bike mojo bike.
Then Florian my cousin from Germany arrived with Karin and their girls who are staying with us for the next few days. The extended family then turned up for a major feast and a lot of beer in the garden. Uncle Paul even insisted on some Gaelic football watching his beloved Donegal - what a load of rubbish that is!
This is the ride PB:
https://www.strava.com/activities/658385998
Pictures of the extended Fam with Mum first:
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