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The Magazine of the <strong>Norwood</strong> <strong>Paragon</strong> Cycling Club<br />
<strong>Winter</strong> 2005<br />
Bonjour Services<br />
Action during the club’s Centenary Meeting at Herne Hill<br />
After the Lord Mayor’s Show…<br />
Well that’s it then… after all the preparation and celebration,<br />
the club’s centenary year is over. What a year<br />
it has been! For myself, it has been a great honour to<br />
be President for this milestone in the club’s history<br />
and I would like to thank everyone who helped make<br />
it such a success<br />
The 2004 AGM had the largest attendance for<br />
quite a few years, and we now see new faces taking on<br />
jobs. John Pocock retired from the position of Hon<br />
Treasurer. John’s hard work over the years has put the<br />
club in a sound financial position to even endure the<br />
centenary year expenses without risking going into<br />
debt. Many thanks for all your hard work John.<br />
The Christmas Lunch was another fine promotion<br />
by our famous social secretary John Cleeve. The Inn<br />
on the Pond at Nutfield Marsh was, once again, a<br />
good venue with a warm welcome and perhaps not so<br />
warm food but the hot gravy helped. A meal enlivened<br />
by good cross toasting and presentation of the freewheeling<br />
trophy to Keith Butler for his superb ride in<br />
the preceding contest.<br />
Andy Murray was presented with the darts trophy<br />
for his win in the club’s darts competition. Surely club<br />
rules say that having a dart board in the kitchen at<br />
home is cheating!<br />
The racing season is just about to start and once<br />
again we need marshals and helpers both for the open<br />
events that club promotes and the association events<br />
that are our club time trials. Also help is needed for<br />
the evening events throughout the year. Promoting<br />
secretaries and the club time trial secretary will be<br />
amazed if somebody actually calls them and volunteers<br />
to help out. The club handbook will give you names<br />
and phone numbers.<br />
1
BLAH! CLUB NEWS<br />
DON’T FORGET<br />
YOU CANNOT RACE UNTIL<br />
YOU HAVE PAID YOUR SUBS<br />
REMEMBER TO GET YOUR BRITISH CYCLING<br />
MEMBERSHIP AND LICENCE AND<br />
SURREY LEAGUE AFFILIATION<br />
PAID IN TIME TO RACE<br />
CONGRATULATIONS<br />
NEW MEMBERS<br />
Phil Morris<br />
After some fast rides as a junior Phil took up rowing<br />
with some success, he hopes to regain some of his old<br />
speed on the bike.<br />
Simon Warren<br />
John Jennings<br />
Congratulations are due<br />
to Dave Mascall and<br />
partner Rachel on the<br />
birth of Samuel.<br />
I wonder if Samuel will be<br />
riding the Red Bull 24 in a<br />
kiddie seat behind Mum or<br />
Dad<br />
John was a member of the club in the 60s and 70s<br />
riding both time trials and road races and after a racing<br />
come-back in last year’s Presidents 12 he remembered<br />
why he retired from racing. John is a qualified<br />
osteopath with an interest in sports related injuries.<br />
JON JENNINGS<br />
Roadman, time triallist, Audax rider and tourist Jon<br />
Jennings collapsed and died at the age of 39 while on<br />
a skiing holiday in Italy. Jon, who started touring with<br />
the Croydon section of the CTC in his early teens,<br />
went on to ride for the Willesden CC and <strong>Norwood</strong><br />
<strong>Paragon</strong> before joining the Bishop’s Stortford CC, and<br />
Team Quest-The Bike Shop, in whose colours he rode<br />
regularly with his partner, Judith Swallow, in tandem<br />
time trials and Audax events including Paris-Brest-<br />
Paris.<br />
Born in Cumbria, he was brought up in the Purley<br />
and Coulsdon areas of South London, but Jon had<br />
lived in recent years at Pinner, Middlesex.<br />
He had survived cancer in his late teens, his foster<br />
father, Mike Bedford, said: “Jon’s illness spurred him<br />
on and made him very focused to live his life to the<br />
full, which is what he did. “Whatever he did — and he<br />
had plenty of strings to his bow — he did it to the<br />
best of his ability.”<br />
See page 5 for an appreciation by Keith Butler<br />
LESLIE ALFRED ADAMS<br />
The club had a very pleasant surprise recently when<br />
the general secretary, received a letter from the<br />
executors of the estate of the late Leslie Alfred Adams<br />
informing him of a bequest to the club of £500.<br />
Sadly no one on the committee could recall Leslie as a<br />
