Sunshine and lots of smiling faces on Sunday.... that can't be bad..... is it summer?
Back to Furzefield School and we had quite a whirlpool of riders doing a 6-min challenge of racking up a massive total number of laps, throwing in a dad and a mum for good measure so that the tally got a bit higher.
After that, coach Paul Wright stayed on the big patch of tarmac with the big riders while the others went globetrotting with me, well with Stephen Golliker to be more precise as he was keeping his daughter Hannah on the move. Passport checks were needed as we left Canada and again when we arrived on the far side of the planet (well school) in Africa.... holding up one hand for a high-five was easy for some but rather un-nerving for others.
So was the uphill section.
Hannah got stuck a couple of times at the start.... but then when it was her turn to lead and pick the route what did she do? she selected to go the hill and got up it fine-style. Well done.
Back on planet Zog (where I live) we had a slalom challenge which involved a series of five cones that were off-set so that cornering was an issue. Once riders had done them several times we finished with a time-trial effort where they rode against a stop-watch.
The following exercise built on that as it was a BMX-style start with all the riders in a line. They just sprinted into a long lazy corner and no sooner had they come out of that the finish line was just ahead.
So acceleration was key. So was pedal position.
And they quickly learned that the rider with the inside lane had a theoretical advantage.
We came close to a crash or two.... if it had been a darts match the commentator would have been shouting 'good bunching'.
But it wasn't darts.
After that we expanded again to a Le Mans-style race. The bikes were stacked on the start line but the riders were elsewhere.
Then the running section extended to a full lap and riders (if they had been able to speak while gasping) would have said 'that's enough' so we moved on.
Final race - younger riders - four laps, handicap
1 Oliver Dredge
2 Hannah Golliker
3= Nikki Ager
3= Libby Hyde
Oliver is just five so he got a half-lap head start.... and held it through to the finish. Well done Oliver. And the fight to the line for third place was splendid... well done you two also.
Left luggage office from previous session at Sandcross School
Pair of black adult-size cycling gloves
Left luggage office from this Sunday
Child's black water-proof top with zip-up front and a black plastic hood.
Question asked: do you have cycling tops like we see some of the riders wearing?
Yes. There are only a couple of the two smallest sizes left at the moment and so there is a need for a new order.
When they arrive they will be on offer at C&N Cycles shop in Redhill. More later.