I/L/O/U/T Winter League 21/6/2012 (Sally Gap Finish)

kenmc

Glad I was marshalling that one! Hope all the hard souls who headed up the hill got back down safely. Couldn't even see the top of it when I was driving home.

How bad was it up top? Or did you actually break through the clouds into glorious sunshine?

Mr. Grieves

The hill felt longer going down than up! I'm still shivering.

kenmc

any results?

Keep_Her_Lit

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

The hill felt longer going down than up! I'm still shivering.

Never mind that. Where did you place?!

Idleater

I finished 20th which I was pleased with. I was more pleased to be back on the race bike. Good introduction to Irish weather to the new bottom bracket :-)

Mr. Grieves

Keep_Her_Lit wrote: »

Never mind that. Where did you place?!

6th, behind 5 Limit guys.

buffalo

I'm just about warm again... coming down past Lough Bray, the rain falling so hard I was closing my eyes to stop the pain, I was starting to think I'd be that cold forever.

Legs were stiff this morning after the Stephen Roche GP, and when things were getting faster tonight, I knew I wasn't going to have a kick. Wanted to give it my best shot though. Plenty of turns on the front down the straight, Scratch caught us before we'd even gotten to Red Lane. Coming across the bridge on the lakes, Grieves was on the front, and a blast of rain came at us in our exposed position. I decided to try whittle things down, see if anyone would wuss out in the wet. Between myself, Grieves, Aido and Lucan's Billings, we traded blows at the front. I was sure we'd break away, but turned around in Manor Kilbride to see everyone just sitting nicely behind us. Damn!

Right-hand turn, up the ramp, think a chunk of the group got dropped there. Just watched the usual suspects, chipped in when it was my turn. Joker77 was looking strong as well, sat on his wheel for a bit.. Ploughed along that long stretch, nothing of note until we sighted the L/SL bunch at the top of a ramp. Just couldn't hold on then, and a group of 7/8 ri ders went away from me up the hill. It flattened out a bit though, and with L/SL stretched out, tagged on, and worked my way up. Lumen was there, going well. Across the bridges at the bottom of the climb, just about hanging on. Chain jumped, distracts me, I lose a slight bit of momentum, but it's enough. Lumen drifts away from me. I don't catch him again. UCD Ross passes me in the final 50m, to complete my misery.

15th across the line. Well done to Grieves, first of the non-limiters, but a very hearty congratulations to Jack, the U16 of Orwell who got the win. Monumental stuff!

Now, more soup and noodles please!

Keep_Her_Lit

Mr. Grieves wrote: »

6th, behind 5 Limit guys.

So, first scratch rider home by the sounds of it. Not a bad night's work!

buffalo

kenmc wrote: »

How bad was it up top? Or did you actually break through the clouds into glorious sunshine?

It was bad. The driving rain was the worst part. Or else that was the climbing. I can't remember which was worst, my selective amnesia has set in to protect me from the memory of the pain.

colm_gti

My first inter-club league race, thoroughly enjoyed it, started in the semi-limit group, took the odd turn at the front, dropped off the back of the group just coming up to the main climb to the sally gap, wasn't catching them til the climb, clawed my way back past a few lads and was catching the big group just as we got to the finish, too little too late?

The ride home was a different story, has erased any good memory of the race I had, thank god for the IRC lad and 2 Orwell lads I bumped into on the way home, made the journey a bit easier! So thank you, to whoever you are!

buffalo

colm_gti wrote: »

The ride home was a different story, has erased any good memory of the race I had, thank god for the IRC lad and 2 Orwell lads I bumped into on the way home, made the journey a bit easier! So thank you, to whoever you are!

Ah colm, I didn't realise that was you! I was the Orwell in the hi-viz. I thought I saw a La Vie Claire jersey at the start - I figured you were marshalling somewhere, you obviously got a jersey then. Baptism of fire (with rain!) for you tonight. Fair play for getting out after Mondello - you'll do grand in the future.

colm_gti

buffalo wrote: »

Ah colm, I didn't realise that was you! I was the Orwell in the hi-viz. I thought I saw a La Vie Claire jersey at the start - I figured you were marshalling somewhere, you obviously got a jersey then. Baptism of fire (with rain!) for you tonight. Fair play for getting out after Mondello - you'll do grand in the future.

