Bristol South Road Race Route

liamcorrigan
liamcorrigan Posts: 49
edited April 2013 in Amateur race
Hi,

I'm going to be taking part in the Bristol South Road Race in April and a few of us are planning to head down to Chew Valley on Sunday to recce the route. Only thing is, I'm not sure which direction the looped section goes in!

Does anyone know? Don't want to find out on the day that we went the wrong way round!

Cheers,

Liam

Comments

  • Garmin data from the guy who came 6th last year: http://app.strava.com/activities/9569437
  • Lovely job, thanks very much!
  • As a general rule, road races on circuits go anti-clockwise in this country so that the race stays on the left and doesn't have to cross traffic when turning.
  • Ah, makes sense. I had a feeling there was some 'rule' about circuit direction but couldn't remember which way!
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    I've toyed with entering this the last couple of years but having seen that profile I'm now glad I haven't - I guessed it might be a bit lumpy which is why I didn't do it so good to have confirmation!
  • Yeah, not sure a recce is a good idea... maybe ignorance is bliss!
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    Liam where are you coming from? I am entering this year should be a good race. I hear that it is a tough one!
  • Swindon so not far. Looking forward to it but have also heard it's tough. Events conspired and our recce never happened at weekend so I remain blissfully ignorant. We'll see whether or not that's a good thing...

    Will only be my second road race so just finishing without being dropped will be a result for me. If I can manage to get into a break for a short while I'll be over the moon!
  • AK_jnr
    AK_jnr Posts: 717
    I like the look of this! Tempted.
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    I am in the same boat as you liam, first race coming up this month and bristol south being my second. I actually ride for the club to so added pressure :D
    AK_jnr wrote:
    I like the look of this! Tempted.
    enter ASAP, last i heard 68 places taken from 80.
  • Cookie91 wrote:
    I am in the same boat as you liam, first race coming up this month and bristol south being my second. I actually ride for the club to so added pressure :D
    AK_jnr wrote:
    I like the look of this! Tempted.
    enter ASAP, last i heard 68 places taken from 80.

    It was 71 last Friday!

    Best of luck Cookie! Which race are you doing this month?
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    Filling up quick then!

    Well i shall be racing the easter classic with a friend, and hopefully that will be my eye opener for the season. :D
  • See you there then!
  • peejay78
    peejay78 Posts: 3,378
    The weekend after BSCC are organising a really hilly 28 mile time trial in the Cotswolds.

    There are joint primes across the road race and TT as well as separate prizes for the TT.

    http://cyclingtimetrials.co.uk/Default. ... __gvfl3=10
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    See you there then!

    Apologies for my deteictive skills. I assume you were on a black and red ROSE? I saw you a few times in the bunch, i was on a silver Fuji, probably the cheapest bike there and the only person on a triple chain set! :D
  • Cookie91 wrote:
    See you there then!

    Apologies for my deteictive skills. I assume you were on a black and red ROSE? I saw you a few times in the bunch, i was on a silver Fuji, probably the cheapest bike there and the only person on a triple chain set! :D

    Your detective skills are impressive! Although I'm also slightly freaked out. You're not watching me right now, are you...? :D

    It's not about the bike, remember! My dad came along with me for support and it was the first time he'd been there since racing himself/marshalling about 20 years ago. Think he was quite amused by all the bling bikes that lined up for the 4th cat race. Wasn't like that in 'his day' apparently!

    How did you get on? I got off to a bit of a shaky start and found myself floating around the back of the bunch quite quickly and stayed there for probably 2/3 of the race. I think the problem was not so much the pace but that I need to ride more assertively to hold a position. I was finding that I was backing off heading into the chicanes to avoid any potential for a collision rather than fighting for my line and slipping backwards as a result. I'd then waste a load of energy fighting my way back up for the rest of the lap only to repeat the process again and again! Somehow seemed to hit my stride in the final few laps though and was able to stay nearer the front. Unfortunately I found myself on the wrong side of the track on the last lap (think the right-hand side was definitely the place to be) and got a bit boxed in for the sprint. Hoping I managed 20-somethingth but we'll have to wait and see. Shame as I felt I had the legs to do a bit better. :cry:

    Looks like I have a bit more racecraft to learn but I guess that can only come with experience. I was told before my first race that to do well you have to use 50% legs and 50% head and I'm defintely finding that to be true!

