2008 Cycling Season: how did you see it

[Toks]

[quote="Sylv"]Season's not quite over

[Sylv]

Overtraining

[Stu Merckx Man]

Goals: keep my second cat licence was the main one

Training Approach and Philosophy
ride hard all the time, but im going to have to re-think that one this year, as i ended up with 3.5 bouts of tonsilitus, and 2 chest infections!

My Best Races(RR or TT) getting into the winning break in belgium on a snowy easter sunday afternoon my favourite has to be that early season dunfold race, when paul and marek got in the break from the gun and sticking it to the end in apalling conditions, and then i managed to win the bunch sprint up the hill. and of course the acc race because it was my best placing of the year and i lost to a 1st cat so its not all bad!

My Worst Race (RR or TT): getting dropped from palace on 3 occasions! and the wally gimber.

Best Long Rides or Sportivs - that epic 125 mile ride with paul and adam. it is one of my favourite rides of all time!

Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year back in august on a cold wet miserable day, with just my chest infection and tonsilitus for company, and realising 30 miles from home that i was not enjoying it any more, and all i wanted to do was just be back at home without having to ride the next 30 miles. then when i got home i took a look at my bike and i felt like throwing it in the bin, and giving up. however, toks was a great help in getting me back to my normal frame of mind, through a series of email conversations, thank you toks!


Best ACC Road Racer: michelle, adam, toks and hal!

Best ACC TT Man and Woman: george!

Best Sportive Rider hal!

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: pro- the gb track team, cav in the tour, and of course our womens world and olympic champion cooke!
ammature- paul and mareks breakaway, and toks and adams wins (although i didnt see any of them)

Favourite Club Rider the training groupies!

Seasons Low Point: august (see worst ride). over all it hasnt been the most successful season for me. but hopfully that will change next year

Most Improved Racers toks, adam, michelle and hal.

Favorite pro riders. cancellara, sastre , cav........maybe adam in the future

Most improved Club Riders: anthony definately in pole position- its bordering on inspirational! and also adrew ellis- going from just clinging onto the training group, to beating me and sylv up box hill.

Best Forum Bits: race reports, in particular adam and toks because they were the most successful to read!

Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs: slipping my chain off in the acc premotions race ARGHGHGHGHGHGHGHG!!!!!

[quote]Stand out quotes

[Toks]

[quote="Stu Merckx Man"]
Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year back in august on a cold wet miserable day, with just my chest infection and tonsilitus for company, and realising 30 miles from home that i was not enjoying it any more, and all i wanted to do was just be back at home without having to ride the next 30 miles. then when i got home i took a look at my bike and i felt like throwing it in the bin, and giving up. however, toks was a great help in getting me back to my normal frame of mind, through a series of email conversations, thank you toks!

[Snoop Doug]

Can I add a.n.other category...?

Silent Hero: Huw. Well I know he ain't always quiet in fact his scribblings on here are up with the best. No, I'm talking about the training stuff. I know he works with a few ACCers and it's the stuff he's doing wiv da kids that really impresses me. We should celebrate that - and find a way to help Huw build and develop it next year. Good stuff.

[Keith]

Goals:
Have a go at this racing lark.
Complete La Marmotte in a respectable time.
Avoid crashing.

Training Approach and Philosophy:
Give 100%. Try to recover. Give 100% again.

My Best Races(RR or TT):
Surrey League Road Race Champs, despite the DNF (puncture).

My Worst Race (RR or TT):
SERRL at Brenchley - got dropped on the hill on lap 7. Pulled out.

Best Long Rides or Sportives:
UCI Victor Ludorum at Highclere Castle in June.
The Addiscombe Express in the Tour of the Black Mountains. Cheers Hal.

Worst Ride/Sportive Of the Year:
See worst race above.

Best ACC Road Racer:
Adam.

Best ACC TT Man and Woman:
George.

Best Sportive Rider:
Hal - see best long ride above.

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed:
Chris Moore (Norwood) in the SL RR Champs for bridging a 3 minute gap in the last lap, then having enough in the
tank to win comfortably on the hill.
Charlie Blackman (Dynamo) for her control over all other riders at Hog Hill.

Favourite Club Rider This Year:
Marek for his relentless enthusiasm in getting me and others out training in the dark, week in, week out. Enthusiasm ain't one of my strong points.

Seasons Low Point:
See worst race above.

Most Improved Racers:
Adam. 3rd cat rider with a decent sprint to mature 1st cat.

Favorite pro riders:
Many impress, but can't say that I've got a favourite.

Most improved Club Riders:
The Missus.

Best Forum Bits:
This -
[quote="Sylv"]There ya go!

