With a new cycle racing season less than four weeks away, North Down Cycling Club members have been taking advantage of the unseasonably dry weather recently to get in some training miles. February is normally the month for reliability trials, long runs of between 50 and 70 miles, open to all riders, which are used by club cyclists to assess their pre-season form. Last weekend’s event was staged by Ballymena / Scotts Road Club and this coming Sunday the action moves to the Ards peninsula. The Dave Kane club organises this one every year with the £3 signing on fee going to charity. Riders sign on in the large car park beside the cinema at the rear of the Ards Shopping Centre. There are normally two runs; a 50 mile run at a steady pace which is scheduled for a 9.45am start and a longer run for more competitive riders which will leave at 10am. North Down’s regular weekend runs have been attracting between 30 and 40 riders and the Saturday run, departing from the clubrooms at 9am, splits neatly into two groups, allowing riders to choose between a 60 or a 40 mile run. It has been encouraging to see so many recreational riders getting out each week and discovering that they have no reason to be apprehensive about joining club runs .One of North Down’s main objectives is to attract people of different abilities who are keen to cycle and who are looking for an opportunity to join others and gain   fitness and confidence by riding in groups.