    Also hoping the road races will be slightly less fraught so I can eat and drink! Think I managed two sips from my bottle on Friday and didn't even attempt to open the gel I planned to have at about halfway. No way I'll be able to do 50 miles on that!
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    Thats fantastic, glad you got on alright! Was my first race, was definately shocked by the pace initially, but once i got into things i thoroughly enjoyed it. I understand why people say if your not moving forward your going backwards!
    liamcorrigan. Unfortunately I found myself on the wrong side of the track on the last lap (think the right-hand side was definitely the place to be) and got a bit boxed in for the sprint. Hoping I managed 20-somethingth but we'll have to wait and see. Shame as I felt I had the legs to do a bit better.
    Haha i had the exact same problem, i felt pretty sweet for the sprint on the left hand side had a clear line and then was boxed in by a lady in front on a white giant who i thnk had run out of juice and a guy on a black and green colnago.

    Also found out last night that when someone taps out on the hip, they are politely asking you to move over or to let them pass. I thought my lycra just looked silky! :lol:
    I shall definately make an effort to introduce myself for the bristol south race, best of luck training now though!
  • Ha! I got stuck behind a lady too. Didn't notice her bike, just that she had a slightly large posterior!

    Well, spanner has been well and truly put in the works in that I came off on my way home from work last night and have broken my collarbone. :( So that's me out of the Pittards Trophy this weekend and Bristol RR too at least. Gutted. May go down to watch though so by all means come and say hi. I'll be with the Radeon Cycle Coaching boys, hopefully in black, red and white kit (if it's been delivered by then). I'll be the one in a sling...
  • Cookie91
    Cookie91 Posts: 97
    Ha! I got stuck behind a lady too. Didn't notice her bike, just that she had a slightly large posterior!

    Well, spanner has been well and truly put in the works in that I came off on my way home from work last night and have broken my collarbone. :( So that's me out of the Pittards Trophy this weekend and Bristol RR too at least. Gutted. May go down to watch though so by all means come and say hi. I'll be with the Radeon Cycle Coaching boys, hopefully in black, red and white kit (if it's been delivered by then). I'll be the one in a sling...

    You have got to be joking!!! Are you a long lost brother or something of mine? I was hit by a car on tuesday evening and have a fractured shoulder (to be precise the collar bone). Well i wish you the best of a recovery and hopefully you shall be racing by may again?
  • Seriously?! That's unbelievable! Hope you're ok, collarbone aside. I wasn't hit by a car fortunately - I nearly hit it!

    Well same to you. Hope you mend soon and likewise I'm hoping to be back in action in May. Hopefully the Steve Taylor Memorial or failing that the South Cerney RR. That's assuming my wife lifts the lifetime cycling ban she's now placed on me...

    Lessons learnt:

    1. Contrary to my previously held belief, keeping up with cars on a 40mph stretch of main road with multiple junctions is neither big nor clever. I am not a pro.
    2. Road bike brakes are nowhere near as effective as a car's.
    3. They are, however, good enough that if you jam them on hard enough your front wheel will lock and inertia will quickly turn you into a passenger.
    4. ALWAYS wear a helmet. They work. End of. Granted there will always be situations where they don't affect an outcome and the debate will continue but you're unlikely to get advance warning of which way a situation is going to go.
    5. Even if you don't consider yourself to be a lucky person, sometimes someone is looking after you and for no apparent reason a situation that could have been unimaginably worse just isn't.
    6. Knowing that you've terrified your loved ones hurts more than broken bones and road rash.
  • peejay78
    peejay78 Posts: 3,378
    steve taylor is a fast race with a sting in the tail - last year they didn't use the final climb so it was just super fast from start to finish. 65 miles at 27mph average.
  • Ouch. May not be ideal as a first road race then! I guess that's what happens when you add 2nd cats to the mix.