Secret trials

As Strathpuffer nears our intrepid engineer is trying out his latest invention in the hope of capturing a podium spot in his first face of the season. The fully customised wheel has been formed out of a unique blend of crystals and moulded into an aerodynamic lenticular shape mimicking that adopted by the mythical UFO's. Further adaptations to note are the dimples on the surface that really come into play above 12 mph, thereby smoothing the air to allow the perfect cut in the wind barrier. Only time will tell if his latest invention will allow the team to beat the 4 miles covered by Mr O on boxing day...

Please note that the skis have been removed from the front of the other bike for security reasons....

Mull Cross

Click on this for some fun.

http://vimeo.com/8182060

Rapha 2010

David got me looking on the web tonight and I saw that Rapha look as if they are going to do a pink fixed shirt next year...

Facial hair, yes or no?

Without hair I find it hard to change my appearence so that's my excuse for having so many pairs of glasses, but what with so much time on the bike over the weekend I thought I might try something new. I am getting quite comfortable on the new cross bike and so riding handless across bumpy terrain has been mastered as has face painting now.  I went for the handlebar look and actually think I pulled it off quite well. Something tell you I don't try hard enough!

Skills morning

Cyclocross requires a unique blend of skills.  Like a fine malt a lot needs to go into the mixing pot, and in cross you need fitness, bravery and excellent bike handling skills. Often during a race you are faced with obstacles and so you have the choice of dismount and carry or jump.  So we set about honing our bunny hops over all things big.

David ate so much he couldn't get the wheels off the ground..

But it was quite a big jump you have to remember...

I mean it was nearly as tall as an iPhone......

Beautiful things......

We took some wonderful photographs over the weekend, but this is my favourite that I took (Jammy took some good ones when we were racing).  The rest will be uploaded to Flickr for general viewing and others merit a seperate posting........

Ever since a young age........

When you have a weekend away with friends you share intimate moments, perhaps more in 72 hours than you have done so over the course of a year.  You experience their highs and low's and inevitably you end up sharing stories that you might not otherwise have done.  Quite unusually Gordon was overcome by the moment as well and he chose to share a story from his childhood about Santa and how ever since a young age he was scared of him.   It still haunts him today and unfortunately the racing on Sunday brought it all home...........

And so starts the tale of our wonderful adventure to the Isle of Mull.

Rouleur

Mr Ogg receives a lifetime achievment award to sport by getting this photograph in Rouleur. I doth my cap to him.

Always keen to help you..........

Obviously I know a few of you are pushed for time at Christmas, so I thought I could help you with a suggestion or two, I will try and post a few ideas over the next couple of days but this caught my attention in Browns (West George St).

Probably best for a west coast lass!

Ironman Australia

The picture opposite says it all, need I say more, Sian did herself proud although got ill during the run.  Race temperatures were in the mid 30s, making the 3.8km swim, 180.2km ride and 42.2km run all the more daunting for the 1,309 individual and 110 team entrants. Just to show you how hard it was, of the 34 professionals who set out at 6 AM, just 20 completed the course.

Given the way the girls have performed this year we need some good performances from the guys next year!

Old Skool Parlee

This is an Old Skool look for a bang up to date carbon frame and forks.  It's almost translucent in that you can see through to the weave.  Very nice in a retro kind of way.  Not too sure of the colour though!

Famous after all - forgive the tache! Glad it's gone now.

In 2000, Brian Skinner was named the 13th most significant person in Mountain Bike history by Mountain Bike magazine. His involvement in shaping the sport, developing product and promoting racing and fun are all factors that garnered him that honor.

http://www.completesite.com/mbhof/page.cfm?pageid=6&year=2002&memberid=127

Brian made the transition from BMX to mountain bikes when introduced to Victor Vincent’s first classic Reseda-To-The-Sea race in 1980, and never looked back.

Take the time to read this, I think we could be onto something for our races next year, the members lounge etc, I like it!  Great name.

