Novice Racers how can we help?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

That is also my main point of using a short and flattish circuit.

I appreciate that it is not to the A racers liking, but can you imagine the B race being blown apart on Norwood Hill and struggling for 12 miles to get back to the finish in ones and twos

[huw williams]

"Imagine the B race being blown apart on Norwood Hill and struggling for 12 miles to get back to the finish in ones and twos"

Yeah I can see that - let's do it on the old Surrey League course which finishes up Tanhurst Lane then?

Sorry, of course you're right Paul

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]let's do it on the old Surrey League course which finishes up Tanhurst Lane then

[Michelle]

Yes to everything please...don't mind what I do round there as Horne is home ground for me and if I get dropped I can follow my nose home and then sob quietly into my beer.

Training with the boys has gotta be good for you, right! If a bit smelly.

Ps talking of smelly, can't believe that I managed to miss all the dog sh*t on my tumbling event!. What a result!

[Paul H]

How about handicapped training Groups on Saturday? i.e. send off the Novice/Improver Training Group a few minutes ahead of the Normal Training lot.

Also how about getting some committment from everybody. i.e people signing up to training sessions in advance.

[MJ_1993]

Je ne comprends pas, could you explain please Paul?

[Andrew G]

I think Paul is suggesting people post in advance if they want to do a training ride on the CR, so you know who's in and what group to put them in etc.

The idea, which sounds pretty good and workable, would be a novice training group sets off from CSS at say 9am, and then the current training group would set off at say 9:15am. 1st group rides as per the training group, and working together to stay away as long as possible. When the 2nd group catch them the 1st group can try and hang on.

Would need an experienced racer in with the 1st group to lend a hand with organisation and to shout tips / tactics to stay away.

[Stu Merckx Man]

if that starts happening im happy to rotate between groups to help out novices.

[Marek]

Doing the chasing on the club run route in my opinion is too dangerous. Better to get to a Surrey League circuit and then split into two groups as per last year. This worked really well and gave people a chance to try themselves out on actual Surrey League race circuits.

I was chatting with Paul H and Keith Lea today and we intend to do a couple of these in late January depending on the weather. May do more in February as well just before the season starts.

Probably do similar format to last year which was reasonable pace to the circuit. One lap around so everyone knows where they are going and then split into two or three groups depending on numbers and have a handicap race.

Cheers

Marek.....

[Paul on the Pearson]

Have just read the posts and it all sounds great. For newbie racers, me included, lets just say I didn't exactly get my money's worth from the licence John Leitchs training Sunday morning sessions from Brockham are good, but it would be great to somehow incorporate some of the training sessions into a club run. The best one was riding in a group of three, two team mates and someone hoping to get a sneaky tow to the finish. Your teamate attacks, the interloper has to chase him down, you sit on his wheel, when you both reach tyour team mate you attack and so on. From a tactics point of view this was all new to me but John explaned it well with a pad and his fine collection of felt tip pens. The handicap race Marek organised last year worked well and as the general pace of the CR has gone up there should be plenty more takers this tiime, just me and Andrew did it last year.

[Toks]

Great stuff everyone. I think we can definitley get some ideas sorted in the new year. With lots of 18mph groups and 1 or 2 20mph groups forming I think you're average ACC newbie racer doesn't have too much to worry about. Everyone in the club seems fitter so ultimately racing won't feel like such a big jump in terms of the fitness requirement. (and lets be honest thats the main fear when it comes to racing ) Paul On a Peason what was your season like?. Did you race much?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Paul On a Peason what was your season like?. Did you race much?

[Paul on the Pearson]

I wish I could say the same. The reason? Probably a combination of things and the main one to be honest Toks was confidence and actually developing or rather not developing a more competitive state of mind. On the positive side I knocked a minute and a half of my presidents 10 time. Last year 28.03 this year 26.25 and I actually enjoyed it!
My aim this year? To actually race and not say I'm going to and do nothing or next to nothing about it!

[quote="mrP(Boonen)VT"][quote]Paul On a Pearson what was your season like?. Did you race much?

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

But I was "Paul on a Pearson" .....not next season though