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Training Rides 2010
What a disastrous start to the year, I think the worst overall that we’ve ever had. The first session scheduled 2nd January was completely snowed off and not even worth the effort of putting your nose out the door. The next one scheduled 9th was almost as bad; the snow and ice in the morning actually disappeared by the afternoon, but the Cottingham roads were flooded and although I went out to see if anyone turned up (surprising there were four there) the conditions weren’t right and I had no helpers.
Sproatley Training Session. Saturday, 27th February, 2010
Not a great deal of improvement in the weather, at least it was dry and not too windy, and, again, not too many in attendance on what I consider a really good and safe course to train on.
In the first group, the A team, we had Karl Downes, Steve Macklin, Mark Robinson, Mark Walker and John Askew, joined by Chris Daddy, Jack Cutsforth and Richard Moore. The B team consisted of Phil Eden, Tony Goundry, Andy Carroll, Peter Lynes, Andy Faichney, Nick Rogers and Stuart Wadsworth. The youngsters were out in force again, they were Joe and Will Faichney, Hugh Tomlinson and Ben Waite, looked after by dad Ben Waite.
With 10 laps to contend the A group went around in 8:30, 6:44, 6:31, 6:30, 6:35, 6:35, 7:01, 7:04, 6:40, and 6:24. The B group went around in 7:45, 7:12, 7:13, 7:00, 7:15, 7:15, 7:19, 7:11, 7:20 and 7:13.
In spite of telling them to take an easy first lap the B group took three-quarters of a minute out of the more ‘elite’ riders yet conceded 6 minutes after the ten laps. A lesson? The A group were consistent for the first six laps but then slowed a little which resulted in Karl and Richard going off on their own. As this formed a sub-working group everyone got as much as they could out of the session. The B group were more consistent in their efforts and stayed together well. The smaller groups definitely work much better together.
I hope that you’ve enjoyed the sessions and able to find partners out on the road for your own training. Thanks to Richard and Sheila for co-organising the sessions with me, and just as much to Don and Mick and Terry and Ray for standing on the corners making it safe for everyone.
Saturday, 20th February, 2010. Sproatley
We’ve not hd too good weather as yet but it was at least bright and dry, if a little cold. Reduced numbers owing to Richard taking a few to train in Mallorca (hope they’re having better weather) and some taking part in tomorrow’s first ‘10’ of the season on the V718 (apparently cancelled). I had intended increasing to 9 laps but kept it to eight; a shame really, you all looked to be enjoying yourselves.
The first group off comprised 4 riders only, Karl Downes, Steve Macklin, John Askew and Mark Walker, augmented after a lap by Chris Daddy and Richard Moore, later by Andy Faichney.
Group two was Tony Goundry, Mark Robinson, Andy Carroll, Neil Dean, Brad Palmer, James Westmoreland and Andy Nicholson.
Pleasing to see the schoolboys out enjoying themselves again, Tom and Will Waudby and Joe Faichney, looked after by Chris Duggleby and, for a while, Start Wadsworth, who tried to keep them together.
The groups worked well together with Karl doing a lion’s share in the A team. His attitude in seeing how much you can push yourself in a short training session is one to be adopted. “Remember, Rodders!, ‘He who dares, wins!’”
A baptism of fire, perhaps, for Andy Nicholson returned to riding his bike after many years’ lay-off, those of us old enough will remember hanging on to his wheel when he was younger. But he survived. And I was suitably impressed with young Joe Faichney hanging on to the back of one of the groups after he was caught - a real fighter that lad.
The A team’s lap times were 8:32, 6:44, 6:42, 6:28, 6:33, 6:40, 6:31 and 6:15 – pretty consistent. B team’s wer 8:06, 7:02, 7:07, 7:08, 7:21, 7:34, 7:31 and 7:01. The youngsters went in 10:45 then 7:58 but they split up after that.
Thanks to Sheila, Mike Adams, Don Wilkinson (as always) and Terry Grainger for their assistance, it is appreciated. Next week at Sproatley, 27th February, is the last this year.
16th January
On the 16th January we had our first training session. Although it rained most of the morning it wasn’t too bad in the afternoon and eleven riders came out to join in what should have been the third of the training sessions. Everyone went round together and they had a good work out to brush the cobwebs away from the dreary weather we’ve had lately.
