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Well done. A faster race this week a you held on well. Better still, you got back on when we lapped you the first time. Riding in the bunch is a skill and fitness is only part of the story.
The 4th cats managed to all stay upright, which is more than can be said for the E123 race in which I narrowly missed the last lap pile up!
Ouch! Well done on avoiding!
I thought the riding was very consistent- it seemed everyone was doing a good job (not that I know either way lol)
I think, if I had held on for less than half a lap longer, I would have been OK- as when I got on the second time, it was about 3mph slower! Then that attack came and the elastic didn't have quite as much stretch left in it 😉
I'm still making hard work of it 😀
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Just been given 2017s supply of cycling energy 😆
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Sponsored already hey 😀
Unofficially yes 😆
The bars are really nice, but I barely use the gels. Got a pile of out of date ones to get rid of - so if anyone wants them let me know! 🙂
Doh! I literally just ordered some on Amazon yesterday.
You/weeksy/tired can have them anyway if you trust them 😆
I'll bring them to Hillingdon in January, going to book my races on payday this week.
Not sure on the yodel direct jersey I got too, but I quite like the white & green skoda one lol
Thank you, but I've only done gels once, they went really really badly. So I'm a no thank you
Cool- thanks. My iron gut can cope with anything 😀
Great, thanks @crosshair - seems a shame binning them! [url= 
]These are what I've got[/url]
Also have these if anyone wants them:
1/4 zip: [url= 
]PIC 1[/url] [url= 
]PIC 2[/url]
Polo: [url= 
]PIC[/url]
Having a bit of a Christmas clear out 😆
Ah bugger, I left it too late it seems...
I'm on the waiting lists for the next 2 races. 😥
Oh i'll take as many gels as you can't eat. One thing you will find is that at race pace it is very hard to eat anything solid. I get stomach cramps. The things I do eat are Clif bloks.
For a circuit race, a gel before and another at 30 minutes is all that's needed.
Sign up anyway, plans always change, and illness may see off a few riders. If you are top five, you are normally guaranteed to ride.
I've signed up to 6, 7 & 9.
I'm 8th on the waiting list for the 4th race and 4th on the list for the 5th.
I'll probably come along and watch anyway.
I've also just started to get my body used to gels and bars, I wasn't sure how well I'd cope lol. I think a bar 30 mins before, gel 15 mins before and some energy drink in the bottle is enough for me. Testing on Zwift lol.
I've joined the waiting list for the 14th and entered the next round after that at the moment.
Are you racing on the 7th crosshair?
I'm tempted by these:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gipiemme-Bike-Cycling-Carbon-Clincher-Wheel-Set-11-Speed-SRAM-Shimano-/361861295687?hash=item54409d2e47:g:XU8AAOSw-0xYXX~l
Thoughts anyone?
Thoughts, you're fast enough without wheels.
Blimey scrap that, they weigh 2kg: http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPGIP6040/gipiemme-60-40-clincher-wheelset
I'd quite like some 50mm carbon wheels to finish off the bike.
Are you coming down to Hillingdon in Jan Weeksy?
No, working on the 7th. Done a bit of an 8 week training plan with the last week as the target but I've been ill this week so not off to the best start 😀
Ah you're planning on joining in on the last one?!
Go for it, get it booked before all the places dry up & you change your mind 🙂
Well and the previous 4 if possible. I have a definite place for the 21st and am just after you on the list for the 14th 🙂
I just had a dumb moment - thought weeksy had posted that 😆
Hoping I'll have some nice carbon wheels to try before the last couple of races. 🙂
You racing Weeksy?
Not until you can hold a bunch easily mate. I judge my ability on a staircase, I'm 5 steps below Nath and 2 below you. So if you're being shelled, then why would I bother yet? It may be too late at 45 for me to find enough speed to ever try, but I'll keep on zwifting and hitting xc races next year, we'll see if that gives me enough. But not yet that's for sure
You'd bother because it's hard to put in perspective without trying it.
Also, our fitness isn't proportional 😀 I could get fit enough to win and it wouldn't help quantify where you fit in a race.
I also think I can probably get to holding the bunch for the majority of the race (if not the final couple of speedy laps) without any further fitness gains.....
Weeksy, I started at 45. Was shelled in my first races. Finishing in the bunch was a major milestone, I can tell you! Before that I was a commuter who rode the odd sportive and I'd ridden a few club rides.
Honestly I never expected to race. But joining a club piqued my interest, and I thought why not?
Also Weeksy, in a funny way, it makes it more engaging.
At a Gorrick say, really all you have to improve is your fitness and maybe an odd few seconds on a rooty descent or tricky climb. But even that won't be enough if ten faster people decide to enter Fun that week.
