Hi all

Please take the time to read this as it includes important changes to clubrun format and an opportunity to participate.

The committee discussed the issue of clubruns at length at its meeting yesterday evening.  The issue was that some riders (mentioning no names but you know who you are) are clearly regarding the clubruns as training/race preparation and this is making the runs inaccessible to some existing club members, to up and coming riders from the Saturday rides and to newcomers to the club. We are having to advise such people that the Sunday run is currently a no-go area, largely due to the pace.

There is nothing wrong with people wanting a fast ride and I have tried to encourage riders to organise themselves and leave earlier than the main run. No one has seemed prepared to do this despite a route sheet being available. The outcome has been disruption to what is intended to be a social ride for people with varying degrees of fitness. The club run rules were devised to define what is an acceptable pace and the protocol for helping the least fit to complete and enjoy their day out with other riders. Now 16 mph is often 26mph (or more!) and the concept of waiting for stragglers particularly after hills or junctions is observed grudgingly at best.

The committee is very keen to cater for different levels of fitness and has agreed that those who want to train, or generally 'rip it up', should be provided for.  Equally, it wants provision to be made for riders to progress within the club and generally be encouraged and helped to improve their levels of fitness.  Everyone has at some time needed help to improve, including those of you who are now forcing the pace.

In the circumstances, I now intend to split the Sunday rides into 'The Training Run' and 'The Club Run'. 

The Training Run will leave the Market Square at 9.05am every Sunday.  It will be up to those present to determine a pace and ride protocol that is acceptable to them all. 
We do however need a Vice Captain (preferably Vice Captains) with responsibility for the training run (eg following a route) so please volunteer now -  if there is silence from you all the run will probably never get off the ground. Please look upon this as a positive opportunity to get involved with your club and the kind of ride you want - if there are several of you, so much the better.

The Club Run will leave 10 minutes later (ie 9.15 as normal) and will observe Club Run Rules throughout.  Either I or one of the vice captains will lead it. Anyone who comes on the Clubrun and tries to force the pace beyond what is acceptable to the slowest rider present will endure considerable earache and be told to make other arrangements in future.

Please regard this as a positive step which will allow everyone the kind of ride they want.

Dave

 

 

 

 

Don't forget to get your entries in to John Cotton by the 14th for the interclub at Saxilby on 21st June.
See if we can get the team prize for that one as well.
 
Also entries for the Scunthorpe 50 on the 3rd July.
This event incorporates the LRRA 50 and our club championship 50 so 3 entry forms need to be sent out.
1 each to Scunthorpe, Bryan Hopkinson with cheque for £4 to  the LRRA and me for the club championship with £ 2.50
 
Cheers
Ann

 

SLEAFORD WHEELERS NEV CRANE MEMORIAL 25 MILE TIME TRIAL

SUNDAY JULY 10TH

There are just 3 weeks to go to June 28th, the official closing date for entries to the Nev Crane Memorial 25 mile Time Trial. As you will all know it will also feature the Sleaford Wheelers Club Championship. Full details can be found on the Blog.

We had 24 of our own club competing in last Aprils Charity Open '10'. Let us see if we can do even better for Nev's event on July 10th. This event, since its inception has been the richest and best supported TT in Lincs DC.

Talking to an elderly gent at the Inter Club '25' last evening, held on the same course that we will be using, he stated that in a life time of being involved in the county, nothing in his memory surpasses what the Sleaford Wheelers have been able to attract. Hopefully we will continue in that vein and again pull in around 100 entries.

There are just a few riders in the Sleaford Wheelers who regularly compete in Opens. For others the Charity Event was their first experience of a "Big Event". I do hope that more will make it their aim.

We are a big club in terms of numbers. Judging by the excellent performances from our riders in the Inter Club we could also be a big club in terms of winning something in Open Events. Regular team wins could surely be just around the corner.

Right then, get those Entry Forms out and start filling them in. They can be downloaded from the CTT website.

Remember the closing date is June 28th and cheques should be made out to D. Laidlow.

It would be appreciated if the box is marked X to receive Start and Resut Sheets by email. All of the details can be filled in before and then printed off. If hand writing the form please, please write the email address clearly. No good asking me once the Start Sheet is raised "am I too late to enter?".

I will happily accept your entries at the next club '10' on the 16th June and will be issuing further reminders over the next two weeks or so.

A point to remember is that, had it not been for the efforts of the late Nev Crane and the late John Porter in 1965, there may well not have been a Sleaford Wheelers Cycling Club today. So let us do them proud.

LAST POINT. IF YOU ARE NOT OF A MIND TO ENTER THIS EVENT THEN PLEASE CONTACT ME AND OFFER YOUR HELP.

Thank you, Doug, Event Sec.