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Ok. It's that time again!

I am taking part in the Sussex Weald Bike Ride again this year. Another grueling 32 miles of sheer hell to raise money for St Catherine's Hospice in Crawley. Things should be a little better for me this year as I've got a different bike (I've got a"Big Boys" bike now and no stabilizers either!!).

I will keep you updated on my training in readyness for the 26th April - Armageddon Day!!

29th March - The weatherman said it would be a nice day so a good day to go out and train. Unfortunately our planded 30+ ride was cut short. Just before the 10 mile point we were pounding our way up a contiunous hill to Rusper. I was way out in front of my training colleague (also called Steve- great name!) and reached the top with relative ease. Steve was lagging behind hauling his tired ass and Fleabay bike up the hill. Well after what seemed an age he made the top. I gave him a rest and then we set off again.

Disaster!! One of Steve's spokes on the rear wheel had broken. He said he felt he missed a gear at the bottom of the hill and thought he might have done it then and had ridden all the way up with a knackered back wheel. Well, I've never seen a wheel so knackered, it was so wonky and wouldn't move at all. Steve gave the explaination the wheel couldn't take the immense power output he was putting through the pedals. Maybe so, but I think it was also something to do with the immense load on the saddle!!!

Fortunately, because we plan our training with such precision we had broken down less than 20 yards from a pub, and it was open!! So, while waiting for the support vehicle to pick us up we continued with our training.

Yes, I could have carried on but I couldn't leave a distraught fellow rider wallowing in his beer over the damage to his prized Fleabay bike, or the chance to have a couple now could I!!

30th March - Decided to get out to test the repairs to our bikes. Steve had had to buy a complete new wheel and cassette (ouch!) and I'd had an inner tube burst on me, which blew out the rear tyre from the rim. Luckily I was not riding the bike at the time!

Anyway, We did a quick 15.7 seven miles, which inlcuded hills (one hill I ended up doing  twice!), with only 2 pints. All in 90 mins.

5th April - Decided to wait for the Grand Prix to finish before setting out! Unfortunately, Steve now found a puncture in his rear wheel which had damaged the tyre too. After repairs we met up and set off from Outwood heading over to Edenbridge. Then after reaching there onto a little known village called Crockham. After a calf busting climb into the village (even though I got off half way up due to being fed up with the hill!!) our destination came into site - the New Westerham Brewery owned pub!! Hoorah!

After a couple of refreshing Bulldogs (beers) we headed home. It seemed much quicker on the way home, mainly because it was generally downhill. Would have stopped at the Castle for a warm down pint but had to get home.

So, today I did 30.6 miles, over half of which were up hill!, 2 pints and one pub.

11th April - Weather not promising but we went out anyway. For the first couple of miles the rain started but then thankfully stopped, not only because I didn't want to get wet, but mainly because the tyres on my bike weren't very grippy in the wet!!

We aimed for the Westerham pub again and set off at a quicker pace than before. Everything was going great until I got to that blasted last hill again - defeated again! Calfs wanted to burst so wimped out!! Anyway had three Bulldogs and were joined by our support crew (Steves' wife Paula). This time on the ride back we decided to go to the Castle Pub via another horrible hill. Too tired to make the hill in one go, but managed to start again half way up and get to the top. Actually, it must be harder to stop and start again half way up a hill!! Had 2 pints in there and went home, so not a bad training session.

34.6 miles, 5 pints and two pubs!

14th April - Quick lunchtime ride. 7.6 miles in 27 mins, at an average speed of 16.7mph. Not bad.

15th April - Weather lovely and now have new tyres! Splashed out on some better quality tyres for more speed, grip and ruining my mates possible glee at the though of me having puntures!! Before setting off my mate spoke of lowering the pace on the flat which would save more energy for the hills. With my new tyres I had real problems in keeping the pace down - they were just so fast! But I had overdone it and when the hill came I was knackered. Oops! But we had gone ever so fast!! After 16 miles we ended up at the Surrey Oaks pub. Time for refreshement. A few more mile and I was home.

So, 26 miles, 3 pints, 1 pub. But the average speed was 16.8mph!

19th April - Training going well. We joined the Ant Hill Mob on their training for the Lands End to John O'Groats trip. I don't think they know which way to go as they all seemed to get lost. I think they will use the "Scatter Gun Approach" and hope one of them actually makes it to J O'Gs. However, a nice 50 miles was attained with a few beers and nice weather to boot!

21st April - Back to our training regime tonight. And a ground breaking one at that! We broke the 17 mph average barrier!!  Over 26.5 miles we averaged 17.5 mph. (My mate Steve went out the previous night and got another puncture!! Tee Hee!!

22nd April - Another quick session. This time a quick 17.5 miles just to ease the legs out. Good average speed though, 16.9mph, which was suprising as we both felt a bit tired. Went up the Castle Hill twice tonight and the second time I just flew up in top gear!! tomorrow night is a rest night, just beer.

24th April - Last training ride before the big day. Set off at a rapid pace again, shot up the Rusper incline (not a hill to us anymore!) and round to the Surrey Oaks for refreshment. After 26.5 miles we had gone even faster, averaging 17.9 mph! Awesome!

Roll on Sunday!

26th April - Well what a nice day to do 32 miles. Sunny, warm and dry. Well we set of in the first pack at a bit of a slow pace. After about a mile my mate Steve and I got bored and struck the front and then pedalled off leaving them all trailing in our wake. Up and down hills, pounding out the miles. After 24 miles we came to the really nasty bit, the hills at the Ardinglye reservoir! My mate made it up in one go and sped off on his own, leaving me struggling up the hill. I was well behind him now, but thought it was still a good show to come in second. Anyway, got to the finish expecting to see my mate standing there grinning, but he was nowhere to be seen. I waited a few minutes to see if he showed but no, nothing. When I phoned him I found out. He had taken the wrong route and was now on the 45 mile route!! Ha! Ha! so that means I must have come in first for the 32 milers (no one passed us).

Then it was a short ride down to the pub to soak up the sun on the garden and sink a few pints.

Anyway it was a much better effort this year. I did it in just over 2 hours at 14.8 mph average. 

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So please sponsor me now!

Thanks in advance.

Steve