RR: HCC ITT Kew Boulevard 1/05/2005

[GPLama]

Rocked up early to the 10.5km out and back ITT held by Hawthorn Cycling Club
today for some fun... Ray was still setting up so I did another few climbs..
Saw Dej and a few others signing in.. I handed over my $5 and membership
card, looked at the map of the course.. which was as expected, to the
roundabout just before the freeway bridge and back. Not many other people
around. I got my starting time and take off for more warmups... The rain
had passed but the roads were still wet.. I roll back to the start after
having a final drink and nibble on a muesli bar.. about 18-20(?) riders all
up, and only two disc wheels to be seen!

Without much fuss we are held at the start and counted down.. each rider off
at 30 seconds.. I was 4th to start.. Dej was in front of me, so I had a
target rider that I knew (btw, new bike looks good Dej!).. I get into
position, but not the right gear, and I'm off.. spin spin, change... now
down to business.

Start is on a nice downhill so it is easy to get into a rhythm quickly.. I
take the first corner looking up for Dej.. cant see him.. down a few gears
for the first climb and I spot Dej.. wasn't until just before the second
decent that I pass him.. Cant see anyone else.. going hard.. I put my head
down and pass Yarra St... into another small climb I cough and burp and
*muesli bar redux*.. arrrh geezz.. so this is what going REALLY hard is
like!? I took some timing points yesterday when I did an 85% effort loop of
the course and I was up about 25-30 seconds... few mins pass and I'm on the
last climb before the roundabout.. I come down into the turn and the
marshal looks and sounds familiar but I'm only focusing on the wet road..
(later found out it was flyingdutch!).. 1/2 way there.. Back climbing
again.. then tackle the dodgy sweeping left turn at high speed.. that's
over, now onto the rough road grind.. feeling good, speed is looking good..

A group of riders are coming the other way.. wait a minute - an ITT and they
are riding in a group? Hmmm.. I spot Ess going hard - still on his first
1/2 of the course... another few mins pass and I'm on the final climb to the
line.. I can see the guy who started 1min ahead of me cross the line - I had
some energy left for an out of the saddle effort to the line (which was
nasty with the wet roads).. and I finish... official time of 17:43:73 (or
was it 17:42..? results will be on HCC www soon to confirm)..

Lots of people standing around looking at me sucking in air at an alarming
rate.. I take a seat and watch a few others cross the line... .. I
overhear a few other times, looks like I did ok.. Not sure how I went
overall against the other guys in the 'elite men' category.. We have the
presentation of prizes etc.. my name is called out for 4th!.. nice!.. I get
a lucky dip in the bag and pull out a pair of socks.. Cool - I'm still up on
all the entry money I've forked over to HCC.. I later look at the times
and find out I missed out on 3rd by 0.2 of a second.. 1st and 2nd in EM
category were A graders for sure.. so I hunt down the guy who was 3rd to
have a chat - he is a B grader AND he had aero bars.. I couldn't be any
happier with my 4th place! Overall I think I was 6th or 7th... damn
those quick lanky juniors and the guys who had the full aero kit!

hard work, but awesome fun.. the real test will be the next TT..

cheers,
GPL
:looking for aero bars now:

 

[flyingdutch]

last climb before the roundabout.. I come down into the turn and the
marshal looks and sounds familiar but I'm only focusing on the wet road..
(later found out it was flyingdutch!).. 1/2 way there..

bwahahahah. shouted at you to go faster

those are 'aero' socks for your ears next time

could hear dem disks a mile away
have to go and do anITT some night to see how i'd compare.

 

[hippy]

GPLama wrote:
> down and pass Yarra St... into another small climb I cough and burp and
> *muesli bar redux*.. arrrh geezz.. so this is what going REALLY hard is

You don't need food just prior to a ~10k ride, especially not a TT. As
you found out.. it wasn't even digested!
Eat 'at least' a couple of hours beforehand, possibly more if you've got
a sensitive tummy. I used to inhale a snake or two 10min before a crit
start but I'm not sure it helped.

> presentation of prizes etc.. my name is called out for 4th!.. nice!.. I get

Very well done!!

> a lucky dip in the bag and pull out a pair of socks.. Cool - I'm still up on
> all the entry money I've forked over to HCC.. I later look at the times
> and find out I missed out on 3rd by 0.2 of a second.. 1st and 2nd in EM
> category were A graders for sure.. so I hunt down the guy who was 3rd to
> have a chat - he is a B grader AND he had aero bars.. I couldn't be any
> happier with my 4th place!

