Those of you who ride (or watch) our Wednesday evening sessions should notice a few changes over the coming weeks as we move into our winter programme. There will be less racing as we focus on improving conditioning and speed over the next 3 months. This is going to involve a lot more volume – for example lots of sets with a short time for recovery.

Wednesdays are for invited riders who are actively racing – primarily at Youth A/B and Junior level – and the aim is to prepare for the summer track events such as the National Championships and National Omnium series. After Easter we will move on to sessions with more technical objectives including starting techniques, pursuiting and sprint events.

• Please come prepared for this – we want to make the most of the short time we have on the track.

• Try and bring a turbo trainer with you so you can keep working while the other group is on the track  

•  Please make sure you have your bike/kit/drinks sorted BEFORE you arrive

• Don’t be late – the warm up starts at 6pm on the dot!!!

1.             Participation in sessions.

• Efforts

Efforts (between group sets) by individual riders were at the coaches discretion and could only be done by National level riders who were not participating in the other parts of the session.

• Coaches

Coaches, including junior/trainee coaches, should only ride on sessions to lead or demonstrate an exercise (e.g. lumps and bumps) or to pace Keirins or warm up lines.

• Second claim members

It was confirmed that second claim members could not participate in sessions until the end of the winter track league season. This also applied to second claim members whose parents were club volunteers.

• Free access to sessions

It was confirmed that when a member of a rider’s family was making a regular contribution to the club as an official or coach then the rider would be entitled to attend track sessions free of charge.

2.             Wednesday sessions.

• Aims and programme

There was a discussion regarding the need for a more structured seasonal programme and the advice given by Tim Buckle (BC regional coach). It was agreed that the winter sessions should focus on improving conditioning and speed, with the emphasis on volume and effort. Racing should be minimal during the winter sessions. From Spring onwards there would be more focus on technical objectives and preparing for events such as the national omniums. Wednesday sessions were aimed at riders who were actively racing and primarily at Youth A/B categories.

• Selection process and criteria

Potential Wednesday riders would be assessed on Saturdays by the Wednesday coaches and an invitation would be based on agreement between coaches. Riders should be sufficiently able and competent to participate and should be actively racing or (during summer) be committed to starting the track league as soon as possible. Jason agreed to draw up a list of current Wednesday riders. The Saturday Group 3 would focus more effectively on the transition to Wednesday sessions and would offer a more challenging programme.

3.             Any other business

• Club Champs

A suitable date would be found at the end of March. The Champs would include a U12 Omnium (Alan Mason Trophy) and it was agreed to provide an additional trophy for the U14 Omnium.

• Clubroom security

John agreed to purchase combination locks for the clubroom and for storage cupboards.

• Tea stall

As the ACT were still running a tea stall Andy would speak to Bob Barber to see what criteria needed to be satisfied in order to reinstate the Eastlands stall.

Meeting finished at 9.15pm

• Membership – Please renew as soon as possible and certainly before the end of the month.  Also, please note that British Cycling racing licenses also need renewing, as they run from January 1^st as well.

• For those who wish to start racing, the ACT track league started their new season last week.  You will need your Youth Accreditation, a valid BC racing license and a bike with the correct gearing for your age category.  Please ask one of the coaches if you have any problems.  There are usually long queues for registration, so get there early!

• Tomorrow, Eastlands Velo are running a Tombola stall at the Bikes & Bits sale at the Velodrome.  The doors open at 11.00 am and looks like it will be an excellent event.

• SportCity are selling off the remainders of the old kit at reduced prices; quite a lot was sold at the Saturday session and the rest will be on the stall Sunday 15th.

• There are still various bikes and rollers available for hire; please see John if you wish to hire them.  Hire fee for bikes is £3 per week, for rollers it is £4 per month.

• The Club Championships will be taking place on a suitable Saturday around the end of March; the date is still to be confirmed.

• Happy New Year to all our riders, parents, helpers and Coaches.

• As it is now January, all members should have renewed their membership.  Saturday and Wednesday sessions are members only, so if you have not yet renewed your membership, please do so as soon as possible.  Also remember that British Cycling Racing Licenses expired at the end December, so if you are actively racing, you will need to renew that as well.

• The ACT track league starts the new season on January 9^th; if you wish to register, you will need Youth Accreditation, a BC racing license and a bike (not the Velodrome Dolan hire bikes!) fitted with the correct gearing for your age category.  Please speak to the coaches if you need clarification on gearing.  The queues are usually long on the first night, so arrive early.

• Following on from the Saturday session, there was a mountain bike training session in Clayton Vale, led by Monica and Tim.  These events are free, but there is a £3 charge if you need to hire a mountain bike.  Riders can keep the bike for a week for this fee, but we need the bikes returning in a clean condition.

• On February 9^th there is an MTB event at Philips Park; this is a BC run event and it is likely to be very popular, so if you wish to enter, please fill in a BC application on their web site.

• The club currently has several sets of rollers available for hire, as well as road bikes, cyclo-cross bikes and a tandem.  Please speak to John if you wish to hire any of this equipment.

• On Sunday 15^th January, Eastlands Velo has a Tombola stall at the Velodrome ‘Bike & Bits’ sale; John is looking for volunteers to run the stall and also any unwanted gifts, bottles or bike-related stuff to put on the stall.  This is always a good event and usually a good fundraiser for the club, so please support it.  Help is needed from 9 o’clock until 4 o’clock, but individuals do not need be there for all of that time.

• And finally… Jason Kenny, who was riding Eastlands Saturday sessions around 10 years ago and is one of our most successful riders, is now World Sprint Champion!  Very well done Jason!  

See the following details regarding the sale of some 650c and 700c Track Wheels.

Contact Me on 07962 400320.

wheels for sale