Ride Report Ken Dinnerville

Road cycling & upcoming rides
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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 26 May 2013, 15:37

Got cooked and presented with the Ken Dinner Bill

My goal was to not finish last. On that front I am of the opinion that I may have missed a spot on the podium. Man, it hurt. In every race you learn something. My learnings from this event were profound.

• Having a high speed internet connection and the ability to touch type is not adequate qualification to participate in a road race.
• Never before has the phrase, “all the gear and no idea” been more apparent.
• My warm up should consist of more than having the heater in the car on high and changing gear a lot.
• Targeting the fat old man with the wooden leg and the eye patch as my mark should involve greater research into his form.
• Next year get a Coach. Preferably a Murrays or a Greyhound and watch the race from the side of the road.

I arrived and signed on. It was very well organised and certainly well supported. I spotted the other DHBCers and they graciously acknowledged me being in uniform. I did a little warm up and before you know it were away.

I was in the first bunch to depart. We took off at a fare clip, I hit threshold before leaving the car park and I just knew this was going to be a bad day! The bunch worked well together and I not only remained in contact but also took my turns.
The base of the Mount Marshall Climb was my undoing along with one or two others. I managed to get on to a young lady from SU Velo’s wheel a couple of Kms before the turn around. We worked well together, finally being caught deep into the second lap. She jumped on to that bunch and I just flayed in the wind like a torn flag.

Mike rolled past me and called me on to his wheel. I have nominated Mike for Australian of the Year. He saved me a world of hurt and drove my pace hard. We caught the SU Velo girl again to my delight, but she too jumped on.

Another bunch zoomed by and Mike leapt on to it and I did the wind thing again. It was then me against world and a very lonely last hour. Before I left home I have taken great care with the packing of my suitcase of courage. Sadly the contents of which I left strewn along the road side on the Mount Marshall Climb. I attempted to valiantly unleash the Furry in the best Café Racer style. However the furry remained entirely recalcitrant and refused all coaxing.

I rolled in sore and tired. James handed me cold Coke and I could have kissed him. Bloody hard day at the office. Thanks to the boys for their waves and shouted encouragement.

Anyone what to use my Internet for next year?

See you on the Road
Dougie
Last edited by Dougie on 27 May 2013, 09:02, edited 1 time in total.

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Trouty
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Postby Trouty » 26 May 2013, 16:30

I was looking forward to the "Ken Dinner Bill" race report and this one didnt disappoint. Gold Dougie! And well done today on a great effort. That's a tough race.

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Nozzle
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Postby Nozzle » 26 May 2013, 16:56

Unleash the Furry eh Dougie?

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JoTheBuilder
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Postby JoTheBuilder » 26 May 2013, 18:14

You Gentleman you... ;-)

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jonboy
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Postby jonboy » 26 May 2013, 18:14

Unleash the Furry eh Dougie?
Word in the peloton is that Dougie carries a small marsupial in his back pocket.

On command it's trained to jump onto the face of any passing rider.

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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 26 May 2013, 18:31

Word in the peloton is that Dougie carries a small marsupial in his back pocket.

On command it's trained to jump onto the face of any passing rider.
Who said anything about back pocket!

Results are up. Congratulations Noel! Outstanding work.

http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/default.asp?Page=50287

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JoTheBuilder
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Postby JoTheBuilder » 26 May 2013, 20:03

There are a lot of DNS. Considering how difficult it is to get in isn't that surprising?

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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 26 May 2013, 20:10

Very disappointing actually. One of the only reasons I wanted to finish was because of how hard it is to get in. I thought it would be really poor form to DNS or DNF because I was being soft.

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 26 May 2013, 20:34

Came upon Dougie on the second lap, a bit after the hill, about 1/2 way thru the lap. Dougie did a great job of sitting on my wheel and only dropped off a little on the bigger hills, where I waited for him. And he responded to being yelled at by digging deeper :)

About a 1/4 way into the 3rd lap, scratch came past and it was time for me to depart.

