SwordsCC - Race - Wednesday July 13th

07Lapierre

Date: Wed July 13th
Sign On: 6.30pm, Garristown
Circuit: Clonalvy Circuit
Distance: 45Km
Laps: 3 3/4
Swords CC number required
Cycling Ireland/IVCA licence required

Weather forecast looks good, so should be a good one!

dooverylittle

hi, where is
the finish and what is it like .i.e gradient.
thank you.

manwithaplan

The finish is usually around where the six mile point is shown on the map linked off the OP. It's more or less flat.

Beasty

manwithaplan wrote: »

The finish is usually around where the six mile point is shown on the map linked off the OP. It's more or less flat.

Last year the finish was outside the school, around the 4 mile point on the map. If it's really 3 3/4 laps that's where the finish will be on Wednesday (which is uphill). They often don't let you know until you're virtually on the start line though;)

Generally the course is quite lumpy, with the 3 Sisters climb and a short steepish climb a short while after leaving the main road (just before the 3 mile mark) and then a bit of a drag up to the finish

The sign on is at Garristown, which is where the start will be, not where shown on the map

I'm away this week, so good luck to everyone taking part

dooverylittle

Thanks, I will have to jump with 2 Laps to go and solo home! :eek:

Raam

dooverylittle wrote: »

Thanks, I will have to jump with 2 Laps to go and solo home! :eek:

I've done a solo home in a few Swords races, except it was a jump out the back and not off the front.

Lusk Doyle

dooverylittle wrote: »

Thanks, I will have to jump with 2 Laps to go and solo home! :eek:

Group 4 it is for you so!

Lusk Doyle

Raam wrote: »

I've done a solo home in a few Swords races, except it was a jump out the back and not off the front.

And back to group 2 for you!

English Bob

Tough course. Nearly quit after 2nd lap!! Got 2nd wind & pushed a little up three sisters third lap. Was in group 2 & we all worked well. Ended up finishing in 8th place so delighted I gritted my teeth and pushed on. Weather was great which made a diff from last week !!!

Ryaner

Group 2 was huge tonight and both it and group 3 stayed away. Group 4 was caught on the third lap and the pace shot up. For some reason it dropped again on the last lap - or at least seemed like it did.

Good race either way and great weather for it.

Hungrycol

Decided to take the chance and go with Group 4 tonight. Only about 8 of us and boy was it tough, no hiding there and we were doing the through and off formation which made it feel quicker. I managed to hang on for a whole three laps but as scratch caught us the pace excelerated and I was struggling for air so that was me finished.

Decided to pull into the finish line to see the winners. Group 2 stayed away again this week and I think they all got the placings. Group three stayed away too!

Thanks marshals again. Joe, less time gaps next week. Oh I lost my little pocket rocket pump on the course about a km after the school if anyone seen it and picked it up I'd be really grateful. I did have a gander myself but no sign.

killalanerr

it was a new look group 2 this week with a lot of guys moving up a group after the club champs ,it was a big group and i was thinking if we got it working we had a good chance of staying away,we set off and got a nice rhythm going from the start although a lot of guys showed no interest in doing any work some thing a dont get (it is a training race after all ) but we had a nice group of lads working and we had a nice steady pace going i done my fair share as a wanted to get a good work out,
first lap was nice speed over the 3 sisters i did put in a bit of a turn on the way up to the school just to keep the seed up, lap 2 was much the same again with a bit of a kick at the school i drifted of the front ,on lap 3 i was feeling it a bit so did not go to the front as often but again a few of us upped the pace a bit on the run up to the school we were hoping to thin out the group a bit i got over in the top 3 or 4 and pushed on down the hill
from their on i started to think about the finish as it didnt look like we were going to be caught it was steady over the 3 sisters and as we turned on to the school road for the last time i was feeling it a bit but was well able to follow the wheels and kept my place in the first 4 or 5 on the run up, as we came round the final turn the winner and second went by me i kicked after them but i felt they went to early and eased up a bit as soon as i did 4 or 5 guys went by me,i then had no where to go i did get by 1 of them to finish 6th, 2nd time i scored points this year well pleased but should have followed the wheel
super night for a bike race, thanks to joe and all the marshals

El Director

Really enjoyed tonights race, great to race in such lovely conditions for a change! I'm way too cautious when it comes to damp tarmac. Here is my race report as per by log:



So tonight was my second club race proper (two others being TT's). When it comes to TT's I'm confident enough as I know what I can do but it's a different story with these races. I ain't that confident descending or "techy" bits so I was glad to see that tonights race was on the same circuit that I had done before.

I went with a huge group 2. Unlike last time I was ready for the frantic start and tbh the whole first lap was a bit hairy We did seem to work well tonight but when it came to the first hill after a left turn it brke down a bit and never got going again until the start of the second lap. I guess this was because of the technical and hilly bits. I took my turn at the front which only lasted a few seconds as we were working well together. I was determined not to waste too much energy getting out of the saddle at every hill like I did the last time. So it was just a manner of sitting and spinning up and keeping some momentum going.

