So...today Grumpy Bob rode his first solo '25' of 2009 - not only that, it was his longest race of the season so far, the North Middx & Herts '50' having been cancelled through lack if entries. Normally by this stage of the season, he would have completed several '25's, a couple of '50's, and would be looking forward to riding a '100'. Instead, he's wondering where all the events went, having had a fairly poor time at the Hemel '25'. To be honest, Grumpy Bob is usually luck to get sub-hour on the F13/25, but even so finishing well over the hour was a bit of knock to his morale.
Mind you, there's still time for his grumpy training to have an impact before the Duo in late September, and with a programme of two races a week before he has to go to Nottingham for a week's teaching in the first week of August, a week of chips and beer and 13 hour working days.
Part of the problem as Grumpy Bob sees it is partly a reduced number of events in London North (though perhaps this is merely his perception), and partly his reluctance to ride on the F1 following the tragedy that unfolded at the Icknield RC '25' in May.
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1. Remember to make your excuses before the race, not after. Otherwise it will just sound pathetic.
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2. Don't tinker with your bike the evening before the event. It will break, either then or, worse still, during the event.
3. If all else fails, buy some new bike kit.
4. And if rule #3 fails, new skinsuits are probably a good option.
5. Never train or race with a bad cough - it will destroy your entire season.
6. Tantrums are appropriate if provoked (e.g. by mechanical problems), but try to avoid damage to equipment
7. Team Grumpy riders are allowed to use whatever equipment they wish (and their wallets permit). However, the official team energy drink is pop belge.
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3 comments:
Well, I have to say that London North is reliant (overly so in my view) on the F1 course. Remember when it got shut down by National Committtee? There were people claiming that it was the end of the sport in the district.
Maybe the club TTs will help. If not, you'll have to move to South Wales! Here we have a safe (but cheaty) dual carriageway 25 course and an increasing number of sporting courses since I arrived here (pure coincidence, I am sure).
Yes, it's a shame we become reliant on fast courses. I did a great 25 up on Yorkshire. It was slow but very little traffic (old A1) I finished with 56.55 but I didn't mind slow time too much :)
A newish rider in my club (Bynea CC) went under the hour for the first time a couple weekends back. It was a sporty(ish) course (R25/4) and a hideous day with a very strong headwind to the turn, which just happened to be thelonger leg. He did a long '59', but will remember this for ever.
I calculate that the R25/3 courses - there are three variants - are a good three minutes faster than this course.
Personally, I'd prefer it if we moved away from measuring performance based on time over standard distances. But I can't see it happeneing - unfortunately.
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