member although the feeling was that he had been a<br />
polo player. Does anyone remember him? And can<br />
write a few words for Blah!<br />
CHANGE OF ADDRESS<br />
Alison Butler<br />
Allison and Steve have moved to:<br />
CLUB NIGHTS<br />
Club nights have restarted, they are being held on<br />
the second and fourth Monday evenings of each<br />
month. The ongoing commitment to hold club nights<br />
will depend on people attending, so if you think they<br />
still are a valid part of club life come along.<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk 2<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH!<br />
Herne Hill greatest threat yet<br />
Since opening as an unbanked cinder track in 1891<br />
Herne Hill has been the premier cycle track in<br />
London. By 1896 bankings had been constructed and<br />
a concrete surface laid. In 1908 the track was the<br />
venue for cycling events of the Olympic Games. Track<br />
racing continued throughout the Great War of 1914-<br />
18, into the 20s and 30s the track became even more<br />
popular with gates of up to 10,000 for Good Friday<br />
meetings.<br />
After the Second World War the track needed<br />
major refurbishment work before hosting the cycling<br />
events of the 1948 Olympic Games. Through the post<br />
war years Herne Hill was a thriving sporting venue<br />
cumulating with the ‘Coppie’ meetings of 1958 and<br />
1959. In 1992 Sport England invested £1.5 million in<br />
revamping the track.<br />
All this history and one of the most important<br />
cycling assets in London is now at risk. The<br />
freeholders of the land the track stands on, The<br />
Dulwich Estate, has refused to extend the lease, and<br />
has effectively closed the track.<br />
So what is being done about this situation and<br />
what can club members do to help?<br />
Join the Friends of the Velodrome<br />
Herne Hill's future as London's only cycle track<br />
remains at risk until a long lease from the site's owners<br />
– The Dulwich Estate – is secured, together with grant<br />
funding for regeneration.<br />
BLAH!<br />
is edited by Ian Murray<br />
who if not out on his bike can be reached at: All copy<br />
welcome, if you can email me or send<br />
your copy on a disk (PC or Mac) even better<br />
Blah! is the official newsletter of the <strong>Norwood</strong> <strong>Paragon</strong>, however, it does not necessarily<br />
represent the views of the club or committee<br />
The regeneration plans and their ability to secure a<br />
financially independent future for the velodrome<br />
deserve as much support as possible.<br />
The Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome exist to<br />
campaign for Herne Hill's secure future and to keep in<br />
touch with its many supporters in London and across<br />
the world.<br />
The following has been taken from the Friends of<br />
Herne Hill web site<br />
Lock-Out by The Dulwich Estate continues<br />
Following their rejection of Southwark Council’s offer<br />
for a 5 year lease deal to facilitate The London<br />
Velodrome Trust's regeneration plans, the owners of<br />
the Velodrome site, The Dulwich Estate, will keep the<br />
Velodrome gates locked until the conclusion of their<br />
deal with a un-named commercial leisure company.<br />
With support from Southwark, The Trust remains<br />
ready to re-open once this deal is done, and has<br />
brokered arrangements to secure Good Friday racing<br />
in the event that this is delayed beyond Easter.<br />
A Secure Future for Herne Hill<br />
The London Velodrome Trust has been established in<br />
partnership with Southwark Council and British<br />
Cycling to secure a future for London's only<br />
Velodrome – recently threatened with closure. A<br />
financially secure basis for a new long lease with the<br />
site's owners The Dulwich Estate is being negotiated.<br />
Long popular with school children and amateur<br />
cyclists alike, the cycle track is in real need of a 21st<br />
century facelift. The Trust plans to raise £7m to<br />
redevelop the site, improve and extend its facilities,<br />
Thought for Today by old sod<br />
Cat<br />
A soft indestructible automaton provided by<br />
nature to be kicked when things go wrong in the<br />
domestic circle<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk<br />
3<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH<br />
and make its future as a multi-sport facility financially<br />
secure. Herne Hill is a unique part of Britain’s sporting<br />
heritage and it is famous around the world. Its history<br />
