The scheme has been started with Bone Cancer Research Trust as the chosen charity.  This charity work to find ways of improving the outcomes of primary bone cancer patients, in particular those affected by osteosarcoma and Ewing’s sarcoma.    BCRT achieve their aims through funding research, raising awareness and providing information and support to those effected.  These devastating cancers mostly affect children, teenagers and young people..

We already have two events planned to raise funds, these are: Tweedlove (Ladies Only) MTB Skills and Coaching session and Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon.

Lesley Kirkwood and Miranda Balfour have kindly offered their course registration fees collected from running Tweedlove (Ladies Only) MTB Skills and Coaching session on May 24th as part of Tweedlove Festival later this month.

David Waterston is training hard in preparation for Aberfeldy Middle Distance Triathlon in August ’13.   He has set up a JustGiving web page where you will be able to support his effort with a donation should you so wish.  He will be covering all his own expenses to ensure that 100% of all dontaions go directly to BCRT (along with a little bit extra of Giftaid too)

More information about these specific events and this scheme will follow on this website.  However, in the meantime, should you have any queries or fund raising ideas you wish to be involved with please do not hesitate to contact us.

The first ride, led by Pete Johnson and other Kids Clubs leaders, headed out on mountain bikes through Glentress and over various carefully selected natural trails.  The second group, led by Mike Simpson, was the family ride taking all comers, young and old, on road bikes, mountain bikes or anything inbetween.  They set off round Cademuir and in a loop across the back roads returning to Peebles and the BBQ.  The third and final group of riders, led by Martin Tilley, headed out, having been read “the rules” of the road by Mr T, for a trial run of Skinny Tweed route to ensure the cafe was still serving coffee, cake, soup and bacon rolls before heading back to Peebles.

All 3 groups made their way to Upper Winkston Farm where we were very kindly hosted by Alan Hunter and Stuart Aitken.  The event village had been setup with pump track, indoor trials course (to protect riders from the blistering sun) and dual slalom.  However, prior to more riding PCC President Carl Lane and his band of caterers fed us all with what can only be described as a feast fit for, well, 100 hungry riders. A feast of traditional BBQ burgers and sausages, followed by a choice of roast beef, ham, spare ribs and roast pork and enough salad and veg to give us all 5 a day for the rest of the month.  Then just in case anyone was still a little peckish there was cake (numerous) on offer and to keep it all healthy fruit salad and watermelon for pudding.

All suitably fed a trails demonstration was given by the younger riders in the barn with the pallet stacks getting higher as the crowd egged them on.  After the demo the riders quickly moved outside to the pump track where a new PCC record  of 50+ laps was set before exhaustion kicked in.  The grand finale was the dual slalom, a slow push up crawl to the top of the hill with some fearless head to head racing on the way back down.

A huge thank you must go to all club members who made this PCC Super Sunday possible by so enthusiastically taking part but an even bigger cheer must go particularly to the ride leaders, caterers, event village organisers and Alan Hunter and Stuart Aitken for their generous support to the club and use of Upper Winkston Farm.

Until the next time…………

So, keen as he is to get back in, Bill set out to test the temperature but was disappointed to find it was only 7′C and even Bill couldn’t be enticed into the water of the Loch of the Lowes.  Watch this space………….he promises to let us know when it is has warmed up a little, we just hope his idea of “warmed up” meets with our expectations :-)

Another PCC ‘grand day out’ with café stops at Laurel Bank Tea room in Broughton for tea and cakes, and Gordon Arms Inn for ” eight soups and eight pints of ‘Foxy Blonde’” – severe ‘café legs after this one on the climb up the Berrybush ! Pace was more ‘Saturday’ than ‘Sunday’, but there was agreement that this route will become a new PCC ‘classic’. Probably about six and a half hours of cycling plus nearly two hours of general ‘faffing’ and ‘bon vivour’-ing’ in the local hostelries….so a full day !

Bob’s photos – click here

Route Notes:

After an initial loop of Cademuir, Glasgow road and then the familiar Stobo straight, the first notable hill of the day is the road over Dreva, where the 99 milers turn off right and head over to Broughton.

Name: Dreva; Distance into Route: 20Km; Length of Climb: 4Km; Height gained: 70m; Comments: gradual climb at first, a wee descent in the middle, then a steeper ramp towards the end which will probably get you briefly out of the saddle.