Dougie shows a lot of potential to be a road racer, I bet he's looking at the race calendar now :)

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mr mojo
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Postby mr mojo » 26 May 2013, 22:24

Well done Dougie. Great effort on (starting) and finishng the ride.

timothy_clifford
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Postby timothy_clifford » 27 May 2013, 07:47

Dougie shows a lot of potential to be a road racer, I bet he's looking at the race calendar now :)
Hope you're listening, @DHBCRaing

Hashtag
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Postby Hashtag » 27 May 2013, 08:14

Great report! Well done Dougie.

PeterOS
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Postby PeterOS » 27 May 2013, 09:12

Give Dougie one of those orange tops from DHBCRaing.

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Postby shrubb face » 27 May 2013, 09:49

Looking at the finishing photo, we are going to have to run a course for DHBC riders about how to be in the drops during a sprint.

Well done everyone regardless, the Dinnerville is always tough race.

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Stuart
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Postby Stuart » 27 May 2013, 10:42

Great report as always Dougie and a big Chapeau for getting out there on the road. Now, as for "unleashing the furry" ... that was a story lost in time .. or is it? http://dhbc.org.au/forum/viewtopic.php? ... +the+furry

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Colin Campbell
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Postby Colin Campbell » 27 May 2013, 11:48

Respect...

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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 27 May 2013, 11:53

It's all about being in the right place, at the right time and wearing the colours proudly!

http://www.illawarracycleclub.org.au/ke ... e-trifecta

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paul
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Postby paul » 27 May 2013, 16:08

Looking at the finishing photo, we are going to have to run a course for DHBC riders about how to be in the drops during a sprint.
There is a North Sydney rider going no-hands, at least the dhbc riders have their hands on the bars.
Top effort Noel. Looking forward to more reports.
Paul

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weiyun
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Postby weiyun » 27 May 2013, 22:09

Results are up. Congratulations Noel! Outstanding work.
http://www.nsw.cycling.org.au/default.asp?Page=50287
Good to see that they've got a finish line camera setup! No more confusion over the winner of a few years ago. :mrgreen:

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Razoir
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Postby Razoir » 28 May 2013, 08:53

Well done, Dougie...especially with so many DNF's...Chapeau!

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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 28 May 2013, 09:22

The Furry

Image

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JoTheBuilder
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Postby JoTheBuilder » 28 May 2013, 16:06

I've just been sent a link to the photos... Happy viewing:
http://www.5thgear.com.au/dinnerville-memorial/

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Philip
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Postby Philip » 28 May 2013, 20:30

What I did on the weekend:

Hello class, on the weekend I did my first road race on a bicycle. I had some fun and saw lots of cows and a few angry men on bikes who liked to shout and tell everyone what to do. If one day you also do a bike race I think you should stay near the riders in the red and white jerseys, they are all very nice and pretty fast too.

Thank you...

But really - it was a blast. Yes there were some angry men who liked to shout and tell everyone what to do, but with a little mind control I managed to block the noise from my consciousness. I wish I had the same control over my eyes but more on that later.

I started out with the second group, at the 9 minute mark, with John Mason and Andrew Mattes. We had a very loud Sargent Major from Illawarra “talking” everyone through the techniques and strategies of pace line and the need to all work together. He had a counter clockwise approach to pace line rotation, which confused me entirely. A little shouting got me sorted though. But on the whole it was a very annoying bunch and I knew John was keen to break away at the first opportunity. Andrew and I were not so keen. While the thought of being on our own was extremely appealing we had no hope of staying away so we grinned and bore it.

