John, that was such an excellent and insightful report. I'm always intrigued as to why some club runs work so well and others don't, and your report illustrates exactly what can go wrong, so easily - not through anyone's fault, necessarily, but just a lack of cohesion on the day. It amazes me how a good club run often needs no introductory talk, agreed route or discussion about rules - it just happens, just like magic!

In my view, the best club runs have involved most or all of the following...
- a compatible group of riders in terms of speed and fitness
- no show offs who break up everyone else's rhythm
- a few strong riders who're prepared to ride at a steady cadence on the front
- an unselfish hero/angel or two who will look after any slower riders
- fantastic weather, quiet lanes and convivial cafes
- great banter and Garry Brown's jokes (or maybe not!)
- a confident run leader/leaders (and thanks are due to Craig for leading some excellent rides this year)

In fact reading this list, all I can say is how well we do generally - the runs that break up are definitely the exception not the rule, so we shouldn't beat ourselves up too much in my view.

Good write up, John, and thanks Craig for a great route and new cafe selection. I think this one will be a favourite through the summer months!

Things did go wrong yesterday, but putting all the responsibility on the ride leader is a bit unfair. I would imagine being responsible for planning a Sunday run is a thankless task, and Craig stepping up to take the mantle was very honourable, as no-one else wanted to.

We are all adults, and should be able to conduct ourselves properly without hiding behind the fact that it's up to the leader to keep us in line.

my tueppneceworth...

Thanks Craig for volunteering to lead. I thoroughly enjoyed the day with 99.3 miles on the clock when home. I have never been on this route before but hope to do it again. I was going to do a few circuits around my village to get the magic 100, but couldn't be arsed... Sore legs when home, but did 25 times running up and down the stairs for a laugh (NOT !!). It was a shame we got split on the way home, but a number of regroupings did take place so it wasn't for a lack of trying..

Although I don't get out with you that often these days (due to spending some weekends in Ashbourne), I try to make a helpful contribution to the day when I do, and enjoy the miles with you guys and gals. I would like to make the following observations about the ride yesterday :-

It was howling headwind on the way out and hard work, with a conspicuous reluctance of a number of riders to take a decent turn on the front. Combine this with the following :-
1. An apparent penchant for sprinting off the front at the first sign of a hill....
...followed by the need to then reduce to a virtual standstill, and expect someone else to go back to the front and be a donkey, totally disprupting any form of consistent pace.
2. A complete inability to follow a wheel properly or ride 2 a breast.
3. A number of not-so-fit riders who needed sheltering anyway, who spent half the day exposed and having to chase up the hills for the aforementioned wheel-suckers. The stronger riders could have been setting a steady pace at the front, sheltering others, and getting some good hard miles in.

Its a club-run, not a road race. There shouldn't be any "tactics" on a club run. It's for "training".ie. "like a train" (bit of a clue).. I'm quite happy to do turns at the front and get some hard work in, but I'm not going to do that, and spend the rest of my time chasing down the heros 😈 ..

Following a wheel and sitting in is fine if thats what you're going to do. Sit in and keep out of the way, you respect other people. However, if your going to sit on wheels all day, do no reasonable turns at the front and then sprint off the front on hills, thats not so helpful... If you're going to contribute to the turns and help the not-so-fit riders, and are still able to have-a-go on the hills, then respect to you...

Having said all the above, I hope yesterday was a one-off, but I don't know...I stll have to say what a great Club the WVCC is 😀 ... and I hope to be out again soon.

I have now had a chance to reflect on the events of yesterday, I could have commented yesterday, but my comments would not have been that helpful or constructive.
Yesterday I saw a lot of positives, but equally some negatives.
Some of the positives were
- Good size group, last week’s 6 was a bit small
- Group easing off when they were asked to
- Some great support for a tired rider
And the negatives were
- Pace was too high (in my opinion), may have eased off to let people rejoin, but then it just went back up
- Treating the run as a road race
- The group split
Now, I could start pointing figures and allocating where I feel blame lies, but that’s not very constructive and after some reflection I have realised who has to take responsibility for the failings of yesterday’s run. On that note I apologise to everyone who got caught up in the shambles.
I am not a forceful character and I just don’t take control of the group as much as is needed, with a group of mixed ability this is a problem. Much as I enjoy taking the group down some new lanes, enjoying new vista’s and finding a new café stop it needs more than that to lead a run. I have now come realise this role is not a good fit for me. The long run needs someone of stronger character than me, who will impose more discipline and control everything more.
I have two more runs I have committed to taking, as I am not one to shirk my responsibility I will take these as planned, do the best job I can and then leave future runs for someone else to lead. If someone wants to step up before then I am happy to relinquish the lead role before then.
I want to thank everyone who has joined me on the runs I have led, I have enjoyed every one and I am sure I will continue to enjoy the runs under someone else’s leadership

Craig,

I think you do a great job leading the runs, and I don't agree that your disposition is the issue. I thnk that there were too many out to manage on your own, with a wide range of abilities, and you just needed some backup....

I think the persons who are currently not named need a "private chat" at some point (maybe its me... 🙄 ). If i'm doing something wrong on a ride, I would have no problem with someone telling me 😕 either publically (on here) or privately....

How's these for a starter for 10...

First to the top of any climb stays at the front and does 5 miles...
If you can't follow a wheel, sit at the back...
If you get out of the saddle in the middle of the bunch, don't drop back 1/2 length...
Shout for Potholes..
Any shout from the front or the back of the bunch should be relayed. Don't expect the the guy at the back to hear the shout from the front !!!!!
If a rider deems themselves strong enough to go off the front, let them. I'm sure they'll either be waiting at the next junction, or get lost..

