Hillingdon Women's Cycle Training

[Michelle]

For those interested thought I might post something regarding the second wetting I have received this weekend.

Turned up at Hillingdon for another session of John Leitch's Surrey League coaching. Depite the conditions about 15 turned up. I know when you get triathletes that they are going to be fit, and there were a few fit ones.

We started off with 20 mins warm up, and since my last event at Hillingdon was a falling off and subsequent pasting, it was good to get back to the track and eye up that blummin corner again.

The first session was a three lap sprint, John pulled me and a girl called Mel over and told us to work together up the straight in order to get the other group to try and either string out or catch us up, and to pull off on the last corner and let the others sprint for the line. I pegged it off the front and unfortunately lost Mel, but picked up with a Triathlete who is a member of Serpentine called Melissa. We had a nice few turns and then I couldn't resist and sprinted for the line. Easy.

Then a bit of through and off. This is only the 3rd time I've done this but to be fair, with a few years of riding in a group you already have the skills. Some of the faster girls and the triathletes have never had to do this, so I turned into bossy teacher mode to try and get people together. We had it working quite well a few times but the group was a bit unevenly matched.

Then lunch, parking our wet grimy ars*s on the lovely seats in the bar.

A quick warm up half an hour later, then the slower group set off, and the faster group set off 45 seconds later to catch them. Except we didn't so on the last straight those that could raised tempo and tried to beat them to the finish.

Unfortunately they were already stopped at the top of the hill.

Last thing was a three lap race, anything goes. Me and Melissa and somone called Gemma at the head of the pack, we start to work together, then on lap 2 Melissa belts passed us on the through and off (apparently inadvertently), and I was just too knackered to catch her. Gemma had a bit more puff so pulled ahead, and apparently someone was on my tail but I didn't look. Then John Leitch came through and got the breakaway rider drafting his wheel - UNFAIR M'LUD!!! So she was ok, then Gemma out in the breeze, then me out in the breeze. John peeled off at the end of the back straight, then Gemma pegged it round the bottom corner and went passed Melissa. I started going for it with No 2 place getting nearer and nearer - but blow me, a relative newcomer starts to half wheel me. No f*****g way - bit more power, and Michelle takes No 2 spot.

The moral of the story is, races are won by fitness, by techinique, and by talking to each other! If I'd known someone was on my wheel we could have worked together, or I could have tried to catch up with Gemma.

Bit of a cooldown then headed in for a shower - spanking hot and very excellent.

A good day all round despite the fact I seem to have a penchant for No 2 placement. Better sort that out eh!

[Stu Merckx Man]

well done on 2nd. sounds like your getting some strength back after your illness.

[Toks]

Hey nice work Michelle and no mention of the "s" word too

[Andrew G]

Good stuff. My you're a glutton for punishment, I couldn't face going out on Sunday after the drenching on Saturday.

I found John a good coach once you get past the dartanian facial hair arrangement. His Sunday sessions were a good way to sort yourself out with some structured training without having to think about it.