Swords Club League - Race 3 April 27th

07Lapierre

Hi Guys,

The next Race in the Swords Club League is Wednesday 27th @ 7pm.
Circuit details here

Sign-On: Ring Common Sports Centre at 06.30 pm

Please bring your Swordscc race number with you (If you've attended race 1 or 2, you should have one). Remember, every rider must have a Cycling Ireland/ IVCA license. Please bring your cycling Ireland Licence number with you and add it onto the sign on sheet.

many thanks

GlennaMaddy

watch out for the lads returning from Gorey, they'll be flying

Beasty

GlennaMaddy wrote: »

watch out for the lads returning from Gorey, they'll be flying

I take it they'll be the ones in bandages....

Raam

I'll be the one standing on a corner waving a flag.

shaungil

I'll be the one in civvies with the kids watching. Even if I was allowed to I don't think I could face the hammerfest in scratch....

macken04

Good luck, hopefully I can begin my racing carrer next year

Beasty

macken04 wrote: »

Good luck, hopefully I can begin my racing carrer next year

Why wait until next year? The season has only just started, and if you're interested in racing give it a go this year

macken04

I would love to, however, for my own safety (and yours) I would rather join up with a club first and learn how to ride in a bunch and handle myself. As soon as I hand my thesis in I will join a local club.The last thing anyone wants is a silly accident owing to a lack of experience on my part.

superlav

Also a few league regulars returning from Rás Mumhan, Tour of the North and Rás Chonamara.

Methinks scratch group could be quick this week.

Beasty

A large field expected, and they are due to run 6 groups. Group 2 lapped in 16-17 minutes or so last year, which will make the handicapping very interesting - if they are not careful Group 1 could be back round to the start by the time scratch are setting off

pprendeville

from ridewithgps this circuit looks pretty flat. am i right in saying this?

superlav

FWIW - Scratch lapped between 14:25 and 14:42 last year.

Beasty

pprendeville wrote: »

from ridewithgps this circuit looks pretty flat. am i right in saying this?

Flattest course we do - a bit of a hill towards the cricket club, and a couple of drags after that. Just over 60m of climbing per lap

One very bad patch of road where you need to get your line right through the (poor) repairs a couple of km after the cricket club

killalanerr

im back for this one,nice flat one hoping to hang on but was on moto Marshall duty over the last 2 weekends (Kerry was looking super) so very little bike time over the last week, have excuse ready

petethedrummer

I did this one last year. The finish is down the road a few hundred metres from where the start is. I didn't realise this, not that it would have made a jot of difference.

RobFowl

petethedrummer wrote: »

I did this one last year. The finish is down the road a few hundred metres from where the start is. I didn't realise this, not that it would have made a jot of difference.

The white line lovingly painted across the road usually gives it away

(You went over it 4 or 5 times)

petethedrummer

I was in the zone man, doing so many big pulls at the front I couldn't be expected to notice such details.

bcmf

Saw the Facebook plea for marshalls. Will try and get down to give a dig out.

BTH

I enjoyed that. Group 3(the first one) for me until we were caught. Tried to stay and kind of did for a while, then ended up on my own until I was swept up by another group.

English Bob

Enjoyed that!!
Fast race. Was in group 2 & although it was a but scrappy we sorted a bit of order after 1st lap. Managed to stay with faster group & kept with bunch until last time up past Balrothery climb. Was in smaller group coming into finish & even managed a sprint to the line!!
Thanks to all organisers & big shout to Joe for all his patience when sorted the rabble at the start!!

bcmf

Hey Bob! Was you dad out spectating. Myself and another guy were marshalling the second corner and a guy came up and was chatting. Said his son was racing and his name was Rob.

English Bob

Yes that was my dad!!
His first race ever seen! He loved it.
He's in the pub now with my father-in-law!!
Was quite tempted but would prob b pissed after one pint after racing!!!!

Beasty

Tonight both groups 2 and 3 were split in two. I was in the second part of Group 2. There was some confusion at the start, and a lot of those who should have been in my part of Group 2 actually set of with the first part - so they had getting on for 20 riders and we had about 8 - not only that, but those who placed in last week's race were in the first part of the group

We set off a minute or two behind. Some of the guys were clearly not used to up and overs and I spent a lot of time trying to shout instructions, which worked on occasions, but not all the time! Anyway, it didn't work out too badly being in such a small group. I tried to be inconspicuous in the group, but old habits die hard and I spent quite a bit of time at the front. I didn't mind though, as I was getting a very good workout, and was actually really enjoying myself. I was probably pushing a bit too hard on occasions, but I didn't mind pulling the others along

By the end of the first lap we had group 2a in our sights, and I tried to encourage everyone to try and close them down. We were even closer by the end of the second lap, and I pushed hard to close the gap, on the basis we would either catch them or I may be able to bridge over on my own. Unfortunately the next hill came up a bit too quickly and I sat up a bit allowing the rest of group 2b to catch up.

