Mark O

Miller Street for me. 08.30 depart.

Main bunch Rest and be Thankful, Strachur, Dunoon ride. Truly epic. Tight bunch of 8, a very reasonable pace, warm sunshine, couple of climbs, and the new girl at the Strachur cafe showing off her wares.
 
Liquid refreshment/recovery chilling in the fridge, smell of gammon steaks on the BBQ and for me 123 miles on the clock.
 
Brill day in good company. Cheers guys. Hope everyone made it home safe.
 
M

Sounds like a great day out boys. South Ayrshire is a blast when the weather is good. We'll pay our respects to Jim on the Rest tomorrow.

Ditto on behalf of the Main Bunch run over the Rest. A moment will be taken to mark Jim's memory at the summit.
 
M

Ditto on behalf of the Main Bunch run over the Rest. A moment will be taken to mark Jim's memory at the summit.
 
M

including Chinese carbon frames

Guys go with your 08.00 depart. I was a maybes aye, maybes no in any case. Chung appears not to be unduly concerned and I'm in that boat too. Darryl don't think your forcing anyone to anything, your request was reasonable in the circumstances and most of those intending to ride were happy with it - no problem there as far as I'm concerned. I'll probably ride out to meet you guys at Clachan of Campsie and ride back in with the bunch to Miller Street just for the hell of it.
 
Executive decision for the avoidance of doubt - Miller St depart 08.00.
 
M

A different route recce'd yesterday and one that we should consider doing again.
 
A party of 6 Darryl, Ginty, Chung, Campbell John and myself set out from Miller Street, up the Bowfield and followed the usual route to Fenwick and ove to the start of the Moscow circuit. Darryl and Ginty baled here due to time constraints, leaving 4 to continue down into Galston. Took the A71 up through Darvel and on to Strathhaven for a cafe stop. Good shout Chung - one to add to the list. We then headed out of Strathaven towards East Kilbride through Chapleton before making a left hander to take a series of country lanes back towards Eaglesham, the A77 and back to Johnstone.
 
I baled en route to Eaglesham and headed for Jackton and home. A pretty good morning in the saddle on some good rolling roads, the pick of which has got to be the 2 miles (approx) of pothole free, smooth, poker straight section of tarmac which we turned onto off the East Kilbride road. Has to be ridden to be believed. I forgot to reset my computer before setting out yesterday but I'm guessing 60-65 miles.
 
M

I'm out on the bike with a few clients on Friday (cycling is the new golf for doing business) so probably not for me.
 
M

Great route. I also admired the climb out of Eaglesham to the moor yesterday with stunning views over wind farm. Would make a nice route back home if returning from Strathaven via Eaglesham.
 
Andy

Chung,
 
It didn't seem all that hilly, granted it was fairly rolling other than the Bowfield and the ramp coming out of Stewarton nothing to write home about. Whodathot?
 
Still a good work out for me on my return to something like a bit of form.

A different route recce'd yesterday and one that we should consider doing again.
 
A party of 6 Darryl, Ginty, Chung, Campbell John and myself set out from Miller Street, up the Bowfield and followed the usual route to Fenwick and ove to the start of the Moscow circuit. Darryl and Ginty baled here due to time constraints, leaving 4 to continue down into Galston. Took the A71 up through Darvel and on to Strathhaven for a cafe stop. Good shout Chung - one to add to the list. We then headed out of Strathaven towards East Kilbride through Chapleton before making a left hander to take a series of country lanes back towards Eaglesham, the A77 and back to Johnstone.
 
I baled en route to Eaglesham and headed for Jackton and home. A pretty good morning in the saddle on some good rolling roads, the pick of which has got to be the 2 miles (approx) of pothole free, smooth, poker straight section of tarmac which we turned onto off the East Kilbride road. Has to be ridden to be believed. I forgot to reset my computer before setting out yesterday but I'm guessing 60-65 miles.
 
M

A different route recce'd yesterday and one that we should consider doing again.
 
A party of 6 Darryl, Ginty, Chung, Campbell John and myself set out from Miller Street, up the Bowfield and followed the usual route to Fenwick and ove to the start of the Moscow circuit. Darryl and Ginty baled here due to time constraints, leaving 4 to continue down into Galston. Took the A71 up through Darvel and on to Strathhaven for a cafe stop. Good shout Chung - one to add to the list. We then headed out of Strathaven towards East Kilbride through Chapleton before making a left hander to take a series of country lanes back towards Eaglesham, the A77 and back to Johnstone.
 
I baled en route to Eaglesham and headed for Jackton and home. A pretty good morning in the saddle on some good rolling roads, the pick of which has got to be the 2 miles (approx) of pothole free, smooth, poker straight section of tarmac which we turned onto off the East Kilbride road. Has to be ridden to be believed. I forgot to reset my computer before setting out yesterday but I'm guessing 60-65 miles.
 
M

If the group is working properly you should never open up a gap, the strong person should just stay at the front longer!!

Allan,
 
I'm officially Skinny! and delight in reminding Billy Mac of that fact.
 
