Training Ride Sat 21st Feb

[Cam B]

Was going to be a bit controversial and suggest we head 'East' again (gasps of astonishment all round) . Logic being that racing season not too far away now and out of the 4 routes we do it's the hilliest and I think there is some sense in incorporating a few lumps on a ride this time of year. Hoping that there is an appetite (in a few weeks) to start doing the laps of Bishopwood and Escrick that we usually do to hone our speed ( ) in time for the races and they're flat circuits. But, it sounded like a request on the other thread so happy to go 'South'....We haven't been that way for while. Feel free to balance a spirit level on your handlebars to see how flat it is ...Actually, I always find it a surprisingly tough route especially if its windy which it looks like it may well be on Saturday...So:

York, Elvington, south to Howden, Hemingbrough, Skipwith, Thorganby, Wheldrake, Escrick, Stillingfleet, Naburn, and back to York.

Meet at Square to head out for 9.00

[Sharpy]

Haha thanks Cam. Guess i should defo make it then!!

If others post and prefer a different route then its no big issue.

Cheers

Rich

[mart66]

Sound good to me. I often struggle on this route when it's windy. Good training I guess!

Last week we had a bit of a discussion regarding people falling off the back. The overall view seemed to be that, at this time of year, the group isn't going to wait.

Is that the view of the majority?

Cheers

Martin

[Sharpy]

Its always windy on the southerly route.... Its good for the soul... maybe!

On your last point, its always a hard one to call, we want to keep it together so everyone has a good ride but with the mix of abilities there are going to be some struggling more than others. We have tried splitting the group but everyone seems to just choose the "fast" group anyway.

If we clearly set out that being dropped is possible on this ride then people know what to expect, I had no issues with it when i started out "all them years ago" for me it was part of getting quicker and stronger.

I think if we are not clear on what can happen and that we don't wait unless you have a mechanical then people cannot feel to aggrieved if they cannot hold onto the pack.

Just my view though,

Cheers
Sharpy

[mart66]

I had no issues with it when i started out "all them years ago"

I had no issues with it a couple of weeks ago Good chance I'll get dropped before the end tomorrow too if the pace cranks up.

[Sharpy]

I am racing a TT on Sunday so i wont be hammering it.... Just a nice steady ride with some good banter please....

[Paul W]

Is there still the 2nd ahem "steadier" group.? Not knowing where my fitness is at the moment

[Cam B]

Good ride today. Enough in the square to split the groups with about 7 or 8 in each. I went in Group 1. Tough after the turn at Howden into a stiff headwind (are headwinds anything other than stiff?). We started thru and offing at Skipworth with two lines and then we tried to get one line going. I think it’s best if, once the guy at the front has done his 20-30 secs and flicks his elbow, he needs to drop fairly quickly to the back of the line (if he goes down the line on the side the wind is blowing he does give the other guys a bit of shelter as well). What seemed to be happening sometimes was that once the guy had done his turn he wasn’t dropping back quick enough and so we almost had 2 lines going again and the guy following didn’t have a wheel therefore negating the point of the single line. We dropped one or two towards the end as the pace picked up and lost a bit of firepower (although we still had Ed!) I just wonder, if we had been bit more rigorous in actually keeping to one line, we would have stayed together.... In a race, obviously tactics take over and you may want to drop one or 2 riders in a group anyway? Anyway ...just a thought from “Paceline Corner”. Still a good ride. And... yes... now thoughts are turning to racing etc....mechanicals aside...there’s a possibility that any of us can get dropped and the group not wait. I think that’s ok. That’s why we do the 4 well trodden routes so ideally anyone has a rough idea where they are and are able to get back home. People do need to shout up if they have a mechanical. Now that rides are getting ...well ...less steady it is ok to miss turns....Better to do that than go completely into the red zone and then blow up completely.

[Sharpy]

Felt a good ride today, bit messy once we started through and off, but probably expected this time of year. I dived off a Wheldrake before it got too fiesty to save the legs. But another good ride. Cheers for heading south as well!!

[JohnS]

Headed up the second group this morning, with 4 new faces, Darren, Will, Max and Luke. Nice to see some new faces and they must have halved the average age of the group.

Nice brisk ride out with everyone rolling through nicely. Darren was first to pop just after the turn but he's only just coming back after a 4 month layoff so not suprising. Tried to bring him back to the group who soft pedalled for a bit but in the end he called it quits. We've all been there so keep turning up!

It was tough on the return leg into the wind and especially as we only had 4 of us working. Despite this we kept together and kept up a decent pace. I was going to move to through and off on the Wheldrake circuit but with only 4 working just decided to keep it rolling through. Solid riding by all and the new lads fitted in nicely.

I was cooked by the time we got back to York. I won't say much about my ride home but it wasn't pretty! Character building is probably the best I can say. It's fine doing hour sessions on the turbo but it doesn't help once you get over 3 hours. Still 80 miles in the bank by the time I got home.

Hopefully out again next week.

Best regards

John

[Luke Patterson]

Thank you for a fantastic ride South! I actually carried on riding after we finished and managed to get a cheeky 100 miler in, great bunch of guys thanks for the help, I know I was in the red zone for a little while, appreciate your help!