About 2/3 of the way round the 3rd lap we were caught by scratch (with a few hanging on from the other groups) - when Martyn Irvine sweeps past you know you are in trouble, and although I held on for a while my prior efforts eventually told, and I was dropped. Another group caught me about half a lap later and I stuck with them until about 3/4 of a lap to go.

I pushed hard to finish the race - my time was only about a minute slower than my fastest performance on the same course last year, when we were able to hang onto Group 3 for the last half lap or so. Given I spent well over half the race either at the front of my group or on my own, I'm not complaining. I'll put some stats up in the training log - power was just about peak for the race distance/time at 270w, although for the first half it was quite a bit higher

Not sure about all the placings, but understand Martyn Irvine won the race. He clearly took it by the scruff of the neck and the pace the scratch riders were going at managed to keep the groups from combining too much, which was probably not a bad thing given the numbers participating

bcmf

English Bob wrote: »

Yes that was my dad!!
His first race ever seen! He loved it.
He's in the pub now with my father-in-law!!
Was quite tempted but would prob b pissed after one pint after racing!!!!

But he said that you would be buying us pints......

macken04

Can anyone post me an info link showing how these races work? Wouldnt mind understanding exactly what your talking about

English Bob

If I ever win a race you're all welcome to join me for a pint!! The drinks will be on me!!!

Beasty

macken04 wrote: »

Can anyone post me an info link showing how these races work? Wouldnt mind understanding exactly what your talking about

It's basically a handicapped race - in this case normally 5 groups of up to 20 or so in each group (although tonight there were in effect 7 groups)

Slowest ("limit") group sets of first, a few minutes ahead of the next group ("semi-limit") with the fastest group ("scratch") going last

The first rider over the line wins, and the idea is the groups work together (sharing the workload) to catch the grouops ahead, and stay ahead of the groups behind

If they get the handicapping right all the groups join up towards the end and it becomes a mad rush to the line. However there were so many out tonight if this had happened the roads would probably have stuggled to accomodate so many riders trying to get to the front at the end

macken04

@beasty thanks that makes sense. I take it this is different from the a4 / a3 stuff, sorry I should be looking this up.

Beasty

macken04 wrote: »

@beasty thanks that makes sense. I take it this is different from the a4 / a3 stuff, sorry I should be looking this up.

A3s, A4s etc may be in a single race, in which case the same principles apply (with 2 or more handicapped groups depending on the number of racing categories involved)

Alternatively they may have races for individual categories, in which case the fastest group goes off first (and often do more laps than the slower categories), with the slower categories then going off in turn

killalanerr

not sure what group i ended up in but i think i was one of the beasty 8 bit bold of the lads not to stay in their aloted group,very nearly go across to 2a at one stage some big strong lads in the group if we could have got it together we would have made over,every time i put nose into the wind it took me a long time to recover good work out enjoyed it,big thanks to joe and the team

Beasty

English Bob wrote: »

Was in group 2

I think you were one of the ones that snuck into Group 2a when you should have been in 2b;) (from what I could tell they split it alphabetically, based on first names)

abc_xyz

Started of in group 3b again this evening (so actually 5th group on the road). Was about 12-14 in the group initially I think though people were dropping one by all the way along. The group worked very well together this evening with nearly everybody doing there fair turn. Coming toward the finish of the second lap we got caught by a following group which was really motoring, and strung us all (those who managed to jump on and hang in, I reckon there were maybe 7-8 left) out single file. I hung in for about a km or two (more likely 1 then 2:D) but couldn't hold onto the wheel in front after the 3rd or 4th small acceleration. Should have tried getting back on because it seemed to slow a bit on the hills/descent at the finish line, but I was too late. Carried on myself for one more lap only starting to realise then how many people had gone out the back door, since within a few more km I was in a group of 8 odd. That splintered again pretty quick and I just pedalled home the last few km of the 3rd lap and called it quits there for the evening. First time I've seen so many people gone out the back on that course, a sign of the speed I guess.

