I will try to be there and I have been told there is an easier bit in the middle where the pain drops down to excruciating, before rising for the finish
We are all sorry and at the same time delighted to report that Sarah Bradford is moving on from the club. For season 2016 Sarah is moving up to Team Jadan, a women's race team based in Yorskhire.
She is guesting with them this week at the An Post Rás na mBan, Ireland's premier women's road race.
This is a 5 day, six stage race covering 400km with an international field of over 100 riders.
Full race info at http://www.rasnamban.com/ including a start sheet showing some big names.
No results from this evening's opening 68km stage yet, but our spies tell us Sarah had a safe bunch finish. Keep tuned in for more!
Congratulations on the new team Sarah - but come back and see us please!
(pic shows Sarah in tonight's first stage - 4th rider from left)
Carol & Dave - 19.48 PB both Paid
Adam - 18.01 PB
Hamish - 18.15
Paul L - 17.45 PB Paid
AlanT & Gerard - 16.52 PB both Paid
George - 17.50 Paid
Iain C - 17.20 Paid
Well done to all, plenty of PB's, super time from Alan & Gerard.. £21 for the coffers will put it in tomorrow
Thanks to Richard and Emma too, full compliment of pusher offers and timekeepers
A bit of advanced notice of this one, but we have an official Renfrewshire Council road closure order in place for this, so that should help to make it a good event.
There are 2 Tuesday evening practices in advance of the main event (15/9 & 22/9).
The route is as per previous years, but here is a link for anyone who has not done it before: JWCC Hill Climb Route
A bit of advanced notice of this one, but we have an official Renfrewshire Council road closure order in place for this, so that should help to make it a good event.
There are 2 Tuesday evening practices in advance of the main event (15/9 & 22/9).
The route is as per previous years, but here is a link for anyone who has not done it before: JWCC Hill Climb Route
There's silverware at stake this time for the David Raymond Trophy, in the clubs 2-up championships. As usual first-timers and returners welcome!
If you don't have a partner to ride with don't worry, you may find one on the night, or you can ride solo (Though solo rides will not count for the trophy!).
First rider off at 09:30, meet at 09:15 at the usual place towards the Inchinnan end of Georgetown Road.
Here's the link to the course: JWCC Georgetown Road TT Route for anyone who may not have done this route before.
I plan to be there to timekeep, but additional help for holding-up would be appreciated.
Some riders are planning to go for a fairly gentle club ride (recovery ride?) after the competition, the route will depend on who is there, weather, etc. All competitors / helpers / supporters will be welcome.
As Previously, note the sensitivities with the personnel at the military site next to where we start, so please take extra care to respect their property and their access.
Jets Danny Mulholland and Gemma Penman were selected to race for Scotland as part of the 8 rider team that smashed it at the BC inter-regional champs in Manchester last weekend.
The inter-regional track champs is a huge event in the u16 racing calendar. It's only opportunity for our Scottish u16 riders to wear national colours, competing against 12 other regional teams from across the UK over 3 days.
This was the first time Scotland has ever won the event, and I'm chuffed to say our Jets played their role in a dominant team performance.
Danny was one of 2 endurance riders in the boys team, alongside Joe Nally of Hardie Bikes and sprinters Lewis Stewart (Glasgow Riderz) and Stephen Dent (Nevis Bikes). Gemma was joined by fellow sprinter Amber King of Stirling Bike club, and endurance riders Jenny Holl and Rhona Callander (also SBC).
Gemma won silver in the standing 250m time trial and team sprint. Danny missed the individual podium, but came soooo close with 4th in the devil, madison (with Joe) and skills challenge.
The girls madison team went better, winning gold, and the boys went even better in the team sprint, taking gold and a new national record. Hot stuff.
Scotland team coach John Bremner (Discovery Junior CC) paid credit to all the riders, saying he'd never worked with such a dedicated and disciplined team in his life. Youth racing looking good in Scotland.
Thanks to Kenny and all the helpers that enabled the event to go ahead.
Certainly seemed like a tough old headwind on the out leg, had me pretty much burst on the first lap, buI did manage to recover a little for the final return leg. Missed my PB by over 30 seconds, but still faster than anything I did last year.
Congrats to Alan McBride on a 57 minute something time. Great run on a tough day.