When I started riding my bike properly (debatable) with the club I was 12 and a half stone - too much of a well know Irish stout and a break from proper structured exercise. I now sit comfortably between 10 and a half and 11 stone depending on the time of year.
 
My advice would be to do regular long steady miles but gradually increasing speed and the amount of miles over time as your fitness improves and body adapts. When I started with the club I was doing a club run at the weekend Dec - Mar, and added 2 long commutes (20 miles+each way) during the week from mid March onwards, adding in the confined events in as they appeared on the calendar. Probably starting at 70 miles/week increasing to 200+ miles/week by mid summer.
 
On the food front - Breakfast! everyday don't skip it. The rest, in balance and generally a common sense approach worked for me. I didn't specifically cut anything out. Less Irish stout I suppose. I tend not to snack later in the evening unless after a bike ride and I don't really do takeaway food. I lost the weight fairly quickly, probably most of it in 6 months the rest within a year. To be fair it wasn't my primary goal, getting fit enough to ride in the main bunch at the time was. As others have alluded to here get out ride your bike in a constructive way, while keeping an eye on what you're eating and the rest will happen.
 
Good luck.
 
M
 
One last piece of advice - get a good tailor. Mine loves me given the number of suits, shirts and other items I have had to get altered.

I'll be out. Ginty you riding?
 
Kay I dont think we'll get it switched off just move it to a different direction.
 
M

Bleedin' tough into that wind tonight. Thanks of course to Jann our intrepid timekeeper - couldn't have been much fun standing out this evening.
 
Obviously an evening for the hardiest of TTer.
 
M

Greig and Elaine
 
I second all of the above. Smashing job. The pair of you should be proud of yourselves. Well done and thanks to all those who pitched in.
 
Cheers
 
M

Gorgeous morning outside guys. Make the most of it. Will sneak out later myself on my posh bike just because I can. Enjoy
 
M

Excellent day albeit tough. Good to get some road miles in. Absolute hell into that wind. Felt like a continuous climbing effort on the west ferry. Billy's mental stint before the clune was bonkers. Legs are gubbed. Waiting patiently for a proper post ride massage while composing this post - if its good enough for the pros....... No smut now! this thread is read by young people.
 
For future anyone else with training or track gubbed legs pm me and I'll see if I can book you a session.

G, it'll find its way to you in due course. Give them a call next week and see what's what. Usually quite helpful.
 
M

Long range forecast is hinting at a dry but cold weekend. If not icy I suggest we tackle the Bowfield, the Barrmill bonds, top section of the Barmill Circuit, Sunnyside and Kilwinning. Thru the 3 Towns and rattle up the coast. Usual watering hole in Largs.
 
One point of order however, and I'm not having a moan before anyone takes the huff, just a gentle heads up. A Sunday run is just that - a Sunday run. It's not a Thursday evening eyeballs out everyman for himself ride. There is no point in splintering the bunch all over the road, you'd be as well going out solo for all the benefits of drafting you'll get. If you're feeling strong then ride more at the front but keep the pace steady, which doesn't necessarily mean pedestrian.
 
I don't see the point in guys getting shelled out the back with the best part of 30 miles still to go, it merely serves to weaken the bunch. No problem with the pace getting raised a little so long as we don't end up looking like an aircrash. Similarly, I have no problem with a bit of a dig in the last few miles or so as per Billy's suggestion to yesterdays run, but perhaps the last 10 miles where those who might get spat out are within reasonable distance of home. That said, there is a bit of an onus to work to get back on if you do become detatched. The bunch will ease up of course or send someone back for but you can't dawdle.
 
While I'm on my soap box, and I include myself in this 'cause I'm probably just as guilty, we do need to work on our bunch discipline. Usually we are pretty neat and tidy but at times yesterday we were all over the place - big gaps, half wheeling, riding 3 abreast cutting in too early, not holding the wheel in front. Its a crash waiting to happen guys. I think the anniversary of Tom's spill is a good time for a reminder of what can happen if you switch off. If you're not sure what to do ask, if you see someone make a mistake point it out - its the only way they'll learn. We need to communicate and pass info up and down the lines. At the front you really can't hear whats going on behind, the shouts coming forward need to be louder. I know this is all very boring but a necessary evil.
 
To save Billy's and my blushes we'll leave bike preparation and maintenance for another day.
 
M

Cheeky git. My brakes! are just fine and my steed wasn't broke for long. Cassette did need to come off the release the chain. Being James nae mates is fine. MacB won't be surprised to read that.

Is that not what you do every Saturday night MacNoshow? Getting pissed that is, not starting a diet. Getting soft MacB. Any softer and the jury will be out on you attaining doughnut status.
Anyhoo not a bad run despite the odd shower. Took about 20 mins in the shower to thaw out tho. As always fun once you've dragged your butt out of bed and onto the saddle. Takes a bit of manning up that's all.

Thin edge Greigsy, thin edge. Next week it'll be the dug ate my tyres. For a tenner I'll forge you a note from your mummy.