On lap two things settled a bit and again we got things going pretty well. I put this down to a few experienced heads getting lads to come through and keep it going. I knew at this point the finish would be tough as it finished on the hill outside the school.

On lap three I decided to get up and stay in the top third if I could. So when it came to the first hill again, a fairly steepish hill, I found myself at the top of the group, I was comfortable here and kept seated spinning up to the top. What I love about these races is the sheer excitement of being in a large group at those speeds! The group was still big and I would find myself drifting to the back so I had to keep on it to get back to the top.

On the start of lap four there seemed like there was a break on, one guy went and I followed. There was a guy further up the road, he seemed handy enough but I don't know where he came from. He got a bit of a bolloxing for trying to organise the break and myself and the other guy dropped a bit but the group was right behind us anyway. So last time up the steepish hill I found myself at the top again so, again, I spun up and after this things started to pick up. I handled the "bendy" bits much better tonight I'm glad to say. It was hard work trying to stay near the top knowing the end was neigh. I was in the top 10 coming to the last bend so I knew I had a good chance of getting points and I didn't want it to slip. After the last left turn it was basically uphill for 500m or so to the finish. We took the turn and it happened - everyone was out of their seats, including me and all of a sudden I was being swamped, I was also being boxed in which was frustrating as I knew I could get past the guys in front of me - then it opened up and I went for it! Quads began to cramp and hamstrings likewise but I was nearly there, 6th, 5th...4th!

Delighted to get my first points (other than 2). Most importantly for me I've got more confidence in myself in group racing so I think I will give group 3 a go next time.

Thanks again to the marshals and organisers once again for a safe, enjoyable race.

Stats

Time 1:17:5
Dist 46km
Speed 35.4/56.9km/hr
HR 153/177

Total Time 1:40
Dist (incl WU & CD) 56km

dooverylittle

I was in group 3 tonight, It was my first league race in a while.
The group seemed to have very little interest in catching group 2.
We didnt work as a group. I dont have much experience of racing and this race left me very confused.

Hylander70

Some pictures of tonights race


https://picasaweb.google.com/116730422944254823104/SwordsClubLeague13711?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCL6W07ye6NHEEw&feat=directlink

manwithaplan

I could just have quoted hungrycol's report and adopted it as mine.

Group 4 was on the small side and a good bit of hard work was needed from everyone. It was tough but I didn't feel too bad. The pace was inconsistent though. Javan Nulty (sore leg, hence Group 4), a guy from Dublin Wheelers and Long Socks seemed stronger than the rest of us and pushed the pace on but it dropped a good bit on occasion too. We weren't making any significant inroads on the groups ahead of us.

Scratch caught us on the main road just before the biggest of the three sisters (let's call her Bertha). They were strong tonight - they had numbers and some serious riders. I was fine up Bertha (I think she lit up a smoke when I was finished with her) and things were going OK until the turn off the main road into the twisty sections. I held on alright up the short sharp climb there but the pace seemed to go up as they reached the top and I slipped off a bit. Usually I am good at gritting my teeth and digging in but I didn't seem to have the heart (and probably the legs) for it tonight. I sat up and pulled in at the school with hungrycol and enjoyed watching the finish. I'm a bit disappointed with myself for not sticking with it, particularly as Ryaner suggests the pace relented a bit shortly afterwards.

Congrats to dario28 who finished third in his first ever race. He told me at the end that he didn't know what he was doing - god help us when he works it out! Nice to see Tony Hyland back on the bike after his broken collar bone in one of the earlier races too.

With the spin out and back with honkjelly, I did over 100 km tonight, most of it at a decent clip. On the evidence of my performance, I needed every inch of it.

Thanks to Joe and all the crew for another safe and well-organised race.

Lusk Doyle

First time in group three for me last night. Total free for all with sweet f a going on in terms of working together. It seemed to be everyone for himself with lots of pointless attacks throughout. If more of the group had a racing brain we would have caught group two as we saw them going up the three sisters on the last lap. No doubt it will make me stronger being in this group but come on lads!

RedRobert

Great to see the photos Hylander70 = good work!

Great night for a race. Jumped up from Group 2 to Group 3 tonight - found the pace tougher alright. Last few races the groups weren't "working and turning over" as well as previous races - perhaps Joe should nominate 2 group captains (regulars) when he announces the start of each group so that they are the ones keeping people working and knowing what to do etc?

Being relatively new to the club and the race scene, its not the kinda thing I wanna be doing unless asked to incase others thing "who the feck does he think he is":D

dario28

After my initial attempts at a racing debut were destroyed by rain last week ,the sun gods were out in force last night.

So far this year I'd been on 4 training spins with the Swords Saturday lads , so only riding in a group 4 times ever I was pretty nervous getting to the sign on , mostly worried about creaming other people or getting a bolloking for not doing enough at the front.

