Third of the way there!

Discipline: Bike
Distance: 37.8 miles
Time: 2:46
Av Speed: 13.6mph
Max speed: 38.1 mph (new PB!)

Out on the bike for a ride with Kath (Green Eyes from the RW forums). The thought of some company was great - long bike rides get pretty boring! Her new road bike hadn't arrived yet, so she was on a fairly heavy looking upright style bike with flat handlebars.

The plan was to ride out through Epsom, down to Oxshott, and then out through Leatherhead and to Headley, and then back through Tadworth and down the A217 and into Epsom again, via the Drift Bridge Garage. I was then going to stick another few miles on the end (Kath was up for doing 25 but not 35, which is what I had planned).

We met up no probs, and set off round the Epsom one way system, and then out along the Oxshott road. I slowed now and then for Kath to catch up, but managed to hit the pavement as I looked round and fell off the bike! We kept going, making steady (although slightly slower than normal for me) progress. Eventually, I opened up down one of the hills, as I hated climbing the uphill without a good run up!

We turned left towards Leatherhead, and while we were chatting side by side, some stroppy woman in a car on the other side of the road stopped and yelled at us, I'm not sure what for! The bit I heard made no sense whatsoever. Anyhow - we rode on up the hill, and then enjoyed the downhill! Now things got complicated - I knew what I'd done wrong before when I came out on this route, and avoided making the same mistake, but a few roundabouts on I was lost! I thought I remembered seeing Bookham in the same direction as Headley (it isn't - it's in the opposite one!), and led the way. We had a pig of a climb, and Ieven in the lowest gear I couldn't spin at anythign above 70. My legs were burning like crazy! I stopped at a convenient point, and waited for Kath. Setiing off was a problem, as it was on a hill, which isn't easy with clip in pedals, so I did a detour down a flatish drive to enable me to clip in. The rest of the hill wasn't too bad after a break. We reached the op, and Kath (who works round there) pointed out that we were headed for Guildford. ANyhow, she knew a way back and led the way down a nice hill, although even freewheeling I overtook her. The speed crept up past thirty, and I decided to welly it and see if I could beat the 37 mph I'd done the other week. I managed it! 38.1mph. I should really have kept going for 40mph I guess, but I was knackered!

Phew - a road signposted for Headley, and what looked like another downhill. This lasted about 15 seconds however, before we started another climb, and another that went on and on. I made it to the top, or pretty much the top, and stopped about 30 yards short at a convenient point, and waited for Kath. Unfortunately, this meant clipping back in on an uphill, and I fell off at least twice before giving up and walking the remaining few yards. There was then a steep downhill, followed by another nasty climb, but I made it up there without having to stop. My legs were killing though! We then recognised the road (it was the one I had originally intended being on I think) that headed for Headley, so we pootled down a flat bit, which was a relief!

Then - we got the the A217, and headed back down that. I was going to keep going to Fir Tree Lane and turn down to the Drift Bridge that way, but Kath had another route that had a brilliant long downhill. It was twisty at first, so I just coasted, but I wish I'd pedalled then, as by the time it widened and I started pedalling, it had started to get less steep, but even so I managed to hit 38mph again! I reckon I could have made 40mph if I'd pedalled earlier, although the limit was 30mph and there's a speed camera. Anyone know if they can fine you if you're on a bike?

We came back in past NESCOT, to the petrol station where I'd met Kath. I was going to keep going, and she was heading home, but we stuck together for another mile through into Ewell Village, before I headed off towards Tolworth. I then turned left past Garrison Lane and Chessington World of Adventures, before turning left back into Epsom and then home pretty much the way I'd come at the start. I was really knackered the last five miles.

My longest ride so far then, and although my average speed has slowed, I was pleased with it. I think the majority of the slowing was due to running out of gas (must eat more gels), and the hilly nature of large chunks of the route, although probably a smalll amount is due to slowing down a bit to wait for Kath. Only a small bit though. The company was great - must do that again, and hopefully get a larger pirate contingent out on the roads. I think I'd avoid that route though - the hills were killers. Okay - I know I need to do hills, but maybe I'll save them for a separatte hill session for now, and keep the long rides relatively flat - otherwise it's just too much at once!

Later in the day - I'm feeling knackered, rather like after an 18 mile run, and my quads are - well, not sore, but have that dull ache that means they could be sore. An exhausting weekend - better have a rest day tomorrow before heading back to the pool to drill all I learnt yesterday :oD