Good Luck Sian @ Ironman Australia

As many of you know Sian is in Australia at Ironman "The Race Down Under" racing on Dec 5th. Racing Ironman for the second time this year you can follow her on http://ironman.com/ with a bib number of 1170.

From all at the club you have our best wishes and our thoughts will be with you as you race. 

I always remember getting a text from someone the night before my first Ironman race that said "Free your mind and your ass will follow".  He was right, in the only thing that restricts a lot of us is our mind, it limits our dreams and potential.

I also know there is a lot going on for a lot of people in my life at the moment some who read this, some who don't, but my thoughts are with them.  Many are achieving greats things and some dealing with the hardest things they have ever encountered to date.  Ironman/racing/training becomes the focus for many of us so we can face the other challenges but one day alone can make or break a dream that has taken an age to build. Stay strong and you will get that dream!

With what happened to Lee Vernett falling off her bike and having to get skin grafts and other facing health scares, it brings sharply into focus that we should all live for the moment, exploit each day to the maximum and give the best that we can give in everything we do in every moment of our life. It is like always doing what you are afraid to do, don't be rash, be calculated, but challenge yourself.  As someone once said life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Go have the best fun you can. 

Rock the course Sian and smack some Aussie tarmac for us on the run.

Go the G3R!!

Notice anything similar?

How short are his shorts? Use this link to get a closer look if you dare.......  (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hd09/4144188329/in/pool-scottishcyclocross)

You see Miss Daisy had something nice to show.  I may be wrong, but I don't think big Stu's cheeks are in the same class, but perhaps some of the "ladies" in the club may disagree.  I think he has been hanging out with our other cross dressing friend Cormac who also has a penchant for the "Daisy Duke" look!  And yes, that is my own signed copy :-).

Sometimes in Life you just want to share something...........

If you feel like sharing something perhaps even random, email me, I am happy to put it on the blog as the next photo shows.

David has been sitting at home alone this week and you can picture the scene, alone on the sofa watching an ironman dvd, bowl of crisps on his lap and a glass of wine in his hand, with a scrunched up kleenex in the other (keep it clean!).  With Sian at the top of her game and away in Auz to compete in Ironamn again he has been a lost soul.  Taken to growing a beard until she returns he sat down to find inspiration in his old photos, to kindle the flame again and capture his mojo to become the top vet once again.  It was because of this that he sent the following photo.......

Almost looks like a pro!

The Chaff "O" Meter was high last night..............

Ok, so I decided ro run again last night, and headed round Knapp Loch again, only this time I went round twice.  For some reason I decided to wear the G3R tri short as an undergarment, to offer support; the round of applause was much appreciated, but OMG do they cause some serious chaffing in the nether regions! I am sure it has nothing to do with my fat thighs, but I will watch when I wear them again!

The real reason for venturing off road in the middle of the night was really to test my new boats, er I mean trainers, but at size 14 (US) they are more like boats.  Running about in the mud and grass where I am is slippy sometimes so I thought I would go for a new trail shoes (click on the read more for my review).

Check the lug work on this puppy!

Wow!!! Beautiful is the only thing to say, this was on the following link from the photo of Irvine that was posted on the Bike Rumour website.

There’s nothing a girl likes more than sparkly things and, luckily, this sparkly bike was made for a girl. (This picture is a closeup of the hammered lug at the bottom of the head tube.) Giuseppe (Joe) and partner Alexis Dold hand craft bikes out of their shop, Villin Cycle Works. 

http://www.villincycleworks.com/


http://www.bikerumor.com/2009/11/30/bikerumor-pic-of-the-day-cyclocross-by-the-sea/

A minute of your time

Just click on the title above in this posting and it should jump you to you tube to see a wee video of the Dundee race.

Pink Cross

Well I rode a lap on my new creation and it was good.  I think I am onto something, although the rider needs to drop a few kilos before I embrace it fully.  I might even venture into a new frame if I like it.....