[img]http://www.cycleweb.co.uk/londoncross/pics08/mud084.jpg[/img]

[Michelle]

Goals: To do La Marmotte and to do a bit of racing....after a mini ski-season and taking 9 weeks off the bike

Training Approach and Philosophy: A bit of this, a bit of that, and lots and lots of questions
My Best Races(RR or TT): Two of these. Getting to the regionals at Ellens Green, thinking ' Finally I find some women who go a bit faster' and after another couple of hours, getting 4th . Also Thruxton in September when I knew I had made 2nd Cat .
My Worst Race (RR or TT): Ellens Green - spectacular crash just after I got 4th. And Hog Hill, boy was that hard.

Best Long Rides or Sportive: La Marmotte.
Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year: La Marmotte - cos it took so much out of me and I got really sick for weeks afterwards

Best ACC Road Racer: It would be Adam, but he isn't ACC . Still, it's Adam, and also Toks.
Best ACC TT Man and Woman: Tamar - goes without saying. Also George the Monster.
Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Andrew E - coming out of nowhere (well I'd never heard of him before) and taking the sprint in the SL Handicap on the Newchapel Circuit. And Charlie Blackman for her total domination of any race I have been in with her. And two Team Luciano women for the pain they inflicted up the hills - nice little one two number, got the rest of us permanently in the red zone.

Favourite Club Rider This Year: My hubby, Keith
Best Sportive Riders: - Hal and Keith

Seasons Low Point: Getting ill and VERY frustrated after La Marmotte and not being able to do anything for a month

Most Improved Racer: Adam - from cheeky cocky 3rd Cat to cheekier, cockier 1st Cat - with lots more knowse of course.
Favorite pro riders: Armstrong, Vinokourov, Rasmusson, The Cobra....Actually Ms Cooke's poster from her Olympics win is laminated and stuck on the fridge .
Most improved Club Riders: Cap'n Snoop, Amy has really come back onto form, and Antloony.
Best Forum Bits: Marky Marks pictures. Reading race reports, writing race reports,getting encouragement from all and sundry, giving encouragement to all and sundry, feeling like I am in the middle of the fantastic Adiscombe Cycling Club hub.
Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs: If only I'd got a better start I could have been in an earlier group at Hog Hill....If only I hadn't got twitchy and gone too early for the sprint at the 2nd Chersey I might have won it...oh Lord, there's one of these for every race I did this year.

Stand out quotes: 'Thats not how I want to train'. Quote from Adam about why he wasn't going in the Training Group.
ACC's 'Blingiest' Rider: Adam - white, white, white, such an impractical colour for a bike.
Kings and Queens of Pain: those 12 hour nutters.
Who went missing this season: George from road racing. Paul Hone from the Club - he's gone all Triathlon on us. Still, the boy done good. Chloe - come back soon we miss the injection of pink and pearls each week.

I'd like to add another category...

Most encouraging club member: Toks, for his well thought through and perceptive views and his constant, constant encouragement. Snoop always cheers people on, in person or in spirit via tinternet if he wasn't there. And Keith Knight

And somewhere amongst that lot should be Huw. He deserves some kind of award, even just for answering all my infernal questions .

[Andy E]

Goals: A couple of mammoth sportives and to properly get into RR after dipping my toe last year

Training Approach and Philosophy: Usually it's well structured and periodised. Training makes you weak, rest makes you strong Life got in the way this year though so didn't really train, just tried to enjoy myself whenever i got out on the bike.

My Best Races(RR or TT): Winning in my first RR of the year at Newchapel and almost single handedly keeping the bunch in check at Cutmill while Dan was showing off up the road then somehow getting 3rd in the sprint Coming 5th And winning on handicap in my first ever TT (club 10 in July)

My Worst Race (RR or TT): Feeling super strong and puncturing 1km from the line in Kennardington

Best Long Rides or Sportive: Fred Whitton. A truly epic ride, simply stunning scenery and about the toughest day on a bike you could have in this country. Finishing in 7hrs despite almost no form or preperation

Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year: Fred Whitton. Suffered like a dog for the last 20miles. Hardknott and Wrynose after 102 very hard miles is just a joke!

Best ACC Road Racer: Michelle & Toks. And Hal for getting so many results at Palace. Everyone deserves a mention though for such positive attacking riding. An ACC jersey is always up the road or at least trying to get there

Best ACC TT Man and Woman: George, what an animal!

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Dan G for his 2-man break at Cutmill. The group wasn't hanging about and they stayed away for 3 laps, awesome.

