Home Sweet Home

Great Holiday - and a great area.  Just back from Nice - (well more St Tropez).  Please don't fret - it was a caravan (mobile home) and just overlapping the school term time to be affordable.
I now have a tan - so can look quite like a pro cyclist - unfortunately - a week or so of lounging around - quaffing french beer and croissants and coffee has taken it's toll.
And the mountains casting a shadow over Nice from the Franco Italian border - wow ! ! ! !   Not sure I can handle that - and the etape is less than a month away.
With all this in mind - it is time to return to a semblance of a training plan.
Wiggle Sussex/Surrey scramble on Sunday - only the 60 mile route - as I reckon I can squeeze a few more miles on the return journey from Redhill back home.  I also have a choice of returning via:

1. Reigate Hill (busy two lane traffic)
2. Pebble Hill (nearly killed me last year on the Ride the Route Sportive, did kill my old VW about 7 years ago)
3. Box Hill (yawn) - it so busy on a Sunday I wouldn't be suprised to see towels draped over it.  
4. There is also the possibility of coming back via Pebble Hill - back down in to Dorking and up over the traffic jam that is Box Hill on a Sunday - the M25 for cyclists (are you getting the impression I think  it is a little busy on that stretch of road)?  that would give me two climbs for the price of one - and hopefuilly the Gold Medal from the 60 mile event wont be weighing me down too much ;)

Lazy Sunday

Small training ride with David T today.  Over to Dorking - up Ranmore - the hill that never fails to flog me -> down to Dorking and up Box Hill.  Coffee and cake in Cycles Dauphine and an ogle at the cycling porn of Cervelo frames and beautiful Colnago bikes.
That reminds me - do the lottery this week.
Home and back out with Lisa on the MTB to the Star.  This is not good Etape training - as it involves a shandy - a roast dinner then back to david Lloyd for a cookie and coffee and catch the end of Newcastle United beating Liverpool.
After a 200+ mile week last week - and hearing that Cav did Box Hill (6 times) on friday - I feel there is some justification in having a relaxed day.  This will turn in to a relaxed week - as Good Friday will mean only four days of commute.
Its just such days that Etapes are failed.  However - I know I have the distance in my legs - and I must climb harder climbs than Ramore and Box Hill to train seriously.
Dave and I have targeted the Wiggle Ups'n'Downs 80 mile sportive.  the first three climbs are within us - and the last one (probably Leith Hill) we have ridden a number of occasions (dave more than me).  If we can get lucky on the straights and downhills then we should get a reasonable time.
There is a LongLegged sportive on the following week-end - and this also has a few Surrey climbs included.  As I sup tea and and reflect on a lazy day I comfort myself with the upcomming sportives and the Fixie ride to work over the next four days.