LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

roger · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 531

It was a great weekend, with superb conditions for skating.

Thanks to everyone who organised the accomodation and cars, and to our drivers Rick, Kate and David.

With the road dry and warm, and the wind roaring down the valley behind us it seemed that we were set for some very fast times, and so it proved.

My race started poorly with my injured knee complaining at the start, and not really finding my rhythm, but got a lot better in the second half. This was my third time at Engadine and I felt a lot better this year on the short uphill section. On the last stretch I was really starting to find my rhythm and felt strong, spending a lot of time on the front of my paceline, and still having enough left to wind it up a bit at the end.

My time of 1:12:09 was a new PB by some margin, but a quick look at the results sheet showing my 59th position in the over-40 speed category was enough to restore a suitable sense of perspective.

Kay also managed a new PB of 1:28 despite falling in the early stages, and having a filthy cold. Fortunately her injuries appear to be minor and healing rapidly.

Linda J · Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Posts: 210

Thats a brilliant time all the same Roger. There have been an awfull lot of fit forties there!

Gav · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:35 am Subject:

LOL... just got an email from our Experts team manager

'yesterday evening the hotel in engadin called me. You don´t paid????!!!!!'

In my state of drunkenness on sunday morning I never realised I had to clear my own bill, so just walked out Very Happy

hahaha.

Just phoned them and cleared it up. promise!

Hans · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 11:17 am Subject:

Yipee they corrected the list and updated it with my result I now have an official sub 1 hour marathon Smile

Hans Brown
Race Time: 59.15,33
Position 117 (21 in class)

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

hey hans congrats mate !!!

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

That is absolutely fantastic. Well done Hans!!!

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Good stuff especially with that foot.

Gav · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 12:32 pm Subject:

Awesome

And only 1:19 off the british record!!! Wink

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

If I were Staffy I'd be pretty worried, only 1 second seperates you.

fzurro · Joined: 09 Sep 2005 Posts: 796 Location: Middlesex

Nice one Hans.

That looks a very fast Marathon. I wish I had gone, I might have managed a sub 3 hours (hehe)

KateB · Posted: Wed Jun 28, 2006 2:08 pm Subject:

After the big build up (I had major nerves about the hills), the course was a lovely surprise. It was great to be skating in the countryside on wide roads with decent tarmac, rather than navigating round a city.
Not having looked at the map, I was a bit lazy on the climbs, so whilst I'm pleased with my time, I think I could have done better.

Things to do another time:
- look at the course map (there were no distance markers, so I wasn't sure how far I'd gone or where the climbs were)
- push myself to dig and get onto pace lines more
- not wear my fitness skates, but the nice light speed boots (Junker molding, here I come)

Le Mans, here we come
KateB

Michi · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 658 Location: Hamburg

A video of the race can be found on a German forum:
http://87.230.5.90/temp/engadin.wmv.
Not perfect, but looks like fun.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5914

Looks like it may have been Dirk from Dusfor filming again. I can hear Gav on it and see Craig. As Craig was in the shot and Dirk started with us there may have been more of us in there but it's hard to tell with everyone wearing the same stuff.

Gav · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:33 am Subject:

It's me on the right, in blue. I'm speaking to Bjorn... no idea what I was talking about at the time!

Matt · Posted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 9:24 pm Subject:

The video looks good. Very Happy

Does anyone have photos to put on the team gallery?