Haha hardly surprising with the gusty strong winds around! Be careful! I've seen one guy riding deep rims (a couple of years back) just picked up and dumped in a hedge by a crosswind coming through an open gateway. Right from the middle of a group of us too!
I really struggled for mileage last week, was my little boys 2nd Birthday on Saturday (where the hell has that time gone!) so took Wednesday on-wards off work to spend some time with him. Commuting I actually skipped Tuesday (things to pick up) and the rain/wind was so bad on the monday evening commute I chickened out of that too (when it's blowing a gale outside and the other half calls asking 'do you want a lift?' - it's hard to say no isn't it!). So a grand total of 2.3 miles of commuting last week luls.
Got a good Zwift session in on the Thursday - a climbing race. Not many riders on but was able to utterly empty myself riding with some riders the CAT above, including one of them I've raced with before. A bit of a 'showdown'. He utterly decimated me the second time up as I'd gone so deep the first time, but it was good fun 'training'!
https://www.strava.com/activities/2750166349
Sunday I got out in the afternoon as it rained nearly all morning, conditions where so windy (block headwind here, 300W to do 15 mph!) I couldn't do the 4+ hours I wanted or needed so I did ~2 hour ride taking in a bit of a winding route (to avoid as much headwind as possible) taking in a couple of local ramps. To really make this ride my final last ditch attempt at any training for the 'Epic' next weekend I headed to Bredwardine hill (Arthurs Stone). A real local 'test' and more of a Hill Climb than something you ride for fun! Although I've always found it weird not many know about it, or even ride it in the local hill climb series... Allegedly it's the 'steepest climb in the Midlands' but I've always been sceptical as every time I've ridden it the ride data/elevation is never quite the same. It is probably not much more than 30%. Regardless, it's the steepest climb I know of in 'easy' reach, that's also part of a longer climb which is a great test - the top so long of lower gradient that if you bury yourself on the lowest steep part you lose time on the upper part. There's times up there with groups that riders who've walked the lower ramp will pass the others on the latter...!
I somehow made it up there a minute slower than my PR, a real paced stood grind (34*32) up the lower allowed me to not pop, but it really was a test of willpower. I was hanging on for much of the top but was able to sit and spin it out with the low gearing I have. I'm 5-6kg heavier with an FTP 40-50W lower than my previous times (successful) time up there (I don't include those I've had to stop!) so quite happy with that. I actually didn't reach the 'finish' (Arthurs Stone) as I caught a hedge trimmer just before it and decided to turn off another road to descend, but had completed the climb segment.
The main thing being, that although this year I've not been able to cross off any Imperials I'll have done a couple of tough/hilly 80 milers while also ticking off the main climbs I like to consider my 'challenges' - The Tumble. Gospel Pass. Colwall. Dorstone & Bredwardine. Small victories! 
There are several others locally I should just 'cross off' and there's a climb I've not even attempted yet near where I grew up. But that's so steep/rough I may even need off road tyres for it !and dry weather)...
I really struggled for mileage last week, was my little boys 2nd Birthday on Saturday (where the hell has that time gone!) so took Wednesday on-wards off work to spend some time with him. Commuting I actually skipped Tuesday (things to pick up) and the rain/wind was so bad on the monday evening commute I chickened out of that too (when it's blowing a gale outside and the other half calls asking 'do you want a lift?' - it's hard to say no isn't it!). So a grand total of 2.3 miles of commuting last week luls.
Got a good Zwift session in on the Thursday - a climbing race. Not many riders on but was able to utterly empty myself riding with some riders the CAT above, including one of them I've raced with before. A bit of a 'showdown'. He utterly decimated me the second time up as I'd gone so deep the first time, but it was good fun 'training'!
https://www.strava.com/activities/2750166349
Sunday I got out in the afternoon as it rained nearly all morning, conditions where so windy (block headwind here, 300W to do 15 mph!) I couldn't do the 4+ hours I wanted or needed so I did ~2 hour ride taking in a bit of a winding route (to avoid as much headwind as possible) taking in a couple of local ramps. To really make this ride my final last ditch attempt at any training for the 'Epic' next weekend I headed to Bredwardine hill (Arthurs Stone). A real local 'test' and more of a Hill Climb than something you ride for fun! Although I've always found it weird not many know about it, or even ride it in the local hill climb series... Allegedly it's the 'steepest climb in the Midlands' but I've always been sceptical as every time I've ridden it the ride data/elevation is never quite the same. It is probably not much more than 30%. Regardless, it's the steepest climb I know of in 'easy' reach, that's also part of a longer climb which is a great test - the top so long of lower gradient that if you bury yourself on the lowest steep part you lose time on the upper part. There's times up there with groups that riders who've walked the lower ramp will pass the others on the latter...!
I somehow made it up there a minute slower than my PR, a real paced stood grind (34*32) up the lower allowed me to not pop, but it really was a test of willpower. I was hanging on for much of the top but was able to sit and spin it out with the low gearing I have. I'm 5-6kg heavier with an FTP 40-50W lower than my previous times (successful) time up there (I don't include those I've had to stop!) so quite happy with that. I actually didn't reach the 'finish' (Arthurs Stone) as I caught a hedge trimmer just before it and decided to turn off another road to descend, but had completed the climb segment.
The main thing being, that although this year I've not been able to cross off any Imperials I'll have done a couple of tough/hilly 80 milers while also ticking off the main climbs I like to consider my 'challenges' - The Tumble. Gospel Pass. Colwall. Dorstone & Bredwardine. Small victories!
There are several others locally I should just 'cross off' and there's a climb I've not even attempted yet near where I grew up. But that's so steep/rough I may even need off road tyres for it !and dry weather)...
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