LEC Season Competitions 1st April-21st October 2012

*NEW FOR 2012* LEC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2012


Open to everyone, as all you need to do is turn up on a sunday and ride.
Points will be dished out on every sunday ride:-cyclist with the most points wins the competition.
Points awarded as follows- If you turn up on a Sunday, for any club ride you get 1xpoint, If you are awarded the days combatitive points then you are awarded 2xpoints, If you go on a KOM ride you get 3xpoints,so if you turn up and join a KOM ride and get awarded the combatitive award for the day you score a max of 6xpoints.
Male or female with the most points at season end is our very own World Champion....this is not a seperate competition there is only one winner !

King/Queen of the Mountains 2012 As last year.....

A KOM ride will have a designated climb somewhere along the route. Its a no brainer, first to the top scores 12 second 10, then in descending order points are 8,6,4,2,1... There will be a ladies and mens competition as last year with one KOM ride each month with two in the summer months.
The climbs will generally be ones that we have been up before or we have tackled at sometime in the last 12 months. As the season moves on we will tackle more demanding hills as fitness improves. The idea is that everyone is able to take part and achieve the climbs so do not worry. Not all of the rides will be 50 miles plus either, they may be short so everyone, depending on fitness can participate.
This season there will be a few new climbs thrown in the mix too and/or the start could be a bit further down the road so as to develop your tactical awarness....!!!
Season opener is April Fools day....need i say more...prepare for a "challenge"....

Combatitive Awards Male & Female

A very successful competition last year. Traditionally this is awarded to the person who has been aggressive on the road-not in attitude but in cycling ability ie Attacks the group,is first up the climbs and generally scalps everyone.
LEC is a bit of a different club and so this award works as follows:-
1x male rider and 1x female rider are each awarded the combatitive award (point) after each club ride. This point could be given to someone that has been supportive, excelled, encouraged or inspired others and is decided by the ride captain on the day. At the end of the season the male and female club rider that has scored the most points is the Combatitive Rider 2012..

LEC Criterium

Its a work in progress.....
But is fundamentaly a race around a given circuit normally 1 hour plus a lap. If you get lapped you are out. First over the line wins. Tactics are of huge significance cos if you go flying off the front at the start..you will get scalped by everyone !!! Details will follow once i have done a risk assesment (ok Bradders!!!) This will be run as last years Yellow Jersey event on a handicap allowing all abilities to take part- hence its taking me a bit to work out how to run it !! *NO YELLOW JERSEY COMP THIS YEAR - THE CRIT' IS TAKING ITS PLACE*.....(hopefully)

The LEC Hill Climb

End of season event..its the Olympics so this will be a bit more of a challenge than Rushmore Hill - dont worry its not Exedown... but the hill of choice is locked in a vault at MG's HQ...
It does what it says on the tin, its a TT up a hill,seperate events for Ladies, Men & Juniors...

And lastly please remember events and competitions are there to be enjoyed with a hint of competitive spirit but most importantly the element of fun is at the forefront. Remember points mean prizes and as last year there will be a prize giving at end of season. (see website for last years winners and current champions)

Finally if you are competing this year in any event please pass the details on so i can post them on the site. This year we already have people entered in events from The New Forest, L2P as well as globtrotting to Nepal,climbing the Italian Alps and of course not forgetting the local sportives, Triathlons and TT's, so keep me updated then we can all congratulate you on your achievments !!

MG "Race Secretary"

Flapjacks

Here's a little recipe for homemade flapjack that you may enjoy, especially those of you on the LEC 100 Club training. Excellent way of taking on carbohydrates for fuel.

The original recipe was courtesy of Bike Radar and shared with us through the Mountain Goat, but I have tweaked it a little every time I've made it.

125g butter or margarine
100g soft dark brown sugar
4tbsp golden syrup
250g oats, rolled jumbo ones are best, but breakfast oats will do.
40g dried fruit and or nuts, use any combination you like (dried cranberries work well)

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4 (180C).

Place the butter, brown sugar and golden syrup in a bowl and microwave on full power for 2 mins (800w), stir to combine. Add the oats and fruit/nuts and stir until coated.

Place the mixture into a 20cm square tin, a spring form one works well, pushing into the corners. It should be about 3cm thick. (You can also sprinkle on extra seeds at this point, sesame or pumpkin work well.)

Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 30 minutes.

Cut into squares and leave to cool in the tin.

Absolutely delicious and good bike food - enjoy!

Sunday 19th February 2012 Hawley or Not ? 35 miles/45km

Two weeks missing our Sunday club run, seemed like an eternity. Still chilly although either the temp scale was climbing slightly or we had all become adversaries in #5. Benny starting his 100 club training with the rest going on a 50 miler with Greg on his first led ride. The numbers down slightly on past weeks but still well into the double figures, with yet another new kid on the block, namely Jason who had his new bike out for a first time ride. Unfortunately scrapping it down the wall before we had even departed- well we have all been there- MMG still unforgiving of the Gaffer doing the same!! 

Fast squad set off first, whilst Benny gives his “Team 100” talk. We were later to catch them up at Sidcup where they were waiting to give us a cheery wave - or fix a “p” not sure which- the later probably, as there was a bike upside down on the pavement. Onward we cruised- two abreast at times, lots of chat and a lovely warm up. Another quick briefing as it was training for drinking on the bike with some tips laid down by the Ride Captain. Plan was:- Sean goes up the road and the group then ride up to Sean one by one drinking as they go. Thing was, not sure if Sean heard 15yds ahead or 1,500yds ahead as he went flying down the North Cray, MG trying to get somewhere between the lead-out man and the peloton and was stuck in no man’s land with the group trying to bridge to MG. Still we got some practice in!!! After catching Sean at the roundabout it was onwards down Mill Brook Road still lots of chat and I think this is where it all went a bit “wobbly”.

Onwards up Skibbs Lane we hit the A224 - where we were going, Westerham, Lullingston or Hawley ? Yup, slight route glitch. Never mind lets go left and we can go to Lullingston instead - via Well Hill !! Only Benny & MG being aware that a flat 25 miler was suddenly turning into a lumpy 35 miler, well sometimes the less you know the better. So a left at the roundabout and rolling downhill on lovely country lanes we turn left and up we go, MG up the hill to position himself at the left turn so at least everyone knew where the top was then it was onward and downward on a route we came up a few weeks earlier.

Great to arrive for a break, some feeling it a bit more than others especially as it has been hard to get out this past few weeks. The route home:- straight down the Dartford Road and onwards to Hawley. There was talk of Fackendon - but I think Benny was pushing his luck already by going up Well Hill, another week perhaps. Some of the bigger boys had a race down the hill but they all regrouped at the bottom. Now leading a ride is a complex game of looking after everyone, not just planning a route but looking after your colleagues and making decisions to ensure that one and all enjoy the ride and this is where our own particular ride captain came into his own. A second stop was decided by Benny and after organizing MG to lead the group to Hawley “Sir Benny” escorted one particular squad member all the way for a second stop at an old favourite. Now this club member surpassed all expectations last season and was now doing the same at the beginning of this. Doing a “Van Summeran” she rode the 3 miles to Hawley on a slow flat, a rule 5 rider if ever we had one.

It was a great ride and really sums up just what our club is all about. Yes Benny had only had 2 hrs sleep which is probably why he nodded off when riding along and we missed the turn but hey the teamwork, camaraderie and concern for fellow club members you would not find in any other club I am sure of that.

Well done to everyone on the ride, special thanks to Simon and Sean for helping out too and well done Rich’ for leading by example and being a Ride Captain extraordinaire- the MBE is in the post!!

 MG

Cycling Fit Camp Ride Report 11th Feb

Ride report now up on the Reports Page.

This Sunday - 05/02/2012

Hi All, a quick message from Richard W below regarding the rides planned for this Sunday, 05 February 2012...

There are two rides going out this Sunday...

The more experienced riders will be doing a hilly 40 mile ride led by Alvaro (Level 5).

I will be leading a shorter 25 mile ride.

For all of you coming with me on the 25 mile ride, please bring food with you (ie) flap jacks, cereal bars, energy bars or something similar.  Although the ride is short, I'd like to run some drills on refueling on the move during the ride.

Looking forward to seeing you all Sunday.

Rich W

By the looks of the current weather forecasts, snow is forecast for Kent and the South East over the weekend, so please keep a close eye on the website, our Facebook page or our Twitter Feed (@TeamLEC) just in case the plans change at the last minute.