Dry and sunny, 10C in
Objective: An 80 mile ride from
7 AM rise, breakfast: 5 Weetabix and 2 coffees. After a number of cancelled rides due to everybody's commitments, today was the day. Dry and a good temperature for cycling. Training ride 2, and only 10 weeks away to the 1000+Mile (1600+kms) monster that is LEJOG. Luckily everyone in the team can make it this morning. Although we had aimed for a 100-mile (160kms) ride today, the feeling in the group was that a slightly lower mileage would be more appropriate. Because of the missed rides. So, we opted for our usual London-Brighton ride, a distance of 55 miles (90kms) from our usual meeting point at Fat Boys Cafe near Purley. There are however additional miles for all of us to get there, with Balham, Camberwell, Ruislip and Richmond as respective starting points, plus the distance from Clapham Junction rail station back home. This way we all get to at least 75 miles (120kms) At 8.15 Ollie arrives at my place. Just as we are having a pre-ride coffee Damian shows up, half an hour late because he had lost his way on the way over. We all eagerly climb onto our racing machines and head off to the meeting point, still 15 miles away. This is the first long distance ride (and second ride overall) on my new saddle and I am hoping I will still be smiling when I get back home. Our delayed departure means we arrive slightly late at the meeting point, and after another coffee and some quick tinkering on bikes we finally set off. Only 100 meters down the road however the cassette we just put onto Dirk's bike is protesting loudly, forcing a quick swap (less than 3 minutes) for another one. A brief stop in Wallington at the LBS so Dirk can get some warmer trousers and we're into the countryside at Farthing Downs. The traffic has sofar been relatively heavy today but the temperature is good and the sun is breaking through the clouds. Progress is swift. Quite quickly we pass 
This really seems to be the crossroads of many Surrey countryside routes as there always are quite a number of people on racing bikes on this road. 5 miles on and we're at the pub the Jolly Farmer - our usual early lunch break location. After a quick refuel Ollie and Damian head back into London so they can be back in time for other commitments, while Dirk, Deuan and I continue on to Brighton at a newfound pace. We practice drafting and turn-taking at the front and via the Ardingly Reservoir we quickly find ourselves staring at the ominous Ditchling Beacon looming ahead, always a somewhat monstrous climb for the 39-23 gearing my bike is equipped with. Deuan and Dirk ride with triple cranksets and large rear cogs so their pace can be slower - I need to keep the pace going otherwise the gearing I am in will not allow me to keep putting pressure on and I will simply fall over. I get in front of them and try to remember everything I have been drumming into my head - keep in lowest gear, keep yourself at a steady pace, make nice round circles when pedalling to maximise the power you can put down, etc. But it is of no use - three quarters of the way up I just cannot push anymore and have to briefly stop for a breather. I look down only to see that my cassette still has two bigger cogs available - turns out I rode this far up on a 39-19! Suddenly I don't feel as bad anymore, down-shift and set off, and although I manage it, I find riding to the top without stopping again still quite a challenge. By the time my heavy breathing has normalised Dirk and Deuan arrive at the summit of this little but harsh hill. Then it's down the hill on the other side and a descent into Brighton for a quick picture, a well deserved late lunch and a relaxing hour on the train. I needed to still run an errand in 
