Inter-club league race report - 23 April

Chips Lovell

It seems a few people want a bit of report on how the boardsies racing last night got on.

First off, it was lashing rain on the way out to the Brittas, so much so that by the time I got to Tallaght, I thought about turning around and going home because I felt it just wasn't worth it to race in those conditions and risk crashing. Fortunately, the rain cleared a bit by the time it kicked off.

Last night's race was a Delayed Mass Start, which means rather than a handicapped race, each group goes in separate races. Myself, blorg, barrabus and aidan.offbeat were racing in the limit (read utter noobs) group. We had been discussing this beforehand and figured it was a chance for all of us to score points. The plan was to try and keep the pace high on the first lap of the circuit and then try and ride away from everyone on a drag at the end of the first lap, pull out a bit of an advantage and then race it out between ourselves.

Like all best laid plans, it didn't quite work out that way. Almost right from the gun, a strong rider from UCD attacked. We decided to leave him out there in the wind for a while before chasing him down. One of his team mates tried to bridge across, but we did chase that one down, figuring two guys from the same club up the road might be a bit dangerous. So on we went, taking turns to pull and keeping the lone guy out front in our sights. Meanwhile, riders were dropped off the back of our group, leaving us with seven chasers: the four boardsies (all from Orwell) and one each from Lucan, Usher/IRC and UCD.

Once we got to the drag we pushed it up a bit, but what do you know, we didn't manage to shake any of our three companions. On the second lap we realised that our UCD companion in the group might be working for his team mate as the pace seemed to drop a bit every time he got to the front. That necessitated shaking things up a bit and pushing the pace any time he slowed up. I tried to split the bunch myself once on the second lap. Took off flying off the front, went quite hard and then looked over my shoulder to see blorg closing in on me, closely followed by the rest of the bunch.

As we got into the business end of the race, we could see that we were closing in on the leader and realised that we probably left it a little late to catch him. On the drag the second time around we were really going hard and it was tough to hang in there with the three lads. Fortunately though we managed to ditch our three companions. Then the sprint really got going. I was too cooked from the last effort to really put in a final burst of speed, so first blorg and barrabus got the gap on me and then aidan.offbeat pulled away. Looking over my shoulder, I could see no one was near me so I just cruised to the finish, with blorg grabbing second, barrabus third and aidan fourth.

Lumen

How many were in the limit group?

Chips Lovell

Lumen wrote: »

How many were in the limit group?

Only about a dozen last night. So not like we had reams of competition.

Hungrycol

Nice report.

I never know what's going on in a race. I just try to keep up, keep in the 1st third of the group, do my turn and not p!ss anyone off too much. Oh and take a corner correctly if at the front as every one will follow your line on the presumption that you know how to corner correctly! I barely know how to race never mind bloody turn!

Gavin

Good report alright, sounds like good fun !

Lumen

My Name is Mario wrote: »

Only about a dozen last night. So not like we had reams of competition.

Great results nonetheless, and a fascinating read.

ROK ON

Good read. You should probably think about a career in writing or something!!!

Lumen

ROK ON wrote: »

Good read. You should probably think about a career in writing or something!!!

Yeah, you can tell he's artsy by the compulsive spelling out of numbers.

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Good read. You should probably think about a career in writing or something!!!

Lol. I had planned on blogging all my races this year. I've a bit of catching up to do. That's five I've done now.

Lumen

My Name is Mario wrote: »

That's five I've done now.

See!

niceonetom

Inspiring stuff, I might give this racing malarkey a go next year. Thanks for the report and your insight into the tactics of it all - I don't think my planning would go much further than 'go fast, don't crash'.

What about the crash after the line?

Raam

Good show lads. We've all got something to try and match now!

Chips Lovell

niceonetom wrote: »

Inspiring stuff, I might give this racing malarkey a go next year. Thanks for the report and your insight into the tactics of it all - I don't think my planning would go much further than 'go fast, don't crash'.

What about the crash after the line?

You should totally give it a go. If I can survive, you'd be well able for it.

Ah yes, blorg crashed after crossing the line. According to him, he was totally fried and practically seeing stars. He didn't see a pothole and it caused him to fall. When I came across the line he was sprawled across the road. They got the ambulance down to him, but he was on his feet again in no time. He seems to be alright, except for a a bit of arseal bruising.

