Elaine Muirhead

Thanks Colin. Will message you with some guidance and details this week.

Hi all. Delighted to have been asked by Alan and the committee to host some women’s only rides this summer. Thanks to Mia and Fiona who are already on board to help. Purpose is to lead some short (90 minute max) local rides and hopefully attract some new members to the club. Looking at advertising this both on the bunch and social media. I was wondering if there are any willing volunteers (male and female) to come and help with some briefings and general advice?? This would likely be between 6:45 and 7:15pm at the club rooms, prior to us going for a ride. Thoughts were something like; 22/05/19 - safety brief and walk through about bunch riding. May also be good to have some volunteers to make sure bikes are set up safely. I am also happy to lead a ride on 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th June. Not planning on a brief/advice session every week but thought that we could cover, how to change a puncture one week and general bike maintenance on another. Mr Muirhead has already volunteered his help and it would be great to have some others on board too. Either reply using this thread or send me a message if you can help at all. Thanks, E

I hope to be there tomorrow.

Sock etiquette was discussed over the weekend!! I just need to find a pair that matches my bike and shoes!

Thanks Chung. Enjoy the ride down Davie. Eric and co.....see you on the boat.

Hi all. Looking forward to next weekend. Just watching the highlights of Paris-Roubaix! We are heading across on the overnight ferry on Thursday. Will head down to Valkenburg and hopefully get a wee spin Friday afternoon. Just wondering what everyone else’s plans are?

After all that, change of plans for me today. Hopefully see you all next week. Have a good ride.

Hi guys. I am keen for a longer run tomorrow. Just a little nervous that I wont stand the pace. Ramsay keeps telling me to rule #5 it!! Anyway, plan to join you at the club house and and see how long I can last. As always, happy to let you guys go if I’m holding you back.

I will be out on Sunday. 9am group and full route. I will bring some cake/tray bake along for after.

Anyone else for 9am? If not, I may head out later in the day as I am out tonight!!

I plan to be out on Sunday. 9am group.

Glad you are ok Iain. Hopefully back on the bike soon I am out this weekend. Plan on the 9am bunch. Mr M planning to come to the club rooms with cake after the ride.

Sorry all, change of plans for me. Retreating to the turbo.

I’m planning to be out. See you at the club rooms.

I’m planning to be out this Sunday. See you at the club rooms.

Happy new year! I will be out tomorrow. See you at 09:30

I’m up for it as long as the weather is not too horrendous!

Have fun guys. Sorry, life been a bit hectic over the last few weeks. Hope to see you all before Christmas!!

Sorry. Friends here this weekend so won’t make it.

Sounds good. See you at 9am.

I said I wasn’t going to do anything next year but......!! Never done a spring classic and keen for this. Paul, can I pm you my email address to sign up with JWCC team? Ramsay keen to come out as support crew and maybe join us for a few miles over the weekend if the knee holds up over winter.

Great to be back out with you all. Thanks for a great ride and looking forward to next week