Favourite Club Rider This Year: Every God damned one of you for making newbies like me feel so welcome

Best Sportive Riders: - Hal and Keith

Seasons Low Point: Crashing on the club run and missing a month just after finding some great form

Most Improved Racer: Dunno, wasn't around last year

Favorite pro riders: Cancellara, Cav, Cooke, GB track team

Most improved Club Riders: Anthony, hands down

Best Forum Bits: Race reports and the general nonsense that helps while away the hours at work

Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs: Wanted to do much more racing this year, but moving house and work got in the way. Should have done more races at Palace, a few more and i'd have got a result i'm sure

Kings and Queens of Pain: those 12 hour nutters, and anyone in the training group who's made me suffer

[Sylv]

Goals: Split road and mtb racing about 50/50, keep 2nd Cat licence on the road and compete at national level off-road. Failed the first one, got quite a few RR under my belt in early March, then after Palace started didn't do much else than that. A few 2nd Cats met up to plan the early season last year, trouble is we only went to June, and after that it seemed everyone was doing their thing on their side. Maybe we should plan the next year as a whole and as a team, with events to peak for etc.

Mtb I started well also as early as Feb with some podiums at the Gorricks, then 9th at the first NPS, 2nd at the 70-mile Enduro (almost won). Then got often tired and couldn't be bothered travelling to the four corners of the UK to race the other NPS. Maybe started too early ...

Training Approach and Philosophy Rack up the miles at maximum intensity, use commuting for hard training. All change for 2009 then ...

My Best Races Wally Gimber - awesome to ride with so many Elites and support cars etc, hearing Tony G being his usual bullish self, felt good till the end just didn't have the legs for the uphill bunch sprint; Sunday's muddy cross race, great fun and a decent result not forgetting George's grin at the finish; National Points Series @ Thetford, felt fast on a flat course usually billed as "off-road for TTers", Gorrick race in the mud coming 3rd on my singlespeed vs geared riders.

My Worst Race National Points Series @ Grizedale, felt crap and tired and didn't want to race, missed the start due to a puncture which was a relief in itself, "raced" the Marathon 50km following day - glad I did though the course was brilliant. Also Hog Hill London Crit Champs - a shame, one minute I was feeling good en enjoying the new course, the next I ran out of power and got dropped on the hill. Saying that, watching the rest of the rest from the sides, the pace did seem to hot up later on.

Best Long Rides or Sportivs - Brighton run(s )with mrpvt & George (riding in close formation in TT position on the dual carriageway whilst getting soaked = priceless), then with Paul Marky Mark (hearing his explosion as he went through the 100-mile mark for the first time = priceless, & others. Also doing the odd 60-miler exploring the streets of London on a weekday.

Worst Ride/Sportiv Of the Year I think it was this year, though I'd rather forget it, solo clubrun when I felt horribly sick on the way back via Box Hill - almost didn't make it.

Best ACC Road Racer: From the reports and results as I hardly rode with them, Michelle and Toks. I tell you next year's gonna be the best so far for team ACC. Wish Michelle had more team mates!

Best ACC TT Man and Woman: Tamar and George closely followed by Dom. Look out for Stu next year

Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Absalon riding away from the field @ mtb Olympics, Nicole Cooke's gutsy wins. Within the club ... err I don't want to upset anyone ..

Favourite Club Rider This Year George - hasn't focused on the road so much this year, but bloody impressive TT and CX results (wish road racers would realise the effort it takes). Here's to hoping he'll be back to the road next year.

Seasons Low Point: No real improvement come to think of it (as opposed to previous year with jump to the road which helped) - aim for next year to train (and rest) properly & gain 3 minutes per hour for mtb, cross or TT race.

Most Improved RacersM Steve B & Ant, F Michelle. Would have said Andy but then I learnt he'd done some Ironman before!

Favorite pro riders. Adam Craig, Thomas Frischknecht. Don't follow RR enough to know who's doing what.

Most improved Club Riders: Those who have made the step to the training group and lived to tell the tale.

Best Forum Bits: Robh vs Toks, Robh vs PaulH, race reports, "witty banter" as they say on Dave

Racing/Riding Could of's and Should ofs: See goals. Should have done LeJoG - next year? Should have done Roc d'Azur biggest mtb race in the world.

Stand out quotes Can't think right now, it will come back tome.

ACC's 'Blingiest' Rider: John L's Cervelo, Ian's Cervelo

Kings and Queens of PainProbably 50 and 100 mile TTers. 10 mile is over quickly, 12 hour is much lower intensity. 50 mile has got to hurt.

Who went missing this season Tim H (he's back), Jon C (also), Paul H (but was worth it). I thought Toks was gonna be one of them then all of a sudden he pops up and wins everything.

[quote="Sylv"]
Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Absalon riding away from the field @ mtb Olympics,

[quote="Toks"][quote="Sylv"]
Most Impressive Riding I witnessed: Absalon riding away from the field @ mtb Olympics,

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Toks"]I will do some TT's next year.

[Toks]

10's and 25's. The problem is Snoop I'm a bit lazy so I need to get organised cause I'm generally and enter on the line kinda guy

[Michelle]

[quote]Sylv said 'Wish Michelle had more team mates'

[Andrew G]

[quote="Toks"]10's and 25's. The problem is Snoop I'm a bit lazy so I need to get organised cause I'm generally and enter on the line kinda guy