stretches back to the late 19th century and the track<br />
saw action in 1948 London Olympics. It is cycling’s<br />
equivalent to Wembley or Wimbledon.<br />
Last year its premier event, the Good Friday track<br />
meeting, celebrated its centenary with world champion<br />
and Olympic cyclists drawing record capacity crowds.<br />
Our 2004 Olympic medal winning cyclist Bradley<br />
Wiggins grew up riding on Herne Hill. We want other<br />
young athletes to have the same opportunities.<br />
Our regeneration plan has been given outline planning<br />
consent. The aim is to improve the existing<br />
Velodrome in a way that will not only safeguard its<br />
future as a centre of cycling excellence, but will also<br />
broaden its appeal and value to local residents, schools<br />
and Londoners generally.<br />
The plans include an all-weather perimeter cover<br />
for the track itself, gym facilities, ecological<br />
landscaping and a superb indoor climbing centre, a<br />
facility currently not available in S-E London. The<br />
Trust’s vision for renewal will benefit the whole<br />
community.<br />
The latest news<br />
First, thanks to all of you who have e-mailed your<br />
support to the London Velodrome Trust website and<br />
the Dulwich Estate. We've had brilliant support from<br />
all of you, plus supportive letters from local MPs,<br />
including Tessa Jowell, Simon Hughes and others,<br />
Valerie Shawcross at the Greater London Authority,<br />
British Cycling, Sport England plus London 2012.<br />
This has resulted in some positive movement from<br />
The Dulwich Estate, less than the LVT has requested<br />
and might reasonably expect, but which is positive in<br />
the short term. The negotiation of arrangements<br />
between the LVT and the Estate to both guarantee<br />
Good Friday 2005 the rest of the season are ongoing<br />
and looking positive.<br />
Thank Tessa Jowell and say that like her you're<br />
passionate about sport. It would be helpful if you<br />
could all e-mail Tessa Jowell the local MP at her<br />
constituency office, at jowellt@parliament.uk, copied<br />
to mail@londonvelodrome.org letting her know how<br />
much you appreciate her support for Herne Hill,<br />
particularly those that live in her constituency.<br />
Current position<br />
The London Velodrome Trust's home page http://<br />
www.londonvelodrome.org/summarises the current<br />
position. The Trust is working to re-open the track as<br />
soon as legal agreements can be put in place, and to<br />
subsequently engage positively with the new lessee to<br />
secure a viable future for cycling.<br />
Re-opening Herne Hill track<br />
This can only happen once arrangements to allow the<br />
LVT to re-open the Velodrome are in place between<br />
the Dulwich Estate, their proposed new lessees,<br />
Southwark Council, and the London Velodrome Trust<br />
- the Dulwich Estate say the end of February for this -<br />
but offer no guarantees.<br />
The likely commercial deal. This is certain to be<br />
conditional on the preferred commercial leisure<br />
operator achieving a planning consent for a viable<br />
commercial leisure development of the Velodrome site<br />
(perhaps including adjacent Dulwich Estate land too).<br />
As Metropolitan Open Land the development<br />
options will be constrained by Southwark and the<br />
Greater London Authority’s planning development<br />
policies which if the Estate's new Leisure operator<br />
intends to secure local support for their preferred<br />
development they are likely to include retention of the<br />
velodrome. No pre planning application discussions<br />
with the planning authority for a new development<br />
have yet taken place. If the planning consent they want<br />
isn't achieved their deal with the Dulwich Estate is<br />
likely to be over.<br />
Pass this on to a friend and tell them that if they want to be<br />
put on the Friends of Herne Hill e-mail list to e-mail<br />
mail@londonvelodrome.org including the words "Friends email"<br />
providing their full name, address & full postcode, and details of<br />
Club membership or organisation represented.<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk 4<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH!<br />
Jon Jennings an appreciation<br />
by Keith Butler<br />
Cycling enthusiast par excellence<br />
Fearless Skier<br />
Audax rider extraordinaire: Tour de France, Paris<br />
Brest Paris (Solo & Tandem), Daylight 600, Le<br />
Marmot, Etape de Tour etc etc.<br />
