2008 Season Conclusions - Ain't Complaning

Had a look back in my diary to see how I did target wise for the season, only 36 seconds out in the '50' a mere 6 seconds in the '10' and an impressive 5 seconds out in the '100' Not surprisingly my 50.46 for '25' was the only target I bettered but I had aimed to beat the Club Record by under 10 seconds so to beat it by a minute more was very pleasing. The one time/distance I was way out on was the 12 hour, (280 miles what was I thinking?) even if I'd ridden a perfect race I'd have been happy with over 270 but I only rode the one and unlike the seven '100's (count them) I guess you can't expect to have the perfect ride on demand
For the BBAR I held out the hope that these rides would give me a top 10 place, my times would have given me 12th in the last couple of years but it was a competitive year with Ian Cammish back in the reckoning (2nd) for the first time since 2004 and two new Turks in the top ten in the shape of Andy Baston (5th) and Bradley Johnson (7th) while there were quite a few other movers and shakers the 25.5mph to get into the top 10 has stayed fairly consistent the last 10 years and I'm not quite there yet. I had to settle for 15th (25.374mph Av.) in the end, I guess I have to be happy with that and knowing I can/could have gone faster especially in the '50' even though I did a 3 minute PB in May I never got another good day, but in a pretty bad summer weather wise I was not the only one in the top 20 this happened to. This always happens Yes you could always go faster on a faster day on a faster course but then so could other riders and the status quo is maintained
Paul Alderson put in some pretty solid rides to end up breaking into the top 40 for the first time, 39th (24.029mph Av.) and I feel the club is to be congratulated in having two riders in the top 40 for the first time in our history. Not many clubs have two 'home grown' riders capable of this and in the results week in and week out Jon Thomas got his fair share of attention and put in some sterling rides especially his PB in the the API '50' only 11 seconds behind Paul's best to become the 3rd fastest SWRC rider ever at the distance, all of us currently riding we should have a crack at the National team in that event next year.
With the VTTA Veterans BAR (Welcome Paul!) I moved into the top ten (from 12th last year) for 7th with +6.394 the winner again 55 year old Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) +8.414 with 51 year old Cammish 2nd here too +8.281 these two were well out infront but as if to reinforce the increasing competitive nature of this competition 26 riders had a + 5 mph, last year only seventeen. I'm still well off the pace On Standard but still up from 58th to 33rd. On straight out time I was placed 5th 6.25.20 from the winner 42 year old Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) 6.04.59 my 50.46 making me the 2nd fastest 25 miler over 40 in the country.
On the track I said a Masters medal but I was too caught up riding '100's to fit those in so the LVRC Gold/Silver while not as competitive late in the season. still the times I posted would have got me in the top four at the Masters (6th in Europe) so plenty to go on for next year. I had hoped to win a 2nd Cat Road Race but this proved beyond my capabilities (both physically and tactically) the best chance I had was in the LVRC Nationals when I was up with the leaders but as with every other RR I had a bad attack of cramp and lost my chance. Busted down to 3rd for the coming season I should be more competitive.
I should have said to win an 'Open' TT which was one of my targets from the year before that never quite materialised (2nd Congleton '50') but this year I achieved that elusive goal, in the N Mids & Herts '100'(13th July) and It was touch and go as I had doggy gears and had to get off and manhandle them at 40 miles knowing that I could not use them in the more challenging second half of the ride. Level with an 'Unknown' rider Andy Stuart (VC St. Raphael) with 10 miles to go I pulled out 30 seconds for my second open win over a quarter of a century after my first, Alan was there getting all excited and I was glad to share it with him as there are too many times when I have done a good ride only to miss out and have that lonely drive home with the thought in my head as to how I could have made my effort on the day be the difference and win the day. On top of that I missed out in a 2 Up bu a single second and another of the '100's by 36 seconds (instant karma or what!)
Targets for next Year? I'm not telling but apart from having a go at the team '50' at the Nationals the VTTA National record for a 47 year old is 1.44.00, that would be something!

SWRC have a new National Champion

I know I said the Hillingdon was my last event of the year but I had entered the inaugural LVRC National Track Championships at Newport this weekend
Good thing I did my geraniums as we had 3 inches of snow on Tuesday (first time in October in Leicester since 1937) so I had a couple of slippery rides to work in full winter mode. Having watched our Boys & Girls 'doing the business' at the Manchester World Cup on Friday evening I was ready all excited about the prospect for my first competitive outing on the boards since I broke my collar bone (Ouch!) a week before the National Champs at dear old derelict (now not then) Saffron Lane in 1992.

Alan, just back from a week walking in NW Italy (hardly ideal preparation) and I took ourselves along to Newport Velodrome to have a bit of end of season fun. Only to find riders just back from the World Masters Track in Sidney and others taking it very seriously, I cannot lie I had done a session on the turbo on Thursday to try out my 'fixed' TT bike as I had not ridden it since the 12 hour (used as a spare with gears). Adrian (Shaftsbury CC) was there with us all in the same age group (45-49) these two have a bit of history together as Adrian said to me last week "I've got a pair of 'Barelli' pedals with Alan's paint on somewhere at home", old scores were set aside for the weekend and we set about a plan to get bodies on the podium at every opportunity


Plotters Corner

First up the 16km (60 laps) Points race, I decided to put the opposition on the back foot by wearing old kit while Alan had the new. I went on the attack (best form of defence) after the first sprint (every 10 laps) with some stout blocking from Alan and Adrian and a bit of nifty leg work from yours truly I got half a lap, 2 sets of
sprint wins and 15 laps later I sat up not able to stay away on my own any longer. While I was getting myself together Ian Fagan (Paramount RT) an Ex Pro and a useful 'trackie' I had targeted as a likely winner went away with another and quickly got half a lap, he then dropped his companion and bridges the lap on his own to wild applause from the track center, Damn! I thought there goes the win. I managed to get points in the last two sprints 2nd & 3rd to consolidate my position in second place Steve Clayton our representative at the Worlds (Lichfield CCC) 3rd

We left the sprinters on the track at 7 O'clock to finish their programme while we headed to the Holiday Inn for post race analysis and some grub from the buffet. Adrian had brought some old cycling's and the Skol 6 Day programme from 1978 when he and Alan rode the schoolboy omnium. Maurice Burton was riding (with Paul Medhurst) and there was an advert for 'newly opened' DeVer cycles in Streatham (I think It's called synchronicity) Alan found a result in a 1976 edition of the 'comic' with Parky's all plus Steve Gowar winning the WLCA Team Pursuit in 5.17 (for 4000m on Herne Hill) not bad considering Alan was only 13 years old at the time.
I had to be at the track for 8.30 on Sunday to prepare for the Pursuit so the others tucked into a cooked breakfast while I made do with cereal in an effort to not be overcome by my first Pursuit since 1982