PARIS BREST PARIS 1200KM - 16th to 20th August 2015
The morning has come Sunday 16th August I have until 17:45 tonight until I start so it’s a rest, eat & sleep as much as possible day. The 3 of us check out from the hotel at 13:00 & head for the velodrome Robert & Neil do not start till 19:30 so I wish them luck & off I go to the pre event meal, the food is good. I watch the first too lots off vedets set of & think, that was me 8 years ago they’re in for a hard ride. I find a nice seat on the grass in the shade & wait for my time to go to get my brevet card stamped, (the brevet card is a small book that has to be stamped at all the controls, signed & time written in to prove your passage on the event. The chip is only for back up & people at home). Brevet card stamped and I am ready to go I know there is one other Scot in my start, Martin but in a crowd of 300 it’s hard to pick each other out. We move up to the start ready to go, the countdown is on, the hair is up on the back of my the neck. I know this will be fast for the first 5km until it splits up. You need to have eyes everywhere, bad group riding, street furniture, you name it, it can happen. Then its 5 4 3 2 1 & were off.
Velodrome St Quentin-en –Yvelines to Mortagne-au-Perche - 140km
(Food only) – Stage length 140km
This stage was fast as the bunch speeds through the suburbs of Paris. You are lead out by police & motorcycle escort. It’s still daylight so you can see the cheering crowds that line some of the streets. This is where you have to watch for the street furniture! You don’t have to worry about any off the junction as they are all policed for you then you’re out into the countryside it’s still light as you speed through small villages with quaint squares. The riders have settled down now as the sun starts to set. There’s a trail of tail lights snaking through the countryside on the way to Mortagne-au-Perche. We reach Mortagne-au-Perche at midnight food & drink is consumed & we leave after an hour.
Mortagne-au-Perche to Villaines-la-Juhel 221km
(First Control) – Stage length 81km
The drop out this control is very steep at first then eases & goes for about 2 miles this will be tuff on the way back. You are chilled by the cold night air so you are glad it’s a climb to get you warmed up, it’s a rolling stage so the lights are stretched out before you, with small brakes as the field starts to break up. We stop for a few minutes at the side of the road as a family had set up a table with coffee, hot chocolate or water for any rider that stopped there was cake to. Martin & I set of agene after a short brake. Martin & I had been cycling from the start together, but we manage to loss each other just before the control so I go into the control, this is the first control, Arriving 03:21 on 17/08/15. Card stamped and more food not knowing wither he was in front or behind, I set of for Fougeres.
It is cooled as I leave glad of the uphill to heat me up, the sun will not be up till 7 in the morning this is a rolling section to, not much happens except the sun coming up to provide some warmth to the air, it had been quite chilly & with 20km to the control I snap a rear spoke, so its quick stop to open up the brakes & of I go there will be a mechanic at the control that will hopefully put in a new spoke. As I was riding a bit easier than I would normally not to do any more damage to the wheel Martin caches up with me we ride in with a small group. Arriving 08:13 on 17/08/15. Its strait to the mechanic & I leave my wheel with him & go and get my card stamped & more food. On returning to the mechanic he was just finishing but while waiting the man next to me collapses so the medic is called he was ok in the end but it just shows you the toll it was taking on some people all ready, you have a area in the brevet card the doctors can write up what they have done & what has happen so the if something ells happens further on in the ride there is a record that another doctor or medic can look at.
Martin & I set of it is quit warm & there is not a cloud in the sky from memory this was a easy section, well this & the next proved to be hard it was constantly up down up down all the way & the heat just kept building, but it got done as one would say & we Arriving 12:08 on 17/08/15. Food & watered.
This is also a hilly section in the heat of the day & did not ease till just short of the control the sun was still very hot we get to the control & it is packed with spectators 2 to 3 deep, they are out waiting for the first riders on their way back to Paris. One of the crowd reads the name on my number on the bike & shouts out bravo Campbell this put a spring in my step on the way to the control. We are eating when the first rider goes through on their way back then there is a group of say 20 riders the German rider would make it back to Paris in 42 hours. We were glad to get to the control, Arriving 17:39 on 17/08/15 the food is good here with soup, chicken rice with a mushrooms sauce, rice pudding you can’t beat it.
By the time we come out of this control the heat is out the air so we are moving quit quick there is a secret control in St Nicolas- du-Pelem at 493km. There will also be one on the way home. The sun set at 9 & we get to Carhaix-Plouguer Arriving 22:57 on 17/08/15 we have been on the go for 29 hours so we have food & go for a sleep till 04:30 in the morning getting 4 ½ hours sleep before more food & heading off for Brest in the cool of the morning.
