Racing Programmes

I suggest this thread might be used in a similar way to the Cyclo Sportive thread to enable members to co-ordinate their efforts.

I don't expect anyone else to be particularly interested in what I'm doing, but I offer my early season list as an example.
Because of my extreme old age I am only riding time trials, but I believe it's better for younger competitors to mix their racing. Road & Track are good preparation for TT's, and it's even possible the reverse works too!

Here's my list.

5th April
Wychwood RC. 36 miles. Course H36/18. Early season try out, not to be taken too seriously.

10th April
Hounslow Good Friday Club 25. Course HCC 001 (West of Windsor) Deadly earnest, this one!

19th April
Beds RCC 25 Course F1. My favourite course, fast and suitable for fixed (on the right day). The course is almost entirely on the A1, using the road from Baldock northwards. There are different versions but the majority of events have their HQ at Tempsford, just north of Sandy, Bedfordshire. This event has a Medium Gear section, so perhaps they're hoping for entries from lfgss members.

26th April
Bath Road Hilly. 31 miles. Course H31/7. I'm not fully committed to this one yet. Nice scenery, if you've time to look. You'd have to be brave to try this one fixed.

May 3rd.
Icknield 25. Course F1. See above. I'm still hoping for that perfect 'float' morning.

May 10th.
Charlotteville 50. Course H50/8.A31 road, Farnham-Alton. Since I'm aiming at the Hounslow 100, which is on the same course, this is an essential dry run. Although the course is not flat, good results have been obtained here on fixed.

May 16th.
Hounslow 10. Course H10/8. Must support my own club's open event. May help rather than ride.
May 17th
Norlond 50. F1. Need I say more?

31st May
Hounslow 100. Course H100/8. Focal point of season.

I'm intereseted in these time trials - whereabouts is the H36/18 course? I did just the one race last season - 25m starting at the top of the Marlow by-pass just near the roundabout with the M40. I want to do more...

This is what the CTT handbook tells us about the H36/18 course: ‘Charlbury- B4026-Spelsby-Shipton-Charlbury. HQ Charlbury’. It’s about 10 miles beyond Oxford.

I haven’t ridden the event before and I believe this year is only the second time it’s been held. I picked it because it was recommended to me and because I thought it would be a good early season try out. It is not suitable for some one looking for a fast course where they can ride out to the start!

The Marlow 25 course (H25/2) is often referred to as ‘The Ski Slope’ because it has a massive ‘gift’ hill at the start (‘gift’ because you don’t have to go back up it to get to the finish). Good times have been done there, but it’s not really suitable for fixed because gears are necessary to take full advantage of that first descent.

Much of the course is on the A 4 road which ‘Cycling’ (Cycling Weekly’s original title) used to refer to as “the hallowed tarmac of the Bath Road”, because it was regarded by many as the premier TT road.

Although it’s possible to manage without the CTT handbook by using the website I do feel it’s much easier to plan a season with the book in front of you. It can be brought from the CTT site – go to ‘Shop’.

Hasn’t anyone else planned their season yet?

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Oxford is probably a little far. The Marlow H25/2 course does indeed have a gift of a hill at the start. I rode it geared and my computer clocked a top speed of 41mph. I don't think I can do this fixed.

I have the CTT handbook, but do not find it particularly user friendly.

Anyway, confirmed dates in my diary are:

1. Blenheim triathalon
   
2. The Autumn Epic sportive
   
   

I will look to do 4 or 5 time trials over the summer - mix of 10 miles and 25 miles. Need to ascertain which ones I will do.

WLC 25 @ CC113 on Mar 22nd

'Pretty amazing. I'm always amazed at these 12 hr / 24 hr TT. I don't know how people do it much respect.'

This quote comes from the thread on last year's Icknield 12, and I hope what follows might give a hint at how to do it. Naturally I'm talking about racing generally, not just 12's.

I did not intend this thread to include a lot of discussion but it is clear that the concept of a racing programme needs more explanation.

Let’s say at once that this is not the only way to race, but it is a method that has been used by many successful riders.

This is the idea:

Don’t just enter the odd race at random, think of the season as a whole and pick objectives. Typical aims might be: promotion to the next category of racing licence, winning a club time trial, getting under the hour for 25 miles. The possibilities are many, the choice highly personal.

To achieve your best you will not just need the normal level of fitness you have from riding a bike, but good form also, and to achieve this you will need enough competitive riding to bring you to a peak of fitness, but not so much that you collapse into the exhaustion of overtraining. One of the most successful riders I know describes his best days with the phrase “I was really pinging”. The image is of something stretched almost, but not quite, to breaking point.

So, aside from whatever other training you do, you choose races with a view to reaching peak fitness at a particular time. It might be for just one event, or maybe for a couple of weeks – you’ll need luck to last longer than that.

Just for light relief I attach a photo of myself riding a 25. This was the peak of my form in 2001, actually more of a hillock. Sharp eyed observers may note the machine has a Sturmey Archer gear.

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I am entered for next Sunday's **Hillingdon Triathletes Spring Sprint Duathlon. **

It's nice and short, with a 2.5 mile run, 12 mile bike, and 1 mile run, with a reasonably friendly start time of 9.15am. I did one of these last year, and got very confused about how many laps I had done - would recommend a computer to show distance covered.

The entry form is here https://www.clubsonline.com.au/event...159&orgid=3564