A Cyclocross Movie starring G3R rider Gordon "The Heid" Durnan

Sometimes in life when you watch an athlete performing at his peak in their chosen discipline it can be truely humbling to us mere mortals.  You decide!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-dPACh5I3w

Race report from Irvine

Well it was nice to see so many people turn up....  Gordon, Stuart and I raced and the Heron brothers turned up to shake the bell.  It was a mad course, but probably the fastest we have ridden this year with little or mud.  It made a change not to have to wash the bike 4 times to get it clean!

Gordon was on the starting grid for the first time.  Essentially meaning that he is moving up the rankings and was placed at the front! Stuart raced on a mtb and did very well.  He was even heard to say "that it is the most fun he has had on a bike in ages!" That kind of sums it up actually, you get good banter, fun and competition all rolled into one, and it is for everyone!

Robert took this on the iphone and it is the only one where I don't look fat! I thought black was supposed to be slimming.....

The problem with Cyclocross is the mud........

I know it's like stating the bleeding obvious, but when you are my size it becomes more of a problem.  Not solely because of the increased surface area of said body and thus the propensity for it to get extremely muddy but more so the degree to which we (me + bike = we) sink in the mud.  Now it could be argued somewhat successfully I suspect that if I was moving faster then perhaps I wouldn't sink as much, but as ever with my brain I thought I may have a solution.  If I had a larger surface area in contact with the ground this would spread the surface area and thus prevent said sinking.  Thus I embarked on increasing the surface area on the rear wheel.  Naturally this could be done easily with a wider tyre, but then mud clearance is an issue at cross so I had to take an alternative path to success.  Behold I have created a monster, colloquially known as a 69er, I have a 26 mtb wheel on the rear and a 29er on the front.  Why stop there I thought, braking is always a problem, solution add disc brakes, then why gears, twice my chain came off at Dundee, go single speed and then there is carrying it over logs, pop some nice carbon bits on to keep the weight down.  Oh and finally image, put some pink on....  Well bet you can't wait to see what it looks like can you?  I might take a photo tomorrow and post it on the site alternatively I might ride it on Sunday, so no doubt you can see it then.  Until then you can only imagine how ugly it can be, can't you.....

Cross @ Irvine

So great to hear that we have nearly everyone coming to race or watch at Irvine. Only Sian repsonded saying no she was in Australia, Giancarlo in London and David may be busy digging..........

The rest of you we assume are racing?

What's this.......

Look what else arrived....could it be the new G3R bell to shake when Gordon is racing......

The good thing about running...........

I managed another run today.  I was dragged round a 70 minute muddy loop by the wind and KG! But the good thing was that when I arrived back the Rapha Santa had delivered a box.  So if you are waiting for stuff then it's here, you know who you are.....

G3R Stapler now in stock

Robert now has these in stock and you can get one for £7.50 just let him know and he will sort it out :-).

Thai Cleansing Broth

In 2006 I made a soup for those that were doing Strathpuffer that year.  Such has been the demand for the recipe I have decided to publish it! It was already in a book, but I varied it a bit....it serves 4 if you eat like a girl or one if you eat like G'man.   The base soup can be varied with different meats or not so you don't have to stick to it.  I have used chicken and fish as well as the king prawns.

3 sticks fresh lemon grass if dried soak it over night in water, 2 small fingers (David size not Brian size) of peeled and crushed fresh ginger, 6 limes leaves, 2 pints stock (chicken or veg), 1 tablespoon of honey or sugar, 4-6 tablespoons fish sauce, veggies you can leave this out, juice of 2 limes, 2 large king prawns per person or not if you are veggie - you get the idea, ahandful of fresh coriander and basil, 2 fresh red chillies sliced, 1 red pepper sliced and 4 spring onions.

Bash the lemon grass, ginger and lime leaves in a pestel and mortar or just blend if you don't have one.  You should get one as they are great for making carrot and cumin soup but that's for another day. Pop in the pot with the stock and simmer for 2 mins.  Add the honey, fish sauce, lime juice and then the prawns and bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute.  Remove the prawns and pop in the bowls and then divide the fresh herbs in the bowls, along with the sliced peppers, red chillies and spring onions and pour the soup over.