Very very well done!

> hard work, but awesome fun.. the real test will be the next TT..
> :looking for aero bars now:

For some info on aero mods and their benefits, see:
http://www.damonrinard.com/aero/aerodynamics.htm

Spend some time setting up your bars properly too - it's a bit more
involved than just bolting on the first set of sexy carbon sticks you
spot - there's heaps on the web about it..

hippy
"I eat Aero bars!"

 

[TimC]

On Sun, 01 May 2005 at 02:53 GMT, hippy (aka Bruce)
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> GPLama wrote:
>> hard work, but awesome fun.. the real test will be the next TT..
>> :looking for aero bars now:
>
> For some info on aero mods and their benefits, see:
> http://www.damonrinard.com/aero/aerodynamics.htm

"The wide-spread ANSI approved helmet Bell V1 Pro gains around 9.8%
compared to a bald head. So far no measurements have been published
concerning the influence of beards."

You could have taken part in science, hippy.

--
TimC -- http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/staff/tconnors/
Information wants to be beer, or something like that. --unknown

 

[hippy]

TimC wrote:
> On Sun, 01 May 2005 at 02:53 GMT, hippy (aka Bruce)
>>For some info on aero mods and their benefits, see:
>>http://www.damonrinard.com/aero/aerodynamics.htm
>
> "The wide-spread ANSI approved helmet Bell V1 Pro gains around 9.8%
> compared to a bald head. So far no measurements have been published
> concerning the influence of beards."
>
> You could have taken part in science, hippy.



Dudes in white coats scare me..

hippy
"growin' it again"

 

[essendon93]

Was still tossing up this morning if I'd do the TT or go for an arvo ride, eventually decided at 7am to give the TT a crack. Never riden the full Boulie before, so get a couple of quick tips from GPL before the start. I'm 18th to go out of 22 starters, so at least I can only get passed by 4 riders hehe. Get under way, and realise I'm in my middle chainring doh, with much protest the chain eventually decides to get into the big ring, and away we go. I'd already been reeled in by the guy behind just before the bridge, sheesh. Just before the roundabout I'm caught by another...hmmm I'm only halfway done and I'm already getting spanked. Decide to just set my sights on the bloke in front of me, and figure if I can catch him at least I won't be last. Managed to get my catch about halfway on the run home, also passed another battler, so I guess that makes me even 2 up 2 down.

Totally spent at the end, finished with a time of 18:45 and overall 9th out of 22, although not sure how many elite men there were....and where were the chicks?

Sorry Dutchy didn't notice ya on the course

...and I got to wear the A-grade white, well just for one day...

Still feeling a bit guilty I didn't go for a ride today.

PS Dutch, where on the Boulie did you get 58.8km/hr?

 

[jazmo]

Well done GPL and E93 for being out there today.

GPL, noticed you riding the Boulie on Saturday morning. Was just on my way home from my ride. I think you waved at me but my visual processing was slow and I only realised it was you just as you passed going down hill on the opposite side of the road.

 

[flyingdutch]

Sorry Dutchy didn't notice ya on the course

...and I got to wear the A-grade white, well just for one day...

Still feeling a bit guilty I didn't go for a ride today.

PS Dutch, where on the Boulie did you get 58.8km/hr?

you musta been going HARD, cos so many actually had enuff breathe left to call out their number or a thanks.
They handed me a clipboard so I could count off the riders as they went past and a red flag. I had no idea what to use it for, so thought i might practice my naval signalling beyween riders


Thanks for the reminder! 58.8kph just before_I_dropped_my_chain
on a certain downhill in a certain race won by a certain @%#@%!! (PS have bettered that spot with 61.9kph now)

F"in the navy"Dutch

 

[GPLama]

"jazmo" wrote in message ...
>
> Well done GPL and E93 for being out there today.
>
> GPL, noticed you riding the Boulie on Saturday morning. Was just on my
> way home from my ride. I think you waved at me but my visual processing
> was slow and I only realised it was you just as you passed going down
> hill on the opposite side of the road.
>

Yep, that was me.. and just after I passed you I heard the nasty sound of..
hiss.. hiss.. hiss... hiss.. 5mins into my ride and I scored a nasty flat..
arh well..


