Zwift Chat

[Randyberlin]

you are not the first person to say i look like a young paul newman
its a curse but ive learnt to live with it

Almost scary how much!

 

[berty bassett]

Which one is me ?

 

[Del C]

Guys, I know this was suggested by @IrishAl and others a few days ago, but I am wondering if people would be interested in doing a kind of Hare and Hounds race using the new private meetup function? We could either split into A, B, C, D cats (although Lee might be the only A cat so would probably have to join the B's) and copy the staggered start times of an actual H&H race, or get a bit more technical and split into teams of four similar riders or something and try and work out our own splits? The second is a bit more work if anyone wants to volunteer to do the admin?!

Any interest in setting something up?

@bridgy

I went back and checked out what you and @IrishAl set up last December when we ran a handicap race.

We set the start times for everybody from a TT race around the Greatest London Flat course that we'd raced in last year's October league. I think we ran the handicap on road bikes.

I found the table of rider and start times. Some of them probably need a tweak. @peterob was coming back from some time off the bike so he's way further down the field than he would be now, but with some adjustments I think the table looks usable. We've also some new riders that we could add, such as @steverob @Ketty and @Joffey

We also discussed last time whether to run it as a one man hare and hounds race or as a 3 man team. I suppose if we set up a table and grouped people in threes then we'd have the option of running either type if event based on what people prefer. That would probably also be affected by how many people are interested and able to take part.

I've attached the table from December below. What do you think? And what does everyone else think for that matter?

 

[Del C]

I've signed up for Monday's DBR league.

Hoping for a better outcome next week. 2 weeks ago thrown about by Virgin Media after 0.5km. Last week thrown out by myself after 0.5km for having useless legs. Next week? Well, things can only get better, except its NYC, my least favourite course.

 

[steverob]

Definitely up for this. Personally I think it’s better to band people together in groups where their times are as close as possible. Maybe that means 2 teams for A/B, 1 for C and 1 for D? Maybe move people and times around in a trial and error kind of fashion? I guess it depends on the number of people interested too.

I think the idea of setting people off in groups is probably the best idea. For one it means less working out for the organiser rather than having a list of 11 secs before this guy goes, then 7 secs to the next one, etc. And also it's harder for the riders waiting at the line to miss their time slot as if they the rest of their group go, they know it's time!

I think we could split it into about 5 groups. Start with the group of D's (me, Joffey, JLaw), then a group of those who have only just left D for C (e.g. Marino, Ketty), then the main bunch of C's, a B/C borderline group and finally the rest of B (and above).

But what is important is that the members of each group are also racing each other - this isn't a Hare and Hounds race where you're just trying to get a win for your team; it's also about getting the solo victory for yourself, either overall or at least in your category.

 

[BurningLegs]

I'm up for a hare and hounds, and also think groups is a good idea (assuming it can be worked out so each group has the same number of riders).

I'd suggest a Thursday at 7PM? Maybe a poll or something would be good for choosing a time slot.

 

[<Tommy>]

My preference is for it to be a team event. We’ve run quite a few individual handicaps over the years but I don’t think we’ve ever ran a team one. It is just quite good fun working as a team. We could get different discord channels for each team maybe.

But maybe see how many people fancy it and then try and work it out from there? The teams don’t strictly have to be the same size either I don’t think. We can just adjust the times accordingly. But when I look at this group there is such a nice spread between the cats that I think we could make it work. Let’s face it. It doesn’t have to be perfect science. Just a good laugh and a chance for bragging rights!

Happy to go with the majority of course. Hopefully as many of us can race as possible. I think this is the best type of race to get us all racing on the same page.

 

[<Tommy>]

@bridgy

I went back and checked out what you and @IrishAl set up last December when we ran a handicap race.

We set the start times for everybody from a TT race around the Greatest London Flat course that we'd raced in last year's October league. I think we ran the handicap on road bikes.

I found the table of rider and start times. Some of them probably need a tweak. @peterob was coming back from some time off the bike so he's way further down the field than he would be now, but with some adjustments I think the table looks usable. We've also some new riders that we could add, such as @steverob @Ketty and @Joffey

We also discussed last time whether to run it as a one man hare and hounds race or as a 3 man team. I suppose if we set up a table and grouped people in threes then we'd have the option of running either type if event based on what people prefer. That would probably also be affected by how many people are interested and able to take part.

I've attached the table from December below. What do you think? And what does everyone else think for that matter?

View attachment 520896

Prob best just to start from scratch Del. See who fancies it and then go from there?