Happy I lasted two laps with group, lots of work to do on holding wheels (my excuse is I'm a triathlete at heart - actually a swimmer really:D). 30.5km, 50m39s, 36.13 avg spd, 51.93 max spd.

manwithaplan

I was in the second half of group 3. I was comfortable enough and the group was working reasonably well until scratch came steaming through towards the end of the second lap. That's when the fun started.

There was enough of us bloody minded enough to try to hang on and we did for half a lap or so. Staying on through the tight corners was a nightmare but I lasted as long as anyone (bar one) from our group. There was three or four of us left (including pprendiville who was flying), along with one from scratch, when the rest of the scratch group disappeared into the distance. We caught the group three-er that was last to be dropped by scratch and we worked well together at a strong pace for the remaining lap and a half.

We caught three other groups (I think) and we weren't caught by group 4. The last group we caught was near the finish and some of them held on. I showed my inexperience by sprinting too early and I was passed in the last 50 metres by most of the group.

The pace seemed savage to me and I was thrilled to be able to hang in there and do my turns. I am discovering quickly that determination and stubbornness counts for a lot and I'm glad to find that I have a bit of both.

Thanks to all the marshalls and anyone else that made it missing el classico well worth it.

English Bob

Tbh the first I heard of group2 splitting was on here!!
Heard Joe call my name & just started with group as did in previous races.
Surely if they split groups it should be based on the times / place of previous races ie., hill climb & not just on your name?

Beasty

killalanerr wrote: »

not sure what group i ended up in but i think i was one of the beasty 8 bit bold of the lads not to stay in their aloted group

Not sure the others realised what was going on (or more accurately they wern't paying attention!)

Was there a mad English guy with a yellow top and big smile shouting at you? - if so, that was the same group as I was in (2b);)

Beasty

English Bob wrote: »

Tbh the first I heard of group2 splitting was on here!!
Heard Joe call my name & just started with group as did in previous races.
Surely if they split groups it should be based on the times / place of previous races ie., hill climb & not just on your name?

He did it based on the order he had them listed on the sign-on sheet - I'm going to petition they do it based on surnames though;)

killalanerr

Beasty wrote: »

Was there a mad English guy with a yellow top

yep thats sounds about right,i was trying to to do my own bit of organising but when you rode off the front with such ease i knew my place was at the back of the group :rolleyes:

Beasty

killalanerr wrote: »

yep thats sounds about right,i was trying to to do my own bit of organising but when you rode off the front with such ease i knew my place was at the back of the group :rolleyes:

I would normally have tried to get everyone taking turns, but given the additional handicap we were given (including the depleted numbers in our group), and the fact I was feeling strong, I was hoping to pull some of you guys along to join up with Group 2a. However when I heard the scratch group were approaching I realised the game was up and eased off a bit in the (vain) hope I would be able to hold onto their coat tails.

TBH, if you are new to group riding/racing it's best to sit at the back for a while to suss out what's going on. If yoiu feel comfortable and confident, by all means try some of the up and overs (you've got to do it some time), but there's little point if you put in an effort and then are despatched out the back of the group. It will take a few races to get used to the pace and understand your own abilities

btw - what number were you?

pprendeville

Woken by little princess of house so posting my ride report now (great time to listen to blackbirds for anyone interested in ornathology which I suspect not after racing).

Really enjoyed tonights race. Rode out from home and legs didn't feel great.had plenty of fluids and banana enroute and felt a bit better on arrival. Was in group 3b. Didn't recognise too many faces from last week. No sign of ryaner or honkjelly so thought pace might b little bit slower as result.

Thought it was til scratch caught us. Then pace shot up. Stayed with them 1\2 lap maybe. Accelerating after cornering was prob toughest bit of staying wit them and my cornering is terrible (have to work on it bigtime). Got dropped by them before puddle in road (had bad line going into this once and was praying I wouldn't come off - think I closed my eyes for a sec). Fair play to guy in red and white jersey and team FDJ bike for staying wit them for a lap or so. I knew that if I tried staying I would blow up so instead caught up wit 169. Towed behind for about 2km and 5 or 6 from group started working well (group did work well as a whole after 1/2 a lap of sorting out prior to getting caught by scratch). Manwithaplan, Swords rider on Ridley bike, #169 (bike hub owner with cool looking Wilier) and 1/2 others were putting in turns at front.

We caught up with FDJ guy again and were passing dropped guys rapidly. Think one of the scratch guys punctured after finish line and some of our group were lucky to avoid him.@RAAM/marshals if reading - any riding up the outside approaching corners tonight. I hope I wasn't guilty of this last week but was definitely conscious of not doing it tonight. Roads were so tight it would have been madness. I remember passing one car with 2 African lads and I rekon they didn't have a clue what was going on - it was a tight squeeze. O ya, great shouting/warning of upcoming obstacles in our group. Was a safe one to ride in I thought.