Whereas, at Hillingdon, it's soooo bloody annoying getting dropped, that suddenly the time and distance between me and winners is irrelevant. For now, all that matters is that next goal on TiReds 'Crit achievements' list 😀
Whether I get there this season through practice or next season through fitness and practice is suddenly irrelevant. I have my goal and it has sucked me in 🙂
45 and got my 2nd cat this year, you've got plenty of time!
As you know CH, we're different in more than a few ways, Hillingdon Fritz can't replace xc riding and stuff for me. If anything, enduro is a bigger threat to any xc stuff. Hillingdon would just be something to tick off a list, not a goal for me.
I was more more just trying to promote its merits from a 'back of the pack' perspective- rather than suggest it as a replacement.
You should definitely try Enduro in 2017 though......
Ah I just think you've got to treat it as a bit of fun really. I'm not turning up to win, but enjoy it - keeping in the bunch at "high" speed without incident is enough for me.
I think it's 40% tactics, 40% fitness and 20% luck to end up in the top 10 to be honest!
If I come on the Saturdays I'm down on the waiting list for, how does that work?
If I come on the Saturdays I'm down on the waiting list for, how does that work?
Turn up sign on and wait until the normal registration is closed. The Commissaires will have a count up of how many non-atteendees there are then open that many spaces to the reserve riders. You've got about a 20 minute window at most to sign on, pin your numbers on, warm up and get to the start so you need to be in your race kit.
You'll almost certainly get a ride that's the whole point of a reserve field so do be ready for it, it won't be quite as relaxed as rocking up with 2hrs to spare.
If you don't get a ride, you get a refund or the entry carried forward. However if you don't bother to turn up at all, you lose the money!
Okay thanks! Should I take cash then as I've not paid to be on the waiting list?
Yes you will need cash on the line. You'll get a ride.
Cheers @TiRed!
Might see you next Saturday then!
Just noticed someone has sliced my tyre (by catching something on it), my bike is stored indoors, but we've been having a new bathroom fitted. Annoying! Might use it as an excuse to try some GP4000s out.
😳
May have just bought some carbon clinchers 😆
Starting to see some [url= 
][b]Improvements in my fitness[/b][/url], although I think the last is a glitch & the KISS TT on the 28th I had a whooping great stitch 7 miles into it lol.
Getting closer to the magic 5w/kg http://www.zwiftpower.com/profile.php?id=8544067
The training plan for the next few weeks:
Mon/Tues/Wed - Commute + Zwift Race (TTs) (Light spin on Tues if legs tired)
Thurs/Fri - Commute + very light Zwift spin (120-130bpm + 10s sprints)
Sat - Hillingdon race (and cycle too and from)
Sun - 30-50 mile ride out or rest/light zwift spin if legs not feeling it
While dropping my weight slowly from 70kg to 68kg over a 5 week period.
Do you think that's a good plan, or will I burn out ❓
Good luck tomorrow mate 🙂
Thanks crosshair!
Tomorrow's objective is purely to concentrate - stay mid pack in the bunch and not cause an incident. I'll be happy with that. 😆
Bike wise - unfortunately the power meter didn't arrive today, unless RM deliver it in the morning, but I've got the new wheels and I think it finishes off the bike nicely hopefully it'll help too:
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7.83kg but still need to cut the steerer, fit latex tubes and drop a bottle holder and I might just get it to 7.5kg?
Sub 11 would be nice for mine 😀
You'll be fine!! Looking forward to reading the report when I finish work later 🙂
First of all, thanks for the company @tired 😆
Today was wet and miserable but good fun bar two niggles:
1) Punctured so rejoined at the back with Tired
2) Rented power meter had a dead battery (was looking forward to the stats)
I was doing okay up to the puncture, I was at the pointy end in say the top 10. After the puncture I just couldn't get back into it, I did a crazy attack but brought no one with me so that didn't last but got me back into the top 10 so not such a waste.
I just need to build the confidence to work my way through the middle of the pack, I tend to stick to the outer sides as I feel safer?!
On the plus side I managed to concentrate and held my line okay I think, particularly on the corners.
On a side note I've made a [b][u]HUGE [/u][/b]mistake with my build, missing a washer which has resulted in this (I thought it was just overspray):
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Needless to say one of the washers is in place now!!!
P.s. I stayed and watched some of the proper racing, you looked proper strong out there Tired as I was eating my flapjack and drinking a cup of tea:
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Ah gutted but that's racing I guess. Well done on getting stuck in though 🙂
Yep, all in the name of sport. I can't see myself getting points this season to be frank! Definitely done to much cycling this week as didn't feel as fresh as last time.
Hopefully we'll both get emails this week about Saturday and it won't rain!
I'm gutted about the PM, was hoping for some good numbers. I ended up with a dura ace one, looks really nice!
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I wouldn't say it looked £480 nicer than mine 😀