iain couttie

Paris & PBP 2015 starts to slip away as the 600km ride approaches!
Tuesday morning 2nd June
Go to put my cycling glasses on and they brake in half at the bridge. I have a 600 this weekend what do I do.
Well I got to work and got the opticians to send up new frames and I will swap the lenses over. Also encase there no there in time repaired the other ones with glue and a pin, not pretty but they worked.
Thursday 4th June
I get to work and have been watching the weather for the weekend it was not good. The event is cancelled, goodbye Paris.
But
I get a late entry to a Pair of Kirtons 600 starting Poynton at 6.00am on Saturday 6th June just perfect.
Route
 
Saturday 6th June
Poynton – start 06.00hr
It’s cool with a strong westerly breeze. This part of the route is through houses & road junctions to Greenfield - 18 miles 1st control. Card stamped and the climb up to Saddleworth Moor at a height of 492m this is the high point on the ride and the only climb worth a mention. We wiz down and over rolling roads to Asken - 57 miles, food in a subway second breakfast of the day. The roads are flat to Brough we think we are in Belgium with the twists & turn on the flat roads, we even catch up on a local cycling club on their club run who we toe along for a couple of mile. Brough - 94 miles. Lamb burger, chips coffee coke for early lunch its midday.
The next section was hard as it was into the wind the ride over the Humber bridge was good what a view, Robert and I were cycling on sum of the roads we had ridden on in 2005 London Edinburgh London, we reached Gainsborough - 134 miles more food in Morison café to refill the legs. It had been a hard section and it took the next section for my legs to recover even thought it was with a tail wind to Wragby - 158 miles. The next section to Boston was flat we also had the wind partly on our back so we reach Boston - 189 miles at 9.30pm halfway. As you all know the wind drops at sunset normally we were hoping it would for us as we had 109 mile into it, well it did. Corby Glen - 218 miles was reached at 11.35pm this was a sleep stop if you wished but Robert and I decided to push on in the dark to make use of the wind dropping as it would be back at sunrise.
Sunday 7th June
 Donington - 257 miles reached as the sun is coming up, it’s cold as the sky was cloudless another subway breakfast. We set of and pass Donington racing track half way to Stone it get warm and all the night cloths are strip of and packed into the bag, its quit lump on this stretch. Stone - 301 miles. It’s warm in the sun on the way to Prees heath we end up on some of the roads that we road when we were doing the 24hr tt the last one I road was 2003 and the Johnstone wheelers CC won the veteran team for the most miles covered the last two miles to Prees heath was on a very busy road you had to have your wits about you on it, as you had been on the go for quite some time Prees Heath - 327 miles only 46 mile to go this passes quickly we also pass  Jodrell Bank on the way . Poynton - 373 miles is reached at 2.35 on Sunday afternoon in the sun. 32hr 35 minutes for the ride 6 hour of the bike 26 hours 35 minutes riding time and a lot of water and food but I will be going to Paris. See me? See happy?
Monday 8th June
BACK TO WORK
Campbell

Cool, dry conditions with a bit of a breeze that didn't really bite until the last 5 miles, then it bit hard. Miles 15 to 20 were fun with that breeze behind and a downhill slope, but after the turn was going to hurt. Managed a 1:05:43, nearly three minutes up on last week, so that's positive, but I'm still slower than last year. Next one in the calendar for me is St. Christopher's at the end of August.

Very confusing course hard wind on last 4 miles reduced me to a crawl then decided to have a goldfish moment and went round roundabout three times not that it would have mattered not close to PB but slowly going right direction

It's the wind I'm concerned about! Gusts of up to 48mph!

Hi Richie, welcome to the club.
 
We have rides for all abilities. Etc

Entering is easy, you have to turn up as well!

splendid morning,pb1.02.43
 
cant walk, I WILL do under the hour this year.

