Some bad news to pass on to Audax riders
I was informed that Robin Smith of Birkenhead North End Cycling Club died of a heart attack last Thursday, the day after he successfully finished the White Peak Grimpeur from Marple. This came as a complete surprise to all of us riding on Wednesday as Robin seemed fine following the event. This was a 100km hilly event with 2.5 AAA points, so quite strenuous, but Robin loved events such as this. In fact he usually entered - and completed - all of of the weekly Grimpers Peask Audax runs during August. I expect that he was also entered for Wild Wales Challenge which is run later in August over the same sort of distance and features some chalenging terrain.
There is a picture - not a very good one of Robin - at
www.aukweb.net/pix/picsolo.php?Pic=1271. That's Robin at the back of the cafe queue reaching into his pocket
Some further comments from Robin's fellow Audax riders ...
I too have had the pleasure of Robin's company including an episode involving freeing a trapped sheep on a slight detour on a welsh hilly one. He was a character I looked out for, as his pace was never very different from mine.
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I can't quite believe it, especially having ridden with Robin the day before. He was such a great bloke and .. I have many fond memories. At an event in North Wales, one of Graham Mills epic mountain roads, I remember riding alongside each other, both breathing through our ears, desperately trying to drop each other, and both grinning from ear to ear. Hilly events will be the poorer without him.
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Robin was a DNS on .. (Mid Peak Grimpeur).. and I remember a few riders being surprised at this. He was a relatively quite man but I have lots of memories of riding with him. If I was on his wheel on one of these Wed events I was going well ! This is all the more remarkable given his age which is a surprise to me too. (Robin would have turned 70 in September but certainly didn't look it)
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My most vivid memory is of trying to keep pace with him over 'The Roaches' looking at the BNE flames raging away in front of me. After each 'little' climb I got back on.(just). After the worst of them I pulled along side, "Next time can you wait for me on the hills Robin?" was something like my gasped remark in jest. The reply came in just two words, "I was".
