John Mackey says:

‘Hi All

I have lived in Hersham/Weybridge area since 1983. Actually joined VTC cycling last year, but due to family and work commitments only managed a couple of Sunday morning rides. I use my bike to commute to work all year round, but only started entering sportive events over the last couple of years, participated in RideLondon-Surrey 100 for last 2 years. Before cycling I played football in the Middlesex County league until my mid-thirties, at which time knees and calf muscles decided to give up! One unusual football club tradition was entering the Tanners Hatch 30 mile Marathon each year, being a Cartographer by profession I enjoyed the semi-orienteering challenge but not the route which always seemed to include either Box or Leith Hill at around the 17 mile mark!

Looking forward to getting out on more weekend club rides this year.’

And welcome to Dawson Hardiman too:

Having spent 20 years as a not quite good enough hockey player, it turned out my knees weren’t quite good enough either, so I thought I thought I’d try and be not quite good enough at something else. 

I completed a couple of Olympic distance tri’s before moving onto Long course, and have now done The Outlaw, Challenge Weymouth, and IM Austria, with IM Lanzarote, Challenge Roth and IM Weymouth 70.3 coming this year.  

Working away half the time (oil and gas) means a lot of training on my own, so if there are any non Monday-Friday types looking for a training partner when I’m off,  I’m your man. 

Made my first club ride last week, which was good to be part of and to meet some members. The club looks to have a good mix of training committed social types, and made me feel welcome from the off. Looking forward to plenty more training sessions through the course of the summer. ‘