The Beacon Message Board

I've entered this circuit race at Curborough on 7 September and said I'd spread the word: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/event ... nts-Chaser.

There's are two 4th cat only races, two 3rd cat only races, a 1/2/3 race, plus a women's E/1/2/3/4. Entry into the first of the 4th or 3rd cat races comes with free entry into the second, so it's good value. It's meant as a last chance for people to get licence points for the season, but I'm just treating it as a chance to get some more experience before the winter. It would be great to see some other people who want to give circuit racing a try there (that's a hint to anyone on the Wednesday night ride!).

Shame you won't be able to make it back in time for the hill climb to make it three races in a day!
I have family staying this weekend but might be able to escape for it. Agree everyone who does weds night ride should give this go.

I will join you Laurence, I went down with food poisoning on the weekend before my 'so called first race!' sods law I say! But all I can say is, im prepared!

Then a week from then on we will be embarking up winwood heath rd for the hill climb!

laurence_cooley wrote:....but I'm just treating it as a chance to get some more experience before the winter.

I've got just the thing for you HERE

I've been thinking about giving that a go, Alan. I'll have an ask around on Saturday to find out who's going to be going and might have a space in their car.

Laurence, I am booked on the session in October and November and there will be a space in my car if you fancy it?

I plan on attending some of the sessions....Therefore potentially room in my car

I'm going to attend these track sessions Laurence, happy to share transport.

Thanks all. I'll book up for the track sessions and we can arrange the car shares nearer the time.

Well done guys, and believe me when I say that you will certainly get a huge benefit from doing them.

I wish I could do more but ive got work on them days so can only do October and November.

Ive just realised though I need some new cleats unless I can put my speedplay pedals on the bikes?

You do need look keo cleats, you can't change the pedals.

Ok no worries, ill get some before the day.

If I can get the children down the mine in time then I'll have a bash.

I've entered the points chaser and it will be my first ever race. Any idea of the distance (I see it's 40 mins duration)? Do they publish the route ahead of the race, as I can only see the starting place on the BC website?

Any tips would be very useful. Thanks, Andy.

There's not a route as such as it's a circuit race on the Curborough Sprint Course. You can see the layout of the circuit here: http://www.strava.com/segments/1120615. I think it'll be 40 mins plus five laps, so the distance depends on how fast it is.

I'd seen your name on the entry list, Andy, and was asking people at the weekend if they knew you, as I don't think we've ever met on a club run. If you want some first-race advice, I'm sure Beacon members more experienced than me would be happy to share their thoughts.

Great few people giving this a go.

I've done three races here on 1st, 26th June and 3rd July.

On 1st attempt four of us went out back within 5laps and had our own mini race, on 26th I went out back on my own so it was a lonely solo training ride then following week I managed 10th

Have a look at my strava activity if you want but on 3rd where I finished 10th my average speed was 24.4mph, max was 36mph and average hr was 169bpm.

Go expecting it to be flat out from the off, try to stay roughly in 5th-15th place if there are 25 or so riders (easier said than done) and don't let and any gap appear between u and wheel you are following as there's been a strong wind Everytime I've raced there.

Lichfield cc train here every Thursday so they have a strong advantage, follow one of their wheels!

Get there early to get your number, make sure bike is in order and do a good warm up, as 4th cat is first u hopefully will be able to get on track to get a feel of it.

Anyone interested in trying to book Tudor Grange evening of weds 4th to do some informal training / group riding practice around the circuit there? Not sure yet if I can make 7th but if I can I personally could do with at least one session of fast riding b4 it as won't have raced since 3rd July! I will look into it if there's a bit of interest

But just go to enjoy and gain experience.

Looks like this race could be dominated by beacon riders in terms of club riders, but whether 'we' will dominate is another story!

Make sure your wearing your jerseys people!!!!!!!!

I'll join you on the 4th if there's enough interest, Tim.

Ill be there 4th of September, 6pm or 7pm or 8pm

4th is looking tricky as think Solihull CC have it reserved til 8.3pm.

I will ring Solihull Council to check free times though as their website bookings timetable might be out of date

Monday 2nd 7pm any good as an alternative?

Cant do 2nd actually. So looking tricky for me to do anything unless it is the weds night, will check with council to see if its free if not I will do the usual Weds night ride from Red Lion.