Met up with Manwithaplan and he put my mind at ease a bit. Wasnt sure what group to enter , one person said 2 another said 3 , my greatest fear was being dropped in my first race so went for group 2 with the intention of just enjoying the spin around finishing and seeing how things worked. Before the race started Kevin the group 2 leader and organiser gave me a good run down on the workings of group two, I was feeling a bit more confident.

Coming from doing Half Marathons and Full's I had expected more notice of the start of the race , group 2 started rolling off and i followed them assuming we were heading to the start line somewhere, it took about 4kms to realise the race had started and this was it !

From Saturday spins I expected 2 lines but that didnt really happen , out of the group there was probably half doing taking their turns at the front and others just chillin further back , a decent pace was set and I settled in.

The km's flew by with so much going on and before I know it was passing the finish line for the last lap , although I didn't actually know where the finish line was, had to ask someone.

I was delighted I'd made it to the last lap and someones words of wisdom were floating in my head, stay at the front and don't let anyone get away so that's what I tried to do.

Coming around the last bend you could feel the tension rising I wasnt sure what was going to happen exactly ,so I waited for a move and all of a sudden it kicked off, everyone out of the saddle and pumpin it , great buzz sprinting up hill for the line.

Some how I managed 3rd so was delighted with that.

Thanks to the organisers, the various contributors of words of wisdom and the friendly lads on the Swords Saturday spin.

Lusk Doyle

dario28 wrote: »

After my initial attempts at a racing debut were destroyed by rain last week ,the sun gods were out in force last night.

So far this year I'd been on 4 training spins with the Swords Saturday lads , so only riding in a group 4 times ever I was pretty nervous getting to the sign on , mostly worried about creaming other people or getting a bolloking for not doing enough at the front.

Met up with Manwithaplan and he put my mind at ease a bit. Wasnt sure what group to enter , one person said 2 another said 3 , my greatest fear was being dropped in my first race so went for group 2 with the intention of just enjoying the spin around finishing and seeing how things worked. Before the race started Kevin the group 2 leader and organiser gave me a good run down on the workings of group two, I was feeling a bit more confident.

Coming from doing Half Marathons and Full's I had expected more notice of the start of the race , group 2 started rolling off and i followed them assuming we were heading to the start line somewhere, it took about 4kms to realise the race had started and this was it !

From Saturday spins I expected 2 lines but that didnt really happen , out of the group there was probably half doing taking their turns at the front and others just chillin further back , a decent pace was set and I settled in.

The km's flew by with so much going on and before I know it was passing the finish line for the last lap , although I didn't actually know where the finish line was, had to ask someone.

I was delighted I'd made it to the last lap and someones words of wisdom were floating in my head, stay at the front and don't let anyone get away so that's what I tried to do.

Coming around the last bend you could feel the tension rising I wasnt sure what was going to happen exactly ,so I waited for a move and all of a sudden it kicked off, everyone out of the saddle and pumpin it , great buzz sprinting up hill for the line.

Some how I managed 3rd so was delighted with that.

Thanks to the organisers, the various contributors of words of wisdom and the friendly lads on the Swords Saturday spin.

Well done

Lusk Doyle

Congrats to our very own moviestar on his first win!

Beasty

RedRobert wrote: »

perhaps Joe should nominate 2 group captains (regulars) when he announces the start of each group so that they are the ones keeping people working and knowing what to do etc?

Don't need to nominate Captains (it would guarantee everyone would try and drop them at the first opportunity) - there are plenty of experienced guys in each group who are perfectly capable of doing the shouting;)

I guess one of the challenges is to see if we can get groups working properly - clearly it increases the chances of everyone in the group. People just sitting in waiting for the finish don't particularly bother me (they may get an earful during the course of the race though). However we do have some very talented riders racing and some of the younger ones in particular may go a long way. IMO it's very much in their interests to learn "racecraft" and also to push themselves to get a proper workout

EDIT - BTW next week I'll be coming back from 2 weeks off the road bike, and intend hanging onto the back of the group for as long as I can, shouting "encouragement" and watching everyone else doing the work

Lusk Doyle

Straight into group three for you then I take it to enjoy the suffering!

pprendeville

RedRobert wrote: »

Great to see the photos Hylander70 = good work!

Great night for a race. Jumped up from Group 2 to Group 3 tonight - found the pace tougher alright. Last few races the groups weren't "working and turning over" as well as previous races - perhaps Joe should nominate 2 group captains (regulars) when he announces the start of each group so that they are the ones keeping people working and knowing what to do etc?

Being relatively new to the club and the race scene, its not the kinda thing I wanna be doing unless asked to incase others thing "who the feck does he think he is":D

I think this is a good idea although perhaps a bit late in the season to adopt. As you alude to, some people aren't experienced in cycling/racing etiquette (myself included although I'm learning the whole time).