On the final lap I rekon we caught 3A and possibly group 2 just before last corner. We also overtook lots of splinter groups on the way. Discussing this with MWAP and we concluded that when you pass a group you up the speed a bit I suppose half out of adrenaline and wanting to push on. Have no computer @ present (should be back from Garmin tomorrow according to a nice fella by the name of Graeme Ball - anyone dealt with him) so can't go by this.

I had seen white line across road and read the thread about a guy going too early last year so I held off sprinting till about 1/3 of the way up final hill. Was in a bad position though (another thing I need to learn is to get on the right wheel). Found a bit of space and came in 3rd/4th of group I think.#169 finished strong and deserved to be 1st from our finishing group. He put in some huge pulls. Guy on Ridley also did some massive turns.
Overall I'm very happy with tonight. Thought it was easier than last wk (trying to stay on scratch guys wheel last week on the straights was fair tough) in that I never felt I was on my last legs. Didn't get caught behind on finish and finished well. Great buzz after doing it which seems to stay longer than having say a good win in a hurling match. I think it's because I know I've put in a big effort for an hour or so and the hard training (for me) pays off. Anyone got an average speed from our group?

Put my name down for Marshall duties for next wk. Must bring sweeping brush for corner I'm designated to. Some bad gravel I can remember from last wk. Heading to Limerick this weekend so going to get in some hills in prep for Roundwood. Anyone doing this. Hope to have Swords kit for it.

Finally, heard a very modest Dave Wherity pre-race saying it was a great weekend down in Gorey. We can all learn from this guy. think he only took up cycling last year? Is Shane his brother. He started in our group. Thanks to MWAP for the lift home. Would have been a late one otherwise. Thanks also to Swords CC for putting on a great show and to marshals/leadcars etc.Back to sleep now for me.

BTH

pprendeville and manwithaplan, were you too guys together in a small group for all of the last lap? I was caught by a group at the turn just as you come into balrothery and i think it might have been you guys, judging by your reports. think that was the group i was in that had a BMC jersey but cant be sure. stayed with them until the end anyway. well, i hung on at the back and had to kill myself to get back on everytime the person infront of me got dropped. asked one guy as he was getting dropped what group it was, and was told that is was a mix of all kinds! this was after i too had foolishly tried to hang on to scratch for a 1/2 a lap.

07Lapierre

Well that was fun!

I managed to stay with group 2 for 3 laps, but once Martin Irvine and co. passed...that was it, race over for me.

Still, I wasn't last and finished before the Ambulance! RESULT!

Well done to everyone who took part. A BIG well done to Joe and Breda for the Sign-on. The Marshals did a great job and many thanks to Kevin for taking on the "Chief Marshal" role.

manwithaplan

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

pprendeville and manwithaplan, were you too guys together in a small group for all of the last lap? I was caught by a group at the turn just as you come into balrothery and i think it might have been you guys, judging by your reports. think that was the group i was in that had a BMC jersey but cant be sure. stayed with them until the end anyway. well, i hung on at the back and had to kill myself to get back on everytime the person infront of me got dropped. asked one guy as he was getting dropped what group it was, and was told that is was a mix of all kinds! this was after i too had foolishly tried to hang on to scratch for a 1/2 a lap.

Sounds like us alright. Think pprendeville had BMC kit on. We were the remnants of group 3b with a couple of others we met along the way. I was no. 19 in Swords kit. Mark Burns (guy on Ridley) was no. 151.

pprendeville

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

pprendeville and manwithaplan, were you too guys together in a small group for all of the last lap? I was caught by a group at the turn just as you come into balrothery and i think it might have been you guys, judging by your reports. think that was the group i was in that had a BMC jersey but cant be sure. stayed with them until the end anyway. well, i hung on at the back and had to kill myself to get back on everytime the person infront of me got dropped. asked one guy as he was getting dropped what group it was, and was told that is was a mix of all kinds! this was after i too had foolishly tried to hang on to scratch for a 1/2 a lap.

That's gas re asking a fella as he's getting dropped. Imagine last thing he wants to do is be talking about groups.:)

Ya I was wearing George Hincapie's BMC jersey. Would prefer a Swords jersey to fit in but have spent too much on bike gear recently. Will hold out another few weeks.