I am very bad at time so I may be wrong on this bit but I think the following bunch caught us somewhere in the second lap. I have no idea where or when it happened but it did happen and it was great. It meant there were now 7 DHBC riders, the pace picked up and the rotation went back to clockwise. All was good with the world. The now much larger bunch looked like splitting on a few occasions and I was determined not to be in the trailing group. I kept up and managed to do most of the rotations through the front. I actually felt really good at this point. On the soft side of the Marshall Hill it seemed DHBC were doing all the work, hardly fair, but I felt a certain pride to be with my fellow Dullos. That moment of feeling at one with the ride and at one with my mates was brief - it was great, but it was brief. Very soon after I would be waving them all goodbye. As we crested Marshall Hill from the soft side I was in the front 3 or 4 riders; I did also realise at that point that I was with the front few in the leading group of the whole race. Realising and enjoying this at that point was evidence of my total inexperience in all things ‘racing’. First up we had earlier passed the limit group and it should have already dawned on me that we were leading. Secondly, I still had no idea that leading with 20km still to go in a handicap race is next to meaningless. Anyway, these little pleasures were mine and I’d ridden hard so I naively enjoyed them. Then we hit the descent, short and steep with a sharp bend at the bottom. I am a *censored* descender, I was also towards the front feeling very nervous about all the riders behind me and not wanting to hold them up or get in their way. Consequently I descended faster than I was comfortable with, all fine though… till I got to the corner. There were already riders passing me and taking the corner with no trouble at all. I know all about the rule to look where you want to go and not to where you’re afraid of going. So in predictable slow motion I tried to talk myself around the corner, “look at the wheels, don’t look at the grass, look at the wheels, don’t look at the grass, look at the wheels, don’t look at the grass, DON’T LOOK AT THE GRASS!!” Would my eyes obey, no way. It was an Eye of Sauron moment, I could not look away, so sucked into the void I was. The ridiculous thing was I had virtually taken the corner by this stage, I was in fact travelling almost parallel to the road’s edge, yet I still could not keep from drifting into the grass. Strava tells me I hit 65km/hour on the descent, I would have hit the grass at almost that speed. Strangely, being very aware that I was probably about to come off, I was very calm. The grass was long so I had no idea what treachery hid within. I was out of the saddle, knees bent, just taking each bump as it came while braking as quickly as I could without locking up and flipping. It was a very bizarre bunch of seconds. I hit nothing, I didn’t flip and I slowed quickly, so I just steered back on to the road and stepped on the gas. Sadly, the bunch had completely passed and I was never again to ride with them. I tried - I tried really hard - as there were a few places I thought I might have a hope of catching up, the turnaround point being the likeliest. Alas, it was too far away and the gap kept growing. This all happened with 20km to go; those 20 solo km were not the highlight of the day. Every rider I passed was too slow to join and every rider who passed me was too fast to join, so solo was the only option. The first of the two big bunches to pass me did so up the Marshall, they were flying. Further along on my slog home the scratch bunch passed me and they were really flying. When I grow up I want to ride that fast. I was still trying to keep the pace up as much as I could. Watching my average speed drop from over 36km/hour to almost 35km/hour during that 20km was heart breaking. The finish line was very welcome but a little anti-climactic. Still, I had now completed my first ever road race, and 35.1kph is still my best ever speed over distance. If it wasn’t for my frightful lack of cornering skills, I feel I would have at least stayed with my bunch, if not till the finish then close to it. Now though I have something to work towards next year. Yet again I have learnt you’re never to old to learn, and that DHBC is a great club. Next year!

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Dougie
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Postby Dougie » 28 May 2013, 21:31

Highly detailed account Philip. Is that what happened. Great work, super effort. Chapeau!

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James Rogers
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Postby James Rogers » 28 May 2013, 22:25

Philip, don't look at the grass. You avoided the enormous cement pole at that corner, I take it. Its tractor-beam like magnetism ruined my line at least 3 times...

I found the ride pretty hard. It's not just the speed, or the shouty know-it-alls in the group, but also the constant concentration required not to fall into any of the numerous potholes that probably could provide ample shelter to all of Dougie's furry.

