2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted June 16, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 Anyone riding ? I was sure I had entered but can't find any email confirmation so I think I have totally cocked up. Must be thinking about Arran too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin McPhee Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 I'm in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted June 17, 2014 Author 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Good luck Colin and Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions Gummers Posted June 18, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 18, 2014 Look forward to race reports Colin and Richard! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Richard Posted June 19, 2014 Members Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 My only reason for entering races is so I can write a report afterwards, Andy. I've rambled on here because I'm still too switched on to sleep (and because I like rambling on.) Skip to the end for the important bit.Tonight's contest was a well-organised Glasgow Green CC production over two and a bit laps of the Stewarton circuit: twice over the Dams and the Clunch, with the finish line just outside East Renfrewshire's Newton Mearns rubbish tip. (I'm sure you all know it well.) There were 60 riders on the start sheet, and we rolled out from the Indian restaurant at the Malletsheugh in glorious sunshine, with me and Colin in the mix for the Wheelers. Roadside support by Chung and Ken.The race kicked off by heading south on the A77. The first two miles were neutralised, but with no lead car directly in front of the bunch, the pace was brisk with lots of jostling. There was a keen westerly wind and you could clearly feel how much easier it was to ride near the gutter compared to the outside of the bunch. At the Galston roundabout we did a U-turn back towards the Malletsheugh. Colin was sitting in the front third; I'd done my usual front-to-back routine, easing away from erratic riders in the name of self-preservation.I was determined not to tackle the Dams climb from the back, so I moved up as we approached the finish line for the start of the first lap proper. Not long after that, a break of about 8-9 riders slipped off the front with a good gap of about 60 yards. Jason Barnes went in pursuit and I chased after him. "Take a spell, Jason, take a spell!" My intentions were good but my ability to put a name to a face was not: it was Nicky Cronin from Glasgow Wheelers! Nonetheless, take a spell he did and we tried to get across. If we had a gap on the main bunch, it wasn't for long. We caught a few riders who had tried to get across to the break, but not the break itself - nowhere near them. I sat up as we turned left off the A77 and drifted backwards.Going over the Dams, Colin was off the front in a second breakaway group of five or six. I swear I saw him turn around with a slightly puzzled expression on his face as he looked back across the gap to the bunch! He'll be able to fill you in on the details, but I reckon the second group were brought back by the top of the Clunch road. On the A77, we were told that the first break had a gap of about 1:40. We were travelling north quickly, but the chase wasn't organised with few contributing. I was happy to sit in.Second time over the Dams and it's suddenly rather hard. Riders were flaking off the back of the group and I lost track of where Colin was. I managed to hang on, though, and was attached to the bunch as we turned for the Clunch. Could I actually make it to the end of a road race without cramping up?Well, no, unfortunately. We're big-ringing it up the miserably steep introduction to the Clunch and I get that now-familiar feeling that my legs will not support my weight. Standing up is no longer an option, so I settle down in the saddle and try to make sure that I'm always in a gear I can spin. I managed to hang on over the top - just - after five minutes of teeth-clenching and muttering. Onto the A77 for the final time and as soon as the surge out of the corner had been dealt with, I was confident I'd make it.As the finish line got closer, I recovered a wee bit and moved up the bunch. Don't get me wrong: I was wrecked, but I felt good enough to start thinking about whether it was worth sprinting through an unlit tunnel and onto the final rise with 20 or 30-odd guys for tenth place. "Probably not," I decided.There were some daft moves over the white line in the last few miles (and throughout the race) and that made up my mind for me: try to stop a gap opening but no heroics. Although I was probably dead last, I think - I hope! - that was a bunch finish.David Dalziel from the Nightingale beat his breakaway companions for the win and his second WOSCA victory this year. Colin finished a bit behind me - how much, I'm not sure, cos I was a bit spaced out when we were chatting back at race HQ. Exhaustion is also my excuse for losing my sunglasses in the last four miles and running over a dead pigeon on the way home. I just wish I could blame tiredness for calling Nicky "Jason" and for forgetting to start my Garmin. :-/With the ride out and back, that was probably my longest run in the last eight or nine months. My legs might benefit from another race next week, but there doesn't seem to be anything in the West of Scotland. I've entered the next Glasgow Green WOSCA race in a fortnight and the Glasgow Road Club race at the start of August. Get your entry in now, Paul! martin, KennyS, ginty001 and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavieB Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Clappers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions thejanullrichdietplan Posted June 19, 2014 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Well done sounds like you were right in the mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin McPhee Posted June 19, 2014 Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 An enjoyable nights racing was had in beautiful sunshine although Richard and I couldn't decide if it was one water bottle or two for this one given the heat. As the race rolled out I was managing my effort well but my last words to Richard were that I woul be sitting on and trying to last the distance. Funny how you make these plans at the start. On the northbound leg of the a77 I was sitting in the first 3rd of the bunch but riders were veering across the white line constantly so in the interests of holding position I duly moved up on a riders wheel. The rider then decided to give chase to a small group who had gone up the road and I had to make a decision to stick or twist. I went with him and got into the breakaway of about 6 guys . I knew I was over cooking it and when I was pulling through for my turn it was at the bottom of the first climb up the dams road so was really on full gas. This gave me a good 1 min advantage up the climb do decided to sit up and drop back in to the bunch. Over the top feeling ok but recovered a bit too much and ended up in poor position going up the clunch road hung on ok but the poor road surface at the top nearly caused me to come off the bike a couple of times and I lost a bit of ground as the bunch accelerated over the top so realised it was day over. Linked up with a couple of other riders and tried to chase back on but it wasn't to be. Hmmm a lesson in pacing me thinks Well done to Richard for finishing strongly and good to see Chung out in support KennyS, Richard, thejanullrichdietplan and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2023 Subscriptions P McDonald Posted June 19, 2014 Author 2023 Subscriptions Report Share Posted June 19, 2014 Well done chaps, I was almost late for work reading Richards report at breakfast this morning. Sounds like a good dig from you both. 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.