Tuesdays @ Hillingdon 2009

[Toks]

http://www.londoncyclesport.com/News/Al ... ts_09.html

It starts next tuesday - April 7pm

1st Woman in the main race gets a cash prize. Chloe, here's a chance to earn you some pocket money and get a large strawberry milkshake from Makky Dee's on the way home

[Snoop Doug]

so - can someone describe Hillingdon circuit for us in no more than six words? I get bored easy

....and I tried to turn on that signature thingie - I can't get it to work. Shame - as this could've been the first thread with three signatures on da bounce

[Sylv]

wide
fast
windy
ovoid
thrillingifyoureinagoodstrongbunch

[Toks]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]so - can someone describe Hillingdon circuit for us in no more than six words? I get bored easy

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Sylv"]ovoid

[-Adam-]

[quote="Snoop Doug"]so - can someone describe Hillingdon circuit for us in no more than six words? I get bored easy

[EdO]

I might try and get other there next Tuesday. Anyone else ?

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="EdO"]I might try and get other there next Tuesday. Anyone else ?

[MattD]

I'll be riding the E123 tomorrow at Hillingdon - Leaving Spitafields Market @ 5.30 if anyone is riding to the Circuit from the City ... or I'll see you all there !

[Toks]

No bike otherwise I'd join you Matt Have a good one mate . Now where's my good friend Sean, I'm sure I'm suppose to say something to him at this point

[EdO]

Did anyone go over to Hillingdon in the end ? Matt D ?

I ended up doing the "Elmers end" chain gang tonight instead.

[MattD]

Nervous first outing for 2009 , different approach to my winter training ( reduced volume , higher intensity ), but pleasantly surprised . Managed to avoid 3 crashes to finish in the bunch sprint feelin strong. Plan is to ride at Hillingdon every Tues, so long as the quality of riding improves ! - great training till Hog Hill Summer Series 1 begins on the 14th May !

[quote="MattD"]Nervous first outing for 2009 , different approach to my winter training ( reduced volume , higher intensity ), but pleasantly surprised . !

[Paul Blackburn]

I entered the 4th Cat race at Hillingdon last night as my 3rd ever foray in to racing. The start of the race was pretty tentative as no one seemed to want to take on the pace, but after a lap and a half it started to warm up a bit. A few people tried to get off the front of the bunch but a strong headwind on the back straight kept everything together. I managed to achieve goals 1 and 2 for the evening. Firstly, I didn't get dropped on lap 1 (as happened in my first race in a huge field at Chertsey where I think the first riders were several hundred metres up the road before the back markers had started) and, secondly, finished the race in the bunch.

As with the ACC 4th cat club race on the Newchapel circuit last summer, I found it difficult to hold a consistent position in the peloton and had to dig a bit harder a few times when riders ahead lost a wheel when the pace surged. At least I got to the front on the last lap but instead of being able to tuck in somewhere sensible, my previous poor positioning meant that I had to come right around the outside and I ended up right on the front in to the headwind. With a bit more experience I guess I would have done so at real pace and gone for it with less than a third of a lap to go, but I merely succeeded in giving a bit of shelter to those who showed their (in)gratitude by surging past on the finishing straight, leaving me well down the field. Still, it was great fun and I intend to do more of these over the coming weeks as goal 3 is to trouble the results secretary by registering at least 1 point before the summer is over – this one may be a bit more of a stretch based on my first outing!

This first race was pretty short due to a bit of a delay for the "Youth" race to finish and the fact that it gets dark fairly early at the moment, so I expect it will get a tougher as the weeks progress. Hopefully my fitness will also improve, which is one of my main reasons for racing in the first place.
If you’re thinking of giving this a go and were wondering about the pace, I think the average speed was a touch over 22 m.p.h. I normally ride in the 19s and find that OK but would consider reaching the Hooley traffic lights with the Training Group a major achievement, let alone anything more, so I’m sure that it’s well within the scope of many club riders.

[Antloony]

Well done Paul, good write up and glad to see you enjoyed yourself. You'll get better and more race savvy the more you do.

Nice way of hopefully encouraging a few others to have a go at racing.