Norman Harris Memorial Road Race

Pross
Pross Posts: 43,463
edited May 2013 in Amateur race
A shameless plug for the first race I've organised in nearly 20 years. This is the first running of the race and uses a circuit that doesn't get a lot of use these days. The race is on 5 May based in Usk, Monmouthshire with a 16 mile lap which is generally flat / gentle rolling with one fairly long, steady climb. Total distance is 67 miles. Anyone fancying having a go get your entries in soon as I currently have 60 entries with a maximum field of 80.

Comments

  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Pross wrote:
    A shameless plug for the first race I've organised in nearly 20 years. This is the first running of the race and uses a circuit that doesn't get a lot of use these days. The race is on 5 May based in Usk, Monmouthshire with a 16 mile lap which is generally flat / gentle rolling with one fairly long, steady climb. Total distance is 67 miles. Anyone fancying having a go get your entries in soon as I currently have 60 entries with a maximum field of 80.

    Hmm this didn't show up when I was looking before. I've just entered.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Excellent. I think it has only been live for a couple of weeks.
  • samg123
    samg123 Posts: 275
    Don't suppose anyone on here would be going from Bristol? I'd love to race but have no transport...
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    samg123 wrote:
    Don't suppose anyone on here would be going from Bristol? I'd love to race but have no transport...

    What club are you with? There are a few Bristol riders entered I think.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    samg123 wrote:
    Don't suppose anyone on here would be going from Bristol? I'd love to race but have no transport...

    You've got mail. I pass close to Bristol. Thanks for the acceptance Pross.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Well my first promotion in donkeys years seemed to go off quite well, so pleased there were no major problems and the riders seemed to enjoy it. Not sure if any forumites rode in the end but if you did I hope you had fun! Well done to Matt Rowe (NFTO) on his win from a hard working 4 man break. Thinking of a new course for next year - I've got what could be a cracker in mind but is 1000' of climbing per 10 miles excessive for a Regional A race? No really stupid climbs in it but just up and down all the way.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Great course and organisations Pross.

    The change you need to make if you want an up hill finish is move the finish line to just over the top of the drag. Too many races at this level have big elevation in so only the climbers get a look in. No one really attacked the drag this year but if the finish line was there it would cause more pain and string it out a bit.

    I for one like to see more rolling courses so please keep the course the same but move the finish if you want to string it out a bit :)
  • joe.90
    joe.90 Posts: 171
    DavidJB wrote:
    Great course and organisations Pross.

    The change you need to make if you want an up hill finish is move the finish line to just over the top of the drag. Too many races at this level have big elevation in so only the climbers get a look in. No one really attacked the drag this year but if the finish line was there it would cause more pain and string it out a bit.

    I for one like to see more rolling courses so please keep the course the same but move the finish if you want to string it out a bit :)

    second that. thank you. the organisation together with the course was brilliant!

    i also completely agree with what david says about the finish. i know alot of people felt this way.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Thanks for the comments.

    Yeah, that was my first choice position for the finish but couldn't for a few reasons:-

    1. With it being Sunday lunchtime I didn't want to affect the pub at a busy time for their trade with people crowding around their entrance and using the car park.

    2. There are solid white lines over most of the climb and over the top.

    3. There is a perfect finish point just before the steep descent (used as a finish line for the Ras but in the opposite direction) but the last time we had a race finish there a resident was on the verge of assaulting the organiser having come back from a few at the pub to find people parked in his entrance and I'm a coward :lol:

    I also thought of finishing it at the top of the climb after Chainbridge by the golf club but thought it might be a bit risky with riders fighting for position coming into the narrowing over the bridge. If people liked it as it was I'll carry on using it in the future but I think I may do another race on the new course I have in mind which I think will be a really good, tough but sensible course for the climbers on lovely quiet B roads. I just need to make sure all my helpers are up for it but watch this space!