Category: Cycling

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A Crash Course on Sportident for COBOC…..

UK orienteering clubs use 2 types of electronic punching and timing systems, Sportident and Emit, with Sportident holding the major share. I have been involved with Sportident systems and kit since 2000 when it was first introduced into the UK. Originally my involvement was just with Chasers, but I have also worked for Sportident UK as an event consultant for several years.

Since 2006 several of the smaller West Midlands Orienteering clubs have taken the plunge and invested in their own kit, rather than hiring as they did before. I have therefore been helping Wrekin Orienteers, Potteries Orienteering Club and now City of Birmingham Orienteering Club to get their skills up to scratch to enable them to run events on their own.

So Saturday morning saw me knocking on the Stamp family door at 8.30am (waking them up) trying to retrieve my mobile phone which had the details of where I was supposed to be that morning, having left it at the club dinner the night before (sorry Iain!). I had decided to combine the trip down to Sutton Coldfield with a training ride, so off I went. It was a fairly pleasant ride…until I had a coming together with a car which came straight over a crossroads into my path with no time to take avoiding action.

My GPS plot afterwards showed I was doing 25kph at the time, and the car was accelerating across the main road along which I was travelling. I managed to turn slightly and crashed into her wing mirror and passenger door managing to lean onto her mirror as she slowed and took me round the corner into the side road, before I fell off onto the pavement. I was a little shaken but there was no damage to myself or the bike. A couple of other motorists stopped and ran to help, which was extremely kind, as were their offers to drive me home. The lady was very apologetic, almost in tears, saying she just had not seen me. I didn’t get stroppy or anything, there is just no point, she will be more careful next time so we all went our separate ways. I have posted a little diagram for those that need the full facts 😉

So a little late I arrived at Sutton Parks Outdoor Ed Centre and spent the day bringing a good turnout of COBOC members up to speed with the Sportident hardware and then Autodownload, the event software. After a lengthy explanation of the various components and some classroom practice they put out a small course and ran round deliberately making mistakes so we could practice using all aspects of the software, whilst I stayed in the warm drinking tea and trying to resist the enormous box of biscuits. Back from their run around we downloaded all the Si Cards and practiced the safety checks, query resolution and getting results out ready for the Internet. Job done it was time to get back into smelly cycle gear and ride home without sitting on the floor again.

Mark Stodgell ( stodge )
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Event Report – Dark & White Winter League # 5

The weather forecast and note on the Dark & White website warning of snow, made me wonder if I’d even get to the event, but dawn brought good conditions for rnd #5 of the winter league, centred on Macclesfield Forest.
I decided to have a good look at the map rather than dashing off this time as there were lots of route options available.

Deciding I didn’t fancy riding into the wind on the open moor and wanting a downhill finish off I went up towards Teggs Nose on an a clockwise route. On the way to #10 I was so engrossed in sorting out the finer points of my route I wasted 2 mins by riding straight past it. The climb up Teggs Nose by #10 has some history for me. I bonked on it at the end of my first ever Trailquest back in 2005 and was late back, suffice to say the reason I missed the control was I climbed it much much faster this time 🙂

I rode well, keeping an eye on the time and really thought at one point getting all but one of them was a possibility, however on the way to #2 on a slippery singletrack I had a minor off and bent the rear mech hanger slightly. Other than not being able to get top gear and a bit of chain noise things seemed OK so I carried on.

The crosswind on the Cat & Fiddle road was scary, but it was more uncomfortable when I turned to face it on the way to #15.

Then came the nightmare every mountain biker dreads, a major mechanical miles from anywhere. At the top of a very steep climb out of a farm the chain sucked badly and the rear mech hanger finally broke 🙁 Arrowed on the map

As this is now the third time on this bike over the years it is lucky I carry a spare. It’s one of those irreplaceable get you home bits that is mostly bike specific, so you can’t scrounge one. The heart rate and GPS plot shows I lost 6mins 20 secs, which to be honest isn’t bad considering, although my hands were freezing when I finished.

So back on the bike I was then on a serious mission to get back on time. I did a fair bit of head scratching but decided to stick to the original plan and bag the points. I however stupidly wasted another 4 mins by playing safe on a map correction as I was unsure of a right of way, so rode around on the roads.

