Easier Training Ride @ 10-2-7 Thursday 19th May

The vital statistics.

• Turnout: 6

• Temperature: felt like December

• Inch’s of rain: more than enough

• Average speed: Really not important (but as always within the advertised parameters)

So when we got to the Park Tavern it was nice that former club chairman Pete M had saved us seats on the big round table. Pete initiated the original Cardiac Squadra ride as an easier alternative to the long established winter chain gang. His ride evolved into the Easier Training ride @ 10-2-7 but the purpose and ethos has remained constant, everyone rides to their best ability and it is mutually supportive. Its more important to try and achieve a smooth chain gang than any target speed and when we sat down nobody was staring at their phone to check the average speed on Strava (but perhaps that’s because Andy R knew he had had a shocker).

In the chilly and damp conditions everyone was keen to get on with it and we set of a a good speed, unfortunately as can happen on a hard night it did become a bit disjointed towards the end of the ride and we certainly don’t want that to become the norm. Yours truly Fred W couldn’t chase up Artist Lane so I don’t know the result at the Wizard but Jim D (climbing better), John H, Col Y and Bennet G were all looking strong and had worked hard so well done and no complaints from me there.

One thing that has changed since the Cardiac Squadra days is that a good proportion of the regular turnout are newer riders who have progressed as cyclists on this ride. Next week hopefully we could have some more. It could well be my turn to have a shocker so the more helping move it along nicely the better.