I will be on Tudor Grange 6.20-6.55am on Tuesday 27th and Tuesday 3rd to do a few laps before I start work at 7am nr there. Join me for that Harry and Lawrence if you want!

yes ill definitely be there on 27th tim, not sure about 3rd, college might have began a new term, they aint told me nothing! but yes see you there, ill be up at bloody 4.50am, this will be interesting hauling myself out of bed!, although the last time I went there I was extremely tired

See you bright and early tomorrow then Harry. My alarms on for 5.10 so should be there by 6.10ish. Got a lot of fish n chips to burn off from the last week. No one else joining us?

There's four of us entered in these 4th cat races now. Should be decent

I'm in the race officially now, it seemed there was a problem with the website that was why I couldn't enter, All good, British cycling won't let me have Beacon RCC as my club for some reason, I have to get it confirmed! first! Also I've read the terms and conditions, something I've never done, just so I don't get caught out on Saturday! like I did in that 5 mile time trial! I'm looking forward to it!
Beacon lead out train? More like a beacon pile up if we tried that lol

There are currently 35 signed up for the 4th cat races and 32 for the 3rd, so decent fields. Five Beacon riders in the 4th and one in the 3rd, too.

And capacity is 50 so if they take entries on day may be nearer that. First few laps will be interesting

Very interesting, I reckon we should try and break away, think of the theory, 3 vs 32 hmm? Can we see a first second and third for us lot, or is that a bit optimistic!

That reminds me, im going to check out my daily horoscope see if anything goods going to happen!

HAZBRO wrote:Very interesting, I reckon we should try and break away, think of the theory, 3 vs 32 hmm? Can we see a first second and third for us lot, or is that a bit optimistic!

I'll leave that one to you, Harry. You'll probably find me doing my best to hang on at the back.

Best of luck tomorrow to all Beacon riders in these evnts, don't forget to post how it went.

laurence_cooley wrote:

HAZBRO wrote:Very interesting, I reckon we should try and break away, think of the theory, 3 vs 32 hmm? Can we see a first second and third for us lot, or is that a bit optimistic!

I'll leave that one to you, Harry. You'll probably find me doing my best to hang on at the back.

Yeah ill be sitting behind your wheel most likely as well, you never know though if 32 other guys crash out then its podium places for us! Theres more chance of that happening than you winning the lottery!

martin mc wrote:Best of luck tomorrow to all Beacon riders in these evnts, don't forget to post how it went.

Or we'll pester you constantly until you do

Race 1:Todays race was bloody brilliant to be quite honest I look forward to racing here again! in the first one which was my first race I managed to get dropped straight from the start with some sketchy cornering and bad lines I was soon behind! It was looking pretty grim from this point onwards, however from then onwards I managed to get stronger and stronger! I raced the whole 40 mins, with the occasional people getting dropped from the peloton, I managed to pass a few, my cornering improved and improved! So I managed to pick some speed, however people were dropping out throughout the race so another positive was that I was not going to be dead last!
My average speed for this race was 20.4 mph

Race 2: This race started off a lot smoothly, I was using the drops throughout the whole race this made me more aerodynamic and I had more flexibility and control over my bike, my confidence grew as well! Sticking with the group for half a lap could of been avoided as I could of stayed with them for quite along time if I didn't mess up!, after hitting a tight bend I braked as I screwed my line up and would of ended up on the grass! Then I was dropped and couldn't make up the gap! However quite a few people got dropped from the group as well they were about 100 to 200 meters in front maybe?, as well did Laurence! And I thought, I'm never going to catch him, however after a few laps I managed to bridge ever so close until I was sitting on his wheel! This took about 2 or 3 laps maybe!, we worked together for the rest of the race switching around!, one of the guys who got dropped, I passed in the first race and he managed to catch up with me and then pass me again in that race. However in the second race I managed to pass him, and then I made sure that he didn't catch up with me and built a big gap between me and him by increasing the pace with Laurence, with small accelerations a few guys from the peloton lapping us with 2 laps to go I jumped on their wheels and managed to get so much speed and managed to get in front and at one point I was leading the peloton for about a mere 10 seconds before burning myself out! The following lap I managed to get In front of everyone who was on my tail (The droppees) and managed to get a big gap over Laurence right at the end!, this race I was 10 x stronger than the last! Although I wasn't so good on the flats, the small little inclines worked to my advantage! Also in one of the laps on the Circular hairpin bend I managed to go off onto the grass, I made up this! with more laps and got better! Not sure what the placing's were.
My average speed for this race was 21 mph

In terms of Tim's performance I would not know because he was on completely another level! And managed to throw some hope by saying jump on the back! But Laurence and Tim did frickin brilliant! Racing is no walk in the park, but I have to say road racing is possibly one of the best things I have done in my life!

