Herne Hill Saturday Training

That was glorious! I think that was my first session in the sunshine since I started in September. I don't mind hanging off the back so much in this weather.

My first session for a few weeks due to illness, travel blah. Definitely feeling it now. Glorious weather.

Did the 'novice' session at midday. Great fun but you fairweather guys really like to ride fast! I think i'll be practicing my endurance at higher speed from now on.

Phew! That wind this morning!

I've not ridden track in at least a year but now I've got a worthy bike and feel like bringing it I'm thinking about coming down next saturday.

What's the current state of accreditation and what do I need to do to prove I've done it? When I last went I was doing intermediates but I'm not planning to jump straight back in at that level.

You'll need to do the training accreditation before you can do inters. Best thing to do is go back to the beginner session (not the induction session) and talk to the coaches during or after.

I think there is an online booking thing for accreditation, but it's good to go down and get used to the drills again.

Yep go to the midday session "novice" aka "track skills". It is still a good workout, but only an hour, not two. Check online to find a date you can book for the accreditation to get your card. Lots of accredited riders still do that midday session. The morning one seems to get a little hardcore

Missing the track a lot!
#injuriessuck

Cheers guys, so I can still turn up and ride what used to be basics without a piece of paper or card?

Still the collar bone? Get well soon mate.

Someone last week was riding the midday session with one arm strapped to his chest in a sling. Where there's a will there's a way. Get well skülly.

Yes IR exactly

You're #fixiefamous aren't you? They should know who you are.

I'll just get my sponsors to call ahead obviously ;)

That guy was there yesterday too! I was impressed

@IR Actually elbow, thanks for healing wishes. Rode twice this week for first time since late Jan. Absolutely slow but glad to be back on. @pdlouche yes I heard about sling guy. Seems a bit - brave.

Intermediates had a crash yesterday, three riders being attended by two ambo crews. One guy took a lot of track on his face, really sorry to see him with lots of claret like that, he was being totally stoical whilst being assessed. Heal up mate, if you read this, I really hope it looked worse than it is.

I gathered it was just a wheel tangle. Reminds me to not go too close to the next wheel in training.

...

Anyone heading down today for the track skills?

Damn!! Hope those guys are okay. Quite glad I wasn't there, knowing my luck I could have been in the pile-up. Do you know if they were overlapping or it was a gust of wind or...? I guess it's all speculation, but the track can be a wind trap

Knee still feels busted. Easy 25+ miles yesterday on the road bike, too much pain don't think I could push a fixed cog today. Really missing the training. Hope it wasn't too windy for whoever went today.

I was 2 riders behind them, wind wasn't really strong imo so I guess it was wheels overlapping. Because it was raining earlier that day not as many people turned up so I would say the session was a bit faster and people didn't need to look out for so many other riders so that might have been a factor.
Coaches then reminded us that this was training so no need to ride excessively close to each other.
First time I "experienced" a crash on the track, very sobering and definitely reminds you to keep concentrated at all times.

Yea for sure. There was a crash a couple months ago, it was one of the first sunny days this year, where two guys ended up in hospital. Was just before I did the novice session (before I got accredited), so our session was quite slow and careful.

Can't remember if it was the same day or the next week the guy clipped me and I went flying too - lucky I only had some bruises and road rash that day.

Never fun.

I was the first to fall that Saturday 2 weeks back. Was a strange group with people shouting at each other. The group was stretching with many riders speeding up for the first 1/4 lap at the front to then slow down as pace was too face. Being at the back was a nightmare to manage a steady pace so i was speeding up to pick the slag when it did slow down. I did slow down enough but had to go to the red line and overlapping a bit the rider in front of me (who was on the white line).
The wind wasn't too strong but because the pace was fast, people were still moving a lot to minimize effort. The guy in front of me moved quickly to the red line and i was still overlapping by 1 inch.....couldn't keep my handlebar straight more than few meters and you guess the rest.
Lesson learnt, i now keep more distance in that group. Indeed one guy ended up his face first on the floor (loose helmet?) and fracture his face but nothing too serious. The second one was very slightly hurt at one knee. For me, torn ligament between shoulder and collarbone. No surgery necessary and the specialist told me i can keep the collarbone slightly up (typical rugby injury) and won't lose any functionality or get a surgery purely for cosmetic but you have a scare.
As i was already back on the bike few days later and was down there for training today and last week with no pain, i keep my collarbone looking funny!!

My helmet would be a good illustration of why you need to wear one, totally trashed.

Coaches were not happy again that only 5 of us finished the 30 laps today but i find it hard to slow down as you always want to at least keep the pace you've been given.

Glad to hear that you're ok and on your bike again!

Indeed the group was a bit strange, I think a couple of riders got told off a bit at the end for riding dangerously. I also agree with the pace, very erratic at times, so I ended up riding with the ladies group for a bit ;)

Good to hear that the other guy is ok too, his face did look pretty bad.

fracture his face but nothing too serious

That's so typical. Ever since the bad weather//winter stopped** I noticed a lot of riders like elastic bands all over the place, and found myself being shouted at a few weeks back for not closing a gap in front... yet the gap opened over the start line and closed itself by the sprint line. Always sketchy when you find yourself moving onto the red.

Never a good sign when people are shouting at each other. If your attention is going on shouting then it's divided from your pacing.

Heal up.

**Edit: I mean, ever since Spring there are more riders, and maybe ones that are less consistent (or consistently less whatever)

Ahah i know i know but it sounds much worse than it is. Tiny fracture below his left eye and it was more visual than serious (i think that is what the doc told him when we where there).

@BTR88 Cleaver man, i should have done the same and move to another group ;-)

We've been told off by the nurses/doc when we arrived at hospital telling us we bring them too much work while we were all cover of blood ahah

@pdlouche Exactly, you end up in a huge elastic very hard to smooth without taking risk...not great. It was much smoother today.