So well done today guys and now we have both Alan and Iain knocking on the door of 3rd cat. Post race thought from me would be Colin has sold himself short as he would not have been in any different position had he completed the first lap. If there is a learning point it is bike maintenance but that is a bit harsh as mechanicals can happen at any random time ( the mechanical was a slipping front mech on the seat tube ). Iain was looking comfortable when I spoke to him just before final lap when I was saying we should take part in chasing down any attacks in the last 5 miles. Must have been a jinx as he punctured within the next minute! Anyway bad luck but all positive as looking strong. Alan's performance speaks for itself and with Alan being Alan he is frustrated it wasn't a higher placing. That day will come on current form. For me I was happy to be able to make a small contribution to the team effort which was more an experience contribution than a physical contribution. I knew with the wind conditions you had to be near front for final roundabout with about 600m to go so I made it my business to bump, barge and hustle me and Alan into the top 10 for the turn. After the roundabout I lasted only a few hundred metres then could not hold the first 10 position. Alan did exactly the right thing and moved past me when the surge came, I've always had him marked as a natural who just knows the right time to make an effort. I only wish I could have led him to the final 200m but c'est la vie you can only do what you can do.
 
Bring it on
 

Good result for Alan with 7th.
 
As for me a frustrating afternoon. Found it difficult to move up because the whole lane was pretty much shoulder to shoulder (the race had been stopped after a lap to warn us not to cross over the line or risk DQ - most people then respected this a handful didnt), would gradually work through gaps and move up a bit only to drift backwards again. I wasnt too worried about this for the first few laps as it meant i was in the middle and feeling pretty comfortable (it felt like club run pace at times) although coming up to the last lap i knew i had to get forward so took a gamble and went up the inside in the gutter, made it towards the front...but doing so meant i got a puncture, race was over and a walk back to HQ in my socks!

splendid morning,pb1.02.43
 
cant walk, I WILL do under the hour this year.

splendid morning,pb1.02.43
 
cant walk, I WILL do under the hour this year.

7th again, becoming a habit. All week legs have bn shredded and not up to it, think I might need a rest, today's race was slower than expected considering the field (thankfully) however more thanks must go to Paul McDonald who on the last lap managed to take me from mid bunch all the way to top 15 for the last turn at the roundabout allowing me to sprint for the finish. as this was a regional A race (stated on website) it was ten points for 7th thus qualifying me for a cat 3 licence 😃 so the race organiser told me, but others were unsure so I'll have to wait for confirmation from bc before I retire lol massive thanks again paul and unlucky to Ian and Colin with mechanicals.

Man with no form has a start

Hope to ride and hope to finish

Tidy bunch of seven avoided the showers and had a great ride on the Cowal, C11 etc all ridden in style. Screaming return through Clachaig with tailwind.
 
Congrats to Darryl for finding the only cafe on the peninsula which actually welcomes customers and serves food and drink without complaining. The Barn in Kames (Kaimes?)
 
Chapeau of the day to our Jet, Adam who shrugged off his 70 mile ride with 2000m of climbing. As I write George is probably climbing the Cote de Foxbar after a total mileage approaching 110ish.
 
All agreed that the Cowal on a good day is as good as anywhere in the world. The Cowal on a bad day is still pretty spectacular.

OK so some get to have a pedal over a great route on the best day for ages while some get to try to remove Ronseal Deck Stain from a big decking. If it said ''Peels Off after 8 months and makes your decking patchy, thus upsetting your wife'' then it would, in fact, do exactly what it says on the tin. AND IT STOPPED ME CYCLING.......Damn you Ronseal!!! Jammy gits!!!!!

We were discussing this in the chain gang on Thursday!! Are you sure it wasn't billy on his sponsored E TT bike 😉

got home on one leg

got home on one leg

got home on one leg

Sign on 1830-1845 start 1900
See you there

turned up, didn't look at post before I left. I don't like that car park on my own.

Thanks to Mike, Billy & Alan.
 
A hard night & not the time I'd hoped for but good fun.
 
Pity I forgot my bike was still leaning against my car as I drove off. Heard a loud bang as it fell but only a wee scrape to the bars & brake lever. What a diddy.

I am clearing out a shed at the moment and it is full of ods and sods. I have 10 stand seats from the old st Mirren ground. I will not use them, they are free to any one that wants them, complete with brackets and chewing gum.
 
If no one wants them its the skip, save a piece of history and fill your garage with them for the next ten years.
 
iain

I am clearing out a shed at the moment and it is full of ods and sods. I have 10 stand seats from the old st Mirren ground. I will not use them, they are free to any one that wants them, complete with brackets and chewing gum.
 
If no one wants them its the skip, save a piece of history and fill your garage with them for the next ten years.
 
iain