Intro to the world of racing...

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:31 pm

"I hope to be there tommorow, but this weather just wont let me stay in the house so I'm going for a ride up to york and back today, good 20+ miles should be enough in this heat, depends what my legs feel like."

All this advice you've been given and people offering to help and you downgrade yourself from "I will" to "I hope to"!

John Banks · Post by **John Banks** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:40 pm

I would be interested in a beginners chain gang. I am sure there are many people who would like to start competitive cycling but nervous about the first step (fitness, being out of their depth, old bike, not the correct gear etc.). The come and try it TT is very good for that for my first time this year I was nervous.

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:52 pm

John, come along this tuesday, meet at the milleniuim bridge at 630. We might have enough to do a chaingang, even if there's just two or three we could simulate the group riding. I'm relatively new to it too but had a lot of help from a couple of more experienced people last week.

Michael

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:08 pm

Michael.

I would deffo 100% be there tommorow, infact I'm pretty sure I will be, but I've just done another 20 miles at 20mph in this heat and I'm giving me legs some hammer, any normal person would stop hammering there legs and give it a rest or go slow but as silly as it sounds I just dont like going slow so I seem to keep hammering my legs, I did take it easy on some parts just riding carefully at 18mph, it was not untill I got home I notice the wind had got up quite abit.

Anyway I should be at the bridge 6:30 tommorrow, if I'm not it is because my legs where in need of a rest.

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:15 pm

Will, if you want I'll lend you my copy of Friel's 'cycling racing bible', it's got all you need to know about combining the right levels of easy pace riding, hard paced riding and tons of other stuff, it should help you a lot. If every time you go out you are trying to go hard and watching your speedo (go on admit it you do!) you're not going to improve as quick as you could!

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:41 pm

Hmmm, yea I'd like to lend that book, would be good thanks.

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:46 pm

one more for tomorrow night (John O'Donnell)

willhub · Post by **willhub** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:19 pm

MichaelCarter wrote:one more for tomorrow night (John O'Donnell)

Is that the scottish guy from the college? With the blue trek bike that lives in bishothorpe?

BroomWagon · Post by **BroomWagon** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:39 pm

How many have we got then (could do with 6 or more)? I shall be there at the bridge tomorrow, I don't really have the fitness to do the real thing anyway. Though I guess it will be faster than last week with Phil being there.

Chaps don't obsess getting everything right, I did that years ago, specific training, racing, eating, keeping off the booze, creatine, caffeine, weight control and I still didn't do any good. I wasn't enjoying it and I quit for five years as a result, I'd no intention of touching a bike again. Just do what you enjoy and that's how you'll do best. If you were capable of winning the Tour of France you'd have known that years ago, just have fun and don't worry about others judging you, they'll be too busy trying not to get dropped themselves.

See you tomorrow.

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 7:19 pm

"How many have we got then"

think it might be 6 (me, Steve, Phil, John O, John G, Will)... anyone else fancy it?

"Guy's don't obsess getting everything right,"

I agree. I used to obsess about speeds, stats, wind direction, everything. I spent more time doing spreadsheets with complicated formulaes than I was out on my bike. I also used to feel that I had to hurt every ride or it wasn't worth it - and Friel put me right on that.

Now I enjoy riding my bike a lot more and think 'SHIFT' when I go out to train (See How I Feel Training) and generally just do what I feel like, much more enjoyable and far more productive. (I like that acronym, should I patent it?!)

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:32 pm

I would like to come along to this. I haven't done a chain before, but would like to learn. How many 'intro' sessions have you guys done so far? Is it just one or two?

Anywho, I'll be there at the bridge at 6:30 tomorrow.

Matt

MichaelCarter · Post by **MichaelCarter** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:43 pm

"How many 'intro' sessions have you guys done so far?"

I don't think anyone turning up tomorrow has done more than one. See you tomorrow.

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:03 pm

Hi Matt

If you're completely new to fast bunch riding (chain gang or road racing) then get yourself to the bridge for 6:30 and we'll have a chat through the basics before we ride out to the airfield. Plan for the evening is to take it at a pace that everyone can maintain without getting ragged - we want to practice smoooooooooth swift riding and movement, not set land speed records, and we all want to get home in one piece!

If anyone misses us at the bridge, then (as previous weeks) ride the circuit clockwise and you'll meet us at some point - do a quick U-turn and join in!

Matt G · Post by **Matt G** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:15 pm

Much appreciated, guys, I'll get there early.

Matt

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:26 pm

Phil, never done anything like this before but I wouldn't mind having a go. see you at 6.30