Training Log Archive: Ollie

Cycle from Upminster to Canterbury, via Dartford Bridge and Rochester. Some very steep hills near the end.

Went past the 1000km mark today, about half way through the ride.

North Downs Relay - running Leg 11 for SLOW, between Westerham Hill and the Caterham Bypass. Started well, matching the GO runner for the first 2-3km, but then tired on the long gradual climb to Botley Hill. Found the short, sharp climbs later on very tough - the second was a flight of steps and I ended up walking them. Finished around 4 minutes down on the winner - so I beat Mike G's time last year (59 minutes) and my own target of one hour, hence win the bet (a pint). Not sure how I could ever do Alan L's record time of 49:57 though. Conditions were pretty perfect - the route was a little overgrown in places and it was quite hot, but the ground was dry and there was little wind.

Didn't have a map, instead I trusted my GPS which had the route programmed in it. Still had to pause a couple of times to work out the way, and the GPS had problems with fixing a signal later on, on the steepest part of the section. Looking at the route line is probably more useful than looking at the arrow, which doesn't provide much of a warning.

Good fun, but I think GO have run away with the prize again this year!

49km/h down Pentonville Road.

From Ravenscourt Park, near Hammersmith. Pegged it back in the dark, via Euston Road.

SLOW Ravenscourt Park. Put out some of the controls, so had a n/c run but would have finished 7th, of 55 starters. Ran 4.4km.