My First Boards Spin

NoddingCyclist

Dear Diary…

So yesterday I went on my first boards spin. It also coincided with my first spin up the mountains. And well, truth be told it was all a bit of a disaster really…
But then I’m a positive person, so I like to take the positive from things

First off, I should probably apologise because I’m useless with names, so sorry everyone.


Anyway, Saturday morning the alarm went off. I was a little bit sore from my previous evenings mishap on the bike. I spent the next half hour in a will I, won’t I zone, deliberating whether to join the spin. Then thought, what the hell, nothing ventured, nothing gained, always nice meeting new people, especially fellow cyclists!

I was the only female there & even before we began I was a bit apprehensive. I did consider bailing before we even started, but I gave it ago anyway. It wasn’t long before I realised I was well out of my depth.

Would just like to stop here and say thanks to Tiny Explosions for organising the spin. I would also like to especially thank John (hope I got your name right) for hanging back with me on the first half of the (or my cycle), really appreciated that. I would also like to thank the two guys who came back to check on me – first one I didn’t get your name (sorry), you were wearing the Orwell jersey and the second guy, who I think you said your name was Dick (Again apologise if I got that wrong).

I want to apologise to you all for holding you up and to thank you all for waiting for me…

But anyway, despite all that, I am actually really really glad I went. It was a real eye opener for me and it’s made me realise of how much work I need to do on the bike.
I’ve realised that it is now time for me to stop cruising and start pushing myself more. Time to forget about those nice easy spins around the (Phx) park and time to start hitting some hills.

So over the coming weeks, I am going to work on some more challenging routes for myself. And it started today. Normally, my Sunday spin is cycle to the park, several laps around the park (outer ring) and then cycle home. Today, as part of my cycle, I took myself to the bottom of Stocking Lane, cycled up that, on to Kilakee Road, as far as the junction of Cruagh Road (where I said good-bye to y’all)!

I figure for the next few weeks I will include this as part of my route and then as I get stronger will build on that. I should point out I cycle up it, then loop back and come back down it. At the moment, this is serving two purposes for me. First one obviously working on my climbs and secondly, I also have zero confidence on the bigger downhills!

So anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for yesterday, I am glad that I gave it ago. I aim to be much better and stronger the next time I venture out with y’all.

Caroline_ie

Sounds a lot like my 1st boards spin 2 years ago it'll get better. I will try and make it next time so you're not the only girl.

JacksonHeightsOwn

is it time to start a boards spin B team?

some of the lads here are hella strong, and either dont give themselves enough credit, or love to punish us relative newbies

la calera

Maybe look at joining a club which has a women's section - if nothing else the spins will be all women, so distance/terrain should be more manageable. Don't know where you live, sounds like you're southside - Orwell/Dundrum have a women's section - every Saturday am - probably about 40-60km.

madson

chrisbonnie wrote: »

is it time to start a boards spin B team?

some of the lads here are hella strong, and either dont give themselves enough credit, or love to punish us relative newbies

A 'boards spin B team' sounds good to me, I'm not able for the long spins some do on here yet but I'm working on it. Generally do 2 75km spins a week with some of the shorter hills around Blessington Lakes thrown in.

The tax man

That was myself in the Orwell top. We couldn't lose someone on their first spin so early. Seeing that Johnnie Foxes was mentioned on the route we reckoned that you may be coming up a different route, hence the spin down the road where I saw you were on the way.
Don't be put off by Dirk others powering up climbs,just go at you own pace and we'll regroup at the top.

TinyExplosions

Great to see you out NoddingCyclist, and apologies for losing contact so quickly! We realised we were a couple riders down, but I think by then you had gone past the turn off -was a great shout by The Tax Man that you might have come up the other direction!

Don't worry too much about the speed on hills, we generally wait for folk at the top (certainly everyone was waiting for me!), and you soon get stronger!

StudentC

Fair play to you for heading out, and for your honest assessment!!

I've never ventured on a boards spin for the same reasons as you - too chicken cos I'll know I'll get dropped. In fact, I was half thinking of braving it yesterday but decided against at the last minute, pity, we could've been dropped together

Somebody above mentioend the Orwell womens' group Saturday morning spins - that's worth a shot, I've been out with them a few times and they're friendly with a real mix of abilities so everybody waits for each other.

Lumen

StudentC wrote: »

I've never ventured on a boards spin for the same reasons as you - too chicken cos I'll know I'll get dropped.

It's pretty much impossible to get dropped on a boards spin, unless you actively try and escape by sneakily disappearing down a side road, and even then someone will probably hunt you down and force you on with a smile and a lie about how much further it isn't.

souter

Fairplay NoddingCyclist, any lack of practise on the bike was more than compensated for by sheer sticktoitness.
I was the same last year, so don't give up (I need someone to keep me company at the back)

NoddingCyclist

Thanks everyone for the words of support and encouragement. I will certainly be sticking with the cycling. I love a challenge. And sure it'd be no fun if it was easy...

In relation to joining a club - I intend on joining the Orwell beginner spins on Sunday mornings when they begin again in October. Sundays generally tend to suit me better for my cycling.
However, I think over the next couple of weeks (can't next weekend), I will try to re-jig things to get out with the Orwell Ladies on a Saturday morning. I think it will be beneficial to me.

I think I'm learning, that while with running it is easy enough to train for a marathon on your own, with cycling, it's probably better to have other cyclists to train with.

Anyway, in the meanwhile, I'm gonna just keep on pedalling!

seamus

NoddingCyclist wrote: »

Today, as part of my cycle, I took myself to the bottom of Stocking Lane, cycled up that, on to Kilakee Road, as far as the junction of Cruagh Road (where I said good-bye to y’all)!

That's no joke, and if you can take yourself up that then you're doing well. There's something of a loop there which you can use for training.

Go up Stocking Lane to Viewpoint/Cruagh Road, and then back down Cruagh Road and you'll end up on the Edmondstown Road at Good Counsel Pitch & Putt, about 200m from the bottom of Stocking Lane.

You can do it in reverse to mix it up a bit. Both tough enough climbs - Stocking lane is slightly steeper and Edmondstown is slightly longer. I would also prefer the descent down Edmondstown road in the wet - Stocking Lane is way more fun when it's dry. The loop is around 12k overall, but there's easily 45 minutes of riding there, much of very tough going. Good when time is short but you still want a workout.