ROK ON

I'm at the stage where I am just happy to be out on the bike. Have never thought about joining a club and racing.

The more i read stuff like this, the more I want to race. Something to aim for next year.

scottreynolds

Raam wrote: »

We've all got something to try and match now!

These threads this week have me wanting to race more and more. Great stuff guys -- still a month or so away from me racing but please keep up the threads.

Lets have a "Boardsies in Action - 18th - 25th April" weekly thread so people can add and post race reports. Lets the rest of us get an idea of how things are going and, as stated, inspiring.

Blorg seems determined not to do the ToI.... which is the only reason I'm not racing yet in the swords league.

lukester

Great report, like being there. Inspiring stuff.

lukester

How many hours race training are you guys putting in on average?

Raam

lukester wrote: »

How many hours race training are you guys putting in on average?

I'll go out on Saturday and Sunday and also once during the week. Then there is the race day itself and also the daily work commute.

lukester

Raam wrote: »

I'll go out on Saturday and Sunday and also once during the week. Then there is the race day itself and also the daily work commute.

Ballpark total no. of hours/kms?

You're obviously already horribly fit though :pac:

Raam

lukester wrote: »

Ballpark total no. of hours/kms?

You're obviously already horribly fit though :pac:

A really good week would have 500km. That doesn't always happen. I may be fit, but I'm not race fit.

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

I'm at the stage where I am just happy to be out on the bike. Have never thought about joining a club and racing.

The more i read stuff like this, the more I want to race. Something to aim for next year.

I was the same as yourself. Although I was always into following the pro races, for a long time my biggest goals were sportives like the Wicklow 200. Once I'd done a few of them I started itching for a new challenge and racing began to look a little less intimidating. The best advice I can give is to dive in. Everyone worries about not being fast enough, but to be honest, unless you are one of those rare people who have a natural talent, the best way to get up to speed is to actually race, get destroyed and then race again. Eventually you'll get the legs. Joining a club and going out on some of their spins will get you used to riding in a tight group. I procrastinated for about a year before starting, something I really regret now as I'd be much further along.

scottreynolds wrote: »

Lets have a "Boardsies in Action - 18th - 25th April" weekly thread so people can add and post race reports.

Good idea.

lukester wrote: »

How many hours race training are you guys putting in on average?

I did 350km last week, 500km the week before (but I was on holidays) and will probably do around 350 to 400km this week. That included races themselves and going to and from them. To be honest though, how you train rather than how long you train for is probably more important. I'm still a bit unstructured, but I'm beginning to realise that specific exercises like intervals and hill repeats would serve me better than just going on long spins. The long ones do serve a purpose, building up an aerobic base, but you've got to do a bit to work on your strength too I think.

lukester

Raam wrote: »

A really good week would have 500km. That doesn't always happen. I may be fit, but I'm not race fit.

And a really bad/avg week? Make this slob feel a little better.

scottreynolds

My Name is Mario wrote: »

I'm beginning to realise that specific exercises like intervals and hill repeats would serve me better than just going on long spins.

That makes alot of sense. I have the training bible by Joe Friel that your welcome to borrow if you wanted to read that -- good book for training.

Its not the new edition, released last month, so it still take about HRM training.

lukester

My Name is Mario wrote: »

To be honest though, how you train rather than how long you train for is probably more important.

There's hope for us all.

Seriously though, hours like that I could manage if I had a goal to motivate me.

Interesting indeed.

Chips Lovell

scottreynolds wrote: »

That makes alot of sense. I have the training bible by Joe Friel that your welcome to borrow if you wanted to read that -- good book for training.

Its not the new edition, released last month, so it still take about HRM training.

I have it too. I should probably go back to it. Twas a bit out of my league when I bought it a few years back.

At the moment, I think I'm getting my best race training from the races themselves.

Raam

lukester wrote: »

And a really bad/avg week? Make this slob feel a little better.

really bad would be just the commuting distance... 125 or so.

scottreynolds

lukester wrote: »

And a really bad/avg week? Make this slob feel a little better.

Commute = Easiest way is to look at your commute. Mine is 15 km each way which over five days is 150km to start.