I worked out a schedule at breakfast with Alan, 3.40 a bit ambitious (I found out later) but I had no idea what riders do these days. Fagan had not signed on, no bike apparently but that did not stop other riders just bolting on aero bars but I was not the only one to have a dedicated bike and a couple of 'solid' front wheels came out Oh! I thought this is serious, to my surprise I was fastest qualifier albeit by a mere two tenths of a second 3.49.86, I felt that I had been pedalling too fast on my 92" gear and on schedule at half way I could not maintain the high cadence of 120 revs (bit different from my usual 88) so I put my gear up 2" for the final
Felt more comfortable at 112-115 revs although still went out a bit fast at the start, the result was never in doubt, I was up 2 seconds in the first lap and then 4 seconds up at half way. I had my man in sight for the final kilometer but did not quite manage to catch him as I went 4 seconds faster 3.45.88 while he went 4 slower. In fact I was the only rider in the finals to go faster in the second ride only a couple of hours after the first my powers of recovery obviously good. Incidental my opponent in the final Steve Bent (Ludlow CC) one of the Highgate/Hendon riders that beat us in the GHS in 1976 I wrote about several weeks ago. 3rd Paul Lilley (Fenland Cl.)3.54.19


Top Spot

The remaining event the 15km Scratch always a bit of a lottery, the 'A' race had been a bit of a procession with a 'wind up' for the last KM and then a bunch sprint, I was getting to know the 'form' riders, Fagan was in there with Clayton and Doug Pinkerton (Halesowen C&AC) who had all sat out the Pursuit series. We had a bit of a plan for Alan and Adrian to try and get away after I had done a bit of 'softening up' in the opening 20 laps but once I lit the touchpaper it was just attack after attack and the bunch blown to pieces by half way with the above three myself and Adrian to make a lead group of five and we lapped the field. Alan pulled out after being up with the leaders but not able to keep in the front split. I decided it wasn't hard enough and attacked several more times and Fagan had a good go at dislodging us but nobody was shifted although Pinkerton not working by now and I told Adrian to only do short turns as he was our best hope for the finish. My legs were beginning to give out and I found myself at the back at the bell as it got a bit confusing with back markers and the lap board. In the end it was all five of us across the track at the line with Clayton getting it and Adrian 2nd over the long way with some impressive speed only back to racing this year and done half a dozen league meetings at Welwyn. Fagan 3rd Myself 4th (Almost doing a 'Wiggins' with Gold Silver & Bronze) I was satisfied with my weekend tally an 'age related champ' at 3000m and 12 Hrs. not a bad spread


Points race Winner the elusive Mr Fagan!

National Hill Climb (Run on the Bank)

The Mills of Matlock World Heritage site in the Derwent Valley


First week off racing so with Fiona's permission I rode out to see the National Hill Climb on Sunday in Matlock after a day in the garden potting up my geraniums for the winter, well I only rode from Derby as it was raining when I left Leicester although the forecast for later in the day was bright and sunny but It wouldn't be the first time they got it wrong this year.
Took me old winter fixed bike to try and blend in, hill climbing is a bit of a dark art, all those anti gravity tablets and riders with less fat than a whippets tail who come out of the dark recesses of the bunch as soon as the roads go uphill. Last one I'd been to watch won by Daryl Webster some time in the early 80's but this year a bit of an open race with it being on a 'climbers' hill (as opposed to a 'roadmans') just over 800m of gradually steepening tarmac that started 50 yards off the main street in the centre of Matlock on Bank Road.


No easy start, a brick behind the back wheel and straight into the climb, it was about 50/50 those that favoured traditional 'fixed' as opposed to 'modern' gears
As soon as I arrived I was accosted by a spectator "I'm in the South Western" a face I did not recognise but up for the day on the train and we spent the afternoon together,. He was a bit of a hill climb aficionado having done a bit of racing and seen quite a few Nationals (yes he'd see all of Daryl Websters wins - 4 in total 1983-86) He knew all the classic climbs Beeley - Curbar - Pea Royd Lane - Monsal Head - Holm Moss and the gearing and quite a bit of the form of the riders so I let him talk me through the event as the last time I rode a hill climb was probably back in the 70's on Ranmore, this 13 and a half stone baby is not prepared to put himself through this kind of pain for public consumption but it does make a wonderful spectacle as the riders grind and puff their way up the hill in slow motion. There was a crowd of several thousand with whistles and horns and shouts to encourage every rider up to the finish line, several riders were caught before halfway and nearly everybody took it seriously. There were quite a few riders out in their 'civvies' hard to recognise without helmet and glasses (if you know what they look like at all) I had a chat with Barry (Baz) Charlton one of the fastest solo/trike riders in the country, we compared seasons, he said he would be getting more into road racing next year, great I thought another potential competitor out the way or until the novelty wears off!!

Chris Myhill 1st Vets 40-45 (1.10.7) 2.46.5


The sun came out and our side of the valley was bathed in a bit of late summer warmth, the early starters (of a field of 150) had gone and I'd missed Bill Bell (Gemini BC) the Southern tip but he was 2nd fastest at half way (58.4) and fastest to the top so far with 2.25.4. His time was to hold out until the final 10 riders as 5 time winner 'Gentleman' Jim Henderson (Southport CC) could not topple him with(1.6.3) 2.26.5, Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan) made a fantastic finish after being slower at the midway (1.3.2) to record 2.24.2, and all that remained was for defending champion James Dobbin (Artic RC) to blow his chances with a ride outside the top 20 after breaking his crank in the warm up and riding on a borrowed bike (& shoes!) Dave Griffiths was the unlucky one to miss out on a medal in 4th (1.8.0) 2.29.6 Lewis Cowley (Plan B) 5th 2.30.2 the only other rider inside a minute at half way (58.1).Blackburn & Dist.CTC won the team prize led by the first Junior Adam Pinder 8th (1.12.6) 2.34.6

Champion Matt Clinton rode (42 x 20) 55.8" fixed gear

Dave Clarke - Lacuna(For Sale) 6th (1.9.3) 2.31.0

James Dobbin 21st (1.10.6) 2.45.3

Medal Winners and Full Result

Time Trial Finale (Waterloo Sunset)

Paul Alderson and I had one final ride on our TT bikes on Sunday in the Hillingdon CC '25' the Handy Cross course on the A404/A4 near Marlow . A chill morning with thick fog over the Thames as we (Myself and brov Alan) descended off the M40 down the starting leg I've heard so much about. (and which prompted Paul to go and buy a 56 chain ring after his last ride here a couple of weeks ago) Paul had done his fastest time (54.06) in this event last year and had tempted me out for one last lung bursting effort.
A pretty decent full field with Paul a seeded rider at number 90, I was off somewhat earlier (at 45) having entered when my PB was still a mid 56 minute ride. I'd been out to meet up with the Saturday run from Cobham and it was good to see all the groups ready to go out but I cut short my ride so as not to overdo it, as luck would have it I had the wrong keys to get into Alan's flat in Wimbledon so I had to pick up some from Judith uptown at Somerset House, that was all I needed another 20 miles in London traffic (on my TT bike!) people must have thought me a courier as I bumped over Waterloo Bridge.
It is cold enough to see my breath, I keep wrapped up until the last moment and then peel away leg warmers, arm warmers I leave on, It is calm, hardly enough wind to rustle the autumnal leaves still clinging to the trees
The start was the closest to the old Q10/19 'ski slope' on the A21 at Tonbridge we used on the 80's devastatingly fast, bikes used to develop a speed wobble in a crosswind as riders approached speeds not usual for a bike. Apparently that has been a problem here and Paul said he could only go down on the 'drops' but I had no such problems and I stopped pedalling top gear when my revs went over 120 (47mph). The course turns off the A404 and goes onto the Old Bath Road (A4) towards Reading a more bumpy affair with numerous kinks in the road, I had to work at the little rises to keep my pace up but I caught my seven minute men by the turn. I began to go better on the return, I think I over geared myself on the way out, that fast start makes you think you can keep that gear going when you should strike the right tempo for the terrain. Back on the A404 I was enjoying my ride, the feel of the pressure in my chest, cold from the air, full lungs but not painful, the arch of my back which lends the power to the legs like a dam holding back the water solid and still, legs pumping, I'd lost a bit of time but not here, in full flight right to the line and then the release as you feel the hotness of the effort push back into your cheeks and your legs, that is a nice feeling the effort is over.

