6.3 June 18 Bleat

Post date: Jun 18, 2012 10:30:0 PM

Hello Vets, welcome to another issue of The Bleat. In this week’s issue;

· Racing this Week –Uriarra Homestead

· Uriarra Homestead – Race Director’s report.

· In this week’s Member Profile we look at Sue Frost.

Please send me your contributions at: TheBleat@actvets.cc

Ian Morton.

RACING THIS WEEK:

Saturday, 23^rd June: Old Federal Highway Graded Scratch

Where: Gravel Pit, Old Federal Highway / Shingle Hill Way.

When: 1:30 pm.

Sign on: 15 mins before scheduled start time wearing your registered number.

Race Description:

Start – Shingle Hill Way – Lake George x 2 laps.

Race Director: Robert Langridge

Contact: Email: langridge@netspeed.com.au Ph (02) 6281 0997

Help Needed on Saturday: Rob will need a couple of road marshals, lead and tailing car drivers and helpers at the finish line to run the race. Please contact Rob if you can assist.

Reminder of the New Rules

To meet new AVCC rules, the club will be required to meet the following conditions for racing;

· Helmets – All members must wear helmets that meet Australian Standards. Competitors must present their helmet for inspection prior to the race to confirm it has one of the Australian Standards approval labels (shown below) and is in good condition.

· Bikes – Bikes must be roadworthy. Bikes will be checked for independent front and rear brakes and fitted with handlebar plugs.

· Racing Jerseys must cover upper arms and shoulders.

· Race Number: All riders must wear race numbers. To assist in an emergency, contact details should be recorded on the race number.

Uriarra Handicap Race Report

The weather forecast for Saturdays handicap race at Uriarra Homestead was not looking good. However sunshine did appear briefly en-route to the race which encouraged riders to venture out, and although it quickly clouded over again, the rain held off apart from a few spits. Fortunately the road is in fairly good condition and without surface water was a fast track. There was no shortage for marshals with 9 of us in the end and 39 riders turned out for the ride. It was still cold, and those with minimal clothing felt the effect, though it was a good incentive to ride quickly.

Limit set off at 1.30 on schedule, and were just passing the start line after the first turn as Scratch with the biggest grade of 9 riders started the chase 20 minutes down. Although some riders were dropped on the first leg, most grades were working well together, though by the time they completed one full lap there was a greater spread. Block, which only had a 2 minutes advantage on Scratch, had swelled in numbers to create a peloton dragging quite a few lower grade riders with them, including David Gould valiantly holding on for the ride while he could. Many riders were riding above their grade and working well in groups with higher grade riders, especially on the second lap. Heading for the bottom turn the peloton were holding the advantage and closing on those in front. A grade maintained a unrelenting pace chasing down the tête de la course and were split in two as they swept past the start line bound for the bottom turn. Reinhardt Mauch was driving the second group and it must have worked as they caught up again. Looking down the road from the finish line it was obvious A grade had overtaken all but the strongest, and while not quite the impressive field of Gunning, the race to the line was on in earnest.

Not surprisingly Ian Downing broke from the pack with about 100 metres to go and crossed with the fastest time of 59:57. Paul Atyeo crossed second with Marc Vroomans in third. Tom Hartley and Nick Boylan from B grade were in the 9 rider pack. A second group headed by Sean Ifland who managed to get the points for 10th place, led in 6 riders from A,B, C and D grades a minute back, then followed by another group of 7. Individual riders and smaller groups completed the field, with 5 DNF’s. The handicapping one again working well with a good range of riders in the various groupings.

Many thanks to the marshals, Henry Beaverstock as usual manning the stopwatch, James Meredith on the keyboard, James Cruden, Rosemary Robinson and Ross Macpherson on the lollipops and Jing Huang, John I’ons and Ian Shaw on the line. Also our sports first aid officer Tom Roberts who thankfully had a very quiet afternoon. Congratulations to all the riders who took part.

Thanks to Bob Miller for Race Refereeing.

Race results on the RMS: http://rms.actvets.cc/

For anyone who wants the detailed times, you can get them from the results page

ACT Veterans Member Profile

In our next member profile we look at we look at Sue Frost;

How long have you been a member of ACT Vets?

I am not sure maybe around 2000?

What is your favourite course in the ACT Vets racing calendar and why?

Any course that does not have too many steep hills- so that rules out most of them- which probably leaves Gunning and Dalton. They are my favourites because the hills there don’t go on for too long, though Gunning does finish on a hill!

What Grade did you start in with the Vets?

I started in G Grade and remember getting dropped in the first 500metres on my first race! I finally graduated to F Grade, had to do a stint in E Grade but could never keep up with them, so F Grade seems to be my natural home. I keep telling myself that the grades have got faster over the years, which means that F Grade now is probably equivalent to E Grade 5 years ago.

How long have you been cycling?

