This week we have a visit from Simon Watts, Talent Coach from British Cycling.  Simon will be doing a mixture of seeing what we do and adding some coaching input from his off-road experience.  We will have at least 3 groups at various points on the circuit to practise the dark art of going downhill with just about no grip in a load of mud. 

As there may be time for a bit of a competition in each group, helpers would be very useful for control so that everyone gets a go.  

This autumn and winter we are putting on some Cyclo-Cross Go-Ride Racing to introduce you to racing, or to sharpen and test your cyclo-cross skills.

On Saturday it's our fourth and final raceof the season, and replaces the usual Saturday coaching, so bring your racing legs. The race prospectus is

09:30 Sign on Opens
10:00 1 Lap Time Trial (All categories)
10:30 U12 Race (10 mins + 1 lap)
11:00 U14/U16 Race (20 mins + 1 lap)
11:40 Presentations

Entry is £4 for BC members, £5 for non-BC members
Potentially we have some nice prizes on offer.

As trailed previously we are undertaking the C2C challenge on the weekend of 8/9/10 June. The challenge comes in two flavours: a 3-day, starting on the Friday and 2-day, starting on the Saturday. The 2-day'ers essentially combine the friday and saturday routes. Both challenges come together on the Saturday night.

The cost will be £90 - for the 3-day and £50 for the 2-day, this includes evening meal, bed and breakfast for each night.

Next Saturday there are some social rides taking place. These are instead of our usual coached sessions. There will be a number of rides of various distance 4 miles - 15 miles (each will take about 1 - 1.5 hours). All rides will leave and finish at the Hetton Lyons Park (our usual saturday morning place). Each ride will be led by one of our coaches.

This weeks session is all about climbing - technical climbs that is. These are a common feature of cyclo-cross and mountain bike races. We're going to have a look at the 3 basic types:
- Rhythm
- Power
- Technical

Special bonus points if anyone can descibe the features of each.

With Spring rapidly approaching, the road racing season is on it’s way again and this must mean it’s time for another Mallory Park National School of Racing!

Happy New Year to all our readers!  I hope you had a good time, as I certainly did.  I am now so fat that I'm taking this weekend off to go to a heath farm for a weekend of healthy living.......which means when I'm back I expect to see all those shiny new bikes just as shiny as they will be this week!  Make sure that if Dad does this task, you help......