Now you will be able to breath again!

What the colours have done to people's minds..........

Ok, the G3R thing seems to be taking up too much space in people's heads, so I have had to issue this image as a health warning.....

Cross @ Dundee - Two boys in Pink!

Well for the first time ever at the weekend Gordon didn't beat me in my Cross race!!

One could describe it as clutching at straws as the organisers chose to run 2 races at the weekend, putting the vets off with the girls and the juniors. They even cut their race to 40 minutes and a lap! I on the other hand had to endure a full 50 mins and a lap! It was an excellent venue and format with the velodrome adding to the ambiance.

The race this Sunday is at Irvine which is a really fun course and makes for a great venue. Hopefully we can get a big G3R team out!!

New G3R Kit arrives

Well Charmaine @ Endura pulled it out the bag and it arrived.  Looks good.  Please arrange for payment and collection ASAP!

New Dinner Plate

Well not exactly, but I decided to put a new cassette on the cross bike after my tractor impersonation at the weekend. Ordered on Sunday night from Chain Reactions and it arrived this morning, 60% off and next day free delivery, can't get much better than that!  So I now have a 32/11 on the cross bike :-).  Might even stick a compact on my summer bike....

The eagle eyed will also see that my red jockey wheels lost some colour on their first outing.

Knapp Loch

I posted a view from my run round Knapp Loch the other week on twitter, but what with the recent weather the underfoot conditions have changed somewhat!

Lovely to run in, but still it will hopefully mean I drop some weight!

You have been warned......

Seems, a dry day and the prospect of a bit of sunshine has resulted in a bit of bravado this morning.  I got a request to post this from Young Schleck.  Perhaps as he has good form he has the confidence to taunt the older members, or even could one consider that he is challenging us to raise our game so that we can hang on his wheel next year. 

Whatever the reason, one must remember that the winter is long and that the spring is the time when the legs shall be tested and the form judged.

IF Frames

Ok, so I have been dreaming again, but look at the lug work on this...

Edge

I am loving these guys for their work with carbon rims, but their new seatposts and stems look great as well.

http://www.edgecomposites.com/

Have a look if you are after any carbon accessories....

The Cross in Fife

I learned something new today, the devil is in the detail!  Well not really today but yesterday at the Cross race.  Simple really, you know what it's like, always a bit of a rush before the race and for some reason pinning the number on is always the most stressful bit! So, I was gutted when someone said, are you number 99?  Moi, eh no, 66 I think you will find, and so it was....my day got off to a bad start, it was upside down. 

So off to the start to ride a warm up lap, well it turned out that the use of the word ride was a lie!  Being circa 17st in mud isn't much good - you sink.  The skinny whippets seemed to be floating as if they were hovercrafts as I impersonated a dreadging craft trying to collect as much mud as I could get.  Farmers would have been proud of the deep furrows I ploughed in the fields.  It was one of those days where I would have been quicker walking than doing track stands every 300m.  I say track stands, that implies that I needed some skill to come to a stand still and stay upright, as on this occassion no skill was required.  Indeed the skill was in keeping moving!  Gordon floated to his best result this year sporting a lovely tan or that could just have been the spray mud.  Karen rocked up, broke her gears riding to the start, borrowed a great mtb and had a fab race, leaving me in her dust.

The pic below is my "clean" bike in the back of the car!  Oh and yes those were white wheels and tyres...  Dundee next week.

Night Riding...........

No this isn't another posting from our Lanzarote correspondent, it is a brief résumé of last night’s ride. 3 riders, Ogg, Skinner and Proudfoot (Roddy) who rode for G3R at Relentless. Proudfoot turns up on one of his gay full sus santa cruz thingies and starts popping wheelies and endos again thinking he is Danny or something, but the singlespeed boys would show him a thing or two. Did I say he (Roddy) was late, David wanted it known that he was on time for once and he even rode there and rode home from work. He obviously left work at 4.30 to do that though!