Riders were Mark Walker, Tony Goundry, Steve Guymer, Les Phillips, Dave Shackleton, Karl Downes, Mark Philipson, David Brearley, Lee Watson, Peter Fielding-Smith and Andy Faichney. They lapped around the 7:10 mark; in fact they were, 8:25, 7:15, 7:10, 7:14, 7:03 and 7:15 for the six laps.
23rd January
Because we’d only had one session at Cottingham we thought it advantageous to do another one there as this is the easiest of the circuits we use. So, on the 23rd we used the circuit around Dunswell Lane and North Moor Lane, a slightly better day, at least the road surface was only damp and not flooded, and 32 riders came and joined in.
We set the ‘elite’ group off first (I use this term loosely – you’re all elite in your own peculiar way), to try to keep the groups apart. This was Steve Guymer, Karl Downes, Paul Noton, Mark Ollerenshaw, Nathan Wilson, Matthew Enticknap, Adam Hardy, Paul Hickman, and Mark McKeown who joined in. Starting a minute behind were Tony Goundry, Mark Walker, Mark Philipson, Lee Watson, Neil Dean, Craig Medcalf, Phil Eden, Rob Busby, James Westmoreland, Andy Carroll and Ton Atkinson. Mark Robinson looked after group three who were Paul Campbell, Jodie Brumhead, Richard Bielby, Chris Burton, Peter Lynes and Mark himself. The last group was Les Phillips, Brad Palmer, M.Mochlevy, Eric Brumhead and Terry Grainger.
I have to re-iterate the rules of training here once more as group two set off to chase right from the start. The ‘elite’ group do, as they usually do, start with the warm-up chat lap, a pace when everyone can talk and usually around 18 mph. It’s to make sure everyone knows everyone else and ease into it. I think the Malton lads stirred things up a bit because in the first lap they’d knocked three quarters of a minute out of the fast group and were within spitting distance after the first lap. So we soon had a group twenty strong – not conducive to making the most of the session; anyone with a reasonable amount of fitness should be able to hang on without doing any work – and you train to work or you won’t get better. No matter, those who were there seemed to enjoy it.
Unhappily we had a tragedy. Eric Brumhead, whom I’ve know for nearly fifty years, who’d come along to join in to encourage Jodie, his daughter, started off in the last group, rode around with them for a lap and then on his own for another four or five laps, before he collapsed at the side of the road. He appeared under no stress, he responded with a smile to my calls at the road junction, and never called out for help, not even to Brad Palmer who stopped and was a bit concerned; in fact Eric told him to continue. It didn’t take Brad long to realise it was serious and called an ambulance and Richard Bielby and a number of others stopped to assist with CPR as they supposed, rightly, that Eric had had a heart attack. I tell you all this because Athena and Jodie (and Richard and I) would like to thank all those who helped, acted quickly and responsibly. He didn’t recover.
The elite group recorded laps of 8:45, 6:55, 6:43, 6:31, 6:40, 6:45, 7:06 and 5:31, the last lap not only faster but also shorter. Group two, not abiding by the chat lap rule, recorded 8:05, 6:50, 6:28 and then joined the elite. The early laps of group 3 were 8:50, 7:39, 7:51, 7:50 and 7:42, and group 4 recorded 8:42, 7:56 and 8:16 (Eric recorded 9:30, 10:20 and 10:28 so he wasn’t pushing too hard).
30th January
I wasn’t able to make the first ride on the Brantingham circuit on 30th January and Richard split the 21 riders into two groups. Group one was Karl Doenes, Brad Palmer, Steven Guymer, Pete Fielding Smith, Tony Goundry, James Westmoreland, Adam Hardy, Steve Macklin, Matthew Fenton, John Brearley, Jason Young, David Brearley, Andy Faichney and Richard Moore. Group two were Les Phillips, Paul Campbell, Mark Robinson, Chris Burton, John Galbraith, Claire Cairns, and Derek Palmer.