I stop and I get into the car with Alan, we go back up the road to give Paul some encouragement, Police cars are in a lay-by, a mum taking her son to football has knocked off a rider, thankfully the rider is not badly hurt but it makes a bad scene by the side of the road, the boy has missed his match and looks about to cry, the woman has her arms across her chest and stares blankly as riders go past. Paul is doing a good time, not his best but looks smooth and in control, crouched low over his bike in his familiar knee warmers and dark glasses.
At the finish the talk is of the accident and the recently crowned BBAR champion Nik Bowdler of the Farnborough & Camberley CC, a local rider to SW London its a fair few years since the BBAR crown has been a 'Southerner'(1995 Gethin Butler Norwood Paragon) His time today 51.53 for 3rd and I feel better about my ride 53 dead (7th) just over a minute behind him, that was my target for the day, Paul 55.17 in 15th (but only 15 seconds off 10th) in a tightly packed result Winner Baz Charlton 51.14 from Scott Povey 51.31 holding onto their form right to the tail end of the season

LVRC TT Championship (Battle of Edge Hill)

Starting in the fog

My second event over the weekend, I had the LVRC National Time Trial Champ's on the Sunday, based at the lovely village of Warmington at the base of Edge Hill in Warwickshire, this village is one that I pass through many times on long rides South of Leicester usually after battling down the Fosse Road into a headwind and then return cross country in the direction or Northampton.
Scene of the first decisive battle on 23 October 1642 where Charles I won the battle but lost his chance to retake London because he was too cautious to move against the Parliamentary forces plunging the country into a four year Civil War.
All I had to do was ride my bike down and back along the B4100 and up the Fosse Road for 22 miles as fast as possible on a beautiful sunny day with light wind and a bit of fog which lifted as the sun which has been absent for much of the summer burned off.
The LVRC do not run many time trials so it's difficult to assess the field, having done some fast times this year which would have put me in line for the position of favourite, and still in good form, it all depended on the day. I knew the course and it was hilly, for a TT course, but would it be too hilly for me to put my time trialling skills to use over a field that consisted of mainly roadmen?
My main opposition would be Paul Stubbs from the promoting club (MI Racing)and the 40-45 road race champion the 'runner up' Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) who I'd beaten the last two weekends and top 'Tester' Kevin Tye (olds racing.com). The latter of these was a DNS so I went to the line knowing that it would be me upholding the 'Testers' art against the pure roadmen.

The profile does not look made for me!


After the day before I could feel the result in my legs but with a decent warm up and the first five miles was fast and I could 'ride out' some of the effects, I swept passed vintage motorcars going to the Heritage Motor Centre (on the course) at 30mph comfortably. Onto the Fosse it was a different matter, the Romans built them straight (the roads!) but to the detriment of the contours and although I'd ridden this way plenty of times racing along it was another matter, I was into the red too often to be happy with the way I rode but when the road goes up and your speed goes below 12mph all you can do is pray that It doesn't go on too long and press harder.

Charging along the Fosse Road

At the turn I was about 10 seconds down on Eagers 4 minutes behind me, I tried to pull out a bit of speed on the more rolling sections and I was going well but I still had the finish. As with all fast starts there is a price to pay, and we were all due a tough finish. I had kept a bit back but climbing to the finish if a TT just adds insult to injury (a RR finish maybe) but It was the same tough climb for everybody and it hurt like hell, a bit of a sprint as it flattened out over the top to the finish, and my effort was over, I sat at the side of the road and recovered my composure in time to see Eagers come through in three and a half minutes my effort had not been good enough, how many others would beat my time? As it turned out none, I was 2nd after all the other 'B' riders were in. Eagers the winner in 51.34 myself in 52.10 and Mike Donally (Stourbridge Velo) another 14 seconds back, close enough to be respectable but not close enough to feel that I could have done any more under the conditions (and having ridden yesterday) Stubbs was back in 6th proving that It wasn't purely a roadmans event and that 'Testers' do have something to give even on hilly courses.

Receiving my medal from top lady 'Tester' Ruth Eyles


Honary SWRC member and club run stalwart Dave Worsfold was riding under the LVRC banner in the 'E' cat race and managed 1.02.56 on a startlingly modern road bike (Look & SRAM) but still with Binda and Christophe I'm confounded!
After the event the winner confessed he'd been riding more TT's because he'd got his 1st cat licence and the road events he would ride were no longer available to him, It had given him the practice necessary to beat me on the day, no mean rider against the clock under normal circumstances unlike the King of England he drove home his advantage and the course just gave him the edge.

The Winners
A.(40-44) Andrew Meliak olds.com racing 51.03
B.(45-49) Andy Eagers Derby Mercury 51.34
C.(50-54) Phil Bill VC Elan 53.23
D.(55-59) Peter Greenwood Clayton Velo 52.46
E.(60-64) Barrie Mitchell MI Racing 54.02
F.(65-69) Mick Ives MI Racing 59.38
G.(70-74) John Dixon MI Racing 1.01.17
H.(75+) Trevor Fenwick Bournmouth Jubile 1.12.22
Lady Ann Stanley Plan B Racing 1.02.29

Rudy Project # 8 - Final

I'd not ridden a Rudy Project time trial since the early season, too much to fit it in with the BBAR so there were those out to place in the series and local riders like me trying to get a place on the day (and a free pair of socks). I'd raced this circuit a couple of years ago when I was just getting going on my comeback, 9th in 47.11 behind the winner Ray Hughes 42.01.
Quite a hilly course (8m) to be covered twice plus a bit (three for the Elite), I'd been off the bike two days and all day on my legs at the Bike Show the day before. Did an hour in the morning and because it's local at Middleton between Mkt. Harborough and Corby I had time to ride a lap as warm up as well.
Circuit courses mean that you do not get to see the opposition, so you have no idea how you are doing and with two laps you catch riders on their second lap or on their first a lap behind, very confusing.
The day was delightful but the course is 'lumpy' as that is the nature of these races, hilly one side and fairly flat the other so with a SW wind super fast along this section which made the hard parts even harder, still same for everybody and much better than the sleet and gales that I'd ridden the early season event. I went as hard as I dare without getting into trouble on the first lap inside 20 minutes but still 45 seconds behind Richard Prebble (G S Strada), what was he doing in our event? Well he is a veteran, just at 41 (when he should be with the Elite). The Vet's race on 'target' as well as 'scratch' it all adds to the confusion as these are translated into 'points' for the overall.
I must have eased off on the second lap as I was slightly slower in 20.03 but in the final analysis my 42.57 good enough for 3rd place only 1.27 behind Prebble the eventual winner, Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley RC) squeezed between us in 2nd place with 42.21 the winner of the series on 'Scratch'. 14th place John Woodburn (VC Meudon) 47.28 was the winner on 'Target time' (+12.08) and the winner of the series.
Jimmy Wright (Preston Whs.) won the 'Elite' 1.02.15 Kevin Dawson (Sportscover) the winner of the series 2nd 1.04.33 and 3rd Bradley Johnson (Sportscover) the Espoir winner in 1.05.07. On reflection my ride good enough to be within a minute of these two after 2 laps.

