Lancaster Cycling Club's Paul Andrews and Mike Wong, along with other Club members and a fantastic team of dedicated parents, formed the organising crew for local youth cycling club, Salt Ayre Cog Set's winter training camp, based at Yealand Redmayne's Quaker Meeting House last weekend, 5th to 7th December.
18 riders aged 12 to 18 took part. In cold, damp weather, three different-length rides headed out to Sedbergh on Saturday, and along south Lakes lanes towards Windermere on Sunday. But the weekend wasn't just about getting some decent quality training in; it also featured workshops, talks and films, to deliver a 'total cycling experience'.
Monica Eden of British Cycling talked about British Cycling's Performance Pathway. Matt Cronshaw of the Madison Genesis pro cycling team offered insights from the peloton. David Cooke spoke to the young riders about physiology and nutrition. And Alexander Reed gave an anti-doping presentation. There were two bike maintenance workshops, one run by James Williamson of Cog Set, the other by GoVelo. And the screening of a documentary, Rising from Ashes', about the first Rwandan National Cycling Team and their six year journey through adversity to the Olympic games in London.
But above all the weekend offered the chance for Cog Set riders to hang out together and get to know each other better. There was a wide range of experience and ability - some of the youngsters were adding to their already impressive weekly training miles, whilst others were getting their first taste of club riding out on the roads - the youngest rider there, Oliver Patterson had just turned 12; he was chuffed to bits when his weekend's mileage went above 100 km half-way through Sunday's ride.
But new faces and old together enjoyed a weekend of living and breathing cycling. And what a great way to learn - not only via the talks and workshops, not only via the senior riders who accompanied the rides, but via a big bunch of energetic, enthusiastic young people talking to and helping one another.
This, the third Salt Ayre Cog Set training weekend, was considered 'the best yet'. It was brilliantly organised, including a superb team of caterers led by Janet Reed. And it bodes well for local club cycling that we have such a dynamic youth cycling club. No doubt a few of the young people in these photos are Lancaster Cycling Club members of the future. Well done to all of them for getting stuck in, and earning valuable miles and priceless experiences at the start of winter.
