Banking Crisis - National '50'

National Fancy Dress Mechanic - 1st Prize

Jon - Ready for the off - note the matching Gel

Jon Thomas and I had a pretty torrid time at the weekend in the Nat '50' held over three windswept laps of the South Manchester course near Holmes Chapel. Moved from the Uber fast A50 some of the speed gloss had been lost but the organisers had done a good job to re-locate the 190 rider (150 men & 40 women) field to another location albeit two hours later in the day.
Jon & I were over an hour apart so we just had to get on with our own preparation, I chose to do my usual 'Spin and Stretch' in the morning while Jon prefers 40 minutes on the Turbo to build up a head of steam. The women were well into their race when I went out on the course to do a bit of pre-race warmup, I gave Jon a cheer as he went past on the Old A50 with a surface like a ploughed field you had to move around to find the best line and 2 or 3 blind corners all to the frisson of danger but the event was well marshalled and there were no incidents although I saw plenty of riders with a line of cars on their tail as there were precious few places to pass. I went to the timekeeper a minute behind Andy Jackson (Pedalsport) a mere youngster at 33 but he only beat me by 2 minutes in last weeks '100' so I had a good target to chase but also Steven Whitewick (UTAG Yahama) a minute behind one of the fastest in my age group so I was a hare as well as a hound.
Mick Ward who I'd been to stay with last week in Shropshire was here again today, with a personal interest, he was the National '50' champion 50 years ago (and the last winner on a 'fixed' before gears became ubiquitous (until Obree) a sprightly 75 years he was my mentor for the day although so much has chanced from when he was racing it's always good to have a steady influence on a big day. To be honest if had needed to do a storming ride I would not have raced twice in the week but I too have my aim on other events and in the light of its changed venue this race had just become another 'training' ride at the end of a hard week, it was touch and go if my legs had recovered (from Thursday)
As soon as I began I knew the truth that they had not and I was in for a bit of a battering as Mick had said on his reconnaissance "I cannot tell which way the wind is blowing, it all seems hard" my reply was "No problem Mick wind is not a problem in these days of 'Aero'" less of a problem yes but when your legs fail you that can be a problem. I tried to make it work, settle into a pattern, as fast as my legs would stand but there was no getting away from the truth, I'd left my effort on the tarmac at Mallory Park. Now my only task to finish the race, because of the laps there was lots of overlapping, Mark Holton (Shorter RT) 1.49.13 (eventual 6th) caught and passed me on his 2nd and then young team mate Adam Duggleby (my 2MM) going just as smooth and only slightly slower 1.52.18 I pressed on to half way just over the 58 minute mark with a sinking heart, Whitewick had come and gone and I felt no stomach for the fight, I caught riders on their final lap, I envy them, I know I will be slower then as well. As it begins to rain, but then does not the wind on the verge of stormy blew the trees and Jodrell Bank telescope in the vertical position (a sure sign) less it acts like a sail (apparently), you notice too much when the race does not have your attention.

With so many riders on the course, I thought I would catch (or be caught more!) but from half way I only caught one and it was a long and lonely lap to the finish, I will fight another day and to be fair I was not too perturbed by my result as I feel I have turned the corner 7 days before when I had the stomach and the legs, today I only had the appetite for a fight and once that was sated I was happy to finish bent but unbroken. Jon on the other hand had a much more difficult time, plagued with cramp almost from the off he thinks a combination of disrupted preparation and flying too and fro across the Atlantic played havoc with his physical state and its hard not to disagree, as the saying goes "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail" but when out of your control a bitter pill to swallow, his eventual time 2.09.06 not a ride he will want to remember.
I managed an hour for the second half 1.58.16 for 51st place, 6th in my age group which was won by local man and course record holder (until today) Chas McCulloch (Shorter again!) 1.47.10 for a magnificent 3rd overall a mere 2 seconds behind Matt Bottrill (I-Ride RT - formerly De Rosa RT) and my tip for the day on a course more suited to the road man than the pure time traillist. However it was a purest who won the day, once again and champion (& for the 10th time in a row) Michael Hutchinson (In Gear) 1.43.18 an astounding ride on a sporting course, a negative split after 52.05 for the first half and a last 10 miles in 19.17
We gathered for the presentation at the HQ away from the stormy weather, most riders had a story to tell of racing on the lanes of Cheshire, Fiona and Mick met early starter McCulloch on the course (very nice man!) who told of a heart fibrillation attack which saw his pulse over 300 which makes his medal all the more remarkable. The prizes were presented by a youthful Barry Hoban Champion in 1961 a mere 48 years I think Mick was hard done by! Womens race won by Julia Shaw (Utag Yahama) 1.54.40 who like Hutchinson makes a clean sweep of the '10','25' & '50' titles
Mick & Hutch discuss pacing and the jacket of his book