Kevin Dawson - Having a rest from the BBAR


Just before the off I was talking to Bradley Johnson, helped him on with his 'Camelbak' plus a bottle for a 25 mile race! Taking after his mentor Kevin Dawson who he joined in the 'Sportscover' team this year and always a fan of keeping hydrated but I thought this going a bit far. At 22 years old Bradley has applied for Dave Rayner funding as I know we in the club support this organisation in memory of a young rider who died tragically young. He hopes to go and race in Europe and make it on the road, I wished him good luck and did not mention that it was another BBAR opponent for next year out the way (currently 7th) we have had a fair few battles this year (he won mostly!) but come on a long way from when I caught him for 7 minutes in last years Swift '100', he says he remembers me coming past and I must have given him a shout as it would have been near the end as he did 4.03.09 but I beat him by 12 minutes. This year a 21 minute improvement to 3.41.32 and there won't be many in the 'flat lands' that have done that and a 12 hour! If only he had not had two punctures and that snapped chain he may have run out the winner as he was less than 4 miles off Ian Cammish's winning distance.



Bradley a man for the future?

"Blowin in the wind"

And did it blow! The strongest crosswind I'd ever raced in for the Nottingham Clarion '25' on Saturday, thankfully the expected rain held off but it was touch and go as the event uses the A1 on the southbound leg of this two lap course and the B1164 back to Tuxford. 50mph gusts were blowing the riders into the kerb and I had to fight to keep a straight line, un-usually my arms as well as my legs ached afterwards!
After my record breaking ride last week it was back to normal with a 57.31 for 4th place (again) brought me down to reality after a week on cloud nine. There were quite a few non starters and a fair few DNF as riders decided that they could not cope with the conditions, others just rode on their 'oldschool outers' what is this not able to control my aero bars so I stopped racing, wouldn't have happened in my day
Winner was Kevin Dawson (Sportscover) having a quite season but under the conditions put in an impressive 53.02 for the F.A.Widdowson Memorial Trophy, 2nd was ten time winner Julian Ramsbottom (De Rosa RT) over a minute back in 54.12 Third was Bradley Johnson (Sportscover) in 55.29 who I would say is the new kid on the block, only 22 years old and a much improved rider this year, unusual for such a young rider to be up there in the BBAR and the long distance titles but along with (slightly older) Andy Baston (Wrekinsport) lending some youth to the Time Trialing scene. I took a couple of handy scalps by a handful of seconds Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) and Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley) tied for 5th in 57.34
Getting close to the end of the season now but a few were eking out their season with me, riders like Dawson and Dalton have the final Rudy Project (leading Elite and Vets respectively) next week, I'm riding as It's local at Corby and I have the LVRC TT Championship the next day near Banbury. After that I have the Hillingdon '25' with Paul Alderson on the A404 at Marlow the week after and then the LVRC Track Champ's at Newport the first weekend of November. I hope to see a few of you a couple of weekends later at the same venue for the Track Training Weekend being organised by "Freewheelin'" Roger Jackerman, be there! Take it away Bob

'25' CLUB RECORD - 50.46

Thought you might enjoy this picture taken last Saturday in full flight at the start of my recent record breaking ride in the BDCA '25'. This is about a mile from the start on one of the uphill sections before getting onto the A50 so I'm on the inner ring! Notice I carried a spare tyre and a Co2 canister even though I'd taken my second bottle cage off so I can't have been that worried about the extras that I carry for the longer events. The bottle is only half full but I did take a drink at the turn and the rest went onto my legs. The frame is a standard road frame bought second hand off my old pal Steve Gowar (he rides for Sigma RT - Sorry Gary!) I used it for a season but found it a tad small and a bit rigid for the road, I have used it for every distance from '10' miles to 12 Hours.

'Out of the Blue' [Re-run BDCA 50 (25)]

How do those riders manage to do fast times early in the season? While the rest of us are packing in the miles and going slow some are turning out 20 minute '10's and 52 minute '25's. I never seem to get going until the tail end of the season and I started racing in March! But I never seem to have any speed 'early doors' as it were, It takes months of training and racing to hone my performance but by this time of year I've got my act together and raring to go when there are hardly any events to ride. After my top '100' a few weeks back I pinching Roger Hammond's Club Record for 25 miles in the BDCA '25' on Saturday afternoon, the event was supposed to be a 50 mile time trial but road works on the A50 meant this was no longer feasible so the event was reduced to a '25' this after it had been cancelled the first time because of the weather on 8th August. This was excellent news for me as quite a few riders were bound not to turn up as a '50' mid season looks attractive but at the end of September is not everybody's cup of tea
Looking at my '25' PB of 56.30 (26.55 mph) you would not have put the current record of 51.52 (28.92 mph from 1996) within my grasp but I had got within a minute of it last year in an event (also on the A50) which was deemed 'outside the rules' because the start and finish had to be moved (further than 2.5 miles apparently!) because of roadworks at short notice. Also (slightly apologetically) I now have a '50' and '100' time faster than my '25' I just don't ride that many and all the ones I do ride seem to be on hard days (or I puncture).
No such worries on Saturday, early fog burned of to reveal one of the most beautiful days of the year and as I sat at home watching the World's women's road race from Varese Italy unfurl, I had to bid farewell to Nicole and Emma and Sharon to make the start at 3.30. I went to sign on to find the event had been commuted and I along with several others were not best pleased as we had prepared for a '50'. There was nothing we could do the race was already on so I made the token gesture of removing my second bottle cage and waved goodbye to my distance aspirations for the year. I sat in the sun waiting for my time to go to the line, I had done an hour in the morning with a few hard efforts I knew I wanted to start fast but the prospect of a '25' meant an even more urgent beginning to my effort. When I got to the timekeeper the wind had dropped and the news from the early starters was tantalisingly promising.
I have Marina Bloom (Rugby CC) a minute infront, no slouch the last time we met I was throwing up at the side of the road in the 12 hour and we spent an hour in each others company as I suffered the worst of my half day misery. I had caught her in the first four miles as my pulse topped 160 and my speed over 30mph, I had to keep this up for the duration and the outward leg proved the tougher of the two with slight crosswind from the South. I was 15 seconds down on my target (5 min) man Charles Taylor (S Pennine RC) and I could see scratch man Barry Charlton 'on a bit of a charge' over half a minute up six minutes behind.
The second half was a blinder, my speed hardly dropped below 32mph as I engaged top and it stayed there (56 x 11) on the shorter return. I had caught my 2 and 3 minute men having a private battle closely followed by Marina's husband 5 minutes infront of her and a friend Paul Austin (Retford & Dist. Whs.) on his road bike because of his bad back (he thought he was riding a '50') I gave him a big shout as I passed ( he almost fell off his bike he told me later)
I was pushing all the way to the line and knew It would be close to the record (computer gone again!) but my final time of 50.46 (29.55 mph) was staggering, I coughed all the way back to the car, a 5 minute 44 second improvement a big chunk to take off in one go (more than I'd taken off my '100' time). Charlton ran out the winner 4th fastest of the year 49.14 (30.47 mph) Scott Povey (Shirley RC) already a 50 min man this year tantalisingly close to a sub 50 ride in 2nd spot 50.04 [ he came closer Last Sunday with 50.02 in the Port Talbot '25' while 'The Hutch' was doing a season's best 46.27 (32.29 mph)] and Taylor third 50.31 I'd managed to hold him on the way back. Marina best lady with 57.30 My time puts me in The top 15 fastest riders of the year.
So sorry Roger records are there to be broken and I had several attempts to crack the '10' in the season and while I set a PB I knew I would not get close again this year. And all this came out of the blue on a day when I thought I'd be riding an end of season event of no consequence, it had been brought to my attention that although this event was before the end of the month it was not a BBAR qualifier but I hope It's ratified as a proper 'Open' as there were quite a few PB's on the day for those that turned up.
Interesting to note my stats. for the event pretty much the same as last weeks '50' Av. HR 155 Max HR 165 but rpm 88 as opposed to a paltry 82 last week so I'm not as much of a grinder as I thought. On the way home Alan phoned to say Nicole had won the World Championship - Perfect day!

