al yuille

Already in this club ! Rode it with 39-25 as best gear - Hardknott was a lovely walk. 

Nice one, Eric!
 
You'll find climbing easier ........ well faster on that lightweight carbon machine. Consider yourself a "proper" cyclist now that you've got a winter bike & a summer one :-) enjoy!
 
P.S You do realised that there is a proper way to take a photo of your bike : side view of drive side, with chain on big ring, small sprocket, no bottles in the cage, preferably outdoor in front of a white garage door etc ........... but of course you'll know all that
 
Cheers
 
Chung

Packing the car at 5.30 am drive 140 miles to race for 60mins never seems like a good idea at 5.30am especially when there is  a Drum Up today and talk of cakes, crepes and hip flasks keeps me company for the 3 hour drive. I arrive just in time to see some Jets racing and catch the start u14/16 race with a 12 year old Ruairi Mullholland racing(brave lad). Martin Mullholland was up next and we caught a few glimpses of him tackling the uphill Sand pit before myself and Davie B went to warm up. 
 
The course was excellent with some tricky of cambers, gravel climbs and lots of mud(not as thick as we like) oh and as mentioned an uphill Sand pit. Davie B got grided but it didn't help him much due to a steep off camber turn after start sprint, a few riders went down but we managed to miss them(not by much) then Into a forest with mud and roots and I make up a few places, it gets tight in the forest(due to trees) and it started to string out.
 
The guy in front off me was all over the shop, and I tried to pass a few times but he nearly took me out, I should have waited for a straight section but decided to take him wide near the barrier as I had a decent line, but we came shoulder to shoulder, in theory he could have just held his line and we would have both rolled around the corner and he would still have been in front, but for some reason he drove me and "himself" straight through the barrier. I'm not sure if he was defending his position or was just a lunatic. Anyway I called him few names and we went to ride off, he rode off I didnt! chain jammed in frame... can't get it out... seriously 5.30am 140miles 30seconds of racing...
 
Everyone passing me(even get a few sympathetic looks) some more swear words from me as the very last rider passes, a couple of tugs on chain and no give, all I can think of is Crepes, Sausages and Hip Flasks, should have went to the Drum Up. The last straw, covered in oil and ready to head for pits I gently place my bike on ground and the chain just comes loose. I quickly but it put it back on and start riding.
 
From here I think I probably rode the best CX race I have ever ridden... 40 mins later I made up almost 40 places, my lungs are bursting but I finished, never did see Davie B again until race was over, well done again!
 
So another day in Scottish Cyclocross... Hope you enjoyed your Sausages(fecks)

Err...get out on my bike...
 
Building up to
 
1 sportive with my daughter
2 north coast 500
3 some confined events with my daughter
4 possible trip abroad

Well that was tough. Different tactic this week. Sat in from Renfra to Bishy. Fine to top of bishie hill & was happy with my lot but didn't last long as bunch which was small but full of quality just upped the pace and pumped me off on Westferry. Ended up doing a two up with a young Glasgow rider. We caught nice fella from Renfra who had joined us last Thursday. He had joined bunch at top of Bishy hill but got popped out a bit later than me. The young Glasgow rider faded & me and Renfra fella did 2 up to end. Not end of season run I was looking for but still good fun

So, I had dipped my toe into this triathalon malarky in June, with a sprint distance event. This was a benchmark and taster for an olympic distance event (1500m swim, 40k (25mile) bike ride and a 10K run) I had been talked into by Heather. It is now done and here is the report.
 
The scores on the doors are
 
Total gun time 2:40:48
 
Splits
Swim 00:25:34 
Ride 01:10:55
Run 01:00:37
Transitions were 2mins+ and 1Min+ respectively.
No details as to how I compare within my age category as yet.
 
My time puts me in 137th spot and in the top half of the field.Pretty happy with all of that tbh, given that I had never done a tri of this distance and this was my second attempt at the sport and there were some real proper classy athletes taking part. This seems to be quite a notable event on the Tri calendar, with a big club turnout. So onto thoughts and comments
 
My plan was to swim within myself so as not to be knackered leaving the water and suffer from dead legs. I had a target time of 27-29 mins based on training swims over a 1400 m course. Really please with my time for this element as I didn't push it to hard and there was the usual kicking and punching scrum at the start. I soon got out of that and into fairly clear water, except for one girl who clearly fancied me in my wet suit and fetching cap and kept swimming all over me - bonkers!!! Came out the swim well place and feeling good.
 
