Richmond Park 3-lap Challenge 2011

RedGreenBaron
RedGreenBaron Posts: 232
The new RP3 thread.

More than 100 took part in 2010 (http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... &start=620), a fall of a quarter vs 2009. But I don't think the park was any emptier, so maybe the novelty of racing against yourself has dissipated, but also, as predicted, gravel and other obstacles must have done some damage. I can't promise fewer slower riders or cars but at least there shouldn't be any re-surfacing this year.

Guidelines:
1. 3 continuous laps of RP, anti- or clock-wise (or a mixture), with the general view that anti is easier/safer.
2. Start, rolling or standing, where you like and finish at the same place.
3. KEEP IT SAFE. Squeezing through that gap might make all the difference in beating your PB, but far better you live to fight another day and improve even more. In the red mist of the 3rd lap it is VERY easy to forget this and indeed to annoy the hell out of other RP users. To this end, attempts are best made very early at the weekend, mid-morning/mid-afternoon during the week and just before dusk.
4. Given '3' above, feel free to comment on the traffic, suicidal deer or even the horrendous westerly. The reader can adjust his/her impression of the time and it might dissuade you from roundabout madness.
5. Most of us try to avoid drafting. You might not be able to help it in traffic, but you'll be losing more from the traffic than you're gaining anyway.
6. In the entry feel free to mention : your bike (TT/shopper etc), your weight (seems to be a tradition), your club (if you like and if you have one) and even your 'type of rider' (sportive, racer, audax, tri) - it's becoming a tradition to add your power data here also/instead; and, in the text, perhaps your aim for the year .
7. Please add your post to the previous list, and try to make sure you use the most recent list, so we don't lose entries. Remove your old entry and put your new one in time order, emboldened for easy viewing.

Here's a starter - first poster please replace
Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
Borat......................anti........74kg.......65:00......Jan.......Astana..........Pro


And one more thing, don't be surprised if, on trying to record your first time since last August, that you are several minutes slower. In addition to whatever's happened to your training over the last few months, it seems air density (higher at colder temperatures) can make as much as 2 minutes difference (thanks TarmacExpert).

Nick
«13456712

Comments

  • birdy247
    birdy247 Posts: 454
    Ok,

    Lets kick this off. Very ashamed to post this, but what the heck. done on tired legs, couldnt get the motivation to give it 100% and came to a complete stop for horses to cross the road but consistent lap times at leat. Some 10 mins slower than my PB in the summer. Please tell conditions will have a part on this....

    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    Birdy247......................anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..........Nothing at the moment
  • Good one Birdy, for getting the ball rolling. Conditions might be worth 3-4 minutes for starters. I'm still ill or I would feel duty bound to set a target.
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    Good stuff for getting this one started. 2010 seemed to pass me by without a real concerted effort to get down to the target of 56.00. So, the same aim for this year.

    In fact, maybe it's worth including a PB and target column as well...

    I've highlighted a couple of areas for improvement this year - riding in the drops far more and 360-degree pedalling, which I only do sporadically.

    Any other ideas?
  • gert_lush
    gert_lush Posts: 634
    Had my first ever trip around Richmond park on Saturday as happened to be in laaandon with the bike, jolly good fun but loooads of traffic and pretty windy up sawyers hill!, a good sighter for hopefully getting in under the hour later in the year :-)
    Loved the fact there are so many cyclist going around

    Name.................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    Birdy247............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush...........anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    FCN 8 mainly
    FCN 4 sometimes
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    London-Red wrote:
    In fact, maybe it's worth including a PB and target column as well...

    But that would be depressing as we never reach our previous heights! :)
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • TheStone
    TheStone Posts: 2,291
    gert_lush wrote:
    but loooads of traffic and pretty windy up sawyers hill!

    I tried on Sunday, but spent most of the first lap stuck behind cars. Gave up in the end.
    exercise.png
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    I wheezed my way through the first attempt last year. Aiming not to do the same this year...

    Cheers for getting it started, RGB and Birdy.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • Andrew N
    Andrew N Posts: 119
    In the interests of encouraging all levels to participate in this thread and being the first to post a clockwise lap (surely worth 5 mins!) here goes my times (my first ride of the season and included one warm-up lap [there go the excuses])...will aim for better in Feb!

