Herne Hill Saturday Training

Fingers crossed a few of you reprobates have forgotten to pay - I was 6th on the waiting list 11 months ago and still waiting!

I gave up my hook so you're at least one spot closer...

A couple of exciting bits of news from the Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome:

First up, we've just launched a new Special Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome (or Friends with Benefits, as some have suggested). In a nutshell, we now have two FHHV options; For £30 (plus £1 p+p to get your membership card in the post) you get registration to Track League 2016, a range of discounts at loads of retailers, including Rapha, Condor, Canopy Brewery, Brick Lane Bikes, Cycle PS and many more…and of course, a lovely warm glow, knowing you're supporting the continued development of HHV. Or there's the standard £15 option, which includes your Track League registration and the warm glow.

Full details here: http://www.hernehillvelodrome.com/hhv-friends/membership-affiliates/

As the above suggests, registration for Track League is now open. We've made a few changes this year, so follow this link, get up to speed and sign-up for what promises to be a great summer of racing. Here's a little teaser...

https://vimeo.com/159051371

It's just under a week until the HHV Track League Spring Opener and it's shaping up to be a beauty!

Alongside the Rollapaluza team event (more info below), we'll be handing out a Lifetime Friend of HHV Award to one deserving fella and also some great raffle prizes to several lucky ticket-holders.

So far we've got prizes in the hat from the likes of Rapha, Cadence, Volcano Coffee Works, Brick Lane Bikes, Pro Cycling Trumps, The Handmade Cyclist, Yellow Jersey Cycle Insurance, Canopy Beer Co, Evan's Cycles of East Dulwich and more…oh, and, wait for it, a full english breakfast for two at Steve's Cafe!

Open qualifying for the Rollapaluza team event runs from 7.30pm until 9pm, with the fastest 8 teams progressing to the knockout stages. It's entry on the night - mixed teams of four containing at least one woman - so get there early, lubricate your legs with a refreshing pint or two ahead and roll the night away...

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Anyone know anything about the crash in Skills training today?
Two ambulances on the scene.

Touch of wheels during the first exercise and 5 or 6 riders came down, one particularly hard and a likely collar bone break. Hoping all involved make a speedy recovery.

I was in the crash.

It was in a 4 person group, I'm the 3rd person.

The 1st and 2nd person came down hard like a brick, the 2nd person came off very dramatically as if someone have kicked his front wheel (touch of wheels as @coachhouse mentioned).

This result in I hitting the 2nd person right on the chest after he fell and somersault over him, and hit the tarmac at quite a force.

The 4th person I have no idea cause I was trying to calm down on the tarmac.

I think I came off well considering, with a several bruised ribs and road rash, the kids was very upset with a cut above his right eyebrows but later on calm down, one guy (the 2nd one) have a suspected collarbones break, I don't know anything about the 4th.

...2 ambulances because of the history at LV apparently, but more likely because a doctor called the emergency services. As far as I know only 2 riders went to hospital? Hoping they recover well.

I must have missed the other, I know one definitely was heading to the hospital due to suspected collarbones fracture.

Another collbarbone fractured this week (confirmed)

There's another crash??

If a string of riders yell "stay down" or "stay" or "riders coming", don't change your speed, don't change or deviate from your line, and don't swing up(esp without looking and confirming it is 100% clear). Stay exactly where you are at the same pace and wait for the string to overtake safely. Once you think they are all through, check its completely clear, signal, and then swing up.

If your lapping weaker riders expect them to be nackered at the end of a halflap and not have the energy to go another halflap before changing, pace yourself so you don't overtake on the half/lap marker.

I never listen to them yell as it's pointless, surely looking behind a lots sufficent?

I'm guessing there is another crash that cause by someone deviating from their line and collude with the faster group?

I think it's everyone's responsibility. However the two key rules are if you are passing a slower group you shout, and more importantly if you are deviating from your line you look first.

A faster rider higher on the track shouldn't have to regulate speed every half lap because someone else doesn't obey the rules.

Pace yourself so you don't end up changing so frequently.

I never listen to them yell as it's pointless, surely looking behind a lots sufficient?

In a nutshell, no.

If you are getting the most out of your own training in an appropriately paced group for yourself and there are other groups circulating, you need to listen to your own group, the groups you pass and the groups that are passing you.

Of course you should always look and flick the elbow, and being highly aware of whats around you at all times is important, but a combination of looking listening and signalling is the best thing.

In simple terms, we run our club sessions on the following basis:

If you are being passed and you hear 'Stay up', 'Stay Down' or 'Hold your line' do just that. If you are not sure what you heard, check by looking and carry on doing what you are doing until it becomes clear what is going on.

If you are passing another group and you are on the front, go as high as is appropriate and let the group know you are coming when you feel is appropriate (too early or too late can cause issues!) and tell them what you want them to do. when you clear the first rider, don't chop their nose off as you drop down in front of them, as again, its training.

in either situation its everyone in both groups responsibility to communicate whats happening.

it keeps it safe and fun and it eases you into the best part of racing. The mid race 'advice' :)

As @pdlouche says, groups passing others do so at their own speed when they come up to a group, they wont and shouldn't regulate their pace to let you change. if you are on the front of the group that is being passed, hold your pace and line and change either when its safe to do so after the quicker group has passed, or just do a full lap turn, its training after all.

Its prob worth saying that it might be tempting to get a bit of speed on and go after the group that's just passed, but that will probably just detonate your group and limit your own training. Better to carry on turning it up slowly imo.

This isn't gospel btw, its just what works for me/us/Brixton Cycles Club.

@edscoble there is a really good guide that Tom Simpson (no joke) wrote on the BCC forum as the first post on the Winter Chaingang page if you want an 'in depth' read

Cheers

Rob

There was a crash in Inters on Sunday, girl broke her collar bone. No idea how it happened, @BloodyMary where you giving out general good advice or was it related to this incident?

Sorry to hear, hope she makes a good recovery.

A bit of both...but, if riders are not listening to the coaches "yelling" instructions or other riders, then there is little hope of them learning or improving :(

There is alot of conflicting information out there, if you are unsure, ask a coach - some of those guys have been racing and riding track a really long time and have a wealth of experience and formal training among them...same if you are unsure of another rider, then mention it to a coach...hopefully they can have a word?

If in doubt, if you hear someone shouting, just don't move. Easy.

Discerning the difference between "stay-up" and "stay-down" is not really that easy if you're tired, the wind is blowing, your head is turned, or whatever.

It's the responsibility of every rider to make sure they don't ride in to others. Just because you're up high lapping faster than someone down low doesn't mean you have the right to shout something from behind someone and assume your path is clear. You should be going past them knowing they're not about to peel off in to you and they should be looking before moving.

Of course you should always look and flick the elbow, and being highly aware of whats around you at all times is important, but a combination of looking listening and signalling is the best thing.

In that case, I'll stick to just looking and signalling, thanks for the detailed explaination.

Shit! Here's hoping she'll make a speedy recovery.

Think the crash was between to members of the same group, one trying to overtake the other just as she pulled up to leave the group. Not two groups combining in anyway.

My pet hate, and one thing I wish the coaches pulled people up on more is slowing down just before pulling up after their half lap. If the slow down is enough it causes the person behind to overlap wheels and then their only option is to move up the track with the person in front.

I agree slowing is annoying but forseeable.

In this case it wasnt during a half lap change, sounds like the group was stretching out from an injection of speed. The girl should have looked before leaving or just let the gap grow and the guy should have overtaken higher up.