IRC/Lucan/Orwell/Tiernans/UCD League - 12/7/12

buffalo

Who braved the wet and windy conditions? Any results?

I must've put too much stress on my betsy last week storming up the hillclimb. Bottom bracket bearings gave up on the way up embankment tonight. It's been playing up, but I thought it was just the front shifter. Ah well. Decided not to chance it in the race, for everyone else's sake more than my own, rode it home. I think that's my first DNS!

Chips Lovell

I was marshalling (and got very wet). I believe Lord Lumen was 5th. I don't know any other results.

kenmc

I lost contact before the red lane - actually I suppose I never actually made contact to be precise - coasted around to the finish line, got my bag from the car and went home feeling very sorry for myself. No idea what happened. You'd swear I was out on the batter last night or something....

buffalo

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

I was marshalling (and got very wet). I believe Lord Lumen was 5th. I don't know any other results.

Sweet, top marks Lumen!

kenmc - how many laps was it?

Lumen

It was a big CP, 3 laps.

Went out with SL, caught limit on the main road after 1 lap, SS caught us after the bridge. Break of five or six went off after that big scary dip in the road as I was stuck in the middle of the bunch so I had to jump across and cling on.

The break was working fairly well, orchestrated by shouters from SS (thanks) and we held off the chasers all the way.

I went far too early in the sprint and got caught before the line but held on for 5th.

I don't think S caught SS.

kenmc

Lumen wrote: »

It was a big CP, 3 laps.

Went out with SL, caught limit on the main road after 1 lap, SS caught us after the bridge. Break of five or six went off after that big scary dip in the road as I was stuck in the middle of the bunch so I had to jump across and cling on.

The break was working fairly well, orchestrated by shouters from SS (thanks) and we held off the chasers all the way.

I went far too early in the sprint and got caught before the line but held on for 5th.

I don't think S caught SS.

They caught one of us anyway

buffalo

Lumen wrote: »

I don't think S caught SS.

Dammit, that's the second time I've missed a race where SS held out.

The roster said I was still in SS.

lalorm

I hate this weather. Can't perform when it's cold. Went out with SL and we put the hammer down at the start with high 40's from the gun. Felt good going over the climb on the first lap, 2nd time over had to push hard to get over near the front and took it a little too easy to try and recover and missed the break. Had to work hard to try and get over but couldn't fully recover from the drag to the finish. As a result on the main road I had to ease up to get my wind back and ease the stitches so waited for scratch and came in with them.

The weather has to be better next week.

doozerie

Fair play Lumen, that was strong riding to get up to the Semi-Scratchers after they belted past, plus to place in the finish too!

I hung in with the chasing bunch of Semi-Limit until the last 1km or so and then drifted out the back. "Drifted" makes it sound a bit casual, as if I could have just easily accelerated to get back on. I like that image, despite it being pretty much a complete lie. I was knackered, a nasty man with a pain hammer had come along and beaten me soundly around the legs, lungs, and heart. At least I feel like I put some efforts in to contribute to the race, so I don't feel like a complete sandbagger. I'm sure that'll be a comfort to my tired legs too, once they are willing to talk to me again so that I can tell them.

colm_gti

Rolled out with SL, dropped my bottle of isotonic drink halfway round the first lap (sorry if it got in anyones way), clung on til we got back to the main road on the third lap and got spat out the back, tried as hard as I could to get back onto the back of the group but it wasn't happening, sat up and rolled around to the finish, think I was about a minute or two behind the main bunch. Lessons learned!

CramCycle

Started off in SL who set off at a blistering pace (I hit 53km/h at the front) on the N81. Two or three Orwell and Lucan riders tried to stretch it out and possibly make a break so I tried to tag on but lost them in a matter of a minute but did wreck everyones head while I done it. All was in single file but I was caught on the outside all of a sudden and when I finally made it back in I was overtaken and lost the wheel in front, shooting ever so gracefully out the back, only for Daragh_ to ask was I OK before they tore off.
They seemed to slow down coming to the first turn as I held a constant 50 metres behind them at 39/40 kmph but after they went round the turn they were lost to me. I slowed on the approach to the bridge and S caught me. I tagged on for an interesting experience, but good fun and I found it quite comfortable for awhile (obviously they had not started exerting themselves yet).
I held on in the group for awhile but went to the back to get a drink and then hit the speed bumps in the village, thought I got a flat and slowed but by the time I realised I hadn't it was too late and I was alone. S overtook me about 2 minutes later and I decided to leave it at that.
A very poor show from myself, possibly the worst I've given so far. Must start training harder

Rofo

I began a 3 week toe-dip into the Paleo diet on Saturday, so this race was something of an experiment for me. (Get your excuses in early )

SL dropped the hammer from the off and kept a decent pace up all the way around the first lap. That's as much as I can say, as my legs gave up the ghost on the rolling bit coming back towards the N81. I slinked off to the right at the main road, recovered and tried to go for a slow spin on my todd. Managed about 8km before giving up and heading back to the car. There are few things more depressing than that empty, hollow feeling in the legs - especially if you've done FA.

I didn't have much in the way of carbs until about 2 hours before the race and I either didn't eat enough or I've just not been doing enough training & racing lately. Probably all of those.

daragh_

My first race (thanks to a Club Mate who dropped out)

Rode out after work, met colm_gti and got soaked on the way.

Wet, slippy and overcast. Frankly I was shi**ing myself. :eek:

On the advice of my Club Mates I went off with Semi Limit. In hindsight I think I would have been more comfortable in Limit, but probably wouldn't have pushed myself.

Advice from the wise heads in the Club was to sit in, watch and learn. So that's what I did.

I was caught off guard with the speed at the start and found myself at back right away. I crawled back into the bunch and hung on for dear life. Once I was in I felt a little more comfortable. Got pushed up the front and spat out the back a few times which was a great experience in seeing how it all works.

Was nervous cornering so took it handy lest I feck it up. Got pushed to the back again. Crawled back in, until the next corner. Same thing happened. You've all heard this story before. :rolleyes:

Coming towards the end of the second lap I found myself at the back just as the bunch stepped up on one of the small drags. Promptly got spat out and didn't have any way of getting back on.

Rolled around after that and finished with a couple of riders from Limit.

Very happy with how it all went. My entire cycling ambition for the year was to do one club race to see if I liked it. My new ambition is to finish in the bunch.