I’m up for this. Weather looking ok! E

I’m not sure what the focus of this piece is or who it is aimed at. Maybe it’s to inspire other women to take on similar challenges. Maybe it’s just me saying ‘hello’ again and to let you know that I’m looking forward to getting back out with the bunch. Whatever the reason is, someone suggested that writing a race report would be a good idea. The only problem is, nothing I did this year was a ‘race’. I’m not getting bogged down in stats and intricate details. I am a girl who likes a challenge and I set myself a couple of challenges this summer. They went something like this. August 2018 - Marmotte Pyrenees 160km, 5600 metres ascent Ramsay and I had already decided to spend this summer in the Pyrenees. We completed the Marmotte sportive in the Alps last year and loved it. I knew that they did a similar event out of Argeles Gazost and by chance, it fell within the weeks that we were planning to be there. The decision was made and we were signed up. Unfortunately for Ramsay, his knee went again in June and he knew that he would not be ready to ride again for months. We knew that a bunch of Wheelers were out riding too and Ramsay really enjoyed supporting everyone on the day (tonnes more photos of the boys on the Tourmalet than me, which is not a bad thing)! It may sound selfish, but I knew that in order to make it to the finish at the top of Luz Ardiden, I just had to do my own thing and plod away at my own pace. I love alpine climbs. I love the challenge and the sense of accomplishment when you get to the top of those infamous Cols. The scenery is spectacular and the baguettes with camembert at the pit stops are perfect! I don’t know whether being a women helps. I had so many shouts of “allez allez femme” which was brilliant. Having spoken to some of the boys at the BBQ and confessed our body weights, being a women of a smaller stature, certainly helps when you are climbing an average gradient of 10% for several hours! Yes, it was tough. Yes, there were times when I asked myself why I was doing this. It certainly felt harder than the Alps last year, but finishing was never in doubt. After a hot shower and a good night’s sleep, the legs had recovered and I enjoyed ticking off so many more of those famous climbs during our time in the Pyrenees. I can honestly say that one of the highlights was meeting up with the guys the following night for a BBQ. Great food, lots of wine, even more beer and brilliant banter. It reminded both Ramsay and I why we joined the club in the first place. Thank you! September 2018 – Around the World in a Day 245 miles from Machrihanish to Aberdeen, ~ 3500 metres ascent Then came the second challenge of the summer. In 2017, Mark Beaumont set off to cycle around the world in 80 days. He achieved this by riding an average of 240 miles per day. The concept for this challenge was to have one rider to represent each day (80 riders in total) and us all to cycle 240 miles. Hence, ‘Around the World in a Day’! The day was planned exactly as Mark had ridden around the world. Four times four hour sections of riding (approx. 60 miles per section) with a 30 minute stop in between (Furnace, Lochearnhead and Forfar). The route started in Machrihanish and headed north through Ardishaig, before heading north east to Inverary and Dalmally. We then turned east across the country to Forfar with the final stretch up the north east coast through Stonehaven to Aberdeen. was one of ten female riders to start and one of eight to finish. I had ridden 184 miles as a reccie earlier in the summer and only hoped that my weeks in the Pyrenees helped with final preparations and the final miles. It was a typical Scottish day.....started cold, dark, wet and windy. The sun came out briefly in the afternoon before it got cold, dark, wet and windy again. My strategy was to keep a high cadence during the day and shelter within the bunch as much as possible. I managed a few turns at the front and myself and a couple of the girls led the group for a few minutes when the boys stopped for a pee. Oh how we laughed!! For the majority however, the boys looked out for us and made sure we were safely tucked in as much as possible. The last 30 miles were probably the hardest miles I have ever ridden. It was a rollercoaster of highs and lows and all I wanted was to be warm and horizontal! I stepped off the bike in Aberdeen and was shaking with cold and exhaustion. I thought I was either going to be sick or faint or both. I admit, I cried when Ramsay came to give me a cuddle and it took me some time to reach the “that was an amazing experience” feeling. But again, after two hot showers and a good night’s sleep, I woke up feeling ok and began to appreciate what had happened the day before. I guess that’s how I get through any of these challenges. I know that even when it feels brutal and you hurt all over, it doesn’t last. You will recover and you will get back on the bike again......quickly. I don’t consider myself a powerful rider or a fast rider. I don’t glide up the ascents. I bob about in the saddle and do everything you shouldn’t! I am a steady rider who is happy to tap away at the miles at my own pace. In saying that, I didn’t just walk in to these events having done nothing. I put the effort, the hours and the miles in this year. If I’m honest, I did very little other than cycle and work for most of the summer! It’s been a while, but I will be back out with the bunch again soon, enjoying the Sunday runs around Renfrewshire and beyond. I’m looking forward to not just the training (must work on that power output over the winter), but for the banter and the camaraderie. Hope to see you all soon.

Sounds great. See you at the club rooms at 9am