    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment
    www.goinggoingbike.com
    _____________________________
    online marketplace for all things bike
  • Toks
    Toks Posts: 1,143
    Hey well done RedGreenBaron, the RPL 3Lap challenge is back!! I'm becoming even less competitive as I get older: so I can't promise I'll have many, if any, attempts this year. Those of you who do go under 60mins for 3 laps, its a decent fitness marker especially for non competitives types. I look forward to reading your reports. Please be careful though, risking life and limb to shave 30secs off a PB really ain't worth it :D
  • birdy247
    birdy247 Posts: 454
    Adding me + Gert back in

    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    Birdy247............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush...........anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment
  • bcss
    bcss Posts: 174
    birdy247 wrote:
    Adding me + Gert back in

    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    Birdy247............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush...........anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment

    don't want to be a smart a**, but how can somebody have 68:72 and not 69:12? :-)
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    bcss wrote:
    birdy247 wrote:
    don't want to be a smart a**, but how can somebody have 68:72 and not 69:12? :-)

    I'm just regretting not thinking of it last year 49:65 would've been much better!
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • birdy247
    birdy247 Posts: 454
    jibberjim wrote:
    bcss wrote:
    birdy247 wrote:
    don't want to be a smart a**, but how can somebody have 68:72 and not 69:12? :-)

    I'm just regretting not thinking of it last year 49:65 would've been much better!

    Jibberjim, surely you should be posting a time up pretty soon.
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    birdy247 wrote:
    Jibberjim, surely you should be posting a time up pretty soon.

    Hopefully be out middle of next week to get the first sub 60 of the year in. Not sure I can expect much more than 55 though.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,687
    Had a try this morning but after a 25min first lap i turned the stop watch off.

    Wind was a bitch!
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment

    Wasn't sure how much I'd have in my legs after a big ride with JibberJim on Sun, but the weather looked quite nice, so thought I should get out there, seeing as how Jim said he'd be having a go some time this week :-)

    Kept going reasonably well in the end, but I'd hope to have a bit more power than that if I were a bit fresher. Laps went 17:43, 17:42, 17:28 with a big push in the last few minutes to get the time under 53 mins.

    Equipment: Felt AR1 aero road frame, Zonda wheels, skinsuit, road helmet with taped up vents.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Nice one. Excellent for the time of year. Actually, it's better than my PB at any time of the year :D

    Sasson frasson. Bang goes topping the leaderboard even at this early time of the year.
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    JonGinge wrote:
    Nice one. Excellent for the time of year. Actually, it's better than my PB at any time of the year :D

    Yeah - have you got the skinsuit out though? That's probably the difference.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Petromyzon.........Anti........76kg.......53.20.......Jan......LD...............AP 345W NP 350W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment

    Bit frustrated, only a couple more watts than last september. Was convinced I could hit 350 and blew up fairly spectacularly on the last half lap, but at least I went hard. Nice time Steve!
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    I've decided I probably won't be out attempting. I won't manage Steve's watts let alone Tom's and as I'm a _lot_ heavier than last year too I fear I'll struggle to break 60 minutes!

    I think I'll wait for the weather to warm up...

    Good times by TarmacExpert and Petromyzon!
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Petromyzon wrote:
    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Petromyzon.........Anti........76kg.......53.20.......Jan......LD...............AP 345W NP 350W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment

    Bit frustrated, only a couple more watts than last september. Was convinced I could hit 350 and blew up fairly spectacularly on the last half lap, but at least I went hard. Nice time Steve!

    Bloomin' 'eck, lads! You've had your Weetabix this winter, haven't you? Great times.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    edited January 2011
    cjcp wrote:
    Bloomin' 'eck, lads! You've had your Weetabix this winter, haven't you? Great times.

    They've both lost weight too! So I'm not sure they've been eating anything!
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • bcss
    bcss Posts: 174
    Petromyzon wrote:
    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Petromyzon.........Anti........76kg.......53.20.......Jan......LD...............AP 345W NP 350W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment

    Bit frustrated, only a couple more watts than last september. Was convinced I could hit 350 and blew up fairly spectacularly on the last half lap, but at least I went hard. Nice time Steve!

    Guys, chapeau! Very impressive times (times I can only ever dream of), particularly that early in the season.

