Introductions - Helo o Gymru

Hi all.
It has been pointed out that I haven't introduced myself yet, an oversight on my behalf, sorry.

I'm from the beautiful area of North Wales (UK). I ride with Clwb Rasio Mona, although I haven't raced in a few years.

Started cycling competitiively when I was about 13 or 14 having ridden a lot with my father whom introduced me to the sport. By now I'm 30 but I've always kept on the bike, not quite enough in the last couple of years.

I used to tt and road race. I hold a few of the club's tt records and represented my country a few times in some rr, but that's going back a bit. Currently I ride to enjoy it and to lose weight, though I do intend to get back into racing by next year. I marshalled a couple of the club's rr on the motorbike and saw some old compatriots racing and thought, I can do that!!


I teach in a not so local school- about 20mls away, am happily married and other interests are rc helicopters-they're difficult, cars and their maintenance and also rock climbing, though I haven't climbed in a while.

I have acquired a lot of cycling stuff over the years, which is why I've posted a good few of them in the for sale section of the site. I might as well turn them into money, it would come in handy now!!

All the best to you all,

Keep on riding.

Gerallt

Hi Gerallt and welcome. Sounds like you have quite enough hobbies to keep busy!

Paul

Welcome!

Originally posted by gerallt
I used to tt and road race. I hold a few of the club's tt records and represented my country a few times in some rr


sounds exciting... were you in some sort of national championship or the olympics?

Hi all, thanks for the welcome.

Not that exciting.

Records are only club ones. We used to have a 7mile, 8 mile, 10 mile, 15 mile and 25 mile time trials over the years as well as a few hill climb courses.

I have the 7, 8, old 10, 25 and Llanberis pass, Snowdonia (3mile HC) records. There is a new 10 for this year and I'm not up to competing at the moment (read FAT!!!)
Cant remember the 7 & 8 times at all, sorry.

10 mile was 22m 18s as it went through my village, called Bethel.
25 was a short 55minute one.
Hill climb- 10m 12s I believe, this I'm prod of, I really was firing on all cylinders that day!!!

Rode a few national road races and stage races for the Welsh Team, don't ask their names, too far back.

One I do remeber was as a junior (up to 18yrs) over in Ireland, called imaginatively(sp?), The Junior Tour of Ireland. It was like a mini Tour De France but only lasted 7 days, we raced about 80 to 90 miles a day. This really was an international race too, teams from France and maybe a couple of other European countries and also from Russia or Estonia. I think the field was in the order of 160 riders, closed roads and motorcycle marshalls everywhere and really enthusiastic crowds, it was awe inspiring.

I remember one day sitting up in the pack and, seeing a sea of riders ahead of me thought I was at the back-meanig, hell what am I doing here! Anyway, I had a glance around and there were as many riders behind me as well. Great stuff and what an experience.
I crashed twice in the first two days, so any chance of a good finish was allready gone:( First crash broke my fully carbon Vitus 9, that I was quite p-offed about, had to ride someone else's bike for the remainder of the race. Actually, all bar one of the team came down on the first day. It was 8 per team, one had allready gone down earlier, then six of us (me inc.) came down, in a row, whilst chasing a breakaway group. There were two Irsh guys and then the rest of us when it happened, I was told the second Irish rider touched his friends rear wheel and we all came tumbing down like dominoes!!!
In the end I think i was 40 something in the final standings.

Anyway, I'm feeling old reminscing and boring all of you by now.

All the best.

Gerallt.

PS Went for a 40 mile ride earlier on, it was lovely.