Group one did the ten laps in times 6:50, 5:50, 5:43, 5:49, 5:43, 5:48, 5:57, 5:58, 5:58 and 5:23. Group two did 6:55, 6:12, 6:25, 6:28, 6:11, 6:21, 6:23, 6:17, 6:23 and 6:00. Claire, on her first outing, could have done with some of the steadier riders we had in earlier sessions but she did ok recording laps in 7:44, 8:08, 8:15, 8:04, 8:27 and 9:07. John also preferred a lot of solo and recorded 6:55, 7:35, 7:45, 7:20, 8:14, 7:26 and 8:20 whilst Les recorded 6:55, 6:46, 7:03, 7:07, 7:11 and 7:38.
We were a bit short of helpers here, only Sheila and Ray Robson, they marshalled the Ellerker cross roads and the Brantingham turn off from Stockbridge, so essential to make the rides safe. I’m really sorry that more people are not interested enough to come out and help and see what’s going on in the world – who’s fit and who’s able. If it wasn’t for the old crocks like Don and Ray, both octogenarians (and me! – but not eighty for a few years) there wouldn’t be any sessions.
6th February
Twenty eight riders out for the second session around Brantingham, and another cold and foggy afternoon but with little wind. Apart from young Scott, perhaps because there aren’t any more in his age group, the three groups worked pretty well together. Group one was Adam Duggleby, Jason Young, John Brearley, Matthew Fenton, Nathan Wilson, Karl Downes, Steven Guymer, Peter Fielding Smith and Andy Faichney. Group two were Steve Macklin, Tom Atkinson, Andy Carroll, James Westmoreland, David Brearley, Rob Busby, Phil Eden, Craig Medcalf, Mark Walker and Tony Goundry. Group three were Neil Dean, Mark Robinson, Paul Campbell, Chris Burton, Paul Cook, Brad Palmer, Gary Knowles and Scott Redmond.
Pretty consistent riding as group one recorded laps of 6:37, 5:38, 5:37, 5:41, 5:41, 5:34, 5:41, 5:21, 5:22 and 5:37; while group two did laps in 6:59, 5:51, 5:53, 5:45, 5:47, 5:47, 5:56, 5:52, 6:08 and 5:34. Mark’s group recorded laps as 6:50, 6:10, 6:05, 6:13, 6:13, 6:09, 5:57, 6:08 and 5:50. If you compare the times with the previous weeks you’ll find the laps were a bit quicker.
Thanks again to Richard and, of course, marshals Sheila, Mandy Dean, Don and Ray. Next three weeks are east of the city at Sproatley.
Training Sproatley 13th Feb 2010
When are we going to get some decent weather? Saturday was another wet and miserably cold day and 23 turned up to take part in the training session. We had three groups and it was good to see some youngsters taking part – and enjoying it.
Group one was Dave Shackleton, Nathan Wilson, Karl Downes, John Askew, Lee Watson and Rob Busby
Group two was Andy Carrol, Craig Medcalf, Phil Eden, Steve Macklin, Mark Walker, Neil Dean, Peter Lynes, Brad Palmer, James Westmoreland, Mandy Dean, Tony Washbrook
Group three Stuart Wadsworth, Stuart Fletcher, Will Waudby, Martin Wait Ben Wait, AN Other
Eight laps was enough in these conditions, it started to rain during the session, and Dave Shackleton seemed to be in a class of his own, with Karl starting with a bad cold – all but the doctor’s sick note was in evidence.
Lap times
Group one lapped in 8:29, 6:47, 6:48, 6:56, 6:50, 6:59, 7:11, and 7:07 (Shack did the last two laps in 7:02 and 6:39). Group two went around in 8:35, 7:15, 7:20, 7:09, 7:10, 7:20, 7:28 and 7:13. Mandy recorded 8:35, 9:35, 9:57, 9:43 and 9:03 before calling it a day. The youngsters were lapping in just a bit over 10 minutes a lap.
Two more sessions at Sproatley before the racing begins in earnest. Thanks to Sheila, Don and Mick Adams for marshalling. Richard is off to Mallorca next weekend for a couple of weeks, so thanks to him for organising in my stead; hope the weather’s a bit kinder out in the Mediterranean, well that it changes for next week, I hear there’s snow out there just now.
