I had an eventful ride today.
With Velothon Wales coming up a week Sunday, and my climbing still horribly sub par, and not really having done enough mileage this year at all to be putting my flaky body through such challenges, I felt I really needed to head out and do some miles AND hills.
Despite the best advice of the bike fitter who said I should do plenty of small rides to acclimatise to the new setup after my bike fit last week, I went and attempted a 70 miler taking in much of the RideLondon route...
Dressed in my new gear bought for the 3 big rides coming up, and my knee support on my left knee just as a precaution, off I went.
And everything was going fairly swimmingly in some rather nice sunshine until mile 18 when I came off.
So heading wide round a roundabout I went to the left as I usually do to clear traffic, but there was a ridge between the middle lane and the filter lane coming from Cobham, as I crossed it I realised there may well be fast moving traffic behind me so attempted to cross the ridge again, at a slower speed, back to let the traffic flow. Front wheel went straight over, rear wheel went "nah" and threw me off the bike. It was a pretty similar accident to my tramline incident some time ago.
In this picture I would have been coming round and heading straight to my position with the camera...
Quickly checking the bike (was ok) then my leg (not too ok) I remembered there was a
Halfords close by. Went in and asked for some wipes, and they very generously gave me access to their bathroom, medical kits and wipes.
It was sore, but fortunately nothing at all broken. My right wrist hurt quite a bit, and I knocked the inside of my left leg, but the most visible effect was the knee area.
If this had been a recreational ride I probably would have turned coat and gone home, but this wasn't a fun ride dammit! Decided to carry on...
It was 5 miles later, while I was rather uniquely overtaking 2 road cyclists near Ripley when I realised I hadn't started the Garmin since Halfords.
Onwards and upwards. Specifically Newlands Corner hill, when my chain fell off the big cassette cog.
For those that know Newlands, during the steep section there is a left hander. Well it happened 50 yards after the bend, and with no pavement to sort it out, and cars screaming at 50 mph round the bend it was nappy time. Getting started again wasn't easy either!
Reaching the top, I needed some relaxation to ease the woes. So some photos and a cuppa!
The Newlands descent is normally fun, but there were an inordinate number of German built 4x4s wanting to skim me as close as possible when I should have been safer by being in the middle of the road.
Onto Leith Hill and felt it was a struggle, stopped for a quick breather twice and didn't really feel like I was anywhere close to 2013.
At the top, another breather and photo.
Must say, every descent from this point on was pretty painful on the right wrist. Was generally ok, but the bumps at speed were not nice. Was certainly feeling this far more than my leg.
Through to Dorking was uneventful, although I did feel the first twinges of cramp in my left leg (always my left leg!)
Had another cuppa at Rykers at the bottom of Box Hill as I needed a water fill up, then onto Box Hill.
When my chain fell off again.
Stupidly I hadn't looked at the L screw after Newlands, and it was fine at Leith so.. Anyway, made an adjustment, and seemed to fix it. I think the crash maybe knocked the dérailleur out of position slightly, as this had already been fixed weeks ago. Strangley post crash, while I had these issues, the shifting generally seemed much better!
Knowing my time up there was already crud, I stopped where the squiggles on the road are, and took a photo, which I don't normally do.
The rest of the ride through Leatherhead, Oxshott, Esher, Kingston and back home was pretty uneventful. I seemed to be riding ok on the flat, Kingston hill felt a bit rough, but came home very happy I managed to complete the route, especially with the incidents. Rule 5 was definitely invoked.
The knee held up, though I'd be lying if I wasn't concerned by a few little twinges every now and then near the end. The new gear wasn't torn or marked by the fall and the footbeds in my shoes seemed a natural fit.
Then I loaded up my Garmin to the website and Strava.
First thing I noticed was a PB up Leith Hill! Despite two stops and feeling meh, it was the single best time I've ever done up it! I knocked 1 minute 12 seconds off my previous best, and I've been up it without stopping before!
Then scrolling through I saw the rest on a well ridden route. 15 PB's, 21 2nd best and 15 3rd best personal times.
I never imagined getting even close to one top 3 or 4 times at any point.
One of the biggest changes apart from the bike after the fit, and being back on clipless pedals, was my riding position, where I was told I was too upright, and I should relax the arms more, and push the shoulders back. I spent quite a bit of time focussing on doing this, as it wasn't natural to me yet. The combination seems to have helped massively though, and I do wonder what I could have got up Newlands and Box Hill had it not been for the facepalm moments.
Dead chuffed. Now just need to get something to help the achey wrist tomorrow. Open to suggestions.
69.3 miles recorded, 5 miles missing, 3,671ft climbed at 14.2mph.
https://app.strava.com/activities/318412511
But I did the route with an extra mile in the same time as the route out. So that's something 
and I am totally nacked 
