Ian Porteous

Very well organised event and big thanks to everyone involved that allowed me to race, would of been great to see more jwcc out on the road but duties have to be filled and I'm grateful for the chance to ride. I Had hoped for the sprint finish but the break put paid to that.

63:33, a new PB. I felt as though I was riding well inside my limit. It's great when the coaching and training and nutrition all come together.

Great night Paul. Really enjoyed that. Thanks for organising and thanks to you and Couttie for the routes. scrubbing brush has been used on my legs...

Loads of possibilities here:
 
http://www.allchalets.com/bormio
 
Just a suggestion...
 
 
Somewhere in the middle would be a cave! Please at least veer towards somewhere fit for human habitation.

PARIS BREST PARIS 1200KM - 16th August 2015
 
The 18th running of the Paris Brest Paris randonneur start for me on Sunday 16th august at 17:45
 
1200 km between Paris and Brest in France to complete within 90 hours maximum. Start and arrival at saint-Quentin-en-yvelines – vélodrome national à montigny-le-bretonneux.
Organized every 4 years since 1931 by the audax club parisien. I will be among thousands of other riders from all over the world who want to participate in this mythical event in order to join the long list of successful randonneurs who have contributed to the legend of the Paris-Brest-Paris randonneur this will be my 3 ride as I completed it in 2003 in 78 hours & 2007 in 76 hours. I have only the ambition to complete it this time so will hope to finish on Thursday morning at 09:00.
 
If you wish to see how I am going, go to the website link below and my frame number is H217 & you should see how or not I am getting on. Let’s hope for average weather as my first was in the stifling heat & the second was on the wind & rain.
http://www.paris-brest-paris.org/index2.php?lang=en&cat=randonnee&page=suivi_participants
 
To get myself ready for this you have get a comfy bike for starters, then be able to cycle 745 miles in less than 90hr at this stage I have covered over 6000 mile since my first qualifying ride in 8th march with the longest single ride being 373miles, on the wind down now only 100 mile ride at the weekend. Let’s hope the Johnstone fly in Paris. See me? See happy?
Campbell

You are a fraud. Being towed round doesn't usually bother you. At all.
 
I'll earn my Arran spurs the right way-solo.
 
(Well done)

Etape du Tour 2015
 
A few wheelers asked me to write a report on my experience in the Etape, so here it goes... sorry if you get bored but I'm sipping a beer in the sun with nothing better to do just now.
 
I was based in the small town of La Chambre about 8km from the start of the Etape. I went out for a quick spin the day before(nice and flat) an manage to drink two full bottles in less than an hour, it was going to be a very hot day.
 
The Start was fun 16,000 cyclist all in their Sunday best, I had manage to get there feeling fresh and  only managed to forget one thing “Sun block†I asked one of the Medics did he have any sun block, This sent him into fits of laughter and he had to call his co-worker over to repeat what I had just asked. The two of them had a real good laugh and took a  Selfie with me, good start  
 
The route consisted of 4 categorised Climbs(Tomorrows stage of the Tour De France) and only 25km of flat,  as going up is my least favourite thing to do on a bike my plan was to just finish. We had a quick run to the start of the first climb Col du Chaussy 15.4km avg 6.3% I felt good going up, it was difficult with so many people going a different paces but it calmed down after a while. The heat was going to be a big factor of the day but I made sure I was drinking enough. Over the top we had a major pile up and were delayed while a the injured were airlifted out. This meant all the groups behind caught us and there was basically 10,000 people in one long line on the Col Du Chaussy. There was a lot of talk about being caught by the sweeper bus and being pulled of the course and people started running down the verges, was a bit crazy as the drop off's were huge. Once we go moving it was a slow descent to La Chambre.
 
At La Chambre I stopped and met the wife and kids at the food stop, had some photos I and was looking forward to the 25km of flat. The pace was slow around here, not sure why(maybe the fact the biggest climb of the day was next) why but I decided to press on. There was a sprint competition but I was pretty much on my own so decided just to roll through, but as I got closer to the Start I decided to give it a go(as you do). By the time I got to the foot of the Col du Glandon I was burning up and stopped to fill up my bottles. 
 
The Col du Glandon is 22.4km avg 7% and to be honest I underestimated how hard it would be, this is were I started to noticed lots of people walking and lying in the shade. It was at this point I added another goal, not to walk! Some of these guys were Skinnies!(panicked me abit) The first 15km was tough but manageable(My pace was very slow) but the last 5km(10%+) I was in a difficulty, cramp and just overheating. Luckily there were lots of spectators who came out with hoses and buckets of ice water, its amazing what a bucket of ice water over your face can do to motivate you. The amount of people walking and lying on the verges was hard to fathom, to be honest my speed on the bike was not much faster than the walkers... but I was still on my bike. At the top I took a long stop rehydrated and had some food(mini pizzas)(figs)(cola)(waffles)(salt biscuits)(raisins)(chocolate bars) Iain Coutie would have been proud of me. 
 