Stage 2, the cycle. The aim was to ride at 20mph average in order to keep something in the legs for the run. A time of 1 hr 15 mins or thereabouts was in my mind. The course is a circuit and pancake flat. It is however very exposed!! It was hell. Wind speed was 20mph on the day and the initial 6 miles of the course was arrow straight, head on into that wind. The remainder of the route is a zigzag of lanes which never offered much of a tail wind to compensate for the initial effort, often appearing to double back into the wind. To add insult to injury the last 2 miles or so was back to transition were into the head wind. I spent the whole ride fighting the bike, trying to find an aero position (riding old school I'm afraid) and ride as smoothly as possible, mind full of the run still to come. At one point I did think of the DA boys, if it was windy where I was on a flat course, what had Arran been like???? My Garmin packed up early on and I rode on feel. What seemed to be loads of riders did pass me - all on tt bikes.......and some in a nice chain of 6 enjoying the draft. Sorely tempted to jump that last wheel!!! My time shows I did far better than I intended doing or thought I was going to do. Never have I been so glad to get off a bike and go for a run......or so I thought! Looking back I am more than happy with the time and ave speed (21.2 mph), but I paid for it later. It was a brutal ride due to the wind and it seemed relentless. It was the big talking point of the day.
 
Before saying any more the 10Km run turned out to be 10.7kms. I am therefore claiming a sub 1 hour run and unofficially knocking 4 mins off my overall time. The switch from bike to run is unpleasant. I had worked out that running at Heather's pace for a Km or two lets my legs settle before picking up the pace. Before the middle of July I had never run 10K, ever. At Christmas, I would refuse to run the length of myself!! I still hate running but I was looking for a time of 55 mins based on training runs. Coming off the bike I did feel quite bloated from having dabbled with energy gels - these really don't agree with me! so running at an easier pace was continued until the 4 Km marker and a water stop. Feel more settled I sought to lengthen my stride and up the pace. At 5Km feeling relaxed and going well, Disaster. The cramp sniper bullseyed my right hamstring. Emergency stretching and massage required. My increased effort on the bike due to the windy conditions had come back to extract an untimely revenge. My race for a quick time was done and it was merely a matter of finishing the distance, which if I'm honest was the original goal. I was restricted to my original 'off the bike' pace. Anything more would result in further cramping. Slightly disappointed with my run time but more disappointed at the fact I cramped up. I did nonetheless keep going and finish the run. I didn't exactly sprint over the line but didn't limp over it either.  
 
Overall, I'm more than happy with my performance in my initial foray into this world of madness at this distance, particularly as I was doing this more in support of Heather rather than me be uber dilligent with my training and looking to smash it. I had concentrated most of my efforts in training to actually be able to run 10Km and be in a position to get out of the water reasonably fresh. As a result I didn't do anywhere near enough specific cycling training or hard training efforts at my full capacity. I had been relying on the training I did  for Spain seeing me through. Definitely room for improvement in this respect
 
Learned a few lessons along the way. Kick and punch back in the swim scrum - take no prisoners. It appears the law doesn't apply and murder by drowning is permissible. Ride your tt bike! Draft at all times if you think you can get away with it. Listen to your body in terms of what it likes/doesn't like in the way of liquids and food. Do more runs at my race pace after a hard bike ride.  Being a total skinny is not to one's advantage in this sport.
 
All in all another interesting experience and personal challenge. Could I have done better or gone faster? On the day I doubt it, taking the wind into account. I do think I could shave a whole lot of time off this bench mark. Could I have trained harder for it? No doubt I could have, but that wasn't necessarily the priority or point this time. Will I do more......we'll see. 
 
M

So DA is done. Sigh of relief, you don't have to read all my DA punctuation mince any more. Until we do it again.
 
Alan McB and me were the lucky ones who achieved immortality but it was most certainly the result of tremendous teamwork, the likes of which only happens on very special days. I was a particularly lucky recipient of the teamwork, as was Alan but he just did not need it as much as I did !
 
So me, Alan, Jan and Andy did a brilliantly smooth first lap. Very even workload and very smooth changes. Alan was doing longer pulls but very importantly not faster just longer. Thanks to my gals who planked our stash to save us a few seconds. Iain Carvill also joined us on ferry to do a single on his own.
 
First lap was a fast one with the excellent teamwork and perfect conditions. Just as well as Alan had a front wheel puncture which we changed toot sweet as we were not for losing his horsepower.
 