cheers,
GPL

 

[GPLama]

"flyingdutch" wrote in message ...
>
> you musta been going HARD, cos so many actually had enuff breathe left
> to call out their number or a thanks.
> They handed me a clipboard so I could count off the riders as they went
> past and a red flag. I had no idea what to use it for, so thought i
> might practice my naval signalling beyween riders
>

I'd be sticking it in the spokes of those who were drafting.... the one at
the front should have the desired domino effect


cheers,
GPL

 

[essendon93]

you musta been going HARD, cos so many actually had enuff breathe left to call out their number or a thanks.
They handed me a clipboard so I could count off the riders as they went past and a red flag. I had no idea what to use it for, so thought i might practice my naval signalling beyween riders


Thanks for the reminder! 58.8kph just before_I_dropped_my_chain
on a certain downhill in a certain race won by a certain @%#@%!! (PS have bettered that spot with 61.9kph now)

F"in the navy"Dutch

Oops sorry for the reminder, I was thinking it was on the Boulie and not the loop. So secret training sessions for the winter crits hey hmmm. 61.9 is positively flying!

PS Thanks for helping out

 

[flyingdutch]

Oops sorry for the reminder, I was thinking it was on the Boulie and not the loop. So secret training sessions for the winter crits hey hmmm. 61.9 is positively flying!

PS Thanks for helping out

'Carl says' that crits are just practice for the 'real races'

dont like my chances in 'real races'. happy to keep deluding myself in crits... altho Im thinkin the first Cgrade (you too fella) at Kew is gonna be just like my first one in D back in Feb04

 

[essendon93]

'Carl says' that crits are just practice for the 'real races'

dont like my chances in 'real races'. happy to keep deluding myself in crits... altho Im thinkin the first Cgrade (you too fella) at Kew is gonna be just like my first one in D back in Feb04

So are you going to do C at Kew in a couple of weeks? If so I'll make my C-grade debut. I'm still a bit undecided whether to do it or not.

Can you get day licences for the 'real races'?

 

[flyingdutch]

So are you going to do C at Kew in a couple of weeks? If so I'll make my C-grade debut. I'm still a bit undecided whether to do it or not.

Can you get day licences for the 'real races'?

C for me (gulp) definetely you too (someone's gotta pull me along. Gags? )

dunno about day licences

 

[craigster_jd]

Pictures of the ITT are available here.

Thanks to all the riders who participated and to the volunteers who helped out (including FD who did a sterling job as corner marshal)

Cheers,
Craigster.

 

[Carl Brewer]

On Sun, 1 May 2005 20:24:40 +1000, flyingdutch
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>essendon93 Wrote:
>> Oops sorry for the reminder, I was thinking it was on the Boulie and not
>> the loop. So secret training sessions for the winter crits hey hmmm.
>> 61.9 is positively flying!
>>
>> PS Thanks for helping out
>
>'Carl says' that crits are just practice for the 'real races'
>
>
>dont like my chances in 'real races'. happy to keep deluding myself in
>crits... altho Im thinkin the first Cgrade (you too fella) at Kew is
>gonna be just like my first one in D back in Feb04

I'd suggest doing your first RR in D, not C. They are
different, and generally you can ride up a grade in crits.

 

[flyingdutch]

I'd suggest doing your first RR in D, not C. They are
different, and generally you can ride up a grade in crits.

yay! but are blackburn gonna frown at me for that?
I could genuinely say i have never done a RR before...

 

[essendon93]

Pictures of the ITT are available here.

Thanks to all the riders who participated and to the volunteers who helped out (including FD who did a sterling job as corner marshal)

Cheers,
Craigster.

Thanks for your efforts yesterday craigster, and the pics too.

 

[Carl Brewer]

On Mon, 2 May 2005 10:29:26 +1000, flyingdutch
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>Carl Brewer Wrote:
>>
>>
>> I'd suggest doing your first RR in D, not C. They are
>> different, and generally you can ride up a grade in crits.
>
>yay! but are blackburn gonna frown at me for that?

No.

>I could genuinely say i have never done a RR before...

yes, and even having won a D grade crit you will still be able to
ride D in RR's. I did a few years ago. I won 2 D grade crits,
got pushed up to C, and did the first few RR's in D (until I
won that too .. then up we go!)