Riding (in the group after Philip et al.), with Strawburger, MarkL, Nozzle was a great experience – all supportive, working hard, looking out for each other. I must admit I was very unsure pre-race about how well the whole experience would turn out for me, and for the first lap and a half, really couldn't find a rhythm or any sort of comfortable pace. But, I now suspect, nor could anyone else.

However, the second half had me feeling a lot better. Strawburger and I had a quick health check before the third lap climb. I think he elected me to contest the KOM, and told me he would lead me into it. With DHBC on the front, we were in a good position to launch. Andrewm, who we had picked up earlier, stuck to the front with Nozzle, attempting a nonchalant slow-down of pace. Strawburger led me up the hill (apparently causing some confusion behind us) until we were well into the hurty-percent part. Pace enough to keep it in the big ring and sprint as best I could.

I had, in the first lap, broken off the front to see what this climb was like with some pace. The group slowed down irritatingly on the smaller hills, so I thought it was a good chance to try it before I was too stuffed. As I got to the crest, a rather unkind spectator suggested loudly that I was soon to be doomed. He didn't use the word "doomed", exactly. "Oh, but good sir", I might have said, "Your coarse language just guaranteed you'll see me here again, come the KOM."

So on the third lap, after being launched by Strawburger at some stupid speed, I was bashing up the hill trying to keep my heart rate down. Not only because my heart might explode, but also because I had forgotten to turn off my stupid Garmin heart rate alarm (which is set too low). But I needed to get to the line as fast as possible. And I was the front of the race. Everyone looks at you when you are on the front. I hope they didn't notice the snot on my cheek.

It is a bit lonely out the front. It wouldn't last long, I knew that, but I became very self-conscious. Don't fall off. Don't blow up. Don't look dumb. Oh God, where is the line!? Panic welled. Oh, there it is. I see it! Panic subsided. Reaching the KOM line first suddenly became tangible.

I should have had a chorus of kids to yell, "He's behind you!", like in a pantomime. I didn't. But I did have the unkind gentleman who suggested earlier I would wilt in an unfortunate manner, helpfully yell out, "And there's the winning move!" And out of the corner of my eye, saw a white jersey move up beside me. Panic.

My heart rate alarm went apoplectic. Beeepepepepepepep. Shut up shut up shut up. I pushed harder, but every time it felt like my move was flagged by the Garmin popping off its stupid peepepeppeppp! Garmin almost got thrown away. White jersey edged in front. I pushed more, it hurt.

Finally, I didn't have it – got pipped at the top by a faster climber. At least it was close.

After a short recovery, I tried to make the most of the lead. But no amount of arm flapping would get white jersey on the front. This was pretty demoralising. I tried to keep the pace up, sticking to 39kph, just to keep the lactic acid building. My following friend eventually claimed cramps. Fair enough.

After about 7km I sat up. I couldn't pull anymore... and my follower - who had spent considerable time in the group telling people to work together - flew out from behind me and sprinted away. A latter day Lazarus.

Odd tactics, but that's racing.

Caught by the bunch (which seemed to take ages, but probably didn't), moved slowly towards the front, until the larger crash split us... Tried to keep pace up to the line, and along the way, poetically passed the white jersey.

Felt utterly stuffed at the finish, but enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to all the other DHBC riders, who did the club proud.


Image

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 29 May 2013, 14:39

Race Report

While being the furthest back of all the attending DHBC riders, I was feeling good about my handicap, it appeared to me that in group 4, I was 17:30 off limit, 12:30 off scratch was about 4 minutes better than Cootamundra. If the numbers denote ranking then having the lowest number meant that I just made the cut from group 5, a 2.5 minute saving. From the start list I could see riders from my Coota bunch in group 5.

Image

Lap 1

The bunch was scrappy and unorganised riding out the circuit. I decided to sit in and wait for it to sort itself out. Once on the circuit we got into an orderly paceline, counter clockwise, not that it mattered much on direction as not much wind.

