The Welsh Open 10 M TT Championship

Posted on August 31, 2016 by ACME Wheelers Admin

The Welsh Open 10M TT was promoted by Pontypool RCC on Sunday 14^th August on the R10?17 Course between Abergavenny and Raglan. On a dry day with only light winds two Acme Wheelers members we on the start line. Gary Flower gained his second Club Championship of the season with a very impressive 22:01 on the day. Gary was not particularly happy with his time, his goal was to go sub-21:45, as it fell in the middle of his training for an up-coming Ironman event. Gary had put in a big training session the day before and this was still in his legs. Nevertheless, it’s congratulations to Gary on this 10M Club Championship.

Nadine Cannon put herself into the elite of Welsh women time trialists with her efforts. Again disappointed with her time of 24:14 Nadine felt that she had given everything she could, and at some points thought she might have been able to run faster – a la Chris Froome. Her time put her in 7^th place overall in the Ladies Event and, if we take out the visitors from over Offa’s Dyke, sets her as one of the top 3 or 4 Welsh Ladies. A very impressive season which gets better and better.

Members Enter Summer Events

Posted on August 1, 2016 by ACME Wheelers Admin

With so many events to report in August this month’s report will take a different form. Instead of reporting on races it will centre on Club Members, in no particular order.

Regular reporter Simon Kinsey has had a very busy and hard month of time trialling and continues to seek improvement in both his times and in the way he approaches events. Simon’s first event was the Cardiff 100 Mile RC 50M TT event on Sunday 8^{th. .}

His main goal at this event was not time based but the check out the R50/1B Course which will be used for the Welsh 100 M Championships in September. On a clear and sunny day with some breeze Simon missed a PB by 6 seconds, finishing in a time of 2h13m02s. The following weekend Simon was back up in Usk on the R25/7 course chasing a time under the hour on a course which didn’t include the Glynneath Bank. On a breezy but bright sunny day Simon posted a 1h02m44s. Perhaps if he hadn’t been rum tasting in a Cardiff bar until the early hours of the morning then that sub-60 time would have been there. Simon will certainly learn from that one.

Another weekend and another trip to the Glynnneath Bank for the RealTeam 25 (overflow event) on the R25/3H Course. Simon is well aware of the vagaries of the weather in this area and he feels that a hard effort does not always result in a good time. Again he was looking for a sub-1h ride. The day started wet but did dry up although the wind on the way to the turn made it hard work. So near but so far in the end with Simon posting a 1h 00m 07s.

As has been noted in these reports this summer Nadine Cannon is having a tremendous season on the bike, but August was a quieter time for her in terms of event entries. On the 21^st August Nadine was on the R25/3H Course based at Hirwaun for the RealTeam promoted 25M TT. On a wet and windy day, Nadine realised that good times were not on offer so changed her focus. Nadine used this event to work on her aero position which would be of benefit to her in future events. The outcome was still a good time of 57:58 which gave her 5^th Lady on the day.

Veteran member Jeff Rees begins to look to the winter season when August comes around and some of his races are geared to events later in the year. Firstly, though, on the 21^st August Jeff was entered in the Real Team 25 (Over Flow Event) on the R25/3H course. This was a disappointing ride for Jeff as he had been looking to improve upon his season’s best, but on an overcast day with a bit of a headwind on the out section Jeff eventually posted a 1h01m37s. And so to thoughts of the winter as Jeff entered the Gower Riders – Go Ride CX event based at Penyrheol Leisure Centre, Swansea. Different format from the TT races here, as this race was 30 minutes plus one lap with Jeff expressing disappointment that no other Acme Members had entered this event. Jeff started his first off–road CX event since December on a dry overcast day with the atmosphere being “heavy and close”. Jeff was testing his equipment at this event as well as seeing where his own fitness was compared to others. In the end Jeff came out 6^th out of the 8 V50 entered and 6^th out of the 11 adults entered.

Jeff wants to encourage more members to enter events during the winter for what are safe and good fun activities for winter Sundays.

Fiona Davies enters rather longer events than the “normal” time trials. Fiona’s preference is the hard world of triathlon and she entered two during the month of August. First up was the BRAT Triathlon (Birmingham Running Athletics and Triathlon Club) at Kingsbury in the West Midlands on 7^th August. This event was 47.2Km with 36.7Km of cycling, and is the Olympic distance event. Fiona was using this event are preparation for a middle distance event later in the month. On a beautiful sunny day, her overall time of 3h02m10s gave Fiona much encouragement for the next event. While she felt that the swim was a little slow she was pleased with her run and the 1h23m59s bike ride. The venue, Cliff Lakes Water Park (http://www.clifflakes.org/) gets a big thumbs up from Fiona because of its beautiful surroundings, water based activities and a caravan site. The Park is also near to the Warwickshire Cycleway.

Next was the 113Km Cotswold Classic Triathlon based at the Cotswold Water Park (http://www.waterpark.org/) which included a 90Km cycle ride. On this day, 21^st August, the weather in Rhondda was wet and windy but in Wiltshire Fiona was enjoying warm, sunny conditions. Fiona had competed on this course in June and was hoping to use this event to improve her time over the course. It was a long day with the event taking 6h21m48s to complete, Fiona was delighted with this result not least because the bike leg of 3h20m47s was 6 minutes faster than the June effort.

Fiona plans to put her bike and wet suit to one side for the rest of the year and concentrate on ultra runs starting with the Cumbria Way 73 mile run in September. We wish you well in that.