Jon joined us from the Festival Road Club in 1989<br />
and soon made a mark by quickly becoming a First<br />
Category Roadman, apart from full racing programme<br />
he found time to run three training camps in the South<br />
of France and one in Portugal for mainly Club riders<br />
plus trips to watch the Tour de France and to ride the<br />
Brevet des Alpes and Le Marmot.<br />
A brief list of his achievements shows something<br />
of his depth of talent.<br />
1990 AEU Cup for 550 Sprint, George Colget Cup<br />
for five miles Point to Point.<br />
1991 Tricycle 100 in 5.02.30 (a record that still<br />
stands), Solo 12 hour record of 273 miles. Team<br />
Record with Harry Featherstone and Jack Platts of<br />
774.821 miles - record still stands.<br />
Rotherham 12 hour Cup, Les Black Hill Climb Cup,<br />
Frank Burton Cup for 550 yard handicap,<br />
Ravensbourne Cup for five miles Scratch, George<br />
Colget Cup for five miles Point to Point.<br />
1993 Established all the Mixed Tandem Records with<br />
Allison Butler. Those listed below still stand. Mixed<br />
Tandem 30 Record with Allison Butler 1.7.19, Mixed<br />
Tandem 50 Record with Allison Butler 1.53.37, Club<br />
and Mixed Tandem 12 hour Record with Allison<br />
Butler 255.359.<br />
Frank Burton Cup for 550 yard Handicap, Surrey<br />
League Stein<br />
1994 Club Open Events Champion, Rotherham 12<br />
hour Cup, Surrey League Stein<br />
1995 Club Track Champion, Mixed Tandem 100<br />
Record with Alison Butler 4.2.20, Ravensbourne Cup<br />
for five miles Scratch.<br />
Results Service for Pru Tour.<br />
Jon was a bike rider from first to last. From weekend<br />
Youth Hostel trips, Club Runs to participation in<br />
top class competition.<br />
A RIDE REMEMBERED<br />
‘THE’ ride, of those that I saw, was the Poole<br />
Wheelers 12 hour of 1991. The Club had a four man<br />
team. Gethin Butler, Harry Featherstone. Jack Platts<br />
and Jon Jennings were the riders and this was the day<br />
that Glen Longland was to beat 300 miles. Gethin was<br />
not riding at his best and desisted after 140 miles.<br />
Megan and Keith were then free to watch the event<br />
unfold. So they joined John Pocock’s team at a feed.<br />
Jon Jennings went through and his time was taken. It<br />
was a bit quick. ‘Must have missed a leg!’ said<br />
someone. ‘Not to my knowledge’ says John P who had<br />
followed Jon J since the start. Oh!!<br />
Out of Poole and across to Bere Regis, up to<br />
Blandford Forum and back to Wimborne we were<br />
waiting for the cracks to appear. But they didn’t. Onto<br />
the Finish Circuit Jon kept up his relentless pace. We<br />
all stood by the roadside to cheer at the spot where he<br />
surpassed Robin Buchan’s old Club Record of 269<br />
miles. The Timekeeper recorded a total of 273 miles<br />
for a new Club Record. A superb ride.<br />
This ride epitomises Jon. Not a top speed<br />
merchant but capable of riding very very hard for a<br />
long time.<br />
In 1997 with virtually no training he entered the<br />
National ‘24’ as a back up rider to Gethin, Steve and<br />
Ross and finished the day with some 376 miles.<br />
It was not general knowledge that in his teenage<br />
years he had Hodgekinsons Disease and had had his<br />
Continued on page 6<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk 5<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH! RACING REPORTS<br />
Although the racing season is not here for most of us,<br />
some hardy <strong>Paragon</strong>s have already been riding in anger<br />
to blow away those <strong>Winter</strong> cobwebs. The mountain<br />
bikers have been busy racing in the Gorrick Spring<br />
Series as well as the Thetford Forest <strong>Winter</strong> Series.<br />
Hannah Reynolds rode the Thetford Forest<br />
Enduro on 23rd January. This race featured two 12<br />
mile laps of fast twisty singletrack around the forest.<br />
There was a large field of entries despite the cold and<br />
Hannah made a good start keeping up with the front<br />
riders, capitalising on her winter road training. She<br />
managed to stay in the top 10 finishing a respectable<br />
8th in the end after 2 hours 51 minutes of racing. Katy<br />
Middlehurst (Giant Racing) won the women's race.<br />
Closer to home Jon Webb, Phil Earl and new<br />
member Nick Ffoulkes raced at Crowthorne Woods in<br />
the Gorrick Spring Series. Jon rode in the Expert class<br />
putting in another strong performance against stiff<br />
opposition to take 5th place with John Venness<br />