I had a chat with Hutch (flogging his sailing book) about race pacing but more impressed with meeting Jonny Helms of the promoting club (Warrington RC) and Cycling cartoonist for 67 years, Mick was my drawing teacher from Leicester Poly (25 years ago) apparently I was the first person he spoke to in his 'New job' the result will stand but the stories make the day


Podium McCulloch 3rd - Champ Hutch - Hoban (1961 Winner) - Bottrill 2nd

Mallory Park #9 (Tues & Thurs) Re-visited

This week a double helping of criterium action on the open expanse of Mallory Park motor racing circuit, used for the 1970 World Champ's so been graced by some noted cycling talent including current BC coaching supremo Doug Dailey, that was my first visit to Leicester when Edward Heath had just been voted in as Prime Minister and Brazil defeats Italy 4-0 in the World Cup Final


On the Tuesday 3/4/L/J always a big field (50 this week) and I'm always one of the last to sign on although I only work six miles away, I always ride up so no need for a warm up but tonight a lovely warm evening and I won two weeks ago so I get a few annoyed looks as I dash up last thing and get my number.
Race follows a similar pattern each week as those there to race make a break for it and those that follow the wheels in the indolent bunch weaves and wallows after them in fits and starts, I usually try and get in the break as I get a steady ride for my TT legs won't stand all that stop & start action and I'm usually after a bit of midweek rest bite action away from training on my own.


Down from a 2nd cat last year so I have the option of Tues or Thurs which suits as the latter is usually too hard a race close to the weekend and I can pick and choose how hard I make the racing for myself, on this occasion after a good race at the w/e I feel up for a bit more and I'm off the front with a couple of others ?? (Ashfield RC) and Paul Wain (MI Racing), after 10 laps we are pulled back and Richard Wittaker (Derby Mer.) goes again and quickly gets 30 seconds with Wain I do not have a bottle but Fiona arrives just in the nick of time to hand one up with 10 to go, I have tried to stimulate the bunch into chasing but in the end have to take off with Ex Pro Richard Birkin (Ashfield RC) and 'old stager' Jeff Jones (Websters) who knows how to follow the race and get in the 'moves' but not got it in his legs to make it all the way and we shed him otherwise we are going too slow to close the gap. We gradually make our way up to the leading duo with 2 laps left, I feel strong but Wain is also looking good and so it proves in the finishing sprint I have him on my wheel as I lead out the sprint and he comes past me in the sprint and I have to settle for 2nd. Should I have gone for a long one?


On the Thurs a different matter all together, E/1/2/3 and a smaller field (Only 20) but plenty of quality and the Big Guns (Pro's) riding the City Centre Series so I can hang on as the pace tends to be fast/very fast and my poor old legs give up. Again a few skirmishes lead to me being away with another Ashfield RC rider Liam Hallam and we work well in the Windy/Blustery conditions a couple get up to us and we are all pulled back, then Phil Howell(Boneshaker), Lewis Cowley (Plan B) and Matt Jennings (Cyclebargains) make a break and have over 30 seconds as the bunch fights itself and I try and hang on, again Owain Lovell (Ashfield RC) goes and we make a working partnership again, two others Matt Jennings (Cyclebargains) & Llwellyn Byrne (SIS) and we are a smooth working quartet and I feel happy away from the schizophrenic bunch. We pull up to the trio and the bunch is half a lap down as we enter the last 10 laps, with six to go the attacks start and I can manage one or two but get tailed off after doing a large percentage of the work (to get up to the front and that's what I'm here for & how I like it!) with 5 to go, a lone rider David Brown (??) catches me and I hang on to the bell but loose it last time up the hill and come in on my own in 8th but best 3rd cat rider. A very hard evenings work and the sweat has been pouring off my peak all night but my legs felt good and didn't give out until the end so I know I'm on top form for the National 50 on Saturday

Tuesday result here
Thursday result here

8th but happy (1st Third Cat)

BDCA '100' (Reel around the Fountain)

Paul Alderson made the long trip up to the Midlands in an effort to unlock his form in a season where he is doing more Road Racing and frustratingly finds himself unable to turn on his 'Testing' legs, but experience counts for alot over the longer distances and Paul is a man with a mission to unlock the form he had earlier in the year

Paul away from the bustle of the A50 on the dog leg to Doveridge

I did not see him go to the line as he was in the first wave (No 25) and me over an hour later (No 100) so he was well on the road in the sweltering heat of a June day that had be forecast to be overcast. Thankfully the sirocco winds which blew last year were absent although because of roadworks they were using the modified three lap course instead of the usual (and faster) two lap course which goes all the way up to Blyth Bridge.
I had a team of helpers which is a boon under these conditions, Fiona as Executive Chef and Adrian her Sous, I did not have to worry too much about my feeding strategy later in the race as they handed me what I needed but even they ran out of water as the race progressed and ended up a little dehydrated themselves. I just took a couple of Gels a 750ml of Carbohydrate mix and a 500ml of water at the start and Fi had orders to get bottle to me before half way.