Beasty

pprendeville wrote: »

Would prefer a Swords jersey to fit in but have spent too much on bike gear recently. Will hold out another few weeks.

It's a lot easier to "hide" in these races if you're wearing a Swords top;)

BTH

pprendeville wrote: »

That's gas re asking a fella as he's getting dropped. Imagine last thing he wants to do is be talking about groups.:)

Ya I was wearing George Hincapie's BMC jersey. Would prefer a Swords jersey to fit in but have spent too much on bike gear recently. Will hold out another few weeks.

In my defence I didn't realise he was struggling. We were going up the short hill after that corner at Balrothery, I was going past him on the way up and asked him the group. 200metres later I looked behing me and he was gone.

I was in my club jersey (down the sticks) wearing my CI number 1495. An awful lot of swords jerseys, its difficult to tell them apart.

goldencleric

Beasty wrote: »

TBH, if you are new to group riding/racing it's best to sit at the back for a while to suss out what's going on. If yoiu feel comfortable and confident, by all means try some of the up and overs (you've got to do it some time), but there's little point if you put in an effort and then are despatched out the back of the group.

... learned this the hard way last night, couldn't regulate my pace on the front and ended up off the front and then spat out the back at the next hill unable to get back on.

Beasty

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

I was in my club jersey (down the sticks) wearing my CI number 1495. An awful lot of swords jerseys, its difficult to tell them apart.

They don't go up to 666, so I'm sporting number 166 this year - not sure how else anyone would recognise me - I was wearing that big smile last night though;)

shaungil

Looked like absolute carnage last night. Mr Irvine decimated the field from my viewpoint at the Ring ommons Sports ground. Fair play to anyone that could stick that pace. Thank god I had to mind the kids last night and I love a sufferfest but that looked beyond that.

It prbably did make for a safer finish though. Last lap looked like the first bit of Saving Private Ryan

Hungrycol

Tired today.

Started in group 3a. First lap always kills me then I settle in a bit better. Try to keep near the front of the bunch so corners aren't such a killer. One of the riders in our group kept on shouting to slow things down a bit to keep the up and overs going and gave out yards to a fella (think it was long socks guy) for pushing it too hard at the front, FFS! I felt like saying it’s faster we need to be going not slower and maybe he was trying a break away! Don't know if some guys were hiding at the back of our group or just trying to hang on?! On the 3rd lap scratch caught us and I managed to hang onto them (albeit at the back) until a few kms from home, I jus didnae have the power to stay with them to the line! Still, were in a splinter group of about 5 (coulda been more I didn't look around to see) about 100 meters behind scratch on the finishing straight. I was sure scratch group at the finish were about 12 guys, turns out that it was only six meaning in my jockey to the line of our groupett I finished 8th overall. I had a perfect lead out man too, he was wearing Dunboyne gear. He sprinted too early for the line and I hugged his wheel till I heard the noise of carbon wheels getting closer to my right, that’s when I left Dunboyne’s wheel and took on the sprint. Carbon wheel guy finished 7th.!

My Polar memory is full so no recorded reading. The only reading I got was an avg speed of about 39kph, maybe a squidge more cos I didn't stop my speedo until a few mins after the finish. Legs felt good last night, pace and course suited me. Garristown next week, me no likey that course, 3 laps! Holy God!

Thanks to the marshalls and Joe & Breda for their organisation. Thanks also to the patient drivers on the roads, I saw long queues of cars as we passed some junctions that had been stopped by the marshalls.

(that guy in the runners and long white socks bothered me again last night. No doubt about it he's a strong rider but sometimes needs to keep his line a bit better and change his road position a little less suddenly, IMO. If he reads this)

BTH

Hungrycol wrote: »

(that guy in the runners and long white socks bothered me again last night. No doubt about it he's a strong rider but sometimes needs to keep his line a bit better and change his road position a little less suddenly, IMO. If he reads this)

I was in the same group and I agree with your comments on long socks guy. Basically when he hit the front on the up and overs he didnt ease off the pace that little bit thats needed to allow the next rider come through. meant that the up and overs werent as fluid as they should be. And I dont think he ever looks over his shoulder before changing line.

Beasty

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

I was in the same group and I agree with your comments on long socks guy. Basically when he hit the front on the up and overs he didnt ease off the pace that little bit thats needed to allow the next rider come through. meant that the up and overs werent as fluid as they should be. And I dont think he ever looks over his shoulder before changing line.

I would suggest someone tries to have a word with him before the next race to explain what he needs to do (I would do it myself, but will be on Champions League duty at Old Trafford next Wednesday:p)