LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Alan · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 642 Location: Hackney, London

@ Rick, thanks for the info, but I panicked and booked a room at the IBIS Dom, which is the one at the station.
@ Dave if you do decided to come, it will sleep one or two but could be a double bed! Don't know. It's €88 for the room, breakfast is extra.

benw · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 106

Any plan for Saturday team dinner?

ed! · Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2011 10:23 pm Subject:

Good luck to those doing Cologne tomorrow!

Pamela · Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2011 8:35 am Subject:

Hmm, so the year I decide not to go, it is finally a dry one!

Good luck

benw · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 106

Perfect weather, little wind, warm but not dehydratingly hot. Great crowd as always, even better than Berlin I've to say. A lot of route changes since my last time there, including at least 3 tight 180 degree right-hand u-turns, and a few tunnels and some London-type rough road surfaces. Took it chilled, good race.

» Alomo, Richard (GBR) 01:36:12
» Johnson, Rick (GBR) 01:36:05
» Paxford, Alan (GBR) 01:48:59
» Wai, Benjamin (GBR) 01:34:53

ed! · Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2011 10:52 am Subject:

Well done everyone...interesting about the route changes, especially the right handers, shame I missed it!

I'm going to try and make this one next year.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

The first 180 was a bit interesting for Alan, Richard and me. We were skating together taking it easy when we were coming up to the bend. We were going past a handbiker at the time and Alan and I decided we needed to get past it before the bend or risk getting tangled up in it. We all approached the turn with too much speed and didn't make the turn. Fortunately, there was nobody standing watching on the far side and no barriers. I leant in deep and hopped on and off the curb to make the turn safely, Alan ran off into the grass. I pulled off the paceline I picked up and coasted along waiting for him. I don't know what happened to Richard but he took ages to catch us up.

If it rains, the course is going to be nightmare but the day was perfect and I cruised to the 1:36. I was going to cruise anyway as I needed my back working to ride the bike home but I had a lovely time. Gave Richard some advice here and there then lost him until the end when he attacked up the bridge past me from seemingly nowhere.

The surface on the Deutzer Bridge is now so melted that it's not comfortable to get up a good stride going over it but there is still a nice sprint off the back and a left hander to power round to give you an extra burst just before the finish.

Recommended race but be extra careful if there's rain as the 180s are crash zones. Particularly the first one as it's early enough for people to not be tired who go too fast for their ability.

benw · Joined: 04 Jul 2007 Posts: 106

Just read the next Cologne marathon will be on 14 October 2012. Mark the calendar..