Arthur Ellis, where are you now?

To paraphrase the old Radio one request spiel, anyone that knows me, knows that I am a sucker for a medal. Given that I have long given up competing against anyone else (no, really, it's...almost true), and my chief aim is to self-actualise in the velodramatic world I inhabit (my this is self-indulgent!), I do not fully understand this fascination.

It could be related to my Numismatic leanings, or just a magpie's obsession with collecting the bright and shiny. I have kept every sportive medal, and a few from walking or swimming events too, and slung them on the stand that holds the mirror in the bedroom. (Nearly a song.) So you can imagine my pleasure at my latest mementos from yesterday's Joker sportive, which I mentioned in last night's somewhat random post.

I see the same tendency in my son, it's that thing when he's told, you haven't finished it unless you do all of this, and as Bunny is always saying I'm the embodiment of KBO, if there is a challenge going I have to do it, unless something mechanical hits me. Or a failure of will and a conveniently sited split point between long and short routes, but fortunately that wasn't an option.

So all these extra little challenges, a steep hill  up and down at 20% a piece(which I cycled in the other direction last summer, for tis near my parents' house), Gold Hill in Shaftesbury (also done before, and therefore eminently rideable as long as no-one stops in front of you), Zig Zag hill (done more times than I can remember on journeys to the folks) and the last, an absolutely pointless climb up to near the finish, and then back down again before another climb to really finish. As someone once said, we all love a futile gesture, and after over 6000 feet of climbing and 70 + miles, what is one more?

No medal though. Something better. These cards.

"Played the Joker, double it up to four"



Great aren't they? I loved the ride too, just about perfect blue skies, no wind, a slight nip in the air but not too hot or cold, and generally empty roads if un petit peu de gravillons on some corners. That's French.

Skip had a bit of a tough time, but I'm pleased to say I really enjoyed myself. My climbing has got better for a change, although I'm not tempting fate. It does leave me with something of a dilemma. I am determined to stick to the plan which is all learned behaviour, and in this case, designed to stop me over-training like last year. Being burnt out in June.

Part of that plan is riding the white Horse Challenge for enjoyment only, and not for a time. Of course the weather may blow a gale anyway, but if not, there is a temptation to see if I can get a sub-5 hour time. I'm 8 minutes off it, and last year's ride was my best ever sportive performance. It's hard to see where 8 minutes can come from, unless I get with a good group as before and manage to stay with them after the first climb (unlike last year). That means one big effort to climb well, and it might just work.

But it goes against the plan. Decisions, decisions!