I need a well deserved rest

Where did July go?

I remember participating in a local road race, or, more accurately, turning up just to be blown out the back after the neutralised flag was lifted and then solo'ing around for the remainder of the 60 miles.  I think that was my only metric century for the month.

My other road miles have been shorter training rides (time permitting) and weekend pedals to the BikeBus café with my son.

Nothing memorable has occurred during my Brompton commutes and time has been such a limiting factor that I am still running on the Kojak tyres I fitted for the Smithfield Nocturne.

X=N+1-1+1-1-1+1

The number of bicycles in the garage went up when Van Nicholas sent me a replacement Chinook frame.

Then it went down after I sold my old Brompton S2L, then back up when the buyer became a time waster and finally back down when I found another buyer. Then it went down when I gifted an old mountain bike to my dad and then back up when he gave me back an old road bike.

Now August and the highlight...completing the Prudential Ride London 100 mile sportive as part of a 4 man team entry. This was my final cycling goal for the year and my training target. I had gone from base endurance fitness (for the Metric Century Challenge) to fast race circuits (to get to 3rd Cat), a longer road race (to get beaten up by 2nd Cats) and then the Ride London with the aim of completing it in under 5 hours 29 minutes.

Sadly I couldn't match the pace of my other three teammates who went on to finish over 30 minutes faster than me, but I am happy with my time of 4 hours 54 minutes.