July Comes to an End

Posted on July 3, 2016 by ACME Wheelers Admin

The final two race reports for July come from, firstly, the RealTeam 25TT held on the R25/3H Course based at Hirwaun. This took place on the 24^th July in very unseasonal wet weather. Simon Kinsey rode this event in the knowledge that he had the following weekend off from racing so that he could give this race everything. Simon was hoping that his PB of 57:59 would be bettered. In the event the mysterious wind took its toll on him and maybe he held too much back for the final few miles, he posted a 58:26.

Jeff Rees was not feeling at his best so was just keen to get around the course. While it was wet Jeff seemed unaffected by what wind there was. His 58:03 was not bad given that he was just “looking to get around”.

The final July report is the Bynea 25TT held on the R25/3 Course, again based in Hirwaun. Amid swirling winds Nadine Cannon achieved a very creditable 57:20 which is a PB at the time of writing this report. On Nadine’s current form this could change in the coming weeks. This PB comfortably achieves the Club Gold Standard for Nadine. What a season she is having.

Lady Members Assault on Club Standards

Posted on July 2, 2016 by ACME Wheelers Admin

On the first Saturday of July Cardiff 100 Milers promoted a 25mTT on the R25/7 course. Nadine Cannon choose this event to gain some experience of a new course between Usk and Monmouth. In the end she gained more than just experience by placing as 2^nd Lady in a time of 1:03:07. Nadine was extremely pleased with her performance but warns other members who ride this course to save some energy for the return effort. Mitchel Troy village is very undulating and the road surface is poor and saps energy.

The Port Talbot Wheelers promoted the last round of the Celtic Series on 12^th July using the R10/22a Course in Resolven. Yet again Acme Wheelers were well represented. On a warm evening with a slight breeze, Nadine Cannon was a chasing a PB, while she didn’t quite get that after a hard ride from the turn Nadine was very happy with her 24:15 time and her season gets better with every race.

Simon Kinsey was looking to keep up his recent momentum and aimed to beat his course record. Simon sees this course and the 10 at Raglan as the fastest local courses and was delighted with his course best time of 23.19 which was also a PB for the distance. Well done Simon.

A new name enters our reports as Emily Kinsey tries her hand in an Open Event for the first time. Only having completed Club events up to this point Emily was entering the unknown and trying to gain some experience of the event. A finishing time of 29.31 gains her the Club Bronze Standard and with her determination the Silver Standard is beckoning.

The weekend of 16/17^th July saw two events promoted by Ross-on-Wye CC. On the Saturday Nadine Cannon was again chasing that PB on the R10/17 Course. After some difficulties negotiating the Heads of the Valleys road improvements just to get to the event Nadine settled into her ride in the warm but windy conditions. Nadine was absolutely delighted with her time of 24.01 which gave her the PB she has been working so hard for. Nadine has previously comfortably achieved the Club Gold Standard for a 10 and we look forward to see her times tumbling.

Also looking for a good time on a course he set his best time last year, Jeff Rees found the conditions very hot and windy. In the end Jeff was extremely disappointed with his time of 24.11 though he was very complimentary of the organisation of the event.

Sunday and the same club promoted a 25m TT on the R25/7 Course. Nadine Cannon took on the Heads of the Valleys roads works once again just to get to the HQ. In what she describes as perfect weather conditions Nadine made her assault on the course to and was determined to improve on her best time on this course. As she had done the previous day Nadine gave her self a 10/10 for how she felt about her performance, and who would argue with that. Nadine posted a time of 1:01:26, getting ever closer to going under the hour and, yet again, took the prize for 1^st Lady. What a season she is having, well done Nadine.

Simon Kinsey entered the same event but unfortunately after negotiating the road works to get to the event he took a wrong turn after six miles. This ended his chances of going under the hour on this fast course. Simon and Nadine warns other members who enter races on this course to watch out for signs as there are many turn-offs along the route

Sunday Club Runs Continue

Posted on July 1, 2016 by ACME Wheelers Admin

The web site reports show active participation of Acme Wheelers members in Open Events all over South Wales and beyond. However, the Sunday Club Run is still favoured by members who are not quite so competitive. The poor weather during the spring and early summer meant that small groups were involved in the Club Run, but with the gradual improvement in the weather conditions so numbers have begun to increase.

Ever present since the Spring Kerry Lewis (on his new Pinarello) and Mark Nichols used these rides to train for the Velothon always accompanied by Mike Bevan who just enjoys putting miles in on his various bikes, one for each Sunday of the month. Alec Morris (breaking in new hi-viz shoes) has been preoccupied with exams and has enjoyed the Club Runs at a time when he has been unable to commit to racing.

Jeff Matthews is an irregular attendee but always enjoys the banter on the road and at the café stop. Club Treasurer Dave Roberts is making a come back after a long period of injury but is now able to take advantage of the better weather. “Acme Pensioner Chris T” generally joins the ride in Talbot Green to save the drag up to the Welcome and everyone has to stop to hear Chris’s latest anecdote about life in general. Occasionally Chris Clements has kept Chris company in Talbot while they both wait to join the ride.

The rides have varied in distance from 35 miles right up to longer rides of 60 miles but all have been punctuated by a café stop for refreshments and a chat. Most rides head south to take in stops at Cowbridge, Llantwit Major or Bridgend. Distances have been dictated by the weather and commitments members have on the day.

Members who are looking for a casual ride or a break from racing could join the Club Run by being at the Welcome in Tonypandy ready to leave at 9:30am. Ross Morgan has joined the ride, when his racing programme has given him some free time, to rest his weary legs.