End of lap 1 we were getting into the stash and just about ready to leave when Robbie came floating up to the bench. This was the first Angel I saw today. His fresh legs were very welcome and even though we were pretty gubbed by this point, I have to say he was flying. And I guess that was after a nightshift which was likely the reason he did not make 7am ferry.
 
So in the early part of the second lap Jan was over extending so shouted us to go on. He then did the ultimate team duty, more of which later. About 15 miles into second lap Andy had a bad spell and tailed off, but it was temporary, more later. Myself Robbie and Alan then horsed it up the east coast, well Robbie and Alan did and I dabbled with the notion of spells.
 
Turned round into the long climb at Lochranza into headwind and Robbie, somewhat understandably after doing a power of work on the second lap, tailed off a bit. Alan cantered up the climb with the bit between his teeth and soloed on for the last 12 miles to achieve immortality. I plugged my way up then then down the descent and was going up the rise before the last 8 miles or so which by this time was a strong headwind and honestly I was at point of stopping and getting a bus. I was cooked in every way. Then I saw another angel, Jan had rode round in reverse and proceeded to drag me in a state of delirium for the last 8 miles and give me jellies and generally ride at the only pace I could manage. Made it back to ferry and thought to myself if I was to stop cycling tomorrow then I would be happy with my cycling life. Relief beyond words to stop the pain.
 
Robbie then rode in and caught the ferry to complete a very impressive single as he spent a lot more than 1/2 the lap on the front, and we had to ask him to scale it back a lot of times.
 
Meantime Andy had rallied and also rode the full double, which means he rode about 40 miles on his tod. What a trooper. He rode into Brodick as the ferry was floating out !
 
Speaking for myself, there is no way I could have done that without every one of the guys contributions today. Thank you all immensely for making a dream come true.
 
Need to spend some time now thinking up a new challenge
 

Paul will you book a table for dinner?

Hopefully see you in the morning Davie!
 
Andy

Smiddy ? - you sure it was that far.
 
I have been dropped before Inchinnan roundabout. I drove 60 mile round trip for the pleasure.

nice work Alan, fearsome hills

Billy got a pb naw next you will tell me we quit Europe & England lost to Iceland

Heading up to Garve, near Ullapool for The Loop Sportive... http://www.hivelo.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=645325.
Heading up at Fri lunchtime and staying at the Aultguish Bunkhouse on the Fri night.
Back down the road Sat night after what looks like being a tough shift.
Company welcome.

Paul, someone's hacked your account.

A massive well done and congratulations to Katie Archibald, daughter of Ian Archibald, on her being named in a 26-strong Team GB cycling team for the Rio Olympics.
 
Nice one Katie, and the best of luck for Rio.
 
 

Nice time Richard. Too much time on the turbo. Will have to get you outside this summer.

Hired a bike and covered 190 miles in 3 days. Not too hot (25 C).
Not a big island so have just about been on every road there is!!

Following Darryls crash on Saturday the people living in the local cottage were incredibly supportive and generous in helping Daryll, providing a quilt, support for his back etc etc. They offered many of us to tea or coffee also. As a note of thanks and update from the club I've sent a card and some flowers to Muriel.
 
Andy

Thanks Guys, and thank you Andy for organising the card and flowers. I have to say that everyone was brilliant at keeping me comfortable while the ambulance arrived.
 
As for progress, as Paul reports I had surgery yesterday and things seem to have gone ok, as far as we know at this early stage. They have rebuilt me with titanium, but it's only the 3Al alloy , not the expensive stuff my bike is made from. NHS eh...always cutting corners.
 
They have had me out of bed to day and walking with a zimmer. Didn't feel too bad. Apparently it's 6 weeks or so of partial weight bearing exercise, which may include some light turbo spinning. After that, who knows? But, hopefully I'll see y'all on the road soon. My goal is to be on the bike for August.
 
Cheers
 
Darryl

Hope all goes well tmw Darryl and speedy recovery. Still got Pyrenees to aim for !

Average Sat in Tas https://www.strava.com/activities/567819576

Average Sat in Tas https://www.strava.com/activities/567819576

Yeah Fred is 4000m and so was LBL (unless it is 4500 which some recorded) but it's so much easier when the sun is shining ! 

Al
We got points for turning up!!

Hey LA - I was there that day too and chased Lance ( and you ? ) down after he and Jim Daly put the pressure on up the Bowfield ( ok , there may have been a slight easing over the top ! ). Yeah , I'm glad to see the peloton is clean now ( Valverde , Contador, high cadence Froome ?). BTW some of these results on the chain gang look suspicious to me - Billy and Charlie have points ?