Herne Hill Saturday Training

lol.
Can you ask them to set fire to Corny's hi viz gillet next time please.

If he leaves it behind I'm sure they will oblige!

that track is in an amazing shape and the saturday weather didn't hurt either. Interesting seing that many people flooding the velodrome.

I'll be there tomorrow for the induction (rode last year but want a refresher) and beginners session. Can. Not. Wait. Hopefully I'll FINALLY get to try the new surface. Getting new parts for my bike today in preparation... Any one else I know gonna be there between 12-2?

If it's warm I'll be sunning myself in the centre and shouting abuse when appropriate.

and then being mean to the beginners session?

I'm currently rocking a bit of a cold, while the legs feel ok the constant outpouring of stuff from my face might prove somewhat grim for those behind me.. Dissapointed

If it's warm I'll be sunning myself in the centre and shouting abuse when appropriate.

come and race the omnium on with me on Sunday!

I am going to see how I feel this evening and tomorrow morning and maybe you will see me trying to blag my way into intermediate training (despite having done only 1 of the required beginner sessions)

That is the whole point of the new rider progression cards for novices are for. To stop people like you riding in groups they are not ready for. Do your required novice sessions first.

Please.

This ^^.

That is the whole point of the new rider progression cards for novices are for. To stop people like you riding in groups they are not ready for. Do your required novice sessions first.

I'm not quick on the track and I have to work hard to fit in the Intermediate training on Saturdays (I'm the red Planet X track bike).

Last week there was a couple of seriously slow and dangerous guys that only had one introduction session - both on rented Fuji, wearing a tshirt and cut denim shorts.

Don't 'blag' your way into Intermediate, please.

There seem to be a lot of people that apear to be embarrased about riding in the novice session these days. It's nothing to be ashamed of, we all had to start somewhere.

It's quite obvious which peope have come into intermediate sessions before they are ready. They usually mess up the whole session by failing to follow the drills properly, and splitting the groups up, which makes things very hard for the coaches to manage the groups properly, and safely.
They just end up pissing everyone off.

Listen to the coaches. They are some of the best in the country at what they do, and wont frown on you for asking advice.

The fact that new people are enthusiastic and want to get on is fantastic, but the safety of all riders is paramount so please respect the track rules and do the requisite number of sessions before asking to be moved up.

What is the requisite number of sessions in the new progression system?

The information on sessions is here;

http://www.hernehillvelodrome.com/information/track-sessions

From that you can deduce that the decision to move you up is made by the session coaches and that you need to inform them that you'd like to be considered for progression before the start of a session.

I think it's up to the individual to decide if they think they are ready, i.e. if you find the pace of a novice session too slow then you should ask to be moved up.

Cheers andy, I had looked through that but thought that there was maybe something more rigid in place this year.
Lovely weather all week and now a bit of drizzle forecast for tomorrow, cheers god.

Yeah you guys are right I should do my time like everyone else

Ask the coaches tomorrow if they think you are ready. I don't know how experienced a cyclist you are, but someone who is fit and used to riding in a group is likely to be progressed much quicker than someone who is completely new to cycling.

^I've no doubt you are fast/fit enough for the Intermediates but basic training is more about the technical stuff and picking up skills like using banking to scrub speed without backpedalling, rejoining a pursuit line, keeping steady pace through the transitions from turn to straights etc.

It's probably worth restating that most cyclists will have never ridden absolutely non-stop for 40+ minutes @ >20 mph until they get on a track.

Last couple of years I've seen guys arriving on very nice bikes in club kits dropping straight into the intermediate session and looking absolutely fucked at halfway point, then disappear never to be seen again.

Training is about progressively getting out of your comfort zone, not smashing yourself into the ground and blowing up 20 minutes into the session.

Fair enough really for me it was only the timing of basic that was difficult to meet but i will make more of an effort

Should be in tomorrow for the intermediate session. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Yay Jim!

basic training is more about the technical stuff and picking up skills like using banking to scrub speed without backpedalling, rejoining a pursuit line, keeping steady pace through the transitions from turn to straights etc.

70 people per session at basic means there's very little opportunity to actually work at skills like these- it tends to take so much time organising into lines to do through and off etc, that very little else gets done in my (admittedly limited) experience. The coaches do do a great job.

Whilst we are on the subject, it's been noticed that some people have been sticking around after riding intermediates then "sneaking" back on to ride the basic session.

Don't do this, it's taking the piss out of the people who give their free time to run the place. Ride in the session you are supposed to be in, that you have paid for. If you need lots of riding time then the road is free.

Sorry to be blunt, but with the demand being so high, we need riders who are willing to behave impeccably, if not, you will not be welcome at future sessions. Without rider cooperation we cannot run the sessions that will be of most benefit to you.

I'm not quick on the track and I have to work hard to fit in the Intermediate training on Saturdays (I'm the red Planet X track bike).

Last week there was a couple of seriously slow and dangerous guys that only had one introduction session - both on rented Fuji, wearing a tshirt and cut denim shorts.

Don't 'blag' your way into Intermediate, please.

Were you wearing pro team kit (can't remeber what team but light colors)?
If it's you please don't overlap wheels. You were two/three riders ahead of me during rotations and everytime I looked you were overlapping by more than half a wheel.