Weekly Training = Once / twice per week you might want to extend you commute with some additional intervals, say a one hour session. Thats another 25km.

Weekend Training= A weekend ride can be anything from 50-150km and you would do two of these if you wanted a long week. Sunday could be a race.

For racers you can add another weekly race. Summer night races are up to 60km but people would generally cycle their, circa 100km in total. It all adds up.

So thats anything from 225 - 450 km per week.

That distance may be a little high for some racers but the racers intensity will be much higher than you standard touring cyclist

petethedrummer

Does drafting a bus count as race training?

scottreynolds

My Name is Mario wrote: »

I have it too. I should probably go back to it. Twas a bit out of my league when I bought it a few years back.

At the moment, I think I'm getting my best race training from the races themselves.

Agree there. Its what you are / should be doing other days (if you have any) that you probably need to plan. i.e. Another 100 miles on a Saturday in wicklow probably won't help you with your racing but 20 miles there... 5x5minute all out hill efforts.. 20 miles home might help you more....

I'd be interested on what works for you later on this year.

lukester

petethedrummer wrote: »

Does drafting a bus count as race training?

Yep. Motor pacing, innit?

Hungrycol

Real Slim Shady wrote: »

I did 350km last week, 500km the week before (but I was on holidays) and will probably do around 350 to 400km this week. That included races themselves and going to and from them.

Oh holy God there's no hope for me.

Lumen

My Name is Mario wrote: »

I have it too. I should probably go back to it. Twas a bit out of my league when I bought it a few years back.

At the moment, I think I'm getting my best race training from the races themselves.

Having extensively reviewed the available documentation (Friel and the power meter book, plus bike fit DVD) I'm convinced that cycling training is mind-voodoo.

LSD good. Intervals good. Sprint training good. Hill repeats good. More hours on the bike good. Racing good. And don't forget structural and neurological fitness. But don't overtrain, and always stop a training session before you've had enough.

So more of everything, and less of everything.

Yeah, thanks.

Hungrycol

petethedrummer wrote: »

Does drafting a bus count as race training?

Yes just like drafting in a bunch and requires high level of concentration.

rottenhat

Lumen wrote: »

LSD good.

Mmmm, yeah...+1 on that.

wait, what are we talking about again?

lukester

Lumen wrote: »

plus bike fit DVD

Was that any good? Any inside bike-fit skinny to share?

Chips Lovell

petethedrummer wrote: »

Does drafting a bus count as race training?

It's good practice for drafting behind my fat arse, that's for sure.

Lumen

lukester wrote: »

Was that any good? Any inside bike-fit skinny to share?

Yes. I've only watched the first DVD. This basically said that aerobic fitness is the least important thing, as it's the easiest to train, and that you should focus on comfort, position and structural fitness (core/flexibility) since these are hardest to acquire.

It demonstrated this with a cyclist who'd been racing for over 30 years, could kiss his shins and keep his body in a perfect flat-back aero position with no-hands and no effort.

I then looked for information in Joe Friel's bible on structural/neurological fitness, core strength and flexibility. And found about one paragraph. There was however (in the same book) an extract from a fifties publication which talked about pros spending days in the forests doing calisthenics.

MadHatter

My Name is Mario wrote: »

It's good practice for drafting behind my fat arse, that's for sure.

Why's that? Similar levels of noxious fumes?

petethedrummer

Excellent, I'm gonna have to thank the 151 bus to Grangecastle when I get on the podium then.

scottreynolds

Lumen wrote: »

I then looked for information in Joe Friel's bible on structural/neurological fitness, core strength and flexibility.

Is it edition 3 or 4 of the book? Jsut wondering cause I have 3 and wouldn't mind a gander at 4. Oh yes, on joes blog he says "Its an art not a science".

Lumen

scottreynolds wrote: »

Is it edition 3 or 4 of the book? Jsut wondering cause I have 3 and wouldn't mind a gander at 4.

4. Help yourself, I'm sure you can include my house in one of your Forrest Gump-like training tours of Leinster.

smithslist

anybody know when the updated league table wil be released?

scottreynolds

Lumen wrote: »

4. Help yourself, I'm sure you can include my house in one of your Forrest Gump-like training tours of Leinster.

Cool -- I'll just commit that to memory and sort it later. You ride with Rok On and he's across the river from me during the week (for a little while longer).

lukester

Lumen wrote: »

Yes. I've only watched the first DVD. This basically said that aerobic fitness is the least important thing, as it's the easiest to train, and that you should focus on comfort, position and structural fitness (core/flexibility) since these are hardest to acquire.

