Darryl Gunson

Hi, Guys and Gals,
Back from Spain! Had permission to go cycling so hired a bike for 3 days (Focus Cayo). (see photo)
The only way out of Benidorm on quiet roads is up into the mountains. So, 600 m climb straight off!
Scenery very much like Majorca trip.
It was unusually hot for the time of year (26 - 29 C) and was impossible to cycle hard due to the energy-sapping heat. Had to stop at the top of even small climbs to let my heart rate drop down!
Glad we are going to Granada next year - a bit flatter!

Average temp 20 hills flat roads rolling roads
About £100 return to Malaga
And free food with your beer

PS Wednesday night's racing was brutal. And Lewis Mul's ride in the devil was indeed the best of the evening. So good it earned a spontaneous round of applause from folk in the track centre when he crossed the line. Perfectly positioned throughout, he manoeuvred the opposition (including the Herbalife rider!) up onto the rail with two laps to go so he didn't have to lead out. Those pedal revs on the final lap, though - that was really something else. Somebody's been on their rollers!

Billy, dunno if the restaurant will hold 1730 people but I'm still coming.
Even practicing my Spanglish. "Dos Snakebite por favor"

Booking table tomorrow for 1730 so you can eat drink and get home if required last chance for anybody who wished to come

Tough going in the novice race as the pace was fast from the off and Mount Stuart hill is just a killer if you are off the back as it turns into a mainly solo time trail for the rest of the race. Finished about 3/4 down the field in fairly respectable time. First three home were teenage boys who looked about 7 stone soaking wet. Carol was the first vet lady home and won a prize again. Dave

Track slots free on Sunday 22nd from 9-1 and 3-7, email Janette
 

 
Cheers

Not sure there will be time to fit it in between 2up TTing and an APR, but might chuck the APR idea to come and play

Alan,
 
You're a nutter (1 of 11)!
 
Vuelta A Espana 2013 - Entries 198 riders, 144 finisher - 73% cross the finish in Madrid.
Dave Harris Memorial - Entries 68 riders, 11 finisher - 16% cross the finish in Rosewell.
 
Statistically this is way harder than the Vuelta, and the Vuelta is the hardest GT according to some!
 
Respect, Alan!
 
P.S I spent all day yesterday indoors, however I did manage to put mudguards back on my bike having seen the weather outside!
 
Cheers
 
Chung

George
It's simple and also based on A or B priority races you should taper prior to an event depending on order of importance
So at this time in his training cycle he should be doing race like efforts high intensity
Assuming its a priority race he should then taper this means reducing volume rapidly to less than 50% but keeping the intensity of the sessions high
Got that bit yes
Evidence from best practice suggests that two days before the race have a rest day the day before the race do a short duration high intensity session
Got that bit
The tapering period should not be total rest but a big reduction quickly of duration whilst keeping training sessions going
These sessions should be high intensity
Simples

Will do!

2 weeks ago there was meant to be a FWCC session at this time, Glasgow Life decided to shut early and cancelled it. That session went ahead last week instead, with Brian Loye, was very good. This week Janette emailed track league folk, posted on Scottish Cycling Twitter, Facebook and Glasgow life/emirates Facebook that there were 2 4hr sessions going a begging, a club took up this morning's session and J organised a GL coach for tonight (she came along and trained too). It was the Geordie boy coaching, he asked what we wanted so 3 of us did 3x2k pursuit, some did 500's, fat boys did flying laps and 200's. probably about 20 of us altogether

Paul suit or should I say skirt yourself

All sorted. Now proud owner of Ridley cyclocross. Now to enter some races.
 
Thanks all for encouragement and advice!!
 
Andy

Andy
 
I was down at Planet X in Rotherham last week and had a good look at their cross bike - The Dirty Disco. Imho you won't get a better bike for this kind of money. And available on interest free credit or bike-to-work.

I've got no idea what happened last night. I could hear the commentator talking about my "classic attack" as I rode round for the win on my own. On both occasions it wasn't so much an attack as an attempt to lift the pace to a level where it looked like we were racing. Riders seemed very reluctant to drive the bunch forward and - with the greatest respect to the others in the group - it was uncomfortably slow at times. I would love to see the times for the three B races.

The final race was much, much harder. Everybody got their act together and had a real go at winding it up. It turned into a slog-fest - last-man-standing stuff. A masterclass from me in how not to ride a points race, leading out five times out of seven on the sprint laps only to be passed by one, two, sometimes three riders in the home straight. Not good. I only managed second and was well beaten by the winner.

As everyone else has said, it's great to see so many Wheelers and Jets racing. Blue and yellow jerseys were everywhere last night, and it's always nice to hear a wee "good luck" from a friendly face on your way to the start.

I've spoken to Janette and I'm going to ride in the As next week, with initial aims of not making a nuisance of myself and trying to finish in the bunch. See you next week, people!

