Big Al

Hi Al,
 
Best wishes with your new cycling career at the Velo! Hope to see you on the road when you're out!
 
Good Luck!
 
Regards
 
Chung

All the best Al. Good luck at the Velo.

Al
Good luck and wishing you all the best.

All the best Al! Good luck!

Best wishes Al

Basically
What he is saying is you lot are all far too slow to ride with me . You need a coach to get you faster why don't you give mine a call
Look under British Cycling or Scottish Cycling find a coach in your area Find your nearest level three coach and call him simples

" I need a couple more team mates to help push me on further and further..." Good luck Al, but I think you'll find that pushing isn't allowed, no matter what club you join

Congratulations to Sarah Bradford and Lusia Steele on their Gold medals at the Scottish Youth Track Championships today at Meadowbank
 
Sarah took gold in the Under 16 Girls 500m Time Trial before following up with a Bronze in the Sprint
 
Lusia took gold in the Under 14 Girls Omnium
 
More medal opportunities tomorrow as the Jets go in the Under 12 Omnium, Youth A Pursuit and Points Race
 
http://www.johnstone-wheelers.co.uk/club-information/records-and-titles/scottish

Many thanks folks, particularly to all who volunteered their time and efforts today (and in advance) to let us ride - very much appreciated, as where the shouts of encouragement along the way.
 
Thanks too Martin for the update on Geoff - glad to hear he is in good spirits - all the best to him for a speedy recovery.
 
Iain 

Brilliant, glad you heard the shout Chung! ☺ï¸

I,ll be there. ferry time noted.
Currently soaking up the sun in central France. Blue sky and 26 C and cheap red wine!

My only reason for entering races is so I can write a report afterwards, Andy. I've rambled on here because I'm still too switched on to sleep (and because I like rambling on.) Skip to the end for the important bit.

Tonight's contest was a well-organised Glasgow Green CC production over two and a bit laps of the Stewarton circuit: twice over the Dams and the Clunch, with the finish line just outside East Renfrewshire's Newton Mearns rubbish tip. (I'm sure you all know it well.) There were 60 riders on the start sheet, and we rolled out from the Indian restaurant at the Malletsheugh in glorious sunshine, with me and Colin in the mix for the Wheelers. Roadside support by Chung and Ken.

The race kicked off by heading south on the A77. The first two miles were neutralised, but with no lead car directly in front of the bunch, the pace was brisk with lots of jostling. There was a keen westerly wind and you could clearly feel how much easier it was to ride near the gutter compared to the outside of the bunch. At the Galston roundabout we did a U-turn back towards the Malletsheugh. Colin was sitting in the front third; I'd done my usual front-to-back routine, easing away from erratic riders in the name of self-preservation.

I was determined not to tackle the Dams climb from the back, so I moved up as we approached the finish line for the start of the first lap proper. Not long after that, a break of about 8-9 riders slipped off the front with a good gap of about 60 yards. Jason Barnes went in pursuit and I chased after him. "Take a spell, Jason, take a spell!" My intentions were good but my ability to put a name to a face was not: it was Nicky Cronin from Glasgow Wheelers! Nonetheless, take a spell he did and we tried to get across. If we had a gap on the main bunch, it wasn't for long. We caught a few riders who had tried to get across to the break, but not the break itself - nowhere near them. I sat up as we turned left off the A77 and drifted backwards.

Going over the Dams, Colin was off the front in a second breakaway group of five or six. I swear I saw him turn around with a slightly puzzled expression on his face as he looked back across the gap to the bunch! He'll be able to fill you in on the details, but I reckon the second group were brought back by the top of the Clunch road. On the A77, we were told that the first break had a gap of about 1:40. We were travelling north quickly, but the chase wasn't organised with few contributing. I was happy to sit in.

Second time over the Dams and it's suddenly rather hard. Riders were flaking off the back of the group and I lost track of where Colin was. I managed to hang on, though, and was attached to the bunch as we turned for the Clunch. Could I actually make it to the end of a road race without cramping up?

Well, no, unfortunately. We're big-ringing it up the miserably steep introduction to the Clunch and I get that now-familiar feeling that my legs will not support my weight. Standing up is no longer an option, so I settle down in the saddle and try to make sure that I'm always in a gear I can spin. I managed to hang on over the top - just - after five minutes of teeth-clenching and muttering. Onto the A77 for the final time and as soon as the surge out of the corner had been dealt with, I was confident I'd make it.

As the finish line got closer, I recovered a wee bit and moved up the bunch. Don't get me wrong: I was wrecked, but I felt good enough to start thinking about whether it was worth sprinting through an unlit tunnel and onto the final rise with 20 or 30-odd guys for tenth place. "Probably not," I decided.

There were some daft moves over the white line in the last few miles (and throughout the race) and that made up my mind for me: try to stop a gap opening but no heroics. Although I was probably dead last, I think - I hope! - that was a bunch finish.

David Dalziel from the Nightingale beat his breakaway companions for the win and his second WOSCA victory this year. Colin finished a bit behind me - how much, I'm not sure, cos I was a bit spaced out when we were chatting back at race HQ. Exhaustion is also my excuse for losing my sunglasses in the last four miles and running over a dead pigeon on the way home. I just wish I could blame tiredness for calling Nicky "Jason" and for forgetting to start my Garmin. :-/

With the ride out and back, that was probably my longest run in the last eight or nine months. My legs might benefit from another race next week, but there doesn't seem to be anything in the West of Scotland. I've entered the next Glasgow Green WOSCA race in a fortnight and the Glasgow Road Club race at the start of August. Get your entry in now, Paul!

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!

Al, special dispensation granted.
 
On the replacement front first week in July for dispatch is the expectation.
 
I still have a load of kit to hand out. Can people make arrangements with me to pick it up.

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!

Can't get dropped or lost so will try and get along.

Al
Fantastic result. Well done

SUPERB
 
IAIN
 
BIG SUPERB FOR BIG EFFORT

Great result.

Well done

Fantastic result and time Al!
 
Well done that man.
 
Iain

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!

Thanks Paul! Yes, managed to pull out an 8th place finish in the national 25.
 
I wasn't really feeling great after a busy week and a couple of injury tweaks but decided to ride anyway. I've got a good warmup routine going so got set up and ready to go.
 
There are a few dragging hills on the course, and these are what I was worried about, but I managed to keep up a good 25-27mph on most of them, and also negotiated the 15 or so roundabouts at a good speed too so kept the average speed up nicely. I really enjoyed the downhill and tailwind bits and was flying along at between 31-36mph.
 
I came in at the end with a 53:52, a good two and a half minutes up on my PB, and I sat in the GSK social club in the lead untill the last seven, and in the end, fastest riders. I was quite close to Ben in 7th, and a minute off 4th so quite pleased with the result at the end!