YRC '50'

Final events in the 2008 British Best All Rounder were completed this weekend (I have re-scheduled BDCA '50' next w/e but not BBAR qualifier) so while Paul Alderson was doing a 200 mile round trip to the Severn RC event on Sunday I had a second 250 mile trip up to North Yorkshire in two weeks for the Yorkshire RC event on Saturday afternoon.
The day was glorious and sunny for a change and I got quite excited at the prospect of not getting wet in a race (last time 27 July). No hold-ups on the way there so plenty of time to get ready and to the start. Once on the way in the race it was obvious not a 'float' and I had to struggle with the cross wind to keep up a good tempo, my pulse was above 90% from the start and there was no point where I felt comfortable or 'ontop' of the ride. I went through 25m in 56 minutes so I knew a PB was out of the question but I pressed on for a placing, I tried to pick it up on the fast sections and not loose time on the tougher parts but I was going so far into the red that I knew I would pay for it later, sure enough in the end the body said enough and with average pulse of 154 and max at 167 this felt like a '10' or '25' effort I was way over my normal comfort zone for the longer distances
I ended up in 6th place with a time of 1.52.10
I was interested to see what Ex. Comp Record holder Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs.) would do and he didn't disappoint, his time of 1.41.44 was a clear winner in only his 3rd or 4th outing of the season. This ride was done on a mountain bike with triple chainset (in this respect he was copying myself who used one in the early season) modified with aero bars and TT wheels. He had ridden this to 283 mile win in the W Cheshire 12 Hr. (to make up the team!) and only lacked a '100' mile time which would have put him in the top 5 of the BBAR.
Photo's courtesy of cyclingimages.co.uk

GHS Final 11 Sept 1976

I just noticed Tom Nason In the GHS Final in N London on Sunday, when I raced as a schoolboy, we rode as a team in the GHS final in 1976, we used to compete for our schools in those days and myself, brother Phil and Steve Gowar (in my year at Dunraven in South London) Together we had won the team in the English Schools Cycling Association National Championship 2 months earlier with a National Record so we had high hopes to repete this in the GHS
I was 'allowed' to use a 93" top gear for this event, I was only 14 and 6 months old compared to Steve just comming up to his 15 year and Phil nearly 16 (believe me it made alot of difference in those days). The course was the 010/2 on the A1 near Chesterfield was possibly the fastest course in the country at that time, this is what it said in my racing diary about the event
The wind was going the wrong way for superfast times, started very slow and dident get going till about 3 miles. Realy tried hard and fought the headwind. Coming back was a real flyer and I had to keep twiddling to the finish. Was fairly pleased with my effort though we lost all hope of the team when Steve puntured. Though we would not have won it from the Hendon
Local boy Ian Gilbert won the event with 22.28
Self 25.37 (my PB was 25.24 done on a 81" fixed in the ESCA final)
Phil 23.39
Steve DNF
We had beaten the Hendon in the ESCA event but they had some good riders Steve Bent I remember but they were all Phil's age, Steve and I would not get another chance to compete for the GHS although we did defend our ESCA team title in Liverpool the next year with a very young brother Alan.

Good luck to Tom (No72) on Sunday

Swift Therapy for '100' Blues (in the style of The Sun)

My season long course of Hundred mile aversion therapy was successfully completed at the weekend, the distance I find most difficult to do well , with my seventh and final session in the Team Swift '100' event in North Yorkshire. After competing in four '100's on fast roads the last couple of years I decided to ride on a greater variety of courses, this summer usually meant a hard slog around 'B' roads in variable weather conditions to good results but very slow times. The one exception to this being the N Midd'x & Hert's which I won and gave me a time of 3.54 for my BBAR, before the weekend I was placed 15th in this competition which requires a '50', '100' and 12 hr. to be completed with 0.016mph improvement on last season thus far.

Sunbathing Yorkshire style

There have not been that many fast '100' mile events this year so far and quite a few riders had alot to gain (more than me) in this the last event of the year, and a potentially fast one I did a PB and broke the Club Record in it last year. As Fiona drove up the A1 two hours North of Leicester the sky became quite blue and the sun came out, quite at odds with the flooded fields and swollen rivers, they had obviously had alot of water in the last couple of days. The organisers had made provision to use another (slower) course should this one on the A168/19 on the edge of the N. Yorkshire Moors prove un-usable on the day.
I sat in the car park sunning myself thinking back to last weeks Inter-Club when we all got drenched (once again) and my last dry race over a month ago, where had the summer gone? A short ride to the start I had Carl Ruebotham from the promoting club 5 mins infront and Paul Holdsworth 5 Min's behind, I would use these two as my target men try and not get too far behind the former (currently third in the BAR) and 'have a go' at beating the latter who had caused me so many problems in the Nat 12 Hr. I started fast under the impression that the wind was from the South and I had a steady climb up past Knayton to the turn at the A684 at Ellerbeck, on the return south I realised I had a following wind and my speed hardly dipped below 30mph (56 x 11 x 110 rpm = 42mph) back at Disforth (34m) the first lap completed I was only a minute down on Ruebotham so I knew I was going well, my computer had packed up (again) so I only had HR and my clock to guide me on my race, I was up on Holdsworth by a minute. The second circuit I felt the gentle climb up to the far turn alot more and the wind was getting up, the weather was deteriorating and large black clouds were hovering over the moors.