Our friends and neighbours in the cooooriers were asking when we might start the Saturday morning bogs bunch for the winter. Date pencilled in is Saturday 5th October. For those thinking about it for first time then better to start earlier when the pace is slower and it is generally more mellow.
Distance 60 miles or a bit more come Dec / Jan.
Pace average now about 19 increasing to around 21 after Christmas.

 
 
 
 

Can't make it - on hol in Benidorm.
Gonnae hire a road bike and check out the mountains that Paul McD suggested for next year's foreign trip.

Back to bunch riding, despite posting the initial guidance from the guy at Randwick CC I actually disagree with what he says about riding off (ie to the side ) of the the wheel in front. I think this is one of the biggest problems with our bunch riding. Too often riders position themselves well to the left or (usually) right of the wheel in front. This has the effect of forcing the rider behind them to ride further out in the road to obtain any benefit from drafting. If riders down the line do the same then the bunch is staggered all over the road causing problem for riders and other traffic. I have often been riding off the front but been forced out to ride in the wind by somebody riding between the wheels of the guys in front.
I think you should ride ON THE WHEEL. Echelons are for specific conditions on closed roads. A couple of inches either side makes sense to avoid touching wheels in the event of sudden moves in front but remember the main rule of bunch riding is do everything slowly. Bogs bunch and Thursday nights you have to ride on the wheel or you get dropped ,we should make sure we do the same on club runs so we all benefit from the bunch.

The Date is Last Sunday 29th September as i cant make any other weekend

Paul, Richard and, above all, Al dominated the B group in a great display of racing.
 
Al now has a favoured tactic in the scratch races of launching from top of track into turbo pursuit mode with 6-8 laps to go. No-one could catch him and only his team mates were close.
 
It was exciting to watch.
 
I think all three should be racing A next week.
 
Alan

A rather good night at the track in the B group, a 1-2-3 in the 30 lap scratch for Paul, Richard and myself, a 1-2 for Rich and I in the 25 lap scratch, and also a 1-3 in the points after blowing the field apart. 'A' Group for me next week, I think Richard should come and play too

Hi Jann,
 
thanks for posting this. SC are floating some significant changes to they way cycle racing and development are run through these proposals. This may or may not be a good thing, but ... SC make a number of claims for the benefits that the changes will bring, but without giving any detail as to how these benefits will occur.
 
So I've posted a number of questions to their website (https://docs.google....jxPqCg/viewform) to ask for further info, and would encourage others in the club to have a look at the proposals and do the same. That way, SC will hopefully be able to produce a better proposal for reform which we can vote upon at the AGM.
 
 
My questions, posted tonight:
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states that "some centres have asked for change" Which clubs have asked for change? What changes are requested? How have these requests been made?
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states that the proposal will bring “Improved engagement … from member clubs”. How does SC envisage this will happen? The current proposal states that Committees can have up to 6 reps from clubs. This is significantly less than happens at the moment - hence sounds like a reduction in engagement.
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states that the proposal will bring Improved … ownership from member clubs. Can SC explain how they expect this to happen if clubs are not all part of the planning process?
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states there will be "workforce development". Leaving aside the use of the term "workforce" (which makes volunteers sound like unpaid staff) can you please outline SC's plans for volunteer development? For example, SC previously had a Volunteer development coordinator, but this role was ceased some years ago. Will the post be replaced? Will the volunteer development conference be re-instated?
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states there will be "reduced admin and bureaucracy" but the proposals describe a significant admin / process structure. Can you please describe examples of how the proposals will reduce admin?
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states there will be "enhanced commercial opportunities under a common brand". Can you please describe examples of your commercial proposals and how finance raised will be used to the benefit of grass roots, amateur racing at youth, junior and senior level?
 
The "Excellent Communities of Cycle Sport" document states there will be "integrated plans between regions and disciplines". Please describe how SC foresee this happening - the document discusses proposals for restructuring Centres, but doesn't describe proposals for disciplines. How will these be integrated? are the discipline groups disposed to the changes? What will the governance structure be?
 
Clause 2.1 of the terms of reference document states "This Committee is established to further relevant targets and outcomes as specified in the Strategic Plan and agreed by the Scottish Cycling Board". In considering these proposals it would be very helpful to have copies of these targets and outcomes and e.g. the SC development plan, and an example RDG development plan. Can these be provided?
 
Action point 3.2 recommends re-branding centres under new names to give "wider brand awareness of Scottish Cycling". That is, the benefit would be realised by SC. Given that our centre has invested significant efforts to establish a brand to cover our youth and junior development activities it would be useful to understand how re-branding will benefit us as an association.

In Wales for the Etape Cymru. Here's hoping for good weather!

I'll be there.
Missed yesterday's run cos I was canyoning with my sons at Brig o Turk.
I think they are trying to kill me off!