Next a climb to Criox de Fer it was about 3-4km but a nice wind and gradients weren't bad, the descents was incredible! I have never experience anything like it closed roads, not many cyclists around and long sweeping turns, cambered hairpins, worth climbing any mountain. The next climb was the smallest The Col du Mollard, a lot of people said this was a real hard climb, I have not recollection of this climb at all... The start of heat exhaustion??? I do however remember the descent this was my favourite part of the day, some French guy went zooming past me and I tried to stay with him, he either knew the descent or he was crazy, either way I was alike a big kid hurtling to my doom! Good fun
 
The last climb of the day La Toussuire 18km avg 6.1% This was the worse bit of the day for me the heat had really taken it out of me, I had nothing in my legs, this was the first time I had genuinely thought about stopping, lots of people around me were! lots of people walking and lying in the shade, the heat (to me)was unbearable, I cycled into the grass ion the side to unclip and start walking, but cycled straight back out, it was very close. My saving grace for the last 10kms were the family's and spectators who came out, kids wanting high fives and old couples with hoses and buckets of water. I basically focus on the next group of people up the road, high fiving the kids and slowing down to get soaked in water an stopping at every water stop, this distracted me and soon I could see the top. The run into La Toussuire was worth the ride hundreds of people along the barriers for the last 2km shouting and cheering, I even gave a little sprint for the line and soon after I hugging the elderly woman(to her surprise) giving out the medals. I  found a spot in the Grass with a bowl of pasta and a glass of wine! Now only a 20km descent and 10km ride home.... ah well
 
Overall I really enjoyed this event, I was pitifully under prepared to climb so much, but the organisation and encourage during the ride was brilliant and kept me going. I felt my pace on the hills was really slow but anytime I tried to increase I was just start to melt, When I found out nearly 6,000 people didn't finish I didn't feel so bad. I know a lot of wheelers have done the Etape and many return, I for one will be back! Lighter? Faster? …. Older 
 
Results:  16,000 starters 9,877 Finishers My Position 8,009
 
10H 9'23â€
 
Challenge King of the Mountain 
 
2h 30'58† Place 8706 out of 9,877 
 
Average speed 7.71 KM/H
 
Challenge King of Sprint
 
0'15†Place 104 out of 9877 
 
Average speed 60 KM/H
 
 

I have a track pump in my bike box. Not sure what you mean by 25 degrees Ian. Sounds like an oven setting compared to what we're used to...

ah, should have read the next two lines on the email! yeah 6am for me  The bloke's not well...

Well done mate! Cat 2 on the way???

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.

Need to get some cycling in now... RSN (Real Soon Now).
 
mind you I'll only be out for four hours nine minutes so fitness not the problem

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 will probs be living further away from Cumbria than I am now, but would be up for a trip northwards! What is the Fred whitton?

Great to hear Alex, wishing you a speedy recovery.

Myself Billy Robbie Emma and Judas set off from Bus stop on georgetown rd. We were joined by Alan McLean for a brief period and by Ian Mcginty at bishop ton . My legs were heavy and still recovering from our massive bevvy session after Liege ride but it was a very pleasant night. Hope to see the usual suspects next week

Could be. If I can get sitter and recover from this hangover 😦

Richard class act. Mcginty looking good for this season. As for statler & Waldorf u 2 need to get back on the bevvy cos this diet malarkey is making u both grumpy

If Carlsberg did short punchy rolling evening bike rides in the sun with your mates, that was it. Total blast.
 
Cheers guys.
 
M

Well done Chung! I'm sold!

A perfect opportunity to attempt an hour record!

Ian P is Billy Mac writing your posts these days what with Charlie beating you on a regular basis an' all?
 
Sounds like fun gents.

Well that was fun. Myself Billy & Ian lstarted. We met Campbell at Greenacres. Good pace all the way to Neilston. I totally bonked going up Dalek Hill but thanks to Campbell who gave me. 2 cereal bars which got me home. On reflection I was probably just getting cold waiting for Billy and Ian.

Talking my language. Will swing by for u.

Just an update: JWCC were successful in the ballot, so successful we've been allocated 2 teams if we want them.
 
If we dont have enough for 8 riders then i can turn down one of these - is there any further interest? 
 
Will be sent the link for entry on the 13th April and will post it on here, you will then have until the 6th of May to enter and the price is £58