The return home, we set of in glorious sun shine & a tailwind it will be all uphill for 40km once we leave Brest, you go out a different way from coming in but the route is back together by Sizung for coffee & cake this makes the climb up to Roc Trevezel very present then it is a right rollercoaster of a run into Carhaix-Plouguer, it is encouraging that you are passing people still climb to Roc Trevezel with the drop to Brest still in front of them, we get to Carhaix-Plouguer Arriving 15:24 on 18/08/15 quick feed as we were hoping to go to a restaurant for dinner that we spotted on the way out.
This control is still full of some of the tail Enders that are out of time but may be able to pull it back. We fill up & head of as we need to build a bit of a buffer so we can sleep this was a hard section on the way out but we make good time on it with the wind on our backs it also gets cooler. We stop at the restaurant just before the control & have pizza & ice-cream & fruit for desert. Arriving 21:43 on 18/08/15 into Loudeac this control was quit quite so we get through it niece and easy.
We head for Tinteniac with the intention of sleeping at Quedillac an intermediate food & sleep stop it was quite so we made the right choice. We get a good 4 hours sleep with food before & after we set of in the early morning to get a good sunrise as we get to Tinteniac for a niece early breakfast Arriving 06:57 on 19/08/15
This is a short section so it is covered quickly it is also were Mark Cavendish won his only stage in the tour this year. There is a magnificent castle with moat in the run in, we have to go thru a secret control in this leg its set up as there must be a short cut, a well read cyclist could obviously take, I have a map & a route sheet but the route is well signposted so there is no need to use the route sheet. We Arriving 10:18 on 19/08/15 for our second breakfast of the day.
The next section starts with a pull out of Fougeres then a long drag of a hill it was also very warm at this point so with the heat & no cooling from the breeze, as we were cycling at the same speed as it. We decide to have a short brake in a field in the shad we catnap for about hour then were off. We come to a small village on route. Martin goes, do you fancy some lunch, so we stop at a niece looking restaurant & have a 3 course lunch this is very civilised don’t know what the other guests thought as we were still in the same cloths, that were had started with, I can remember the ice-cream was particularly good. We Arriving in Villaines-la-Juhel 16:38 on 19/08/15. To crowds of people bands playing, & also you get announce to the crowd, as you come in to the bike park which is the main street there is a real party atmosphere with shouts of bravo, you still have 221km to go so it not over, it had been a hot section so plenty food & water was required.
This is the section that I feel that I am on my way home as you go under the 100miles to go after the initial climb out of Villaines-la-Juhel it is rolling & very straight with only a couple of long climbs in the middle it has a small village at the top of one of them with coffee & cake supplied by the locals for the riders it’s a welcome break as it is still hot but dusk will soon be upon us, this will be our last night fall. the final climb to the control with 17% right into the control were the crowds gather to see if you have to get off & push, you get it into the low gear before the corner & just roll it up to the cheers for making it. On the way up this last hill Martin was having a hard time & I was talking him up it as I could remember this from my last two times, as we came into the town there was a woman ring a bell & shouting encouragement which Martin mistook as hurry, hurry, hurry to which I hear him muter if you say that once more I will shove that bell up you’re a??? to which I burst out laughing & nearly ground to a holt, I shout get into the low gear know to which he replied I am already f?????? in it. We huff & puff into the control Arriving 21:38 on 19/08/15. The food is really good her soup bread, beef olives rice, & you can’t beat it creamed rice washed down with Perry water, coke, coffee.
We had already decided that we would cycle to Dreux & lay up there till the morning before heading for home. The night is very warm so it’s only the florescent gille that is added now need for arm warmers hats or light gloves, just as we were about to leave there was a load mouth group from across the pond leaving so we let them go, but to our amassment the were not going that fast, so we sate about a hundred yard of the back off them. Were up hill at the beginning then on a long descent Martin was in front I see out the corner of my eye a left turn quick shout to martin going left then a loud shout to the group but they did not hear me, it also had a cross that they should have seen 20 meters down the road. It was more uphill for us on this rise we can see the glow of the lights from Dreux & the other major towns we end up on a high flat area of fields that seem to go on & on this is hard work when you are tired as you don’t get a rest from pedalling, then it the dropt Dreux Arriving 02:55 on 20/08/15 we have food & sleep for 2 hours to leave at 6 to head for Paris.