I've got some photos, however I think I've got to upload them to a web base first!

Well done Harry - keep that level of enthusiasm up and you'll soon be mixing things up in the peloton, as well as giving us a good read.

Photos!!!!!!!!

The start!




Not sure where this was though, but the face din't help, flat ground and big acceleration don't go well for me!



After catching up with Laurence after 3 laps of pain, this wheel was brilliant shelter from the wind! Not sure he was too pleased working on the front!



In the distance you can see me working on the front with Laurence! In our bid to salvage something from this performance!



Tim here is currently cruising with the pros!



Catch up work for me



Me again playing catch up, this is a common site!



More start photos everyone looks pretty cool here 30 seconds later its another story!

CakeStop wrote:Well done Harry - keep that level of enthusiasm up and you'll soon be mixing things up in the peloton, as well as giving us a good read.

Cheers steve, not too sure about my writing skills though, I scraped a C in English!

I admire your enthusiasm too, Harry! I found today a bit dispiriting. I just didn't seem to be able to hold anyone's wheel and that strange hairpin did for me. I decided to go for a strategic DNF in the first race once I'd been dropped, hoping it would leave me fresher for the second race, but it was the same story. I had a bit of a painful chest after a cold earlier in the week, but I've just been to the doctor's and apparently don't have a chest infection so I don't have that as an excuse. Hopefully a combination of buying a turbo trainer and doing the winter track sessions will help for next year.

Tim was the stand-out Beacon rider today - the only one of five in the first race and three in the second to finish with the bunch, and got a 7th in the second race despite being hit by another rider who'd been for a trip on to the grass and back in the sprint.

Sorry Laurence, Its just that I prepared for this only for so long after my knee injury and it all worked out well for me, I would of thought it would of worked well for you, because you didn't finish last as well! And its your 2nd race, or 3rd maybe because you went down to stourport, Also how did your Stourport races go on!
Don't worry Laurence, your soon going to be bossing it in the peleton!

As Gary Mac always says, recovery is more important than training!

No need to apologise, Harry - I'm glad you enjoyed it (I've reworded my post - I didn't mean to suggest that it was your enthusiasm that made me dispirited!). I still had fun, was just a bit disappointed with myself.

Forgot to mention that Ed attempted to time trial off of the front of the first 3rd cat race and was doing a very good job of it, only to be caught on the final corner. He also seemed to be going well in the second race as we left.

Here he is with his breakaway partner.

Ed, was brilliant today, top work in the peloton! All or nothing, good strategy! But don't you miss out on points?

Thanks for the pictures, Harry. And, as the others say, keep up the enthusiasm! You're still a few years away from your prime and you can expect to get a lot stronger yet. Match added strength to your enthusiasm, and you can go a long way.

Laurence, that picture of Ed is priceless!

Nice pic!

1st race, gutted to caught just before the final corner, for a silly moment thought I had done enough...

2nd race, was winding up on the last lap for the sprint and got cramp
Lack of racing me thinks.

As for loosing points, I always have the attitude of positive racing, all or nothing, no pint in turning up if I'm not going to have a go.
When I was road racing regularly, it worked, 20-30% of the time...

Tough day at the office for me. Just outside the points in Race 1 .

Crashed in Race 2 1/2 way in. Loosing the rear going into the first corner. Managed to take a lap out & sprinted to P7.

A trip to the hospital revealed a suspected break left elbow & a rather deep whole. I was a bit alarmed when the Nurse said "yep that definitely some muscle I can see there !"

Back in on Monday for a further check !

Well done on the 7th place Gary, hope the injuries heal up quick & remember you don't need your elbows to ride a bike (much)!

Blimey Gary, saw you on your own just rejoining field as we were leaving. Massive respect for finishing and placing, that's one way to finish the season!

Massive well done to Andrew Tarr and Harry for making their race debuts on a tough breezy circuit and Simon also who used it as a great warm up for cx tomoro! Harry your report is so similar to my experience of my first two races back in the Spring just keep at it next year. Lawrence don't be too disheartened I've done 9races now and have been dropped in 4 of them. Doing your first races at this time of the year is tough but will hopefully help you for next season. The track coaching will def help you for next year too. Ed you did look strong and top work at front of field giving it a real go.

I really enjoyed both races even though I had a bit of gear changing issues in first race and nearly crashed at end of second. Was good event and challenge having to do two races with just a two hour gap.

Roll on next year!

What can I say Tim, great minds think alike

Great to read the write-ups and get a real feel of the enthusiasm for racing. Well done to everyone who took part, some great efforts (and photos).