Mersey Roads 24TT

[rob]

That's most of today at work sorted then.    I feel a bit of google streetview research coming on.

[teethgrinder]

Back down that road again then. I assume that there's a roundabout before Battlefield Roundabout where the event used to go until traffic lights and a services complex was installed there.
I don't know if this will make the course faster or not.
On the one hand, there are 3 climbs on that road iirc. Nothing especially tough but not very helpful for the average speed.
On the other hand, the Hodnet by pass is very fast and we'd be using that twice as much. It will also eliminate that rough bit of road on the leg from Epsley to Telford.

[rob]

Back down that road again then. I assume that there's a roundabout before Battlefield Roundabout where the event used to go until traffic lights and a services complex was installed there.
I don't know if this will make the course faster or not.
On the one hand, there are 3 climbs on that road iirc. Nothing especially tough but not very helpful for the average speed.
On the other hand, the Hodnet by pass is very fast and we'd be using that twice as much. It will also eliminate that rough bit of road on the leg from Epsley to Telford.

I'm happier that the night leg is shorter.   20miles between seeing helpers seems about right and I was more concerned about having the longer circuit.

As long as it runs faster than the 2014 ESCA I'll be happy.   That was pretty lumpy in places.

[Karla]

The Battlefield leg is slower and hillier than the Shawbury leg.  Then again, the bottom half of the Shawbury leg (south of Hodnet) has poor tarmac which slows it down a bit, so you'll be using the fast roads north of Hodnet twice as much.

The WCTTCA 12 hour uses the Battlefield leg twice.  I found it easy to cook myself going up the hills and wear myself out for the rest of the race.  Then again, that wasn't helped by me being singlespeed at that point. 

[hippy]

Should be faster. If the weather is good, wheels of fire should be happy with the changes.

[David Martin]

Hey, I take littering seriously.
You can't see it but there was also half a kilo of gel wrappers stuffed up my skinsuit legs.
If I can win a Nat TT Champs carrying all my rubbish then those douchebags dropping wrappers in sportives and clubruns definitely need a slappin'.

 

[chrisbainbridge]

I am plotting out the route so I have an idea of the route in my head.

In section 2 line 2
take 3rd exit onto A53 continue to espley RAB is at 26.91 mile
encircle RAB retrace to tern hill                       is at 30.25
1st exit onto A41 to Prees                              is at 37.17

I cant understand how a trip along the road  and then straight back is a different distance in each direction?

Am I missing something?

[rob]

I am plotting out the route so I have an idea of the route in my head.

In section 2 line 2
take 3rd exit onto A53 continue to espley RAB is at 26.91 mile
encircle RAB retrace to tern hill                       is at 30.25
1st exit onto A41 to Prees                              is at 37.17

I cant understand how a trip along the road  and then straight back is a different distance in each direction?

Am I missing something?

I haven't analysed step by step but Prees-Tern Hill-Espley and back is 20.4miles - see night circuit totals.

I think they put the distance as where you are at the end of the instruction rather than where the turn is.   The numbers make sense if Espley roundabout is @ 26.91, Tern hill is at 30.25 and Prees is 37.17.   That makes 10.26miles from one end to the other and in line with the total circuit distance.

If it helps I've estimated that I will visit Prees at 17, 37, 65, 86 & 114 miles, before moving onto the circuits.

[chrisbainbridge]

Thanks Rob

[24hourmaths]

Should be faster. If the weather is good, wheels of fire should be happy with the changes.

I'm always happy.

Last year I got an extra trip down to Epsley, maybe again this time. TBH, It's just 24 hours without nagging from the kids... although number 1 child is coming as part of the support crew this time. He assures me that he's going to stay up all night.

[hippy]

Should be faster. If the weather is good, wheels of fire should be happy with the changes.

I'm always happy.

Ha! We clearly have very different approaches.

Anyone know any good anger management courses?

[Greenbank]

How is everyone's training going ?

Ha. I've done a single 200 this year, and I'm only managing to fit in 100km a week of cycling most weeks (on top of 5-8 hours of running and swimming, so there's a fair bit of CV activity going on).

So, I'm debating whether to cancel my entry (I don't expect a refund) and to just use that weekend to cycle down to Cornwall instead.

