Alan Michael

Not much to report other than crits are not for me 😕 though I think this was a particularly tough one for my 1st. a decent warm up and better bike skills in the corners would make a difference and miby some track experience but unfortunately I lacked all of these. Well done to the jets, showing us how it's done 😉

Not much to report other than crits are not for me 😕 though I think this was a particularly tough one for my 1st. a decent warm up and better bike skills in the corners would make a difference and miby some track experience but unfortunately I lacked all of these. Well done to the jets, showing us how it's done 😉

Thanks to Paul L for timekeeping on a cold windy night.
 
Maybe it's the weather so far this year but these events seem to be dying a death-4 riders is quite pitiful.
 
On a lighter note, I now have Billy's big head mounted above my fireplace:)

Good luck guys.
 
I hope to be along in the afternoon
 
Jess and Lusia are both in the Youth Race but Lusia also in the Women's race after getting her dispensation to ride up with the Seniors
 
Just back from the 3 day / 4 Stage North West Youth Tour so final decision tomorrow on one or two races but looks likely she'll only ride the Women's Race
 
KennyS

For what it's worth here is some advice !
I'm sure I don't need to mention this but as Jan will have seen at Ingliston it's more important in these races than any other to be in the front of the bunch. It will likely be a single line from the gun for at least the first 20 mins and there will be a mixture of ability with gaps forming pretty early doors. Get as close to the front for the start as you can and its worth expending energy to fight and hold your place in the line. Ideal spot being around P8-10. And of course a very thorough warm up. It might help to mentally rehearse the burning pain that you are likely to encounter and just accept it is part of the race and worth it to be there at the final. It's amazing how many times when you think you are about to blow that if you hang in just another 30secs it suddenly eases for a bit.
 
You are both well capable of being there at the death so ride hard and best of luck,
 

Yup. Sure is a tough ride and Hardknott is hardcore. But, as you say, starting nearer will help. We will still have Kirkstone near the end, but that is no where near as difficult as the Harknott-Wrynose double whammy!
 
Bring it on (as they say:) )

Best of luck boys

Good luck chaps

Still not heard. Greg got start also, u think this means I'm a no? Got stag do tonight and title party tomorrow. Would like to know how much party I can party 😉

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

Might be able to make that, will let you know tomorrow

Ha ha have seen a couple of runs on strava and wondered what was going on (training camp on other side of the world!!) don't have power meter but sounds like fun 😉

No
However you should do something that would improve your racing ability so do longer pulls on the front, drop of the back and chase back on
 
It doesn't look like anybody will be racing the Ten today as at the mo only 3 have indicated they would ride and nobody wants to time keep

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉

I've entered 😉 . Going to give a crit a go

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉

Time to work on a plan

Blooming awesome Alan. You were with some hard guys in that group so definitely don't be critical of your performance here. You left plenty of cat 3 boys well behind you!
Andy

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉

Well done thats a great result.
 
You've been in the top 10 in every race you've done, thats far better than most and probably better than the 9 riders who were ahead of you today at the same point in their racing 'career' so you're definitely not out your depth!

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉

Alan
More points towards your goal of becoming cat 3 well done
Note you only need 10 points to move up so your getting there

Alan, that's amazing but don't be hard on yourself as these guys have been racing for years & you are only going to get better.
 
Well done.

Well riding in group 3 of the barmill circuit last week was tough but today was tougher, 8th on that occasion and 7th on glen taggart mid week (which was also hard with all the climbing and a really fast finish even although it was only cat 3/4). Today's race started hard with the fast boys trying to get a break right from the word go. I found myself right at the back due to trying and failing to get my strava going after I forgot to put it on 😕 (gutted) i started to work my way up to the front only to see 3 or 4 bodies go down on a fast decent (looked a bad one) I decided just to go for it and cycle hard to try get onto the lead bunch, i made it, just. No one came with me. So now there were 11 of us working to stay away. Realised quickly that I was probably out my depth. After the 1st lap I was spent due to the effort I'd put in trying to keep pace with the bunch and hill to the line nearly killed me. I managed to hang in on lap 2 and noted I wasn't the only one struggling, on the long flat roads I was doing ok and started to feel in with a chance if it came to a sprint due to the fact I was nearly double the size of anyone else, but I forgot about the hill finish and it soon became apparent that I was done. 3 went at the foot of the hill then 3 tried to follow as I went to go with them my hamstring cramped for a second and everyone sailed past. Head down dropped to wee ring and spun up the hill as fast as I could. Realising I was in 11th was torture but kept going as could see I was catching a small bunch that came into sight, cought one b4 the line to get 10th. Hardest race so far, a bit annoyed at finish but at the start I didn't expect to be in the mix so I suppose I'll have to take it. 😉