Fresh from another soaking


I asked Fiona for coffee as my legs felt tight from using a big gear into the wind (I was using my 50 inner!) The caffeine helps I find but we missed three times and we were in a torrential downpour by the time she got it to me. The rain was bouncing 6 inches off the road and was very soon awash and I was riding the ridge in the tarmac to keep out the worst, it continued for 15-20 minutes until I reached Disforth for a second time I was 2 minutes down on Ruebotham but well clear of all my usual rivals, I was pulling clear and knew I was doing a good ride but this is where things can go wrong as your effort and your pacing have to equal to your physical and mental preparation. The final time to the final turn at 87 miles I just put it in a big gear, not my usual style (70rpm) but I had the strength for it after a long season and I suspect that my computer reading 20mph was wrong but I pressed on regardless, I was utterly soaked but it had stopped raining. Going into the final turn I saw Ruebotham and I was level (he must have had trouble?) The roads up this end were rivers of water and I was frightened I might puncture as there was grit all over.
On the way back for the final time I was getting cramp in my thigh (not now!) I had to put my gear down and 'spin it' out a bit but on every rise I could feel it there like a snake waiting to sink its fangs into my leg. Fiona was jumping up and down at the side of the road, she does not usually get this animated but she sensed that I was onto a ride, the cramp meant the finish came along before I could get it all out and 15 minutes inside my start time meant 3.45.55 I almost couldn't believe it as my computer has gone wrong so many times recently and given me the wrong data

New PB and a Club Record by over 5 minutes

Riding back to the HQ the River Ure in Ripon had burst it's banks and we had to detour everybody in their wet racing gear, but nobody wanting to ride their best wheels through the mire (Vince Macklam had broken his leg in 3 places last year hitting a drain on flooded roads riding back to the HQ after winning the Yorkshire '50') luckily Fiona had given me a top, I was still a bit stunned by the time, I'd taken another 2 minutes out of Ruebotham in the last 13m downwind leg! I'd beaten some top riders. Special mention does have to go to Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) who did the fastest '100' of the year a spectacular 3.32.23 puts him in the top 10 of all time in what was far from perfect conditions. He even put over 5 minutes into 2nd place Ian Cammish (The King of the '100's) having his best season for years at 51 and looking like being runner up in the BBAR.

Bank Holiday Racing x 3

A week after the 12 Hour I felt like a little light sport so I'd entered three events over the holiday weekend! We had a bit of a mad dash back from Devon on the Friday, while we were packing up the car Phil Rayner and partner came past, we were having coffee on the (raised) veranda when we saw them on bikes below us, our friends own the last house (The Point) on the dead end through Noss Mayo so we knew they would be back in 10 minutes. "You riding the LVRC National on Sunday" just down for a couple of days visiting family. Strange co-incidence but this part of Devon is like Piccadilly Circus, if you wait here long enough everybody will eventually go past.
VTTA National '50' on the Saturday at Cranage just north of Holmes Chapel (Circuit that goes around Jodrel Bank Observatory) I was one of the favourites, the event was delayed by two hours while traffic lights were cleared off the course so I didn't start until 5 O'clock, I fell asleep in the (warm) car and only woke up with 10 minutes to get to the start. Three laps of a 17 mile course I started well but came up short on the last lap as the rain poured down and the wind got up although I beat all the late started unusually the winning three all came from the front half of the field who had calmer conditions, my time a modest 1.58.00 good enough for 5th place.
The LVRC Nationals on the Sunday only started at 11.00 so I had a bit of a lie in on my usual Sunday morning not having got in from the previous day until 9.00pm. I decided to have a bit of a 'sit in' for the first lap but the course around Napton in Warwick shire (beware places that have windmills on their town signs!) is pretty tough. I knew the course from two years ago when I was just getting fit and I had trouble on the hills, make sure to be at the front on the major climbs to be at the back at the top. A group of 8-10 went away immediately and it took a lap for up to get organised but soon it was through and off for everybody, except those who had men in the break (lucky bastards!)
Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury), Malcolm Smith (Fenland Cl.) and Simon Day (Go Sport) were the main agitators having missed the move but everybody did their bit and my legs coming back to life I was feeling OK, a big lap of 20 miles and the back half was up and down all the time like a Roller Coaster, gradually the group got smaller and the big hill at Priors Marsden really tested the legs. Last time up the hill and we had absorbed the break, Eagers and Paul Stubbs from the promoting MI Racing made a break, I got up to them but had twinges of cramp so took it easy up the climb being the last man to get back in the dwindling bunch over the top. The two leaders had 30 seconds and the bunch was at sixes and sevens over the chase, we were all pretty knackered but then I had another attack of cramp in both calves and thighs both legs and it was agony, I could not continue with the bunch and by the time i recovered they were 30 seconds up the road. I chased to the finish but never regained the pack Stubbs won it from Eagers and Ex-Pro Steve Marrows (GB Fire) winning the bunch sprint, myself about 15th.
Ben Luckwell (Sports Beans) won the A race from Geoff Giddings (MI Racing) and Roy Chamberlain (Team MK) Phil Rayner packed last time up the hill "Too Hilly for me" never mind at 44 he will be in the B race with me next year.
I had entered a 2 Up on the Monday, I probably would have given it a miss if it had been solo as I could feel the effects of the cramp from the day before, but my partner (Triathlete Mark White) and I had unfinished business after our one second miss in the Zenith event a couple of months ago. It was another miserable morning chilly and brisk for the Coalville Whs. event over two laps of the Gryffydam circuit (25 miles). We had a good first lap catching out 2 minute men just after the first lap but I was suffering and we could not shed them and they stayed with us until the finish
Mark and my time of 57.51 only good enough for 5th on the day behind Matt Botrill and Geoff Platts (De Rosa) 53.06 (new course record) 2nd Wayne Randall (Planet X)/ Nigel Haigh (Sportscover) 54.26 I went home to have a lie down

CTT National 12 Hr (ECCA)

I've had a week to reflect on this event, no result is yet available as the organisers try and unravel the complexities of the four circuts and the 104 competing in the National event. As defending the 45-50 age group I felt I could go better than last year but the recent spat of weather made me anxious for the half day to come. Sure enough we were greeted with slight rain and wind the first riders setting off with lights in the darkness at 5.00am. Fellow SWRC rider Paul Alderson and I were 12 minutes apart over an hour later as weak light reflected the wet roads.

Dream Time

He has ridden this one before, he says the finish is bad, all I am concerned with is the start, get on the road, see how you feel banish the preparation get on with the event.
Always alot to do before the off but it is the culmination of alot of preparation long rides to nowhere, races sacrificed to the hope of a better harvest, the bike, the food, spares no sleep in the Travelodge the night before just lie awake behind your eyelids going over all the possibilities for the next day, I have Fiona and Adrian out to help and Paul's wife and daughter are there to overcome any eventuality that may occur on the roads between Cambridge and Newmarket.
The first part, the fast part on the A11/A14 is busy for Six O'clock in the morning, I have started fast, Is it too fast? I can see my minute man Paul Holdsworth (No 80) up ahead, I'm closing in on him, do I lay back and use him as a pacemaker? He's sure to be in the top 5 but it begins to rain, soon it is lashing down as we approach the first turn at Red Lodge (23.5m). In front of me I see what looks like a SWRC jersey, It' Paul he's had two punctures and looking grim, we exchange a shout water is everywhere. On the return I catch my minute man, I've done the first 25m in 57 minutes, the bad weather makes me anxious to ride hard and get away, to where? There is only the road and the rain but I feel good there is no pain yet!
South the rain eases off but I am drenched Four Went Ways roundabout comes and goes 50 miles in 1.57 I've calmed down a bit, there are lots of riders at the side of the road with punctures I shout for my phone to be passed up I dread wasting my good beginning.