    Petromyzon, would be interesting to know your set up.
  • Verbal
    Verbal Posts: 100
    Just out of interest, why is anti-clockwise considered to be safer?
  • cjcp
    cjcp Posts: 13,345
    Verbal wrote:
    Just out of interest, why is anti-clockwise considered to be safer?

    My views:

    1. It's better to take the roundabouts turning left.
    2. I'm not a fan of descending Dark Hill and turning right; there's often gravel there. Turning left up the hill isn't great by any means because there's gravel there, too, but you're generally going a bit slower. Well, I am anyway.
    FCN 2-4.

    "What happens when the hammer goes down, kids?"
    "It stays down, Daddy."
    "Exactly."
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 358
    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Petromyzon.........Anti........76kg.......53.20.......Jan......LD...............AP 345W NP 350W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment
    Chunkytfg...........Anti...........132kg...76.13.......Jan.........n/a............Winter heavy bike 15m just to get to RP!

    Not even close to most of you lot but it's my first time there so had to stop twice on the 1st lap just to check my GPS to work out where to go next!

    Plus it's a 30 mile round trip just to get to RP!!

    Plus i'm very very FAT :lol::lol::lol:
    FCN 7

    FCN 4

    if you use irrational measures to measure me, expect me to behave irrationally to measure up
  • maryka
    maryka Posts: 748
    3. It's safer to take the short steep descent down Test Hill (ACW) than to fly down the long and often tailwinded Sawyer's (CW) at 40mph+. If you get a good position before Test Hill ahead of any cars you can fly down it without braking and likely not run into cars ahead of you til it flattens out at the bottom (at which time you can overtake safely more or less, it seems less busy there than on other roads in the park). But going down Sawyer's you will inevitably run into a line of cars both ways meaning you need to brake if you're behind them, then be very careful overtaking, etc. And watch for the cops at the bottom.
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    Name......................Dir...........Wt........Time.........Mnth....Club...............TOR
    TarmacExpert.......Anti..........69kg......52:53.......Jan......KW..............TTer AP 300W NP 313W
    Petromyzon.........Anti........76kg.......53.20.......Jan......LD...............AP 345W NP 350W
    JibberJim...........Anti........77kg.......55:09.......Jan......KW...........Club run hero...AP 293W NP320W
    Birdy247..............anti........70kg.......63:42......Jan.......n/a..................Nothing at the moment
    Gert_lush............anti........65kg.......67.5........Jan.......Teaclub..........SCR - Dawes superGalaxy
    GGBAndrew..........clock........81kg....68:72......Jan.......n/a............Nothing at the moment
    Chunkytfg...........Anti...........132kg...76.13.......Jan.........n/a............Winter heavy bike 15m just to get to RP!

    Rubbish... Well not rubbish but miles off where Steve and Tom are despite beating them (just!) last year.

    18:16 310AP 330NP
    18:47 287AP 310NP
    18:06 282AP 318NP

    Not much traffic on the first other than on the descent from Richmond, but a fair amount on the next 2 on the 3rd lap there was a relatively helpful tow all along from Robin Hood to Roehampton but still lots of other stops. But the power wasn't there anyway so the traffic didn't really matter.

    Cervelo R3, DT Swiss 1.2 wheels Rubino Pro tyres with latex tubes, helmet, road kit including tights. My PB of last year would've been same bike but no helmet, skinsuit and Pro Race 3's rather than rubino's.

    Chunkyftg! That's a pretty good time at that weight! Or are you 8ft tall?
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • chunkytfg
    chunkytfg Posts: 358
    6'2'' so no i'm not 8ft!

    what time were you there today? I was there around 10am ish. Saw loads of other riders but not a clue what any of you look like!

    FWIW if you were there around that time I was the fatty in Orange with black tights with red Specialised Lid on a blue Quest winter/audax trainer with full mudguards going Anti clockwise.
    FCN 7

    FCN 4

    if you use irrational measures to measure me, expect me to behave irrationally to measure up
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    chunkytfg wrote:
    what time were you there today? I was there around 10am ish. Saw loads of other riders but not a clue what any of you look like!

    2pm or so I got there, so long after you - too late really as I got the school run cars on the later laps, but when you're ducking out in your "lunchbreak" you can't really complain.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/