(Evans) – former National Masters MTB champion –<br />
taking the win. Nick rode in the Veteran race which<br />
had 54 riders battling it out in the cold conditions.<br />
Despite a poor start and riding a singlespeed MTB, he<br />
worked his way from the back to take 11th place,<br />
while David Nelson (W Drayton MBC) took the win.<br />
Phil rode in the Masters race and is planning to ride<br />
the entire Spring Series this year. Despite a few minor<br />
collisions, mainly with other riders and getting caught<br />
out by the slippery roots on the ‘corkscrew’ section<br />
Phil finished mid-field in 20th place with De Laune's<br />
James Lett in first place.<br />
Marcus Brueton<br />
TIME TRIAL SECRETARY<br />
NEEDED<br />
The 2004 AGM had by far the best attendance for<br />
quite a few years and the meeting proceeded swiftly<br />
with the majority of the appointments being filled with<br />
only a little persuasion being required. However one<br />
important job was left vacant. The club still needs a<br />
time trial secretary: without one it will put the running<br />
of club time trials in jeopardy.<br />
So what does the job entail? Trying to persuade<br />
people to ride time trials and make up the odd team in<br />
events. Organising the evening time trial, which means<br />
little more than sending off the police notification<br />
forms, reminding the time keeper and keeping a record<br />
of results for the various awards. Attending the<br />
CDCA AGM a thrilling evening out! Arranging<br />
marshals for the club events, this is normally one or<br />
two people for each of the CDCA and SCCU events.<br />
It seems a lot of work but you will get plenty of<br />
help. You also need to be able to get to the club’s<br />
monthly committee meetings. If you fancy putting<br />
something back into the sport give the Chairman,<br />
Peter Ansell a call on 020 8668 5652.<br />
Jon Jennings an appreciation<br />
continued from page 5<br />
spleen removed. He always said he was living on<br />
borrowed time so lived life to the full and during his<br />
time as a racing member of the <strong>Paragon</strong> he did that.<br />
After he split with Allison Butler he moved to<br />
north London where he joined the Willesden, the<br />
Bishops Stortford and then Team Quest clubs<br />
unfortunately Jon never approached his previous<br />
form.<br />
He remained a <strong>Paragon</strong> member and attended<br />
OPA functions. He was a real <strong>Paragon</strong>ian. A leader.<br />
An individual who went his own way and by his<br />
enthusiasm took his comrades with him. Cycle Sport<br />
MARSHALS REQUIRED<br />
Two marshals are needed for the Southern Counties<br />
Cycling Union 25 mile time trial to be held on G25/53<br />
on 17 April. Contact Dave Adams on 020 8643 9859<br />
for further details.<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk 6<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH! OFF-ROAD<br />
Mountain biking with Tchaikovsky<br />
By Phil Earl<br />
Gorrick Spring Series round 1 or doing the nutcracker<br />
It might only be January, but for some<br />
the racing season has already begun.<br />
Determined this year to complete the<br />
Gorrick Spring Series (five races), I<br />
headed off for the season opener at<br />
Crowthorne woods in<br />
Berkshire. Accompanying<br />
me was prospective new<br />
member (when he gets<br />
his membership form!)<br />
Nick Ffoulkes. For those<br />
of you who don't know<br />
him Nick is a former<br />
member of Surrey Roads<br />
CC as well as an<br />
accomplished triathlete<br />
and runner. He is also an<br />
experienced mountain<br />
biker, being one of the<br />
regular Wednesday night<br />
riders. Nick had been<br />
persuaded to race by my partner in<br />
crime Dave Mascall, who had to drop<br />
out at the last minute with a heavy<br />
cold much to Nick's disgust!<br />
After the traditional warm up lap/<br />
course recce, we both took up position<br />
on the starting grid. We'd both decided<br />
that it was too early in the year to wear<br />
shorts, so kept our legs covered up,<br />
unlike many of the competitors<br />
(personally I would have been<br />
embarrassed to show off my hairy<br />
legs. Now I know why girls have their<br />
legs waxed!) Nick, racing with the<br />
veterans would start two minutes after<br />
me. Having ridden regularly with Nick,<br />
I realised that my main goal would be<br />
to avoid being caught by him early on!<br />
I started without any problems, unlike<br />
the rider in front of me who pulled<br />