I rode a bike as a kid, I used to ride to work when I was teaching in Melbourne, only slipped on the tram tracks once, after the embarrassment of being sprawled across the road you always took great care with tram lines! I never really took cycling up seriously till our kids where both at school and I had a bit of extra time. After progressing from riding from Gordon around Lake Tuggeranong, I ventured further afield on the bike paths before acquiring one of my husband’s old bikes and venturing around the Tharwa Loop. Now my kids are 18 and 21 that means I have been cycling for about 13 years.

What got you interested in cycling?

I think it was a case of if you can’t beat them join them- Bill was always going for rides on the weekends and coming home too tired to do the list of jobs I had for him, and I got bored going out to just watch him race all the time so decided he shouldn’t have all the fun. Having trained as a Physical Education teacher I was always into exercise and keeping fit, so cycling was a great way to get around, keep fit and meant I could eat chocolate and cake and burn it off! Also Canberra was the perfect place with all the bike paths so that all lead to my interest in cycling.

What do you like about racing with the Vets?

I like the friendliness at races, racing with friends, the post-race discussions and thinking if only I had just done this then or held on for a bit longer I could have done better. Feeling exhausted at the end of the race and just being able to go home, shower and get into my pj’s and plonk on the couch for the rest of the evening and not feel guilty.

What was your most memorable ride?

Probably the first year I did the Hartley Challenge- the first day we rode 167km which was the furthest I had ridden in a day, then had to get up the next day and ride 80km from Jindabyne to Charlotte’s Pass and return. Then riding the 3rd day back to Canberra on a really hot day- it seemed to take forever but it felt such an accomplishment when I finally rode into Canberra. It made me realise that there was a real mental component to the physical challenge and that after doing a ride like that nearly anything was possible if I really wanted to do it.

What is/was your favourite bike?

My favourite bike is my current bike – my Giant TCR Advanced.

Where do you work?

I work part time in the accounts department at Southside Physiotherapy at Tuggeranong approximately 5km form home. I ride to work on an old deadly treadly with a basket on front, so that means I can ride to work in my work clothes at a leisurely pace. Bill laughed at me when he saw my bike with a basket and was not going to tell any of his cycling friends his wife rode a bike with a basket, but I don’t care- when I saw people riding to work in Europe in suits, or skirts or high heels I figured I could set myself up with a European style bike in Tuggers!

How do you find the time to train?

I work part time and I have organised my work days so I can ride one day, work the next day and recover, then ride again the next day it is just great. I ride with a group on Mondays and Wednesday mornings from Tuggeranong, and Friday mornings Bill and I get up early and join the Friday morning Bike Shed ride till they ride past Manuka where we peel off for coffee at the bakery with a few others before heading home. We are up at 5am, out the door by 5:30am and home by 7:45am and have done 45km.

Do you have a special training regime?

No, I just ride with my cycling buddies and push it up the hills or along the flats depending upon how I am feeling. I keep thinking I should have a specific training program, but don’t have the mental energy to keep to one, so I just ride for the company and enjoyment, it keeps me fit, keeps my weight relatively stable, and can eat plenty and that keeps me happy!

What does your family think of your cycling?

Well being married to Bill Frost, a fellow Vet’s member, he cannot complain and as long as I don’t beat him too often in the handicaps he is happy. It was his idea to get me to race in the first place- the one and only time he every organised a baby sitter was to get me along to a race. Our kids now 18 and 21 used to come along to the races when they were younger and didn’t mind it too much. Now they just think their parents are mad getting up early to ride when you could be sleeping in!

An interesting fact about yourself;

I did a 10 day rafting trip down the Franklin River in Tassie about 25 years ago and the challenge of shooting rapids on the Franklin gave me enough excitement in life to cure me of ever wanting to jump out of a plane!

Race Referees

The other change required by the AVCC is that all future racing must be conducted by club registered Race Referees. The race committee is asking for volunteers to take on the role. The Referee should be knowledgeable in the rules of the AVCC, and the club, and be willing to enforce those rules to the benefit of the club and its members.

These members will be put on a rotating roster to undertake their duties throughout the year, with consideration given to obligations. Each referee will receive their membership for the year that they are roster at the clubs expense.

As everyone has already joined for this year we will wave all future race fees for the rest of the year for all this years rostered referees in lieu. The need for volunteers is a matter of urgency and we must be able to meet this requirement before the start of the winter season when the new policy will take effect.

The important question to be asked is what happens if we don’t get the minimum number of referees. The race committee will be forced to reassess the calendar and reduce the number of races.

If you are prepared to take on this role, please contact James at handicapper@actvets.cc

First Aiders

One of the other items that the Race Committee need to follow up on are those members who are current holders of a First Aid Certificate who are will to register to aid the club in this role.

This does not preclude the rider from racing, or performing any other duties, but it is a requirement of the insurance that we know who these people are should we need to call on their services.

It is also important to note that should anyone wish to get their certificate the club will pay the costs involved.

If you are prepared to take on this role, please contact James at handicapper@actvets.cc