Weekend Roundup

BroomWagon · Post by **BroomWagon** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:56 pm

Having a Saturday spare I thought I'd go along to a club run. Thought I'd have a crack at H's ride. I expected to struggle a bit on the longer climbs, but I've done a couple of TLIs earlier in the year and I'd grovelled round the long version of the Dales Grimpeur, so I thought I'd be ok. What a shock! Howard, Chris and Dr Dave rode effortlessly away on any upward road - so much so that for a fair bit of the ride I rode on my own only to meet up with the lads later sat somewhere laid out sun bathing waiting for me - what an embarrassing and humilating experience. It wasn't the lads fault, it was mine for being utterly useless and I know how frustrating it can be sometimes waiting for someone that's really not up to it. By the time we got to the final rises over the Howardian hills on the way back even if I could keep the guys in sight on the rises they were putting distance on me on the descents and that's something that doesn't happen very often. By Terrington village the lads had disappeared and there didn't seem much point trying to chase them down so I headed home (I hope you didn't wait lads).

So it's back to the drawing board for me and if I want a club run I'll have to ride with Kev's lot (I hope I can keep up a bit better).

It has got me thinking, given that the average speed for the ride wasn't particularly high, about 17mph (in comparison I did 100 mile undulating club run years ago that the average was 20mph and I had no bother with that), that I'm just getting old and don't seem to be able to lose weight and I don't have the natural ability of the likes of Arnie, Dave Cook and Ian H, perhaps nows the time to retire from cycling

. It might be convenient as the way things are at the moment, I might need to get a weekend job soon and a 7 day working week doesn't leave much time for cycling. Perhaps get myself the motorbike I've always wanted instead.

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:24 pm

"..that I'm just getting old.."

Not as old as me, yer not! That's defeatist talk. Do rides you enjoy over the summer, get a plan for the winter, and prove to yourself that you can get older and faster at the same time. If you were doing 100 mile / 20mph clubruns a while back, there must be some natural ability in there somewhere!

paulM · Post by **paulM** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:52 pm

Rode the LVRC Vic Sutton Mem road race at Warter. I was every bit as hard as I expected it to be on rolling wolds roads. Felt I had a good ride in me today. About 35 starters in the 40 - 50 age group but the attacking started in the first couple of miles and just never stopped. There were 18 of us left on the 2nd lap and when I eventually slipped off the back on the 3rd about 10 were left in front and they were still attacking - the speed had hardly dropped below 25 mph. Did a lap and a half on my own and was caught by 4 riders and we worked well for the remainder of the final lap. on the finishing climb out of Warter, 3 of them sat up and I had a great shoulder to shoulder little ring sprint just getting the better of the other guy. Paul Stubbs took the win - he's BC vets national champ and one of several quality riders in the field. So I can't be to disappointed with that performance. I've an Elite race next weekend so really needed to get something out of today. Oh and it was quite warm and we missed the rain.

Tullio · Post by **Tullio** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:45 am

The MTB Club Run went to the Dales on Sunday to take in the hills between Langstothdale and Wensleydale.

Another very hot, sticky ride (felt like a sauna at times) mixed with some stiff climbs made it a hard ride in places but we were rewarded with some really technical, rocky descents. A brief rain shower was actually quite welcome to cool us on a particularly long climb.

Lunch in Hawes where we saw a string of Clifton Jerseys pass through on the Pete Gray ride. Seemed to be having a good, sociable day out.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:27 am

Glad to hear about the ride Muzzy – was worried you might not be well or something – all these threads just crying out for a Muzzy-midnight-rant….

BW – you’d have been better off with us on Sunday.

Rode the Peter Gray Memorial 220k event on the Yorkshire Alps route. Clifton riders again made up 50% of the field and was pleased to see this support; I can’t think of anyone that did more for York cycling than PG over the last 20 years and we all benefit directly or indirectly from his work. He was much talked about on the way round.

The 7 Clifton riders on the long route (Ian H, Dave C, Helen, Nigel, Shaun W, Mr Hub and self) soon left the others behind and we made good progress up to Richmond and the start of the hills. Mr Hub, evidently modelling himself on a particular Manxman, enjoyed himself by sheltering in the wheels and launching himself up the road whenever the gradient increased. The rest of the group meanwhile set a good example of team work with some prodigious efforts on the front (particularly from Shaun and Dave in Warfedale and Helen and Nigel in Nidderdale).

Nigel’s pint of Guiness at TH gave him wings on Buttertubs (a scene which could make the next Guiness advert…). Meanwhile, the sherbert fountain that I couldn’t resist in Grassington, did me no harm at all.

Over 160 miles door to door in 13 hours (including various stops). A big day out!

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:12 am

Sorry but for the part up to Richmond I was partaking in team work and rarely went off the front and tbh on hills there is nothing wrong with breaking up. I never was holding onto your wheel then sprinted up that part where you said something about friends, I just wanted to do a sprint because I thought there is nothing wrong with it, I'm happy for people to overtake me because evidently I was tired out from the sprint up the hill. Nothing wrong with how I went on that ride.

Anyway that out of the way it was a good ride and I enjoyed it being my hardest ride I've ever done and longest at 175 miles from my hours and back. I found fleet moss the hardest hill of the day after as usual cafe stops always have a weird effect on me. I was expecting more rain but luckily only one shower.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8001045

justsweat · Post by **justsweat** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:52 am

BW – you’d have been better off with us on Sunday

Yes would have loved it, if I had two working arms and any forks on my bike. However they where 'shorn' off when a car turned across me on the A19 on Saturday morning. Bike written off, but thankfully I'm still here to tell the tale!