I digress again, sign of a weak mind, anyway, it was much fun! Whipping about in the dark with only our lights dancing through the trees. We did briefly spot another few riders but were moving too fast to be caught :-). Couple of good moments riding behind a full susser and staying with Roddy and David riding blind a few times as his light slipped on his bars. The laws of physics were reinforced many times last night, namely fat boys sink in the mud and what goes up must come down, as we kept having to climb the road on the Kyber pass to get some altitude.

Excellent night, Roddy showed us some great tracks in Mugdock that we have never ridden (very grateful) and it was a blast. More next week at 6.15pm. Hope we don't interrupt any nocturnal activity again.....

Duathlon Champ becomes Triathlon Champ

Another great race by our ever modest vetrenan saw him blow away the opposition once again.  Lentils were to blame this time but he managed to keep it together and win by a comfortable margin.  We await receipt of the full race report.........

Rapha Winter Jersey

Got to be one of my favourite items alongside the sofshell gilet and jacket.  This top does so much more.

http://www.rapha.cc/winter-jersey-09

Not cheap at £140 though!

Duathlon Champ in shock win....

We have just received a report from our correspondent in Lanzarote.  It reads as follows

"There were about 50 in the race this morning. the rules were...
1) beat the english
2) beat anyone racing in compression gear
3) beat anyone with there name on there kit
There were a few who looked the part but couldn't deliver. Some entered as teams so I was second off the first run, some wily old fox who I stuck with all the way...does a 30 minute 10 k he tells me later!!! He was in a team so I caught his biker easypeasy but then got overtaken by some uber time trialist just after half way...a team again...so I was second off the bike....runner was about 600m ahead of me....I got within 200m of him by the finish line but his team beat me....the closest solo guy was about 1k back.....was sure to zip up for my sponsor as I crossed the line.  I was great"

Could be the new Rapha in time

Simple and seems to be getting a good write up....

http://www.lecol.net/

Ahhh the memories..........

With nostalgia stirred within his loins Stuart was compelled to share his memories of his first ride with the triathlon club:-

1. Back wheel comes out while cycling along.
2. Water bottle pops out.
3. Catching the bunch, in the red and cycled too far missing the turn.
4. Fell off and ended up in hospital.

Happy memories indeed....

MTB @ Aberfoyle

Notice something strange about the picture for an 8 o'clock depart? Yip, only one bike. I left the house at 6.20am to make sure I was ready to ride at 8.00am from Aberfoyle, but Mr Ogg was running late. Fingers crossed he is just relaxing a bit as he gets older and there will be 30 secs or so either way at the summer rides.

Road or MTB

There was choice on Saturday, road or MTB, not too sure which turned out to be the better.....

On the road, it was a chilly day you may recall, rain threatening all the time, Mr Reid texts Young Schleck (Leitch) at 7.55 saying "see you in 10.." he arrives and they leave at 8.15.

G3R Tree

The world has strange things in it, but I couldn't believe our luck when out cycling on Saturday with 2 of the G3R crew that we found a G3R tree, how cool is that.....

Club Kit

Spoke to Endura yesterday about the kit and fingers crossed we may have it before the end of November. I have paid 50% deposit so if I will send an email with payment details on it. It will be a different bank account from the standard one as I am going to try and get the VAT back through the G3R company and then that can subsidise the Xmas night out!

Iona on TV - The Adventure Show

G3R are on the adventure show for the second time. The link below is to the TV feature which was on the other night, it isn't long and comes on around 2 minutes in.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ntmg9/The_Adventure_Show_2009_2010_Episode_5/

At least after seeing this many of you will know what Iona looks like as she never turns up at any rides :-), but she is doing an Ironman next year so no doubt she will make an appearance or two.