Nightmare - I have company

Up to Red Lodge for a second drenching, it rains even harder and I ask for warm coffee, but by the time I get to drink it it's luke warm but the rain has abated and we are turning onto the second circut at Six Mile Bottom. Holdsworth goes past me after using me as a pacemaker, that's the last I'll see of him I think to myself, I have to settle into the 'B' roads, keep the gears down, minimise the time lost on every incline of this lumpy circut. I go past rider after rider and a few stick with me, try not to get distracted it's a difficult transition, I see Keith Coffey (No 70) stretched out on the grass with cramp(DNF).
In the distance can it be? Holdsworth is coming back to me, we exchange a grim glance as we pass he is suffering more than me, but I will suffer sure the pain begins to bite, you just have to see it through to the end, 12 hours everybody does the same. 150 miles in 6.22 only 6 minutes up on last year but it's been rough and the finish is yet to come. We are turned onto the 3rd circut 10 miles away down the A11 near Duxford, Holdsworth sits on my wheel an official has to stop his car and warn him for taking pace, it must be bad for him. We have been turned two laps early and my back-up do not know where I am, I have no drink for 25 miles and begin to feel sick and disorientated. Holdsworth leaves me for dead, it's my turn to suffer
I have to call for help but I cannot get my phone off lock "I'm at the far end of the circut" I screech to the distant panic and when they find me I roll to a stop at the side of the road, I drink it all up 'carb', water & cola and then a ravaging hunger soon after as my body comes back to life from its dormant state.
The next 40 or 50 miles go by in a blur of bile and sweat and as I fight to maintain my speed and dignity, my body rejects the effort to perform and my mind does somersaults to stem the wish to stop, at one point I stop to be sick at the side of the road, but there is nothing there it is full on war the body and the mind battle to resolve the conflict.

Feeding time - Adrian hands me fruit in a cup

I have to change bikes as I have broken an armrest but the spare is too different and compresses my shoulders luckily Adrian is able to effect a repair and I am back in the 'Sigma' like laying on a sofa, the comfort permeates my body. Adrian gives me some fruit in a cup and it settles me down somewhat, I am dry now and the sun is quite warm, there are combine harvesters scooping up the fields of golden wheat but whatn will I reap?. The wind is still there pushing me back when I try to go faster, the roads pass under my wheels and onto the finishing circut.

Dreamy Mmmmm!

These roads are the worst yet, lumpy and rolling, a bad surface rattles your body and the wind is stronger than ever, but we cover the roads both ways and get a glimpse of the other riders everybody is moving in the same laconic way at the same reduced speed. Cammish the eventual Champion (284.54 miles) goes past "The worst roads on Essex" he shouts I thought we were in Cambridgeshire no matter. Andy Stuart is catching me again, I caught him 10 minutes at 100 miles and now a minute behind, he must have found his second wind, he catches me his bike sounds awful grinding under his effort. I re-pass and drop him as his effort is dissipated in the creaking carbon and dry bearings, I press on past my helpers another drink another sponge, "Thank you" Fiona.
My computer is up the spout (it says my Av. speed is 30mph!) I have no idea what I am doing but only 2 hours to go. With an hour to go I reset my computer to see how I'm going, after half a lap 22.5 mph not bad I could be on for 260 not what I had planned (276 23 mph Av.) but a decent effort. I'm brought out of mt daydream with a bang! A broken spoke in the front and it's the one with the magnet so it will not ride until I stop and wrap it around another spoke, my hands too tired to unscrew the 'bleeder'. I get a wheel change anyway Fiona is following along and a minute here and there but I lost my computer again.

Dream Team

I roll to a close in a lay by on the A505 within sight of Duxford aerodrome, the little planes had been buzzing overhead the second half of the ride, I was just aware of them as my concentration slipped on and off the race. Its getting dark by the time we get back to the HQ at Gt Chesterford, I see Paul he is OK with his 252.68 miles considering the start and the horrendous day. I have managed to defend my title with 263.88 miles, less than I'd hoped but good enough for a top ten on the day
There are lots of stories of events out on the road punctures, broken chains the wind and the rain, How? and Why? Did we manage to get through it? that particular battle is locked inside my head. o7ò


 Ian Cammish Blog Here

Title defended

My new car is a bike

Check out the comedienne Dave Gorman's blog

http://gormano.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-new-car.html

N Lancashire (VTTA) '100'

The omens for the weekend looked good!


Spent the weekend in the Lakes visiting family and ride another hundred mile time trial on roads I'd never crossed and places I'd never heard of, to be fair I did a middle 1.2 riding the Preston Wheelers '25' a couple of years ago on my road bike (I'd been over Hardknott and Wrynose Pass both ways the day before) along this part of the A6 near Garstang.
It was blowing up a storm the night before as I went out to recce a place to leave the car so I would have another bottle at 60 miles (Fiona wasn't stupid enough to get up at 5 and do the honours - this is after all her patch & she was having none of it!) The second part of the course (covered twice) went out through the Lune Valley along the coast through Preesall to the river Wyre,
To be fair it wasn't a bad morning as I was getting changed in the car by the roadside a farmer his dairy herd marched by and into a nearby field, good thing nothing on my bike is edible. "Mind not to go d'ount Snapewood Lane (to the start) said the 'sign on' man It's full of cow S***" now I know what he was talking about
I only had one person to look out for this morning the scratch man Jose Pinon Shaw of the ProBikeKit team, he was starting 5 minutes behind so simple to keep tabs on.
First bit easy along the A6 but then through pedestrianised Garstang shopping street with cobbles and all manner of traffic calming that I'd never had to negociate in a time trial before. Then a dead turn in the road, such a long time since I'd done one of those (circa 1977 on the old Hampton course I feel or maybe the Bath Road '50')


Lake Windermere Steamer 'The Swan'

Across Cockerhampton Moss a zig zag of dikes and gulley's, not much cover just reeds and bull rushes and cows. First leg on the A588 out to Hambleton not too bad catching my 2 and 4 minute men and up on Jose but only by half a minute, wind behind coming back lovely pick up a bottle and avoid the cow dung back on the A6. New computer is putting me at 2.10 at half way, I've been trying to do a calculated effort similar to the first part of the 12 Hr in two weeks time but I'm still having to try like mad and although the roads are lumpy and slow compared to dual carriageway I should not be going this bad, even if I go the same speed over the second half a 4.20 is way off the radar for my form.

I'm a little put off and the struggle goes out of my effort, you always think of quitting in the second half of a '100' but you struggle with the thought of stopping and that always seems worse than the pain and the struggle to continue. I have a gel, have something to drink and continue. I appear out in front, shopping precinct, dead turn, cow dung. Then the second leg into the wind, its getting up a bit, I'm catching riders all struggling more than me, keep your gears down, keep it at 90rpm it's nothing compared to the 12 Hr in a few weeks, it's all good, every pedal rev will get me to the finish

Around the last turn with 15 miles to go I was level with Jose but it was obvious my calibration on my computer was wrong, it was only 9 miles to the finish which came up at 94 miles in 4.08.27, I had miscalculated my effort, Jose beat me by by 36 seconds (4.07.51)


Not a cow!

