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Popped in to see Chas last night. He is going to be in Oswestry for 6 weeks he reckons, lying flat on his back – but he is very accepting and positive, and is confident he’ll make a good recovery. Anyway I got the impression that as Nick says, he’d love visitors – he has to look at the same ceiling tile 24/7 so anything that relieves the boredom and making the 6 weeks go quicker will help! But do go through Nick as per the post above.
Jules – the ride took two days but was effectively one circular route: if you end up back where you started you HAVE to have gained and lost the same amount of height irrespective of the route, otherwise you’d end up in the air or underground!
Anna you did just great!
And Kris a question for you..
How come you did more ascent than descent, assuming you started and finished in the same place?!A great weekend! If you’re interested, I’ve posted a blog report on
http://wvcccycleblog-runs.blogspot.com/2011/02/llanberis-2011.html
Well done everyone and thank you to those who made it possible, particularly Graham and Ann.
It would be great to hear everyone’s stories, tell us how it was for you!Les, I would love to be an independent man and have my own picture and be able to post my own views on the forum but I know my place…Also whenever I try to register I get the message that there is already a registered person on our email address and the bloody thing refuses me access!!! So in the meantime I will continue my transvestite like approach and sneak into my wife’s posts.
Kev
As Gareth says you get to see routes you would not normally do, can push yourself as hard as you want and go as fast (or slow) as you wish, which is not the point of a club run. They are normally well organised with feed stations and changing facilities and have gold, silver and bronze target times. So not as full on as a race but more competitive than a club run. Not eveyones cup of tea but I have always found them great and challenging fun.
PS this is Kevan writing but as El and I share an email address I can’t do my own posts!
Chas we were so sorry to hear the news – we’re thinking of you – we’ll keep posted via Nick
Matthew have you seen the video on the Singletrack forum (p. 3 of the Hit the North thread) – a guy with a helmet cam who starts with you and you overtake him then he overtakes you (dangerously!!) – anyway it looks like you’re all going ridiculously fast and judging by this guy’s breathing he started too fast too!
Great report from Jed about the Bangor ride on
http://wvcccycleblog-runs.blogspot.com/Interesting comparison Kris with Kev’s Garmin which got
78 miles, 3196 ft elevation gain, 17.1 mph average speed, 4.31 hours moving time, av. temp 33.5F, and the best bit – calories 2739
I’m interested in the calories thing, what dictates how many you burn? I assume Kev burnt more than me because he rides on the front and I don’t – but I think when we finish I’m more tired than him, so maybe I use more?
Anyway on that note I’ve posted a report on the blog on http://wvcccycleblog-runs.blogspot.com/2011/01/loggerheads-direct.html
if anyone’s interested – nice team photo of 20 of us at the cafe.Thanks Alan and Steve for organising everything – twas very enjoyable. Click on
http://wvcccycleblog-runs.blogspot.com/2011/01/hip-wiggling-and-pelvis-rotating.html
to see a report on our ride. How did the AJ’s group get on after we left you?Brilliant video Matthew. What was the poor unsuspecting chap thinking of, riding nice and peacefully down a piece of flowing singletrack which he obviously thought he had all to himself – little did he know that a WVCC lunatic was bearing down behind him on a mission to complete his run whatever obstacles (mineral, vegetable or animal) he was about to encounter. “Sorry mate” indeed!! Just remind me never to ride in front of you!! Anyway I hope you’ve offered to pay for his post traumatic stress counselling.
Blimey Dennis I’m impressed, you sound like you know what you’re talking about. So chaps, whilst we’re on technical matters, I’ve been giving some thought to increasing my aero efficiency. Do you think a pink frame or a red frame is best?
Blog report if you’re interested, on http://wvcccycleblog-runs.blogspot.com/2011/01/anice-ride-to-prees.html – including 7 riders going over on one patch of ice – we think a club record?
We came home with 67 miles on the clock at an average of 16.6 mph. We were a bit tentative going out because of the ice but I suspect we compensated coming back with less ice evident and a bit of a tailwind. Chapeau to Nick for setting the pace on his hybrid – strong legs required I should think!Hi Kris
TLI races are great for beginners. There are usually about 5 Tuesday night races at Lower Withington in the spring (you have to marshal one though, to get an entry to the others) and WVCC members Martin Whyard and Mark Thompson are on the organising team so I’m sure they’ll advise you if you make contact with them. Your first priority is to learn to ride safely in a bunch at speed – the other riders get very twitchy about new riders (and don’t be surprised if you get shouted at to start with) because inexperienced riders changing their line suddenly or touching wheels can cause pile ups. That said, everyone is very friendly and encouraging. Have a look at the cycle blog (spring and summer 2009) for various reports of TLI Lower Withington and Oulton Park races which will give you some idea of what happens. Here’s an extract from one…
It’s difficult to describe how exhilarating it is for a relative beginner like me to join a race – the pre-match nerves, apprehension at the line up, relief when the pace is OK and all out concentration when it picks up, the focus on staying on the right wheel and trying not to get told off by the old hands in the pack, the turns through-and-offing on the front, the feeling that you’re flying in your big ring, the amazing tow you get when you’re in the right place in the pack, the fast sprints out of the corners, the desperation when you’re trying to help bridge a gap, the excitement of the final sprint – and then the elation of finishing! And then the best bit, a well deserved cup of tea and FANTASTIC home-made cake.
