LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

I think we should add the reminder to the newsletter.

xsfred · Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 125 Location: Paris

Congrats to you all ! I am very impressed by your performances, individually and as a group, seeing you still have to train in English weather and handle nutrition through English food Crying or Very sad

Special congrats to Mike and Roger who seem to have been on an EPO diet recently !

Too bad I could see only a handful of you all - but now you are a busload.

As Roger pointed out, I did fall during the race - I am quite upset with it, will skate with a battle axe next year.

PS : Mike, please delete my name from the results list : I do not advertise my results, I can do that if they are ever worth it Smile

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Hey Fred, I think your results are extremely impressive and well worth advertising, especially such a fast time with a fall. Plus you're an honourary member, so we have some pride in including and associating with you, although we fully understand your commitment to PUC Roller.

Of course I'll take it out if you really want me to, just pm me.

lemming · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 691 Location: Reading, UK

Probably a good thing I didn't make it over anyway - my registration only arrived in the post today and it looks liek they wouldn't have given me my documents without it...

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

I hope you're not gonna hate me, but I bet you would have got on the Sat morning flight on standby, there were a couple of empty seats. And you could have got your registration probably with your passport at the helpdesk, lots of people were doing this.

dan_b · Joined: 15 Jun 2004 Posts: 2417

My registration documents also arrived some time while I was away.

Mind you, I don't know who you were flying with, but "standby" seems to be not a concept that easyjet want to encourage. I asked them last night if they had any spaces on earlier flights that I could move to, and they said no, then I asked about standby and they said EUR275 plus the ticket price difference. There may have been some failure of communication there, but from the spirit of apology in which the explanation was given I did get the strong impression that they would be compelled to take from me some stupid amount of money before letting me fill a seat that they wouldn't otherwise have had anyone sitting in.

lemming · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 691 Location: Reading, UK

I checked the net for space and there was nothing. I could have stayed at the airport overnight I guess and just risked it, but to be honest I was pretty p*ssed off by then (3 hours in a car will do that to even the mildest mannered of people (ie me)). Easyjet WOULD have got me out there and back, but at 250 pounds it seemed excessive.

Price would have been bad anyway, that late in the day.

I'm mostly upset 'cos I think I could have broken 1:30, maybe even quicker. That 1:20 paceline no longer looks so laughable. On the plus side, I now have a year to train for the next one...

And the registration documents I'm talking about weren't the flight ones, but the marathon ones... (?)

Anyway, it's gone now. I've lost 200 quid (ish) based on flights and registration and the T-shirt I couldn't pick up, plus whatever I owe people for my share of the apartment (which I'm happy to pay as I should have been there). Somone tell me and you can have a check / bank transfer.

Helen · Joined: 31 Jan 2005 Posts: 90 Location: Dagenham

First chance I've had since we got back to check the forum. That was a great weekend and what a team! I'm basking in reflected glory! Congrats to all who skated - those are amazing times.

It was great having Farhana for company, although she was longing to be on skates with the rest of you. Once we'd seen everyone start, we headed for a station to get a train to the finish. We were standing on the corner looking at the map and debating which way to go when a kind German couple stopped to help. They showed us the way to the nearest station but the lady assured us we didn't need to rush: "They take 2 hours. You could walk."!!

We didn't take her advice, but dashed for the train and managed to get in a good position at about 41k where we could see everyone coming round the final corner.

Glad to hear that your injuries were not too serious, Hans. So, despite all the falls, no one has broken bones.

Looking forward to next year in Berlin. If you have time between messe and skating, the Berliner Dom is worth a visit - we saw inside for the first time this year. And, if you fancy a guided tour and the chance to discover a little-known story of heroism during the War, come with us to the Rosenstrasse, just round the corner from the Dom. Laughing

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Hey, I meant to say earlier I heard you guys shout for me. Thank you so much, you gave me such a boost at a time when I felt I almost couldn't take the pain any more. Perfectly timed and very very gratefully received!

Duracell · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2005 10:15 pm Subject:

KateB · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2005 12:07 am Subject:

Did anyone see any distance markers before 31km?
I was looking out, and that was the first one I saw. From then on I saw quite a few, but was tired enough to not be sure if the race was 46 or 48km, so was quite surprised by the "2km to go" sign at 40k.

Next time, 42k will be engraved on my brain.

K

lemming · Joined: 05 Jan 2005 Posts: 691 Location: Reading, UK

I was convinced in Hamburg that 26 miles equated to 44km. I had this idea to go faster for the last 2 km, so I was a bit surprised to come round a corner at about 42 km to see the finish. And relieved...

Tim · Joined: 26 Jul 2004 Posts: 381 Location: leytonstone E11

Aww man, but that was truly amazing !!! A huge thank's to all who participated and made this the best trip i've had in a long time Wink

I haven't had that much fun in age's. I'm still buzzing at my time of 1:37:01 and i now can't wait till next year and smash that one too Twisted Evil

wasn't the croud amazing ? I mean all that effort they put into cheering you on, and when you looked like you were starting to flag, they cheered even harder. Hey han's i'm very happy to hear your ok man !! It seem's like there was quite a few went down this year.
You know it was quite funny, if occasionally frustrating to see all these hand's suddenly fly skyward's whenever we came to tram lines and the corner's Laughing

Well for me yesterday was like mike spent laid back on the couch feeling sorry for myself as my calf's are still board stiff. Thos could however be more to do with the after party rather than the skate Embarassed

God know's where the energy came from Shocked