Are you the chap I was with for most of the way down to Terenure til I turned off? In the hi-vis vest with the backpack? Thought I remembered someone saying they'd finished 15th, although I was pretty zoned out and focussed on getting home without my body shutting down from the cold :pac:

T'was nice to meet you!

buffalo

colm_gti wrote: »

Are you the chap I was with for most of the way down to Terenure til I turned off? In the hi-vis vest with the backpack? Thought I remembered someone saying they'd finished 20th, although I was pretty zoned out and focussed on getting home without my body shutting down from the cold :pac:

T'was nice to meet you!

Hi-vis and satchel, aye. Yeah, was only when we hit the city that I realised just how cold I'd gotten - can only imagine how you were in just the jersey! Good to meet you too, hope to see at a few more races!

fat bloke

Fcukin hell, Colm Gti, was that you?? Mother of jaysus, you're a big fcukin bloke!!! I saw the BMC and thought "that's gas, I know a fella riding one of them, I never thought twas yourself, fair play to you. Between Mondello and tonight that's some racing debut, you're a natural.

So, did limit take the placings then, is that what I'm getting from this thread? I was marshalling at Kilbride, but as soon as ye had passed I fecked off home, so I've no idea of results, but limit were so slow going around the Kilbride right hander that I thought there was something wrong. They seemed to be arguing amongst themselves about something.

Then a horse rider came along and gave out to me when I tried to conscientiously advise that there was a bike race on the way. Followed by a concerned citizen who told me that my lot had nearly caused a crash in Kilbride and cars shouldn't be beeping and what do you mean you're marshalling I don't see any cars coming stay here and listen to what I have to say this country is a joke I pay my taxes blah blah blah:rolleyes:

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

Fcukin hell, Colm Gti, was that you?? Mother of jaysus, you're a big fcukin bloke!!! I saw the BMC and thought "that's gas, I know a fella riding one of them, I never thought twas yourself, fair play to you. Between Mondello and tonight that's some racing debut, you're a natural.

Haha I'm trying to loose it, I swear (says I eating a whopper of a slice of chocolate cake :pac:)!!

I was feeling a bit tired now coming up to the climb, nowhere near over exerted, just tired, realising now the error in jumping straight into 2 races in 1 week!

fat bloke

colm_gti wrote: »

Haha I'm trying to loose it, I swear (says I eating a whopper of a slice of chocolate cake :pac:)!!

I was feeling a bit tired now coming up to the climb, nowhere near over exerted, just tired, realising now the error in jumping straight into 2 races in 1 week!

Well, I don't mean weighty, iirc you play rugby do you, and it certainly looks like it, but to be able to hold your own with the skinny hill climbers is fair going. Well done man.

colm_gti

fat bloke wrote: »

Well, I don't mean weighty, iirc you play rugby do you, and it certainly looks like it, but to be able to hold your own with the skinny hill climbers is fair going. Well done man.

Used to, til I dislocated my shoulder at the start of this season, fed up with injuries (torn quads, numerous black eyes, concussions, broken fingers and toes), decided to give up and started using the bike more to keep fit...and sure you all know what happens...slippery slope...that's why ye're all here :pac:

Was tipping 95kgs after 3 months in the gym last summer, dropped down to 85kgs now, be nice to drop a bit more to make the hills easier! Them skinnies make it look easy when they go past me with my heart in my throat :rolleyes:

fat bloke

colm_gti wrote: »

Was tipping 95kgs after 3 months in the gym last summer, dropped down to 85kgs now, be nice to drop a bit more to make the hills easier! Them skinnies make it look easy when they go past me with my heart in my throat :rolleyes:

Yeah, this is the thing. I'd like to be able to climb hills like a Schleck, but I don't really want to look like one.

Meh.
I don't have that stick-to-it-ive-ness and self-discipline to lose that last stone/half stone anyway,

lalorm

Was a wet night alright. Headed out with SL and the pace was easy enough up to the turn to Sally. Luckily that hourse had reached the turn off to the left by the time we came around and was able to get out of the way.
The pace picked up as we climbed but I only managed to stay up at the front until we got to the big dig by that park or manor house close to the top. At that point I eased off the gas a little and found myself out the back! SS and S were just behind us at that point so I just kepty it going at my own pace to the top. Should be extra points just for getting to the top IMO.
Hopefully it'll be dryer and warmer on the next outing.

Scober

Must say it was nice to catch semi scratch so early for once and get the bus to the hill but give me a bunch gallop anyday over a hill top finish...Nice of the marshalls to stay at home it made our race so much safer...NOT.