But then the other part of me says "sod it", use it as a learning experience and aim to scrape in with anything over 500km. I'm just worried that it may be busier than normal this year (I know it's never been full in the past but...) and that I'd be taking away a place from someone who would have put in more effort than me.

[L CC]

Anyone know any good anger management courses?

Don't do it. Rage is the fire that speeds us up. I used to be much faster when I had more to be angry about.

[Frank9755]

How is everyone's training going ?

Ha. I've done a single 200 this year, and I'm only managing to fit in 100km a week of cycling most weeks (on top of 5-8 hours of running and swimming, so there's a fair bit of CV activity going on).

So, I'm debating whether to cancel my entry (I don't expect a refund) and to just use that weekend to cycle down to Cornwall instead.

But then the other part of me says "sod it", use it as a learning experience and aim to scrape in with anything over 500km. I'm just worried that it may be busier than normal this year (I know it's never been full in the past but...) and that I'd be taking away a place from someone who would have put in more effort than me.

It never fills.  By going along and riding, you're helping the event to thrive and hence continue, thereby giving places to many riders in the future!

[24hourmaths]

How is everyone's training going ?

Ha. I've done a single 200 this year, and I'm only managing to fit in 100km a week of cycling most weeks (on top of 5-8 hours of running and swimming, so there's a fair bit of CV activity going on).

So, I'm debating whether to cancel my entry (I don't expect a refund) and to just use that weekend to cycle down to Cornwall instead.

But then the other part of me says "sod it", use it as a learning experience and aim to scrape in with anything over 500km. I'm just worried that it may be busier than normal this year (I know it's never been full in the past but...) and that I'd be taking away a place from someone who would have put in more effort than me.

It never fills.  By going along and riding, you're helping the event to thrive and hence continue, thereby giving places to many riders in the future!

I'd love it to fill - the Williams family put so much into the event, it would be fantastic.

...and wearing 120 in the Mersey would be the stuff that dreams are made of, like a footballer wearing number 10 for England in the WC final.

[hippy]

More chance of me wearing 120 than England in a Cup final

[chrisbainbridge]

So I am a DNS.  Pedestrian walks out in front of me and I now have a fractured collarbone!  Surgery tomorrow.

[L CC]

So I am a DNS.  Pedestrian walks out in front of me and I now have a fractured collarbone!  Surgery tomorrow.

Bummer. Hope the surgery & recovery go well

[rob]

So I am a DNS.  Pedestrian walks out in front of me and I now have a fractured collarbone!  Surgery tomorrow.

Sorry to hear it, Chris.   Hope the surgery goes OK.


Rob

[Byronius Maximus]

Bummer Chris, I'm gutted for you. One down for the Mercury team then, all the best for surgery and recovery.

[24hourmaths]

So I am a DNS.  Pedestrian walks out in front of me and I now have a fractured collarbone!  Surgery tomorrow.

Really sorry to hear that, Chris - Heal up well and come back next year, stronger.

[Revellinho]

So I am a DNS.  Pedestrian walks out in front of me and I now have a fractured collarbone!  Surgery tomorrow.

Just SO frustrating - my sympathies.

[Pedal Castro]

Last year I got an extra trip down to Epsley, maybe again this time. TBH, It's just 24 hours without nagging from the kids... although number 1 child is coming as part of the support crew this time. He assures me that he's going to stay up all night.

I ended up with an extra half lap down to Epsley also which really confused my support team.

[zigzag]

joined highly esteemed ach today and entered mersey roads. next task is acquiring* some fast wheels, buying an aero helmet that fits and finding the way to mount a bottle cage/garmin/lights on the aero bars, and most importantly do some intensive rides on the tt bike in the coming weeks. . any ideas about the support team, i.e. what do we need to take, how to best plan the night/rest/sleep?

* borrowing/renting for one event only

[Karla]

Sleep for them, as opposed to you?  You shouldn't sleep at all - but I'm sure you know that, post TCR and everything you've done.

The top riders basically don't stop at all, but since it starts at around lunchtime, the way a lot of  people (me included) have done it is to ride until dark, have a break to fit lights, don night clothes and eat some proper food, and then another stop in the morning to reverse the process.

If you can get them to and from York, you're perfectly welcome to borrow these wheels: a Corima Aero front and a FFWD disc rear.  Both are clincher, the rear has 10 speed Campag and Shimano freehubs.