Interesting, but I think they're overstating things a very large tad there. (And I'm stretching like a mothaflocker these days, my lack of hamstring flexibility being the source of my leg niggles it seems. In fairness, the missus did tell me so. Darnit)

Do they use traditional methods for fit, like knee angle, plumb-bobs, etc, or is it all computer tomfoolery?

Lumen

lukester wrote: »

Do they use traditional methods for fit, like knee angle, plumb-bobs, etc, or is it all computer tomfoolery?

None of the above. Measuring is not necessary.

Bit off-topic for this thread, I'll do a proper write up when I've watched the second DVD.

Overstating, yes of course. Exaggeration for effect.

DirkVoodoo

Really enjoyed that report Tonto, keep blogging please!

I have my reasons for not racing yet, I want to get more comfortable with my bike handling and riding in a group. Last saturday when we were out I couldn't even take a turn and just clung onto the back of the group, my cornering is pretty bad too, all these problems stem from my fear of coming a cropper.

Next year, next year.

lukester

Lumen wrote: »

None of the above. Measuring is not necessary.

Intrigued now- please do post up a review when you've watched the second installment.

blorg

Towards the end we were closing in on the UCD guy who had been basically doing a time trial on his own since the start, a well deserved winner. I pulled off towards the top of the final drag, around 2km to go, got over the top first and down the descent as fast as I could, pedalled hard down the start of it and then tried to get aero and 'recover' a bit; over the bridge at the bottom with 900m to go, was caught just a few metres later by the Orwell Boardsies just at the start of the final rise to the finish. Could see the UCD lad but was not going to catch him.

The sprint really got going then, I thought Tonto/Mario/Dick was first to try but he then tired and I hooked on to Aidan’s wheel and then as he tired swapped over to Barrabus who was jumping forward… Spotted a jeep with people standing beside it in high-viz. The finish! I went off full-tilt.

This rise is only a tiny thing but it felt like the hardest mountain I had ever tackled. Heart rate was already at 190 by this stage. 191, 192, 193… Feck, that jeep wasn’t the finish, the finish is another 250m down the road! Crap, I went too soon. No, keep it going, 194, 195, 196, legs are burning, legs are weak, never looked back so no idea where anyone else was, but sure I was to be caught at any minute. 197, 198, starting to get hazy, I glance up every so often, I’m still on the road, I’m still on the bike, this will all be over soon. 199, 200, I’m over the line and wasn’t caught.

I’m looking at the verge, the soft verdant verge. I am still on the bike. I need to ditch the bike. Feck, it’s full of brambles. I need to get off, I need to lie down. I need to collapse. I am dreaming of the soft grass on top of Kippure. Drift a bit to the left and don’t notice a drain hole. Front wheel in, flat, over the handlebars. Bang, I’m sprawled out on the road. It’s sort of comfortable here, I’ll stay here for a while. I can’t breathe. People are crowding around, just stay still, sounds good to me.

Esroh

Mario/Blorg your reportings are classic.Great effort.


Just to anyone who is worried about not having enough miles/skills to ride a race. Club Leagues are there for people to learn. If you get blown off the back of the noob group the first night you can be sure the whizz kids who did it will be moved up the next night.:DI would never have started last year except clubmates dragged me along.Now I'm hooked and thats at 44yld:eek:

Lumen

Blorg,

You can't have been trying that hard if you managed to keep track of your heart rate on the Garmin during a sprint.

The wimp list beckons

Junior

I dunno lads, not to sound negative here but ye certainly could have rode that race a lot better considering the amount of ye there ? I would have certainly done what the UCD boys done i.e. put a man up the road straight away and let the others do the donkey work. Ye seemed to have hauled everyone else around for the night.

Also if your going to try get away, don't have a team mate chase you down, let your team mates wait and see what the reaction of the rest of the bunch is, and either
A - Let the bunch bring ye across
B - Sit up and let your man away.

If A happens when your rider is caught try counter with another team member straight away.