Delurking

"WibbleWobble" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Wibbly-Wobbly (my body, not my riding) down the B480 outside Oxford on my
"sit up and beg" when I am passed a gaggle(?) of superfit superfast lycra
clad roadies probably on a 50-100 mile Sunday outing.
They are the model of politeness, with cheery "good mornings". I can only
look on enviously as they disappear over the hill.

Which club did they belong to? Where were they going? Would I ever be able
to join this elite band?

Yes you can - in 1999 I was a 41yr old MTB riding pub crawler who wasn't too
unfit, but nowhere near a club cyclist's fitness levels. Since then I have
commuted the 24 miles to work and back every working day, joined a club and
been out with Cat 1 roadies.

I am now at the stage where I can keep up with them on a moderate ride and
indeed the other night was cycling side by side with a 23 minute 10 mile TT
rider. We were doing 22-23 mph chatting away and he said I could crack 25
mins in my first TT no problem. It takes a lot of hard work, many miles and
a willingness not go give up. That's the hardest bit, getting the miles (and
hills!) in when all you want to do is sit down in front of the TV (or radio
in my case). This goes for mid winter as well.

If you can get through the barrier that make you want to give up and chuck
it as a sport, then the rewards are immense. You've got to want it hard
enough though, otherwise you won't get there.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Quoted message said:

Yes you can - in 1999 I was a 41yr old MTB riding pub crawler who wasn't too
unfit, but nowhere near a club cyclist's fitness levels. Since then I have
commuted the 24 miles to work and back every working day, joined a club and
been out with Cat 1 roadies.

....... and 15 years ago, when the big three-O was still a few years
away, I struggled to ride 40 miles and enjoy it.

On Sunday I completed the Gran Fondo Milan - Sanremo (186 miles) in 9½
hours (I hope to post a ride report here later this week). It was one
of the most memorable days cycling I've ever had.

All that has changed is that 15 years ago all I did was ride alone.

As Simon says, all it takes is time (I reckon 4-8 hours per week
minimum) and miles (60-100 miles a week) to reach a level where you
could comfortably ride with most club runs.

The key is to find a club where the weekend club run is just that - not
race training, but a steady ride at 16-17mph average. No good going
out with a club that rides new members out of the back of the group and
leaves them to their own devices miles from home. Look for local clubs
on the British Cycling website, (Bicester Millenium must be quite
nearby for you), find out from their club secretary where their club
run meets and try it for yourself.

You'll find it hard to start with, but you will improve if you stick
with it. It then opens the door to all sorts of things you'd currently
never dream of doing - racing, riding long audaxes, cyclosportifs etc.
All it takes is for you to show an interest and you will soon get to
find out about events that are happening that would suit your ability
level.

Good luck with it
Bronzie

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bronzie () said:

On Sunday I completed the Gran Fondo Milan - Sanremo (186 miles) in 9=3F
hours (I hope to post a ride report here later this week). It was one
of the most memorable days cycling I've ever had.

Flippin' 'eck! 9=3F hours is a good time for a 200 for me, never mind
300! Rispek!

--
Dave Larrington - <http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/>
Odd, is it not, how all roads lead inexorably to David Icke?

"Bronzie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yes you can - in 1999 I was a 41yr old MTB riding pub crawler who wasn't
too
unfit, but nowhere near a club cyclist's fitness levels. Since then I have
commuted the 24 miles to work and back every working day, joined a club
and
been out with Cat 1 roadies.

The key is to find a club where the weekend club run is just that - not
race training, but a steady ride at 16-17mph average. No good going
out with a club that rides new members out of the back of the group and
leaves them to their own devices miles from home.

This sometimes happened to me, I started with a group of riders who were
winning local TTs and road races (i.e far fitter than I was) . Lots of times
I was left alone in the hills, but they always waited for me and never took
the mickey (almost never). It's all too easy to become quickly disillusioned
and convince yourself that you are with the "wrong" group of people and
should be with a much slower bunch.

Time and time again last summer, I was dropped and swore I'd pack it in and
return when I'd become fitter, but I hung on in all winter and now am glad I
did. I would never have improved to the extent I have if I'd not pushed to
keep up with a much fitter group. It's tough and demoralising sometimes but
if you don't give up you'll eventually not fear the hills and riders you
used to fear.

--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

Quoted message said:

Flippin' 'eck! 9=3F hours is a good time for a 200 for me, never mind
300! Rispek!

It was absolutely mental! 700 riders lined up for a mass start
including some very fit looking guys who are pro-racers in all but name
- ear-piece radios, the whole works! We covered 70 miles hanging on
for dear life at tail end of the bunch riding at 25mph INTO a headwind!
It was a case of hang on in there, or ride 180 miles on your own, and
I know I'd struggle to do that.

When we got to the start of the only big climb (Turchino Pass 520m) it
all blew to pieces and me and my mate made our own way in from there,
aided and abetted by Italians, Germans, Belgians and a few French. As
far as I can tell, there were only 7 Brits entered, all travelling with
Sports Tours International.

The ride along the coast wasn't too bad even though we had a headwind
to start with, as again we managed to work with other riders to share
the load.

The "capos" just before the finish were tough as it was getting quite
hot (but not as hot as it was here apparently on Sunday) - the Cipressa
(220m) seemed to go on for hours but actually took about 15 mins. The
ride finished on top of the Poggio, which was actually not too bad at
all once you'd climbed the first steep bit. The rest was actually a
"big ring" climb.

By way of comparison, the guy who won it did 7h45m. The pros cover the
course (incl the extra 4 miles from the Poggio down into Sanremo) in
about 6h45m IIRC.

The highlights:
1) riding in a bunch of 700 riders at 25mph - what a buzz!
2) the traffic was all pulled over to the side of the road to start
with - along the coast road we were waved through every junction by the
police - we only stopped to fill our bottles and pockets!
3) The descents off the Turchino and Cipressa are fast, smooth asphalt,
with sweeping hairpins - wild!
4) The international language of cycling - a flick of the elbow to come
through - even though I "no speeka di lingo"
5) The names painted on the road up the Poggio and Cipressa - I equate
this to non-cycling friends to a pub footballer playing at Wembley or
club tennis player gracing the Centre Court at Wimbledon - it made the
hairs on the back of my neck stand up - "FOOOOORZAAA PETACCHI"!

For more info on the event go to http://www.ucsanremo.it/ - it's one of
those cycling monuments that you just gotta do! One day I'll get my
head around PBP distances, but until then, I'll leave it to the serious
audaxers out there - riding that 200k the week before last nearly
creased me!

Cheers
Bronzie

"Bronzie" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

On Sunday I completed the Gran Fondo Milan - Sanremo (186 miles) in 9½
hours (I hope to post a ride report here later this week). It was one
of the most memorable days cycling I've ever had.
------------------------

I'll bet! I'm losing weight by exercising more regularly and eating healthy
food, and hope to be back to my former good level of fitness by Xmas (yes,
things are THAT bad!).

There is hope in them-thar-hills...

Joe

Quoted message said:

Which club did they belong to? Where were they going? Would I ever be
able to join this elite band?

Could try the local CTC lot. You'd get the miles in and more cake (and
beer) too.

<url:www.ctc.org.uk/events_guide/events_guide_frontend/select_region_lg.asp
x>