Club Notes - 16th February 2003

Last weeks run was a longish one to the Sherwood café in Armitage, being clever I thought I should be safe as the fitter members of the club should be doing the Llaongollen my heart therefore sank a little as most of them greeted me on the carpark , Marc Briand not attempting it feeling tired after a heavy week, Phil Gayes switching to a road run too late, and both Paul ‘whizz’ Whiston and Graham Jones having completed a 58mile ride to Malkins bank on Saturday. beside this group there was Simion who normally a strong rider, some comfort was available has Kev Sharrock turned up, but then he informed us that he would be turning back at Uttoxetter. The group stayed together thanks in part to a strong tail wind that helped myself, Simion and Mr Sharrock keep up, at least on the flat. The pace picked up on the run into the café Marc shrugging off his earlier tiredness to play cat and mouse with Phil. It was more of the same on the route back both riders proving the better of an extremely strong tailwind, possibly more impressive was Graham who despite his previous days excursions flitted between the battling duo and our cruising section. I think whizz could also have joined in but was content to stay with us, from mine and Simions point of view forward motion was priority of the day. I later found out from Kev that he to struggled back from Uttoxetter so we were not entirely alone. The racers waited at intervals to let us mere mortals catch up and regroup, only disappearing for the final time as we struggled over Ipstones edge. Everybody arrived home safely, Whizz and I having to drop into the clubhouse for refreshments, only to find Mr Halden and his good lady already there, Graham was another rider having taken advantage of the fine relativley calm weather on Saturday.

This weeks ride should as challenging YT and a number of members join Congleton CC for their 100 mile reliability to Ironbridge. There will be two runs a steady ride starting off at 8.00AM and a fast section at 9.00AM, guess who’ll be getting up early then! Both runs start from Congleton’s headquarters which they share with the rugby club situated down the street, final right turn before the main roundabout when approaching from Bosley.