Sports Injury

Just to remind you if you need any running repairs done or even a sports massage Iona (G3R team member) @ The Body Maxtrix (working out of Run 4 it, Bothwell St can assist. In addition Andy Devine (elaine_andy@btinternet.com) who looks after Gordon is now doing 2 half day sessions at Achilles Heel in Great Western Rd. They are Mon 9.15 to 1pm and Wed 1.45pm to 5.30pm.

I know it's not right but................

What with it being winter and given that I don't race much at the best of times, but I was overcome today by a strange sensation. Goodness knows why and after weeks of abstinence I had a week moment and shaved my legs again. I mean they look good at the best of times, but there is a certain pleasure with them freshly polished. Perhaps it was my new 4 bladed razor with its lubricating strip that made such a fine job of them or the fact that they had been hidden for a few weeks, but it was nice to see them again. I can't wait for a dry day and I can adorn a pair of 3/4's and get some air around them again.

Night Rider......

Ok, Wed nights were our summer nights and now it's winter so we are going to meet at Drumclog car park, Mugdock to ride for circa 90 mins. We may alternate with Glennifer Braes. The bunch will leave promptly at 6.15, if you get lost on the route know how to find your own way home. Bring spares and phone. It will be slightly more social than a summer Wed night ride. Good lights are essential and finally don't drive into the car park with your bikes on the roof :-).

Thomson seatpost

My new thomson elite seatpost, with 7 degrees of layback. It's for my big pink one, the 29er, the raceface one looked too scuffed. A new green chris king headset to go with my pink chris king rear hub and orange chris king front hub and we have the prefect G3R mountain bike!

Keeping it flat...........

Having not ridden since Relentless apart from a 40 mile commute to work Gordon thought it would be better if we did a flat route for a gentle 3hr ride. So out Great Western Road, Dumbarton, Helensburgh, over Glen Fruin and home via Loch Lomond and Great Western Road again! Not too sure why I agreed to this route and his interpretation of flat! We got lucky with the weather and the sun shined on us for the ride. Great route but spent the last 20 mins riding outwith my comfort and energy zone! Was on the rivet as they say. Fingers crossed that I get a few more miles in over the forthcoming weeks.

Cross @ Aviemore

Well only Giancarlo and Paul made it up this weekend and seemingly had a good time save for the curry on Friday night!

Rule # 1

Rule # 1 - Never ever show your ignorance by asking what the rules are.

Cross

I took this one at Auchentoshan and thought it was a great picture! Thought you might like it. I added a batch of photos on flickr as well today. Enjoy.

My Friday thought....

Without the usual Wed night rides to blog about I find my head somewhat occupied by certain musings and rambling thoughts with no outlet for them, so I have taken the opportunity thus to set pen to paper and share then with you.

As a case and point I was driven to consider my buttocks today. Perhaps not in the way many of you will be thinking and please don't stop reading now for the fear of being violated as that is certainly not my intention, is was more to do with it's sensitivity. As shown by one of the photos that was shared earlier in the blog, ones' derriere is a very sensitive instrument and thus I can now appreciate the injury received by a fellow club member. I treated mine (arse) lightly this week and exposed it to a pair of specialized shorts, and thereafter have been branded with a saddle shape scar! I feel that this was unfair given it was only a 90 minute ride in moderately damp conditions and I have now vowed never again to treat it with such disdain as to subject it to nothing but assos. This and a fairly liberal application of chamois cream I trust will prevent such an injury developing once again. So it drops into the rule book as # 2 - respect thy arse. Enjoy the weekend.

My Friday thought/

Rapha Winter top XXL

New Greenish one in XXL for £60 before it goes back, anyone want it?

Rapha T Shirt

New black rapha t shirt in size L to the first who wants it @ £25. RRP £35 before I send it back. Anyone want it?

Somebody sent this Ti 29er photo

Now that's the first one in the club to be shared publically, but do we have another one in the club hiding somewhere? Who posted the comment under the original link?

New bell for the cross?

Could be the one for us.....

Green ceramic jockey wheels for someone....

The flying mount

I just love the way he jumps on to ride this! Another shot of Giancarlo in the woods.