2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted September 14, 2008 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Strong field at this event today with JWCC represented by myself and Alan. The back end of the course was saw tooth in profile with repeated 17% climbs, those that finished deserved a medal. Not sure of his position but Alan put in an excellent performance and finished well up. I was agressive in the opening 25 miles and paid for at the top of the big climb when I blew completely and had to lie in the grass at the side of the road for 10 minutes At least it was an excellent run back downhill in the sunshine. Well done again Alan PMcD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Daly Posted September 14, 2008 Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Kicking myself for not entering this one. Will never know whether I would have ended up following Alan across the line, or sitting with Paul having a wee rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted September 14, 2008 Committee Report Share Posted September 14, 2008 Paul, it's hills baby! Anyone who read my post last week might recall my comments on the Saltoun race about insufficient hills to break up the pack. Well some of you will doubtless be delighted that the cycling gods were listening and I got a real kicking today on proper hills. I spent Saturday night hill training by watching Contador do some serious damage to the Vuelta on the Angrilu while eating Pringles and drinking beer (me not him). Lovely late summer day in Haddington, warm southerly breeze. Forty-three signed on. Cat 4s outnumbered by real racers in higher cats. I knew it would be hard and just wanted to finish in the top half if possible. We rolled out to the Gifford circuit that some will recall from the first Sup6r six. I buried myself in the pack and easily completed the two laps on the big ring. Up front some brief attacks were easily reeled in. Paul was prominent in the front half dozen, looking for a break. Third time round we headed south west from Gifford into the hills and the climbing started. A hard 100m climb in the first 1500m split up the bunch and the front dozen steamed off into the distance. Game over. The horribly steep climb up onto Redstone Rigg (441m) saw the lead bunch way up the road, leaving bodies everywhere. Eddie Cowle from Stirling, AN other and I joined forces to try and make up time and had a lovely fast ride along the top of the moor. Having finished the Rigg climb I was gutted to see the next big climb up to Duddy Bank. Eddie pulled ahead but we caught him again to speed into Lonformacus and turn left back to the main road, again along remorselessly hilly back roads. We were caught by a little bunch and six of us worked well heading back north along the main road. Still we had little 20-30m climbs to tire us out and I was dreading the final climb back up the finish at Redstone. After Whiteadder Reservoir the road turned west and headed up. Our group was gaining on a bunch of four, 300m ahead, but time was running out. The gradient steepened and it started to hurt a lot. I was delighted to see the 1k to go sign but there was a truly awful 100m climb to get there. Alone, it would have been fun but with five fit guys around me it was murder. Eddie, a Lomond Roads chap and AN Other were much better climbers and left me for dead. My legs would barely turn but I had a fit Weegie Wheeler 2m off my rear wheel and another guy just behind him. At least I wasn't last in my bunch. The 200m "sprint" sign was a joke, lactic acid was reaching intolerable levels. I held my place, crossed the line and laid/collapsed down in the heather, unable to talk for five minutes. Lammermuirilu indeed. After recovering the highlight of the day was the ten mile downhill run with a tailwind to Haddington. What a great circuit, by far my hardest race of the year. Proper hills left nowhere to hide in a bunch. Mixing with better racers was very interesting and sobering. Top marks to Aiden McIlroy for the win. I was 21st so just made the top half of the field. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul mcskimming Posted September 15, 2008 Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 well reported guys...absolutely savage would describe the "hilly" section. i was found out on the first lift after having to sprint on after the bottle neck at gifford. passed pleasantries with paul at the side of the rd thinking to myself"i'll go to the top check the view and get paul back in the rd. . arriving at the marshalls i enquired which was the quickest way home....one of the sniggering marshalls said" straight on"...LIAR!! if i'd known what was in front of me i'd have packed too paul..i'd no option but to ride round the loop as i'd no idea where i was. only medal i deserve is for stupidity...silly old fool that i am. see you's at rothesay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2024 Subscriptions Darryl Gunson Posted September 15, 2008 2024 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Good effort and excellent report guys, particularly Alan's. Brought it all back to me...that feeling of needing to lay down especially vivid Reminds me why I've stopped doing it See you on the road for some HiSci 'levellers' training action once the weather gets all mucky DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted September 15, 2008 Committee Report Share Posted September 15, 2008 Link to results on the erc site here http://www.edinburghrc.co.uk/forums/ind ... ic=10487.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Ramsay Posted September 16, 2008 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 16, 2008 Well done guys. Sounds like a lot of hard work! Might even be tempted to have a go at this road race thing myself next year.....maybe! Alan, looks like you were second 4th cat, as the guy a few places up was first 4th cat. Great effort. Looking forward to the long winter rides again. Only thing to do between now and then is a couple of hill climbs in the next few weeks. Ramsay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Committee Alan McLean Posted September 17, 2008 Committee Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 Ramsay Suggest you come to Bute on Sunday for the TLI race. We need some fresh legs. No racing license required, just turn up and ride, costs a few quid. Nice quiet roads and looks to be sunny. Highly recommended racing introduction. You could win it if you get in a break. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Ramsay Posted September 18, 2008 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 Alan, Would love to come to Bute, but will be doing my warm weather hill training in Majorca. Have hired a "pro" bike, which will probably turn out to be a Grifter or Chopper!! Although there is a temptation to spend time on an island in the Firth of Clyde, I'm afraid there is a greater temptation to spend time on an island in the Med!! Hope all goes well in the races. Cheers Ramsay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.