Ho hum

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 10:58 am

Just to add to Steve's posting of his view of the 'H' ride. It was a good day out - strange to do the Langdale End loop anti-clockwise. Not sure about the 'effortless' though - it was all I could do to hold on to Chris and Howard most of the way.

It was hot - 2 bottles don't last long in this weather and the 'shop stop' at the A64 crossing came at just the right time.

Not sure how old you are Steve (younger than me?) but I'd agree with Phil - I think you just need to get a few more miles in and you'll lose those xtra pounds and fly up the hills as in days of old (Sorry Mrs Broomwagon

)

bernard turgoose · Post by **bernard turgoose** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:55 am

First to BW, perhaps whilst you catch up on the milage you might join the intermediate group on saturdays, but seriously having seen how you got us round Spurn etc just keep going & i am sure that you will be back to your usual fitness levels, family requirements permitting.
As for the shorter PG ride I believe we had a total of 15 from the Clifton including some of Willys easy riders stepping up a bit, well done Alison despite your puncture. We almost managed to avoid the rain & I am sure we would have done if Willy had slowed down a bit after Topcliffe, but hey the sun was out again from Huthwaite & it was very pleasant at Cafe 21 in Easingwold for lunch in the garden, where we were able to dry out.
The ride was started by Peter Grays widow & daughter & very good it was to see them after Peters tragic illness etc
Bernard

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:58 pm

willhub wrote:Sorry

Not meant to be heavy feedback or for public airing, haved PMed you.
R

BroomWagon · Post by **BroomWagon** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 5:05 pm

I had two working arms and any forks on my bike. However they where 'shorn' off

Not your arms shorn off I hope

Re: H's ride, it's not the first time I've had a pasting and unless economics and/or age forces me into retirement it won't be the last though it is a while since a group have done it so seemingly (any better Dave) effortlessly. Still I'm doing the Ryedale Rumble so if I can get out for three or four of Howard's rides and hang on as long as possible, it might do me no end of good

HowardD · Post by **HowardD** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:47 pm

Hey, that's more like it BW! Remember the H group motto, "per ardua ad the cafe"!

Here are the stats for the day. As you say, not a "nutter" pace for this route at all. Methinks you were having an off day....

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/7995568

photoBen · Post by **photoBen** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:02 pm

I opted for Sunday and the 100k PG ride. a nice chance to ride with a few people I don't normally see a lot of and even had the luxury of two cafe stops.

To Broomwagon, there's always room on the Saturday Intermediate ride.

tomf · Post by **tomf** » Mon Jul 06, 2009 11:06 pm

Managed to get out for my regular 40mile Millington fix on Sunday afternoon, unfortunately spoiled by quite bad knee pain on the way back. Suspect it has something to do with clumsily smashing my knee into a steel stairgate the day before, so I hope it's just a bit of bruising which will pass rather than an Ominous Sign of Things to Come.

To Broomwagon: years of false dawns and race-day shockers have convinced me that unexpectedly good (or bad) performances are usually about 1/3 to do with actual fitness and 2/3 extraneous noise (not a snappy aphorism, I confess). Stuff happens; one day you do a practice TT, get shelter from a slow-moving line of cars on the upwind leg, and you're flying; the next week you eat too much for breakfast, feel lethargic and just can't get your legs moving. One swallow doesn't make a summer, and one dog-ride shouldn't end a career!

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:44 pm

As a kind of "extended weekend" report I thought I'd write up this evening - I did the Brighouse Circuit Races support 3rds/4ths race. Well, to be more accurate I entered it and started it. Both acts are baffling in different ways. Short, fast races aren't really my strong suit but I felt the need to do at least one race with a commentator and a cheering crowd before I die.

The evening started ominously with massive tailbacks on the M62 causing me to arrive at a gridlocked Brighouse (Blimey! The b****y roads are all closed!) with insufficient time to warm up properly. I signed on and - on cue - the heavens opened. It did stair rods. Absolutely hammered down. I splashed out onto the circuit for a few sighting laps which confirmed that (a) yes, there was tarmac under the water but (b) there was also a lot of metalwork, especially on the hairpin at the end of the finish straight. After an ongoing soaking during the commissaire's lecture, we were off.

It was very clear that some people worry much less than others about personal injury; I quickly moved back in the bunch and when the bloke two bikes in front of me fell off on the third corner of the first lap, I was looking around for company at the back. A group of four of us huddled together on the straights, but our approaches to the corners varied so wildly we nearly had to be re-introduced all over again afterwards. After twenty minutes of the twenty-five-minutes-plus-ten-laps event were were lapped by the fast blokes (more particularly by some skinny lad of about sixteen who clearly never heeded his parents' shouts of "be careful!") and it was game over.

I'd intended sticking around to watch the later Elites event but as the next race - the juniors - set off the rain if anything redoubled its efforts. I splashed back to the car, wriggled out of the soggy lycras into the two remaining vaguely dry garments I had with me, and quickly decided I didn't fancy standing in cold rain watching the Rapha Condor squad etc make it all look easy. So I drove home and ate strawberries and cream in the bath. Life has, thankfully, many pleasures beyond cycling.

**edit** - the full horror can now be appreciated at http://www.flickr.com/photos/veloshoote ... 999072937/...