Dreux to Velodrome St Quentin-en –Yvelines – 1230km
(Final Control) – Stage length 65km
We set of at 6 as planed. The sun will be up by 7 we are well feed & watered it is also just a short hope but as usual there are a couple of killer hills that on the way out on the Sunday were not really notes as you were swept along, we are passing rides that are on their last legs & giving it all to get to Paris. One of the images in this run in was there was a chap sleeping on a bench right outside a monastery that was chiming all its bell & he never even stirred. We climb the last major hill & can see the motor way that we go under about 6km from the end it was over cast this morning & starts to rain but we can’t feel it, were going home. downhill then under the motorway & the run through the suburbs of St Quentin-en –Yvelines the roundabout are all manned to stop traffic to keep the tired riders going that’s me to. Then it the pull up the hill to velodrome the crowds are out clapping shouting you cycle up this as if you had just came round the corner over the timing belt, park the bike in the secure park then into the velodrome for the final stamp on the brevet card it’s such a great feeling I didn’t even know how close I was to finishing at 9 o’clock till George text me to say hay your 2 minutes early we Arriving 08:58 on 20/08/15
We meet other Scottish rider that are finishing & sitting and chating for an hour or so but you feel the tiredness staring to take hold so you make your farewells & off to the hotel for a sleep & beer.
Some stats from the ride.
Time spent going through control & eating – 17hr
Time spent sleeping - 11hr
Time in cafes & refreshments outside controls – 6hr
Total time for ride was 87:12
This was my last Paris Brest Paris I look back at this ride with great happiness as in doing it the way I did you get to see the full field of riders from the fast to the slow like myself but I am thankful to be go home after, there were a few how would not & my thought are with their family but to see the joy on people faces that finished you will never forget. You also have to think off all the helpers that gave of their time to make this event happen & I had a smile on my face & thanks as they served food, stamped cards or even guiding you the right way on the road. It is a mythical event & you have to work hard to get fit for this in order to join the long list of successful randonneurs who have contributed to the legend of the Paris-Brest-Paris. I have 3 under my belt & flew the Johnstone Wheelers flag in Paris.
Campbell
Ps here is a poem that gives me inspiration its 'IF' by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master, If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
The second of this years 2-up TTs. As usual first-timers and returners welcome!
If you don't have a partner to ride with don't worry, you may find one on the night, or you can ride solo!
First rider off at 18:45 again this week, meet at 18:30 at the usual place towards the Inchinnan end of Georgetown Road.
Here's the link to the course: JWCC Georgetown Road TT Route for anyone who may not have done this route before.
I plan to be along to help officiate.
Please note: There are some sensitivities with the personnel at the military site next to where we start, so please take extra care to respect their property and their access.
Ferry was 10 min late disembarking and it took me 10 min longer to get round than it should, so ferry was just pulling out when I got to the top of the town.2 hrs 50min. should manage 2.40 in a few weeks. nice day though.
It will be good to see you out on some club runs, but be aware that there may not be a 30 miler run on 6th Sept. as the club is hosting an open time trail that day (the Sam Dooley 25 mile TT), and most of the available members are likely to be helping with it.
Things coming up that you may like to get involved with include:
Tues. 25/8 A 7 mile club time trail on Georgetown Road between Inchinnan and Houston. Potential members are welcome, there are usually some 30 milers taking part and it's only as serious as you want it to be!
Sat. 29/8 A 10 mile hill club time trial starting at Langbank
Wednesday evenings - there is often a social ride, watch out for postings
GrahamF reacted to Gerard Deeley in Tuesday, 15 September 2015 - Hill Climb #1 18:30 Howwood, 0.3 miles
GrahamF got a reaction from KennyS in Sunday, 4 October 2015 - Hill Climb Championships for the Joe Brunetti Sheild 10:30 Howwood, 0.3 miles
GrahamF got a reaction from Richard in Sunday, 4 October 2015 - Hill Climb Championships for the Joe Brunetti Sheild 10:30 Howwood, 0.3 miles
GrahamF got a reaction from Roberto in Sunday, 13 Sept. 2-Up Championships for the David Raymond Trophy 09:30 Georgetown, 7.2 miles
GrahamF got a reaction from PaulL in Tuesday, 1 September 2015 - 2-up TT #2 18:45 Georgetown, 7.2 miles
GrahamF got a reaction from Morna in Beginner cyclist