Heading towards the hill on the way out, 5 of us broke off the front, 4 Illawarra CC riders and me. Nicholas Triant (St George rider) said that we (the pack) chased us down. I'm not so sure that the break away was that intentional, but it did happen.

Limit came past in the opposite direction at the top of the hill and I could see Dougie was about 20mtrs off the back so I yelled some words of encouragement

I had a strategy for the hill and that was to be on the front when we hit it and that's what I did. It meant that I could take it easy and let myself roll back. I crested in about 6th place, strava showed that I averaged 25.8kph but it didn't feel that hard.

Just before the turnaround on lap 1 I hit a pothole and ping, there was a sound like a spoke breaking. Then the noise stopped. As we slowed for the uturn I could see that I had broken spoke in my front wheel. I stopped and then I made my first mistake;
#1 I stayed on the bike and wrapped the spoke leaning forward and it took too long. I should of got off the bike and wrapped it. That would of been quicker.

Lap 2

I lost about 400mts on my bunch while stopped with the spoke and chased real hard, but I had made my second mistake;
#2 I was experiencing brake rub but hadn't released the front brake. A mistake I didn't discover until after the race.

I chased real hard but only made up say 100 mtrs in several K, it was time to change strategy. I eased a little and got caught by bunch 5, which I noticed had a few dropped riders from my bunch.

I was working harder in that bunch, it seemed to me to not be that different in pace but I was working harder, presumably due to the undiscovered brake rub.
Image

Down the hill I started to think, is it a 16 spoke or 20 spoke wheel, ie 15 or 19 spokes [for the record its a 20 spoke wheel]. I freaked and rolled off the back of the bunch, taking the down hill by myself and rode my way back on once on the flat.

Heading back towards the hill I made my next mistake, I could see that this bunch was about to catch my bunch and I assumed the roll would take me to the front, but the roll stopped and I ended up on the back as the 2 bunches hit the base of the hill, in 2 rows of 2, ie 4 abreast. The car was blasting us with the horn and there was no where to go, I so wanted to feed my way thru but I was stuck on the back. I'm good early in the hill where I can power up, but not so good in the final bit where I actually needed to climb. And that was my undoing, I was on my limits and crested 20 or so metres off the back.

Strava data shoes I climbed at exactly the same average speed 25.8kph, so I'm thinking that brake rub made the difference between staying with the bunch and being dropped.

Image

I buried myself, but the bike just felt heavy (you know why) and I was unable to close the gap, my race was over.

I rode tempo, it was now a training ride. Not much further came upon Dougie, who latched on, so I kept an eye on him and gave him encouragement (yelled at him) while keeping the pace down on the hills and I waited for him at the crest of some. Dougie was doing a good holding me wheel, it was only the hills that were letting him down, he likes his food more than Simon...

Lap 3

About say 5k into the lap scratch came past so I jumped on, actually in the middle, after about a K I suffered a hamstring cramp and dropped to the back while rectifying it. Sat on the back for say another 5k and got dropped on a small hill.

The thumbs down
Image

For fun I gunned it down hill, this time I was confident with my front wheel, cruised to the school and back and cruised up the hill (ave 17.5kph on Strava) caught another rider on the hill and we had a jolly good chat on the way to the finish.

BTW the finish photo's are pretty cool, have a look at my FB home page.

It was time to don silly hats, have the debriefing and head to waterfall for some healthy nutrition
Image

I've loaded 72 photos to photobucket, have a look thru the pages and post your pictures. Let me know if you want high res images

http://s301.photobucket.com/user/mikesb ... 0Dinnerval

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 31 May 2013, 17:17

Got the front wheel rebuilt

http://melodywheels.com/

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mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » 31 May 2013, 21:09


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weiyun
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Postby weiyun » 02 Jun 2013, 07:57

Illawarra riders 1, 2 and 3?

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Nozzle
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Postby Nozzle » 03 Jun 2013, 17:59

Illawarra riders 1, 2 and 3?
Yup


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