Julia Shaw
Did anyone read the article about her in cycling weekly this week? She's 42, did no exercise at Uni and therefore, I assume, came to cycling a bit later in life and yet there she is beating all the young things and winning national TT championships in ridiculously quick times. 42!!!!!
I'm 34 - it kind of makes me wonder if there's still time for me to win something
what an inspiration.
I'm 34 - it kind of makes me wonder if there's still time for me to win something
what an inspiration.
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Wow - thanks for the link. After calculating, thinking I must have it wrong, and recalculating, I just shouted "she's bloody 50!!!!!!! " at my computer!
There is still time for me.
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Old hippies don't die, they just lie low until the laughter stops and their time comes round again.
Joseph Gallivan0 -
popette - she'll not thank me for this but BeaconRuth started competing in her early thirties. She recently won the National 100 TT championships (and has won others in the past).0
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That's OK, Andy, I don't mind people knowing I'm 39. A vet next year. :shock: Strictly speaking I started racing in my late 20's but my performances were very ordinary until I realised that proper training made a difference when I was 34. (I'm not joking. I would never in a million years have imagined I could ever ride at 25mph for an hour. I used to look at the times the fastest women did and think "how on earth do they do that?")
Julia is indeed a fantastic inspiration and very nice person - someone I enjoy competing against despite finding myself below her on a podium more times than I care to think about.
There are limits to how far you can go if you start in your thirties - unless you ooze talent like Sharon Laws who has only just been discovered by the GB team and is on her way to Beijing to ride the Women's Road Race with Nicole Cooke and Emma Pooley. However, I wouldn't say there are any areas of amateur competition that are beyond a late starter. The main question is how hard are you able/prepared to work at it? TBH, I think time-trialling is one of the easiest areas of the sport because the range of skills required are so limited (ahem, non-existent). It's more or less only about sustainable power output - and dogged determination can get you a very long way with that.
If you want to start winning things, Popette, have a go at a 10 mile TT and see if you enjoy the challenge of the 'race of truth'! There are regular Manchester & District Ladies Cycling Association time trials - so maybe winning one of those could be your first target?
Ruth0 -
You're in Altrincham aren't you Popette ?
Your local club will be Seamons, you could try their low-key club TT
http://www.seamonscc.co.uk/Calendar.html
(I must admit this is a bit 'do as I say, not as I do' !
I did two last year and enjoyed them, found Seamons pretty friendly and laid-back.
I keep thinking I'll go back again this year, maybe even join, but keep thinking-up excuses... :oops: )0 -
Lots of women who race in Manchester Wheelers too: http://www.manchesterwheelers.co.uk/For ... forum.aspx
Come on Popette, join us!0 -
vermooten wrote:Lots of women who race in Manchester Wheelers too: http://www.manchesterwheelers.co.uk/For ... forum.aspx
Come on Popette, join us!
Are you doing a Tootsie routine in Manchester Wheelers? If you've made it to the showers, I want a full written report!0 -
popette wrote:Wow - thanks for the link. After calculating, thinking I must have it wrong, and recalculating, I just shouted "she's bloody 50!!!!!!! " at my computer!
There is still time for me.
Definately... I started racing this year for the first time, and I'm 37 and weighed 19 stone two years ago0 -
Hey Ruth, that's really comforting and encouraging to know that the lady who just won the 100mile TT also used to think of those times as other-worldly. I'm really interested to know more about your story - how did you get started? what does an average training week look like for you? What changes did you make when you were 34?
I would love to do a TT and I had hoped to join Seamons on their wednesday night TTs. As soon as my heart is sorted I will be straight down there but I think that will be next season now.
Vermooten - I do like the look of Manchester Wheelers. Where do rides start from? Do they do half day rides at a reasonable pace? Seamons do a half day but I really struggled to keep up (but that may be because I had the heart problem and didn't know it at the time I rode with them).0 -
I was mainly a club rider and tourist for about 10 years.popette wrote:Hey Ruth, that's really comforting and encouraging to know that the lady who just won the 100mile TT also used to think of those times as other-worldly. I'm really interested to know more about your story - how did you get started?
There's no such thing as a typical week, so that's hard to say. Sometimes it's more than 300 miles in a week, other times it's not even 100 miles - but it is all carefully structured around racing. Sometimes I do a lot of long rides, other times it's more about intensive intervals on the turbo, it just depends on what I'm working for at the time. Training for 10 mile TTs is very very different from training for 100 mile TTs.......... what does an average training week look like for you?
Well I started training systematically and much harder, I suppose. I did a lot on an exercise bike at the gym before work because I was doing a very pressured job at the time and working long hours. At that time I never got out on the road during the week but I put in a long ride (100 miles or so) on Sundays. I improved a lot the year I changed to an easier role at work and was able to put more time into training. The key (IMO) is to get a good winter of base work in - as much as you can manage - that's where all the gains and underlying fitness are acquired.What changes did you make when you were 34?
Good stuff! The thing about TTs is that it's all about you and the clock. I doesn't matter whether you're fast or slow - everyone can take part and enjoy the challenge of trying to go as fast as they can.I would love to do a TT and I had hoped to join Seamons on their wednesday night TTs. As soon as my heart is sorted I will be straight down there but I think that will be next season now.
Ruth0 -
Popette,
There is another British woman racer who you may not be aware of but may provide you with additional inspiration and perhaps a perspective on another part of our sport that you hadn’t considered.
Janet Birkmyre was another late starter having started racing at 37.
Jan is a multiple National Masters and World Masters track champion as well as obtaining results on the road.
So far this season Jan has won the National Women’s Omnium series, 5 Gold medals at the National Masters track champs, 4 Gold medals at the European Masters track champs and the Women’s National Derny Paced champs - the latter two events were in the last week!
Another great rider with lots of dedication to the sport but sadly, very little recognition outside of track racing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Birkmyre
BTW, I started racing at 46 and get a win every now and again. There’s always time… 8)I’m a sprinter – I warmed up yesterday.0 -
BeaconRuth wrote:popette wrote:The key (IMO) is to get a good winter of base work in - as much as you can manage - that's where all the gains and underlying fitness are acquired.
When does this "winter" start? December? End of October? Day after August bank holiday? 0 -
It depends. There's no reason why it should be the same for everyone, so there's no stock answer.
Ruth0 -
Winter? When's summer starting ...
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A month after you stop racing. That would be September for me then... 0
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(I was locked out of forum for the last few days, very odd...)popette wrote:Vermooten - I do like the look of Manchester Wheelers. Where do rides start from? Do they do half day rides at a reasonable pace? Seamons do a half day but I really struggled to keep up (but that may be because I had the heart problem and didn't know it at the time I rode with them).
Anyhoo, yes the club runs are only as fast as the slowest person:
"Non members are welcome and we guarantee that no-one will be left behind."
If you want to find out more the best person to speak to is Viv, details here: http://www.wheelers.org/new_members/app ... _forms.php She's great, has built the club up to over 100 active members in the last 2 years from about 10! Call or email her and she'll give you more info.
Do it!
Andy0
