November 2017 Top Talk

President Chip Kyle

I am always impressed by athletes who continue to perform at exceptional levels even as they age.  Perhaps the most prestigious record in all of cycling is the Hour Record.  This record is for the longest distance cycled in one hour on a bicycle from a stationary start. Cyclists attempt this record alone on the track without other competitors present.  The present record is held by Bradley Wiggins, age 35, set on June 7, 2015.  His distance covered:  54.5 kilometers (33.8 miles).   We all know that our performance declines with age (despite our efforts to the contrary), but our competitive nature continues unabated.  Hence, we have records for various age groups.  As some of our club members are now in their 70’s, including this humble author, we now have an objective ahead of us.  Last month, at the Mattamy National Cycling Center in Milton, Ontario, 80-year-old Giuseppe Marinoni bested his own world hour record in the 80-84 age group. The new mark he set is 39.1 kilometers (24.2 miles).  Impressive!  Something to strive for, no?

I want to give all of you a “heads up” about the printable Riders Digest that is available via the website.  We continually run into the problem with the difference between the RD and the ride calendar that is dynamic and readily available on our site.  The RD is simply a downloadable hard copy of the rides as they were submitted by the third week of the previous month for the following month. They are not kept up to date throughout the month.  The ride calendar is very dynamic and is the authoritative source for ride information.  Because of the continuing confusion, the board has decided to discontinue providing the printable Riders Digest effective the beginning of the year.

It is three months away, but the club’s annual awards banquet is looming.  Bud Rice needs your help and is actively seeking nominations for the various awards that are given out.  Give some thought to the following:  Member of the Year; Volunteer of the Year; Ride Leader of the Year; Most Improved Rider of the Year; Comeback Award; and the Goodwill Ambassador Award.  As you are out riding, consider who you think would be worthy candidates.  Send Bud an email, along with your rationale, and make a suggestion.

Ride Safely!