 

[Joffey]

I think the idea of setting people off in groups is probably the best idea. For one it means less working out for the organiser rather than having a list of 11 secs before this guy goes, then 7 secs to the next one, etc. And also it's harder for the riders waiting at the line to miss their time slot as if they the rest of their group go, they know it's time!

I think we could split it into about 5 groups. Start with the group of D's (me, Joffey, JLaw), then a group of those who have only just left D for C (e.g. Marino, Ketty), then the main bunch of C's, a B/C borderline group and finally the rest of B (and above).

But what is important is that the members of each group are also racing each other - this isn't a Hare and Hounds race where you're just trying to get a win for your team; it's also about getting the solo victory for yourself, either overall or at least in your category.

I like the sound of this

 

[Del C]

Prob best just to start from scratch Del. See who fancies it and then go from there?

Yes that's what I was thinking.

I think I'd prefer teams if we get enough. We could suggest some groups first and then see who wants to ride, or wait for individual riders to say yes and then see if we have enough for groups.

In the end, both methods come to the same conclusion, it's just which method you choose.

 

[mjd1988]

Another vote for teams, definitely interested

 

[Del C]

So I put a small spreadsheet together to capture the replies to a potential Hare and Hounds race that @bridgy suggested earlier. I was going to attach the file for people to update. I could do that still but thought it might get a bit messy, so I've just attached a copy below.

So far, I think we've got 10 interested. I've added Carl as a maybe as I'm sure he'll take part if he can, so this way we keep the option open for him.

If everyone else can let me know if you're a Yes, No or Maybe then we can finalise numbers and sort out teams.

If I've missed anyone out, please let me know.

 

[IrishAl]

Sorry just catching up on messages

Thanks Del - Tommy and Lee have both wimped out so it's just me flying the flag in the team tonight. Good luck to you too. The question for me is whether I'll be able to hang on up the volcano climb - I'm thinking not! Are you also doing the TTT again @IrishAl - I think I saw on Strava you had done this event last week too? What type of team are you in, Espresso?

I’ve found a home in a Frappe Team - the IRL Jalapenos - and I’m helping manage two espresso teams. My team had a decent run in thurs but one rider didn’t make it, another had continuous drop outs then reappeared, another A rider dropped his chain on the start of the volcano And we lost a fellow B rider to the sniper on the volcano. Down to 5 riders and we weren’t sure if the drop out kid was gonna get disqualified. We did a practice run on monday at tempo so I was familiar with the places were it was easy to get dropped from the team. My plan before the race was to get over the volcano and take the team to the foot of the hilly KOM reverse, but with the dropped riders I was now under pressure to get to the finish. thankfully the hilly kom wasn’t as bad as I thought and we got home in just over 60 minutes. pre race we had been targeting top 10 but the quality in the frappe field is top drawer and we were unlucky with rider issues.

my new espresso team done great. I approached a local lad Chris McGlinchey The previous week, whose riding pro-conti level and a regular zwifter He’s super nice and was really happy to join the team. We also added another young rider, a former pro-conti level but now back home. These guys blasted round in 54.20, 2nd place in espresso. I’ve lodged a ”complaint” with wtrl as they seem to have made a mistake in the start delay and the team has been given an official finish time 1 minute slower. anyway the aim was to get to the PL which theyve done. I’m planning on joining as DS for the PL...can’t wait. Maybe a sign of how old I’m starting to feel when I’m happy putting younger riders together and seeing them do well and taking enjoyment from it that way.

Guys, I know this was suggested by @IrishAl and others a few days ago, but I am wondering if people would be interested in doing a kind of Hare and Hounds race using the new private meetup function? We could either split into A, B, C, D cats (although Lee might be the only A cat so would probably have to join the B's) and copy the staggered start times of an actual H&H race, or get a bit more technical and split into teams of four similar riders or something and try and work out our own splits? The second is a bit more work if anyone wants to volunteer to do the admin?!

Any interest in setting something up?

Ya, id up for this. Agree that we should group the riders into 2, 3, or 4 small groups depending on interest. Tuesdays and Thursdays don’t really work for me but any other day at any time and I should be ok.

 

[IrishAl]

Great time up the Alpe @<Tommy> I’m fairly sure I set my time in one of last springs Tour of Watopia races so I would have been going full tilt.

ive succumbed to the v.everesting challenge and targetting 24th May so ill see plenty of the Alpe in The coming weeks. I doubt however If I’ll be setting any records that day.

 

[berty bassett]

Yep