I don't know whether there is one, but a handout/ pep talk one Sunday morning may be useful ? Key points to remember for the day ? If everyone knows them, then any guilty party can be mocked accordingly by everyone else, into submission...

Keep up the good work Craig, we just all need to pull together.. (the same way.. 😀 )

Craig,

I'm more than happy to assist on the runs. I'm hopeless at planning routes unless I've been on them at least twice before 😉

Karl has raised a number of good points and ideas. I'm sure we will have a discuss at the committee meeting tonight.

I'm racing next Sunday so won't be out on the club run. But when I'm next out I'm happy to help.

Hi Craig, it was a fantastic route and was a shame that we got split on the way back. It's always difficult to keep a large group with differing abilities together and the run leader shouldn't be solely responsible for doing so. I think the idea of a few simple rules for club runs makes sense.

Hi Craig,

Please be assured i was in absolutely no way having a go at you. I do think you do a great job a leading and organisig routes and cafes. Aside from Ewart saying 'this way', I'm not sure just how much the break up yesterday was attributable to one person. I wouldn't even blame Ewart, it was a collective decision. As i said, i think the run leader should be the person the run follows & if anyone wants to go off the front then it's up to them to wait wherever for the group to catch up. If someone wants to turn around early or go somewhere else (me in the past, Kev yesterday) then fine but the majority of the group follow the leader. I don't think this is about you having a strong enough character I think what happened yesterday would have happened with any leader. I think it should be a simple, common sense, common courtesy thing that the leader is in charge. If necessary, with a larger group for instance, a stronger rider could act as a 'sheepdog' to help keep things together. This was a role i took on myself yesterday.

See you very soon!

Hi John
Did not think you were having a go at all, yesterday was just the final straw. I have tried to change the long run into what I think it should be i.e. a long run at a club pace, and I have failed. I think I should have paid more notice when I was told its always been this way you wont change it. How right they were.

Craig, you've led some great rides, come up with fabulous routes and always done a great job of trying to look after us all, for which I know everyone is most grateful - so please don't be discouraged - it sounds like the particular combination of events (and riders) yesterday would have challenged most run leaders!

craig, personally i feel you lead great rides, you choose great routes which are challenging enough to give every one a sense of satisfaction when they conquer the hills and give a big enough rest period on the flats for people to regain some energy for the next hill. i think due to numerous reasons sunday's run was one of those days where nothing flowed and there was a few riders who may not of felt at there best. i for one did feel it in my legs on the way back especially. but the headwind was a contributing factor to people struggling more and causing splits in the group. having said that i thoroughly enjoyed the ride on sunday the cafe was great a nice view and a good climb or 2 🙂 hope that one run doesnt put anyone of the long run, cos usually were pretty good at keeping together. This being the first time i have ever seen it totally drop to pieces. thanks for a great ride.

There you go Craig, I think that comment from Titch says it all - when you're inspiring youngsters like our Titch you're onto a winner. I remember Gaz T saying one of your runs was "like clubs runs of old".

I hope this was a tricky one off with a couple of individuals and it all gets sorted.

craig i feel if you were to stop leading out our long runs, we probably wouldnt have as many places to go and hope that you will lead out the rides directing and trying to keep us together for some time to come, obviously having the odd break. i also think john K did a great job of riding from the back and up to the front helping riders off the back communicating really well with in the bunch. hope its a one off, and i will see you all tomorrow night. Hopefully another PB coming my way, good luck to everyone 🙂

Craig
Speaking as one [if not, 'the largest' active] of the larger riders, I am usually the last at the top of the hill, in the runs I attended last summer that you led, you always waited for me and ensured that I was on the correct route, even coming back when I had a puncture, and for that I am grateful.

On no account should you let this be the reason that you stop leading runs, Take up Jules' offer [or anyone else who doesn't mind being a bit forceful] I have nothing but admiration for the effort you put in to 'going down the lanes' , the more obscure the better.

Speed and ability on club runs has been a problem since the invention of the pnuematic tyre!

I think that your desire to 'throttle back! the speed and keep it all together, is highly comendable and you shouldn't give up.

Speaking as someone returning to the sport after a long lay off, I will say how things used to be...those who are new to the pastime can follow the advice or choose to ignore - that's up to them.
Ride in two's when it's safe...single out when advised from the rear of the group...shout warning about road condition and following and oncoming traffic...slow down slightly on hills, I know everybody climbs at their own pace, [especially long climbs] but this saves long and often cold waits at the top... [we never had to wait very often because we were usually together anyway]... always look after a weaker rider, even if someone has to go home with them - remember most of us were at that stage once [even if was a long time ago for some of us , I remember pushing a lad most of the way home from Llanollan,even taking him to his door!]...
A club run is not a training run, it's a social ride were you meet up with like minded souls, have a laugh, reminise, chat, meet new people, meet old people, feeling that you had a great day and want to do it again...if there are people out that want to a 'burn up' [and I did when I was 30] the club caters from them as well, they need to go on the chain gang or better still try racing [road or TT have plenty of oppertunities to ride flat out and reduce personal testosterone levels!]

Just for the record, I was an active member from the mid 70's to the mid 90's,I have been on too many club runs, week long YHA breaks, night rides, audax's [now theres a long ride!] I am sub 23:00 for a 10, sub hour for 25 and sub 2 hours for a 50.. does this count now - - not a bit.

The club needs enthusuastic people like yourself to be inventive in deciding and leading runs.

Keep it up.