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Solihull Club Goes Cyclo-Sledging

Posted: 11th January 2010 | Source: Robin Fox, Solihull CC

With bad weather causing the postponement of the cyclocross national championships at Sutton Park, both coaches and young riders alike at the Solihull CC carried on their cyclocross training ‘as normal' on a snowbound Tudor Grange circuit.

The poor weather...with the addition of new fresh snow, didn't deter the resourceful club who adapted the training to the weather conditions to get the best out of everyone. Using all the wooded areas in the park, some of the clubs standard warmup routines prepared the riders in the freezing temperature.

However, the main focus of the session was the sledge pulling drag races. Stretching the U14 and U16 riders to their ends of their abilities, a series of sledge pulling relay races were held with the U10's and younger being pulled up and down the main straight on their sledges with a rope thrown around the towing bike.

Once pulled up and down the runway, the youngsters then had to get their bikes and do a lap of the short circuit to return to their starting positions....whilst the U14 and U16 riders kept pulling up and down. As riders who have ridden Tudor Grange are aware of the slope on the main straight, this session provided a great alternative to a turbo session.

Of course the session was then adapted to a ‘run the gauntlet' style exercise with the parents and coaches lining up their snowballs to make it more interesting !!. Then of course at the end of the session, the riders/coaches/parents thoroughly deserved the hour long snowball fight that ensued.

A great way to spend a Sunday morning and to keep active on the bikes in this poor weather.