Down into Broughton and then after reaching Biggar, the route heads out by Hartreemill (Biggar Rugby Club) and takes in a lesser known but notorious climb over Kilbucho Hill.

Name: Kilbucho; Distance into Route: 38Km; Length of Climb: 1.2Km; Height Gained: 103m; Comments: very steep, probably 20% in places – a good ‘warm up’  for Talla later in the ride !!!

Big long descent after this back to the other end of Broughton – watch out for pot holes on this narrow back road. Right turn onto Moffat road and head for Tweedmuir, before turning off and heading up the side of Talla reservoir for the local ‘test piece’ which is the Talla Linn Climb.

Name: Talla Linn: Distance into Route: 65Km; Length of Climb: 1.5Km; Height Gained: 142m; Comments: the ‘Queen Climb’ of the route – check out the 20% gradient sign at the bottom - get up this one in a ‘oner’ and you deserve a medal !

Another long descent back down past Meggat Reservoir – again care needed as the road is narrow and twisty – before a pleasant few miles along the shores of St Mary’s Loch, usually wind assisted, towards the Gordon Arms Inn in the Yarrow Valley. A right turn here (after the renowned PCC feed stop) brings on the next climb of the day…

Name: Berrybush; Distance into Route: 85Km; Length of Climb: 6Km; Height Gained: 131m; Comments: a long drag, more than an out and out climb…could be into the prevailing wind though !

Lovely descent after this into the Ettrick Valley and a long roller coaster (again usually wind assisted) on classic deserted Borders roads. Keep a bit in reserve though as another climb approaching…

Name: Witchy Knowe (aka The Swire); Distance into Route: 105Km; Length of Climb: 4Km; Height Gained: 173m; Comments: feels very ‘Tour de France’ this one, with a big hair pin ‘elbow in the middle which allows you to see the road ahead carving upwards and across the hillside, and the riders who are a few hundred metres ahead of you…

Another tricky descent – again, take care as the road is narrow, twisty and a bit gravelly in places – back down into the Yarrow Valley and then a right towards Selkirk and another roller coaster ride. A longish gradual climb out past Selkirk towards the Tweed Valley again, before picking up the river Tweed at Yair Bridge and then re-crossing the river at Ashiestiel and the lumpy road back up the river past Walkerburn, Innerleithen and Traquair towards Peebles. One final climb to mention – not really in the same class as the others, but due to its late location in the route, can be a bit of a ‘heartbreaker’…

Name: Kirkburn; Distance into Route: 154Km; Length of Climb: <1Km; Height Gained: 30m; Comments: usually possible to spin gently up this one when running on empty – last climb of the day…

Straight forward after this back into Peebles – well done – you’ve completed ‘A Ton of Hills’

Big thanks to the PCC Saturday and Sunday bunch riders and to Bob for organising….

Pic below – the ‘Ton of Hills’ test team

Please see Kids Club page for more info

 This year the long route is changed, and has become 99 miles, – virtually a “Ton of Hills”.  The 50 and 70 routes are not changed, and the forecast is for sun on the 8th September.

More details here…

New for 2013, a series of low key timed runs around the Peebles ‘Three Bridges’ route, on the first Friday of each month, from April through September, starting 7:00pm – sponsored by ‘The Bridge Inn’, Peebles’ historic and award winning hostelry.

Whether you are looking for a fitness challenge, a social run with friends or family, a timed race session in preparation for other events or just to test yourself against the clock…you are welcome on the start line.

However, all good things must come to an end and Kevin is now turning his attention to weekly time trials.  This years new time trial calendar is available for the forthcoming season but as the cold weather is meant to remain until next week the home run will be delayed until Wednesday 3rd April.

As always we are heavily dependent upon the time keepers and marshals. Could all riders who intend taking part this season email Kevin with 2 events that they are willing to help out at please, as this will help hugely in planning for the season ahead.

Thanks again to Kevin for Winter Turbo Training and the forthcoming Summer(!) Time Trials.

Peebles Cycling Club have been nominated in Club of the Year category, along with Peebles Netball Club and Gala Harriers, in Borders Sport and Leisure Celebration of Sport Awards 2013.

The Club will be represented by David Waterston and Alison Caw at the event to be held at MacDonald Cardrona Hotel on Friday, March 1st.

Further infomation is available here and here