The final climb back over to the finish was painful with me giving it everything, I necked a gel just before I started up it and I think its what kept me going.

So I ended up just over 7 mins late, losing me 11 points after riding 49km with 1650m climb. Looking at the results, if I hadn’t had the mechanical I would have probably won. I am really chuffed with the result and now seem to be able to keep up with the big boys ! The hours of winter training now seems to be paying off.
Full results available here

Mark Stodgell ( Stodge )
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Event Report: ‘Inside Park’ MTBO – Blandford Forum

Leaving Lichfield at 10pm after the Watt Bike League and driving for 3 hours in freezing fog to Dorset probably wasn’t the best preparation for the first MTBO of 2009. Alan Hartley (of Autodownload and Sportident UK) agreed to keep me company on this mad weekend, of which the MTBO was just a part. Wimbourne Orienteers organised the day, which started with the MTBO. There was then a normal local foot orienteering event and then area was used again in the early evening for a night league foot score competition.

Luckily for us we checked the event website rather than straying out into the cold to the car for the final details. We learned the event had been postponed by a couple of hours due to a pheasant shoot which had been double booked on the area, so rather than dashing off to the event we enjoyed a lazy breakfast with Alans parents whilst mending some hair curlers.

Arriving at ‘Inside Park’, a country estate and camping park near Balndford Forum, it was bitterly cold, with frozen ground and ice shining on the ground. I decided that the winning time would probably be shorter that the 1hr advertised so went out really hard. I had a slow split time to #1 as I played it safe and went round the estate roads rather than cutting across the park as others did (which was OK, but I didn’t want to risk it). I then got into the groove and was riding well with good control flow. A mistake at #6 cost me about 1.5 mins after some confusion with a couple of indistinct paths. Looking at the splits, I think several others also had problems here.

Talking to Alan afterwards, we both had the same moment on a farm track. The bike went light as I crested a hump traveling very quickly downhill, the trouble was the bump was concealing a hidden dip which was covered in ice. We both did the same thing: kept the bike straight and closed our eyes…..

I needed a good result, and I got it winning by just over a minute so I was very pleased. However the day was far from over with two more events left to do. The 3 consecutive events really showed what was possible with a small area and 50 controls (even though visiting one control 3 times I still lost time twice, for example).

My lack of lighting power raised its ugly head again that evening, however, I take my hat off to my old orienteering coach, Dale Padget, who ran with his trusty old 80s Petzl Zoom making my old Mila look powerful. Driving back to Stafford that evening my legs were very tired and certainly not looking forward to the Club Champs the following day, but I was pleased with my performance in the two foot races, being placed 4th behind good orienteers.

Results available here

Mark Stodgell (Stodge)
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First Watt Bike League Event – Lichfield CCC

Friday night brought the first round proper of a phenomenon which hopefully will take the UK by storm and lead is to even more cycling success. As I have mentioned before the Watt Bike is a static bike developed in the UK along the same lines as the Concept 2 rower (ie accurate reliable data) in conjunction with British Cycling.

Lichfield CCCs Watt Bike league using The Friary Leisure Centre’s Watt Bikes  is designed to mimic a standard Club track competition evening. The 10 bikes are lined up in a row facing a wall on to which graphics, times and results are projected and a couple of Watt Bike employees were there to make sure the first session ran smoothly.

We were split into 3 divisions based on fitness and experience. The 3 divisions then took it in turns to race various track favourites.

First off was a 750m scratch race, ie all out sprint for about 45 -55 secs. I started poorly by managing to unclip by mistake, I then overspun the gear andwent anaerobic. The fastest time was put down by Steve Clayton in 46.6 secs. Lessons learned, we progressed on to the next race: an 1800m Devil, where competitors are eliminated at 200m intervals to leave 3 to sprint for the finish. With my feet securely tied in I was very pleased with a 2nd place, although my Quads were totally rigid when I finished. There then followed a 500m handicap which I won, then an 1800m points race (3rd) and a team sprint.