both feet out of his pedals, causing me<br />
to swerve violently to avoid wedging<br />
my wheel up his backside. Obviously<br />
there isn't much room when 39 riders<br />
Frightening the wildlife and disturbing the peace<br />
are moving and after quick bounce off<br />
the rider on my left I was off. Last<br />
time I did that in a Surrey League race<br />
I took out three riders, but fortunately<br />
he stayed upright. Following the initial<br />
lung bursting start (sprint) the race<br />
split and I found myself in the<br />
company of three others. Great I<br />
thought, finally a race where I'm not<br />
stuck in between groups. However, a<br />
mile later the leading two successfully<br />
knocked each other off trying to take<br />
the same line down a drop off.<br />
Somehow I managed to bunny hop<br />
over them and continue, leaving them<br />
sprawled in the mud. Then on the next<br />
climb the last guy snapped his chain,<br />
so there I was, riding alone again!<br />
Crowthorne is noted for its twisty<br />
singletrack and short steep climbs,<br />
steep enough to bring some riders to a<br />
complete halt before falling off<br />
(always good entertainment!). I<br />
managed to crash in the same spot for<br />
two of the three laps, a<br />
notorious section known<br />
as the corkscrew. If<br />
you're sadistic this is a<br />
great place to spectate,<br />
because it's prime crash<br />
country! Very slippery,<br />
with hidden roots, deep<br />
drop offs, and lots of<br />
loose dirt; great fun to<br />
ride though if you can<br />
stay upright!<br />
Nick managed to catch<br />
me halfway through my<br />
second lap and was riding<br />
very strongly, having<br />
chosen to ride a singlespeed bike. Like<br />
me he managed to crash in the same<br />
spot but only once, almost neutering<br />
himself on his stem! (hence the title –<br />
maybe some foam padding or a box<br />
for next time?).<br />
Nick finished his three laps in a<br />
time of 1 hour 15 minutes, showing<br />
his potential with an excellent 11th<br />
place from 54 riders. I finished a little<br />
further back in 1 hour 23 minutes<br />
earning me 20th place from 39<br />
starters.<br />
The next race is in three weeks<br />
time at Heath Warren. Hopefully more<br />
of us will be available to ride what is<br />
usually an excellent course, with the<br />
odd north shore section.<br />
I'll even share my coffee!<br />
www.norwoodparagon.co.uk<br />
7<br />
Blah! <strong>Winter</strong> 2005
BLAH!<br />
Aiming for the top<br />
A trip up memory lane, average gradient 1 in 7 steepest 1 in 4<br />
by Jack Platts<br />
My most pleasant memory must be<br />
winning the North Midds and Herts<br />
CA. Event in 1961 in Hertfordshire.<br />
Next is coming second in the Bec CC<br />
hill climb in 1960 and in the process<br />
beating the previous week’s Catford<br />
hill climb’s winner and winning the<br />
team prize with Keith Butler and John<br />
Fisher, yes that’s the same Keith who<br />
won the Downhill Trophy – a true allrounder<br />
is our Keith.<br />
The Bec hill climb is held up White<br />
Lane off Titsey Hill near Tatsfield,<br />
Surrey. But in one of the national papers<br />
it was described as Pitsea Hill<br />
Sussex, it’s a wonder I ever found the<br />
start.<br />
I didn’t get in the frame for the<br />
ride illustrated, sixth place in the 1963<br />
Catford hill climb with a time of 2<br />
minutes 18 seconds. The event was<br />
won by Dave Patten of Tunbridge<br />
Wells in 2 minutes 5¹/5 seconds.<br />
To any aspiring hill climber I<br />
would offer a couple of helpful tips.<br />
At the end of the racing season your<br />
legs should be strong, so strengthen<br />
the arms and shoulders with press-ups<br />
and weights. When climbing don’t look<br />
up just keep your eyes on the road at<br />
about 20 yards ahead.<br />
All my rides were done on a fixed<br />
wheel, but the choice is yours.<br />
Jack in full flight or as the Croydon Advertiser of the day had it ‘struggling’<br />
Have you got a tale about that unforgettable racing, training or social ride.<br />
Unforgettable, either because it was the best win of your career or because you<br />
suffered more than you thought possible. Write it down send it with a photograph<br />
if possible and have it printed in Blah! and achieve fame and fortune.<br />
All kinds of articles with a cycling connection are welcome and indeed necessary to fill the<br />
pages of Blah! Send them to the editor.<br />
8<br />
Blah! is printed and distributed by Peter Ansell