By Jonny
32.2kph by the transition group, good stuff……..not exactly sure what ours was but it was a funny old ride and it was only 33 something, way down on what we have been doing recently !
Daniel and I both riding matching Argon 18’s won the sprint to lead the bunch out of the car park; funny this one is never as closely fought out as the one at the end and often resembles the start of a track sprint when it’s windy.
A fairly large group today and everyone was extremely well behaved and waited after every red light. So much so that after 25km we were still riding steady with no attempt at a roll-through. OK if nobody else is going too I might as well start it. I signalled a roll-through and very soon we were into the 50’s. A few gaps formed along South St but due to lights the bunch stuck together. On North Lake Rd it was a similar story people would tail off on the undulations but the lights kept the group largely together.
I was leading at the top of North Lake Rd and when I looked round at the traffic lights I realised I was on my own. I didn’t know two lanes were turning right and that everyone else had gone to the inside lane. I got through (on green !) but the rest had to stop. I was tempted to hammer it but it wouldn’t have been worth the jibes I would have got if I did; besides Canning Hwy is not the best place to be on your own.
Along Canning we continued to get Reds. The group was still quite large but only a small number were working. Some good surges on the uphill drags and again gaps formed only too be caught at Red lights. James offered a lead-out on Canning and I was happy to get on his wheel, unfortunately he was turning off at Berwick St and this was a little early to be on the front. I stayed on the front and did the best I could but on Riverside Dr the mob came past going for the line. Couldn’t tell you who won but I’m sure someone can fill on the details.
After coffee a number of us headed down to Manning Rd to help Peter out with the SPR stall. I don’t think we managed to recruit any new Lance’s or Robbie’s but it’s always good to spend time with the crew and Daryl bringing along a set of rollers made sure we were all well entertained as many of us had never tried them before and felt like we were learning how to ride a bike for the first time.
I concur, Saturday’s ride was a little unusual. I think we did not roll early on for fear of being reprimanded. Then when we wanted to pick up the pace and get a roll through happening, the lights hampered any prolonged efforts so it turned into an interval training session which has its place in ones training regime…
I did think that my winning days were going to end today as Steve had been lurking in the pack not doing much work and asked for confirmation on where the finish to the sprint was. I informed him it had been changed to the blue sign (I am still getting used to this but it does make sense).. But when we took off from the set of lights along riverside drive, the pace went right up so I thought I better attack straight away.. I made my way to the front of the line, put my head down and bum up, sat in the 53/11 and tried to keep the legs turning over. I was starting to fade and noone was on my wheel so I took a glance down at my wheel to see how much I had slowed and if I would be able to hold any attackers off. Speedo still read over 61km/hr so I reckoned I was safe and dug deep to keep on going past the blue sign.. I was too tired to wave hands in the air.. 🙂
Still yet to lose along riverside drive :p
“I think we did not roll early on for fear of being reprimanded”
Why would this be the case?
Since when did rolling turns mean going flat out?
You can roll through from the start of the ride at a steady tempo very easily.
So in the (lets call the neutral zone) the group sets a steady/fast pace we dont have to sit side by side we can roll through but the thing to bear in mind is it may lesson the social aspect from the start of the ride.
The other groups are showing us up as we dont roll through until we start smashing it and then as you say not everyone is wanting to or cant roll through to the front so it isnt realy a roll through at all.
We should be getting comfortable as a bigger group riding through turns at pace as thats the skill that can help racing and riding in a larger bunch in general.
To be honest I cant see the need to try to break away solo on a training ride as if you want solo race pace efforts wouldnt it be more advantages to go out solo from the start and not ride with a group? Just something to consider as sitting in a bunch for 20km and then smashing the last 30km really means you are only doing a 30km block of effort.(for those who are after a longer hitout) as I quite like the group social part for first part, catch up have a laugh with Peeps not seen all week etc then have fun for the remaining kms (safely).
Looking forward to the day Ryan you put your talent to good use in racing A grade, more brag worthy winning a race than training sprint 😉
Ouch! I bet that hurt ..
I ride because I enjoy riding, I do not train to race (a typical week is 100kms for me, depending on whether I ride to the start on Sat, if I do, add another 30 and if I can count wind training kms add another 30).
I really enjoy riding fast and get alot from pushing myself and others everytime I ride. I believe there are others in the group who are in the same boat as me and enjoy riding fast too a couple times a week. We are a safe risk averse group for the most part (there may be a couple of people who are a little haphazard at times but I will not name names ;-), so I can say we try and go as fast as possible whilst being safe.
Alot of people do not race in our group (even in the ‘advanced’ group) and a good hit out on a Thursday and Saturday with people of a similar ability, where they can feel like they have raised their heart rate and had a good hit out before a chin wag at the coffee shop, is what they are looking for…
I don’t think we have decided what the ‘fast’ group is all about yet.. Last week was a little strange and I think the route had something to do with it and also the people who were sitting on the front and then peeling off. It felt like a trip out to the hills on a Sunday… Obviously there will be weeks like that where somethings do not work.. I still got a work out on the rolling hills back into town and I did an extra 70kms for the day as I felt I should put some kms into the legs before the 5 Dams challenge this weekend..
I think 10-15kms to warm up/be social is enough on a Sat. Most of us want to get the most out of the 50kms and will save the being social part for the coffee shop… I thought making others hurt on the bike was how cyclists socialised?? One has to chose who they socialise with carefully 😉
I will be going with the main group on Sat, but will sit off the back if anyone wants to come chat with me ;-)… I may stretch the legs a little on any fast sections though…
Happy Days..