Good Club for Crap Would Be TTists
walkernomore
Posts: 45
Sorry about the title but hopefully it is at least a bit informative.
I am wondering about doing TTs as a measure of my hopefully improving fitness. I am old and fat and don't want to race as such, but it would be interesting to know if my recreational and commuting riding is having a significant impact on my fitness.
I have tried measuring this myself with laps of Richmond Park but am an easily distracted lazy arse and after being quite conscientious for the first few outings, now find it almost impossible to resist the lure of dropping down to St. Margarets for a pint or three in the White Swan. This does not help my performance.
My thinking is that 10 mile TTs would impose a bit of external discipline - I understand they generally are in the early morning before the pubs open - and hopefully be a way of meeting some good people and guaging whether/when I will be fit enough to try joining in on club runs.
So my question is, can anyone recommend a club accessible from SW London (Clapham Junction) that does 10 mile TTs that attract the less athletic rider, and crucially what are typical slowest times (I know the stuff about TTs being a race against yourself, but it must surely be a comfort to have other slowcoaches to compare the miserableness of your performance with.)
Cheers
Mark
I am wondering about doing TTs as a measure of my hopefully improving fitness. I am old and fat and don't want to race as such, but it would be interesting to know if my recreational and commuting riding is having a significant impact on my fitness.
I have tried measuring this myself with laps of Richmond Park but am an easily distracted lazy arse and after being quite conscientious for the first few outings, now find it almost impossible to resist the lure of dropping down to St. Margarets for a pint or three in the White Swan. This does not help my performance.
My thinking is that 10 mile TTs would impose a bit of external discipline - I understand they generally are in the early morning before the pubs open - and hopefully be a way of meeting some good people and guaging whether/when I will be fit enough to try joining in on club runs.
So my question is, can anyone recommend a club accessible from SW London (Clapham Junction) that does 10 mile TTs that attract the less athletic rider, and crucially what are typical slowest times (I know the stuff about TTs being a race against yourself, but it must surely be a comfort to have other slowcoaches to compare the miserableness of your performance with.)
Cheers
Mark
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Comments
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Check http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... es&crpp=50
I've heard very good things about Addiscombe CC but haven't the faintest idea where Croydon is in London areaOrganising the Bradford Kids Saturday Bike Club at the Richard Dunn Sports Centre since 1998
http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/
http://www.facebook.com/groups/eastbradfordcyclingclub/0 -
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Thanks guys - sounds like my timing is as off as ever re. the TTs.
I'd heard of both those clubs and they both sound very attractive if I knew I could do the pace but the speeds they talk about sound a bit scary over such a long distance.
Addiscombe I think it is who in particular say very kind things about not leaving newbies behind on club runs but I would hate to be the one holding things up. My worry is that I would probably only know that I could not stay the course/speed when everyone else was already well down the road. Do you think it would be OK to say to the leaders that if (when) I drop off the back, don't wait - just assume I have turned around?
What made me think about the TT thing was at the ToB start on Sunday overhearing a chap telling a mate (and having the piss taken out of him) that he'd done a 10 mile TT in 39 minutes and something. That sounded like my sort of thing but by the time I had thought about it and turned around to ask him where he did it they had ridden off.
Think I am just going to have to bite the bullet and try joining a club run - at least then when the TT season starts I should be among friends when I make a tit of myself.
Mark0 -
Hi walkernomore,
I'm a member of Kingston Wheelers Old (40's) and Fat) oh and over 30mins for a 10 TT.
Before I tried a club run I tried one of the routes on my own [/url]http://www.kingstonwheelers.co.uk/clubrun.shtml#routes.
I took a few months of training on my own before I was confident of trying a club run on a Sunday. When I did it was hell, but everyone was kind and encouraging.
I'd suggest biting the bullet and trying an Adiscomb or KW club run.
Enjoy0 -
You're right MisterGoof and I am going to do it goddammit. I hereby commit for all the world to see to at least turning out for the KW Sunday run on 28 September. You going to be there? (though I bet you're in the training group now)
Mark0