Doubling Up

I've ridden a couple of '10's on my new 'Fixed' TT bike in the last few weeks to get the position right and experiment with gearing, way back in the distant past we used to ride 'Fixed' but were more than likely to restrict ourselves to a gear in the 80" or low 90"s (inches) which is what we used on the track.
Since then (post Obree) gearing with a 'Fixed' has never been so modest and gears above 100" is the norm and I've seen riders with gears 10 or 20 inches bigger (Chris Boardman did Competition Record 45.57 on 110" 'Fixed')
I only found out mid-week that my entry for the Saturdays Shaftsbury '50' had not been received so my attempt to do 'back to back' 50s at the weekend was thwarted. I was going to ride my TT bike on the Saturday event and a 'Fixed' in the Icknield '50' on the A1 at Bedford on Sunday
As it turned out on Saturday Michael Hutchinson (In-Gear) beat competition record by nearly 2 minutes with a winning time of 1.35.27 (Av 31.43mph or 5 x 19.05 '10's) from Ian Cammish (Planet X) 1.41.41
Cammish turned up at the Icknield event and would have been expected to win but his time of 1.47.10 was only good enough for 2nd place (again) beaten by Jason Gurney (Team MK) 1.46.43 obviously suffering the effects of the day before. The day started beautifully as the large orange sun rose in the distance as I drove to the start. The sort of day that time triallists dream of, warm for my 6.30am start without a breath of wind. I started fast on gears and tried to up the pace after the short first leg down the A1 to Sandy, but my average speed never topped 28mph and my legs felt a bit dead so I knew I would have to 'push it on' and that is always less comfortable. I was 5th at half distance in 55.08 but dropped a position with my final time of 1.51.25 (27.1mph Av.)
Paul Holdsworth also doubling up won the Middlesex '50' in 1.51.33 (See Simon's exploits - below) after 1.45.49 the day before for 6th

Shaftsbury '50'
Icknield '50'
Middlesex '50'

National '100' (West Wales Cyclist League)

Staying in the heart of the 'Valleys' at Merthyr Tydfil on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, Fiona & I ventured into town to find something to eat and found our self in a cartoon world of Saturday night which is repeated all over the country from Newcastle to Plymouth, after a Chinese (which cost less than £22) we decided to leave 'Gavin & Stacy' to their evening entertainment and retired to our just finished Travelodge it smelt of carpets and paint like a new car.
We drove over the stunning Brecon Beacons in the weak early morning light and along the first leg of the course on the A40, the only in cling I had of the course was the word 'Lumpy' as described on TT Forum in the week, I was horrified how hilly the road was, up and down It looked like the field was in for a tough day.

I was hoping for a top 15 placing and perhaps to win my age category so what was needed was a solid performance rather than a stunning ride, I started with this in mind and what I knew was to come and hoped the second half was not so tough. I caught my minute man at 20 miles but could not drop him on the undulating roads we passed and re-passed each other and I only dropped him in the last 20 miles for another minute, Paul Holdsworth (3.57.30) caught me for 5 minutes at 50 miles and I was a couple of minutes outside 2 hours and just prepared to survive the rest of the ride.

We were fighting a rising wind to the western end at Abergwili and my speed had stayed fairly constant at 24.4mph I had a brief second wind when my Av. speed rose a few points but with 5 to go I was praying for it to be over. Kevin Dawson (3.42.22) the eventual champion caught me for 25 minutes with a couple of miles to go he hardly seem to have been affected by the 3000ft of climbing as he headed to a near 27mph Av. Second was defending champion Richard Prebble (3.46.43) and on form Andrew Baston (3.48.01) perhaps a little disapinting in 3rd after getting 2nd in the '50' title where he beat Dawson. The women's champion was Ruth Eyles (4.19.03) with a clean sweep for Midlands clubs
I finished 3rd in my age category in 4.08.25 some way behind the winner Dave Birch (3.56.19) of the Stourbridge Velo (Full Result here)

National '100' Champions 2008 Kevin Dawson & Ruth Eyles
BikeRadar have started to compete with Cycling Weekly with their non existent coverage of domestic time trialling scene (some good pics as well)

SWRC win in N Middx & Herts CA '100'

When you are the fastest rider in the field the 'last man' the 'scratch man' if you will, as I was on Sunday in the North Middlesex & Hertfordshire CA '100' you would expect to win wouldn't you? The extra pressure of expectation on 'the win' is different from that when you are going for a personal best, there is a steady build up of pressure from the time you get a start sheet and your name leaps out 'favourite'. Other riders will say in their mind "If I beat him I will have done a good ride" You put pressure on yourself to do a good ride when you think you can do a PB, but the pressure is yours to control and is used to psyche yourself up for the event, of course the feeling of doing a good ride or even a PB is only experienced in the event as you push yourself to the finish and get the time you want but If your ride does not materialise there is always another event. It's not so simple when you are the favourite, there is a weight of expectation, dealing with this pressure is usually what marks out a good rider from a great rider. Thankfully I am only in this position occasionally, I am usually aiming to beat this or that rider and when I do I know I have done a good ride. Riders who win all the time will say that they expect to win but underneath being a winner is more of a mental battle than a physical one and in sport we prepare our self for the latter and its the rider who has the greatest need or the more experience that is better prepared in the former department and gets the elusive win
Sure I've won a few Road Races and I've been close (like 1 second as in the recent Zenith 2Up) but my last and only win in an CTT (RTTC then) 'open' event was over a quarter of a century ago in June 1982. A ride I still consider to be my finest, to win the Hertfordshire Whs '30' on the E72 in 1.4.32 in my diary it said "I used nothing less than 53 x 13 and the ride was effortless" I was supremely fit (read over trained) as is the want of young athletes with dreams of being 'the best' with more energy than they know what to do with. I was mainly riding on the track and put a good one together for the day over the 'testers' ably supported on the day by my brother Phil who would have been the winner himself if I had not been there but a shade under 4 minutes back in second spot. (For the H/c prize the positions were reversed) On that day I was truly storming, I was off number 5 and I had caught everybody in front of me by five miles, and it was a bit of a shock for some of the marshall's who were still sitting in their cars as I sped along the A27 to my destiny. I must have had some form as I broke the Club '50' record a week later. In that event I had a double wheel change at 25 miles for broken spokes (and a slow puncture for the last 5 miles). I remember standing by the side of the road while my dad changed both wheels and cheering Ian Cammish who won that day had not caught me for 3 min at this point, he went on to do a 1.45, I had to be satisfied with a PB of 1.57
On Sunday the course of the winner did not run perfectly, I had to dismount at 12 miles to 'jiggy' my rear mech which the cable had become seized, and as I set off again my chain wedged between the chain rings but I do not think it delayed me much more than a minute and a half. Alan who had come out to help did a magnificent job keeping tabs on the opposition and I was up all the way until the end of the race when he spotted the eventual second Andy Stuart (VC St Raphael) with no previous time to his name somewhat of a 'ringer' and level with 10 miles to go. Fortunately I had kept a bit in the tank knowing that the finish had a sting in the tail and I pulled out my winning margin of 30 seconds here.
When people look back all they remember is the winner, as Paul Alderson reminded me your name goes in next years handbook for a year of posterity but as another 'Champion' always says to me " a win is for all eternity" nobody can take it away like a record or even a PB. And that is the same for a club event or a National Championship, winning is an elusive and fickle sensation and while I have only experienced it occasionally and fleetingly in a time trial I find it very agreeable just now. Next week the National Championship '100' in Wales I shall be back in my customary and more comfortable position