The finale of the evening was a 3km scratch race. The atmosphere was great with lots of encouragment and cheering, the racing very close, lots of tactics and a good deal of testosterone flying. I played it steady for the first minute or so and then slowly ramped it up, leading for the 3rd quarter. The pain then really started andI dropped to 2nd. I had fellow Chaser Neil Lawford behind me egging me on and managed to just pip another Chaser Stuart Clayton and retained 2nd.
Apparently I went purple and had huge pulsating veins pumping on my forehead. Its a shame I wasn’t wearing a HR monitor as I’m sure it would have made interesting reading. I now know the true meaning of Intensity 5 on my training diary, and all for a 4 min race.

It was a great evening and I have already signed up for next week, although I have a little way to go before being promoted into Div 1. Full details can be found at Lichfield CCCs website.

edit – Event report now on British Cycling Website here

     
Thanks to Neil Lawford for the photos.

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Stafford Borough Sports Awards 2008

I have just had a letter inviting me to attend the awards evening on the 27th February being nominated for ‘Most improved sports performer for 2008’ by my orienteering club, Walton Chasers. The top 3 nominees in each category get to go to the evening so Ill see what happens on the night. Two other Chasers are also in the top 3 nominees for their categories. Cath won the sports coach category about 4 years ago and it was a good evening so I am looking forward to it.
Ive now got to send them a photo of me in action, should I be smiling or grimacing ?

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New Year in Selkirk #2

A visit to Glentresss and Innerleithen was inevitable given our close proximity for the week. Parking at Buzzards Nest and getting Holly and Cath on their way round the green route we set off round the red.

Spooky wood lived up to its reputation of being whoopy and swoopy and seemed to go on and on. Its the first time my forearms have hurt in a long time. I struggled a bit in the half light of the Pie Run but the single track just kept on coming until we joined up with some of the black options further down and headed for bacon butties and cake at The Hub. The atmosphere at this cafe which is very basic was fantastic and I hope that in any redevelopment it isnt lost as it was somewhat over at Coed Y Brenin in West Wales.

With a  bit of day light still left Paul and I decided a quick trip to Innerleithen was in order so we both blasted back up to Buzzards nest to get the van (I then got a cheeky run down the blue which was also very good ridden flat out).

Innerleithen was empty and is very much forgotten by the cross country riders being characterised by its famous downhill routes. I have to say though that the bottom half of the red xc route, cadon bank, (which is on the Selkirk Merida Marathon route apparently) is the best piece of man made single track I have ever ridden. The huge bomb hole like drops and ridges where the bike goes light, snaking through the trees in the dusk was something I will remember for a long time.

New Years day brought a walk up Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh with Holly and Cath. The mist lifted just as we got to the top, giving spectacular views over the city. Another walk on Friday around the Selkirk hills finished off a fantastic week away in the Borders.

 

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New Year in Selkirk #1

Paul McGreal, an orienteering pal from way back (we did our first Saunders Mountain Marathon together in 1988 when we were both 16) has lived in Selkirk for a while and this New Year gave us the perfect opportunity to meet up, and perhaps sample some of the spectacular mountain biking in the area.

Paul is an committed adventure racer/triathlete and was keen to show me his back yard, particularly the 7 Staines areas near him.

After a spectacular journey up through the Borders a bit of a rude introduction was the suggestion we partake in the regular Tuesday night ride from Selkirk Town Square.
I looked a right twit in my zip tied head torch. The other riders thought I had some serious candle power ready to be unleashed, but it became apparent very quickly that I now need to sort out some new lighting if I am going to ride regularly off-road with groups.

We climbed up out of Selkirk towards Three Brethren, then turned up over Peat Law – 426m. I’m sure the view from the top would be spectacular but it was a very dark cold night. After a quick natter on the top, 2 of the locals launched themselves down the mountain, flying across smooth fields and then winding down through the forest.

The most impressive light was a Light and Motion Arc, an HID technology unit. I also decided that the ideal solution involves a flood on the handlebars and a spot on the head, as my head-torch was just bouncing up and down too much at speed.

After crossing the A787 we dived down through some very technical woods. Dave, one of the Selkrik regulars, broke his ‘duck’ After a year of not falling off he crashed spectacularly on a steep decent, T boning a tree near the river and continued a good 10 metres down the steep escarpment head first. Luckily all that was damaged was his pride but it could have been very nasty. We finished with the steep climb back up to Paul’s house hidden away in the middle of Selkirk, a great ride.