I started cautiously as we had a slight headwind for the first 25 miles including a couple of dog legs at Doveridge (covered every lap) and to the JCB factory along the B5030 north of Uttoxeter (only the once). A fishing competition was taking place in the private lake in the factory grounds and the scene looked idyllic and I wondered as I punched my way along what the appeal was of sitting by the water staring at a float?

Once I got back on the A50 things picked up (25m in 56.50) and my speed increased from 26.4 to 27mph at the end of the first lap, I was a bit shocked to be passed by No 102 going very well but when 30 seconds up the road he stopped gaining and when we headed back up the A50 he began to come back to me on every slope and hard section. I re-passed him with a glance as if to say this is a 100 mile race on the hardest section of the course the Doveridge dogleg although not yet at half way I was far from sure of my own pacing but I felt I was moving well and my preparation and experience was finally paying dividends. Fifty mlies came and went in 1.53.30 and my confidence grew on the easy(ier) section and I had the luxury of pouring water on my legs to cool them something you cannot do if you are only caring enough liquid to cover the distance, the shoulders of my skin suit had a layer of salt and my face a host of flies and fluff drifting across the late afternoon sky as the heat went out of the day and I felt more comfortable. I shouted at Paul as our paths crossed, he was catching a group of 5-6 riders on his final lap, he looked like he was in a Road Race.
The evening was fairly becalmed and once in the final third of the race I began to feel confident although it was not until 12 miles to go that I knew I would get inside my target time (3.50). I was pulling back time on Andy Jackson (Pedalsport) 10 minutes in front but last time up the dogleg I took a bottle of coffee as a booster and to clear the taste of sickly carb drink from my pallet. I finished with a bit of a flourish but It was the best section of the course and I could feel all that resistance melting under the force of my attack which is how you want to feel at the end of an event not slogging it out to the line.

My final time 3.47.52 for 9th place only 2 minutes outside my best which I would surely have bettered on the original course but better still only 10 minutes behind the winner Sean Childs (Royal Navy) 3.37.18 who beat me by 10 minutes in the Lea Valley '50' two weeks ago so definitely something to build on rather than a negative. Paul had a bit of a torrid time with erroneous computer which led him to believe he was going slower than he was and lost heart as a result (something that happened to me in a '100' last year and leaves you demoralised just at the point you need mental strength) He said he perked up in the second half to finish strongly although both of us suffered with cramp on the last lap a result of the big gears and de hydration. He finished in a respectable 4.04.22 his experience at riding these sort of distances paid off in the end and many who started too fast suffered in the second half.
No racing for me on the Sunday, Fi went back to Leicester with the kit and I went off with Adrian to Shropshire for a day of R & R, there was no sign of roadworks on the A50 at Blyth Br. just a few signs saying it might happen!! and on the Sunday did 35 miles at under 14mph with two stops(Lunch and Tea) while Sean Childs was doing a 1.47 and winning the Camel Valley '50' back down in Devon some people never give it a rest. The National '50' next week which Jon and myself are riding was also supposed to be on the A50 (starting at Blyth Br.) but that has also had to be moved to a three lap course at Jodrell Bank (S Manchester) which should be fun as riders will be spaced at 20 second intervals as they fill up the course on minor roads with Saturday traffic and a farmer who apparently drives his herd across the road at 4 O'clock for milking right when the race is in full swing, nice!
Look forward to a full report next week


Touring the Shropshire lanes


Cafe on the canal at Oswestry

D Day and a 'Bit of Berty'

A bit of a mixed bag this weekend with all my racing crammed into a 12 hour period between finishing the Headnor Clarion '10' at 19:36:23 on Saturday evening on the A50 and starting the Hitchin Nomads '25' at 7:35 on the Sunday, a little matter of travelling 50 miles home/shower/eat and then travel a hundred miles to Bedford sleep/eat and get to the Tempsford HQ on the A1.
My ride on the Saturday was the stronger of the two events 21.23 for 4th place but only 3 seconds off being the runner up to Martin Gardiner (Team I Ride) out on his own in 20.48 The conditions were windy and I had to trade off the bigger gear as I was on a 'fixed' for a change, after riding around in 90" and deciding that anything bigger than on 102.5" would be impossible to keep going on the harder return. I was at the turn at 30mph but 20 seconds down on my minute man Mark Shardlow (Derby Mercury) the eventual 2nd placed rider but only by 3 seconds at the finish Martin Oaks (Go Sport) squeezed in the middle a second faster than me.
People do keep coming up to me at races and saying "Are you the rider that rode in such and such an event in the early 80's" Usually I have to admit that I am, If they are very large or at all angry looking I do say quickly "It could have been one of my brothers!" Alan tells me he has used this tactic successfully as well. On this Occasion it was Chris Hubbard (Leicester RC) the same age as me and Ex of De Laune CC
(although he has always lived in Leicestershire!) and Dave Lloyd's Competition record day on the Q10/19 (his club's promotion), he had done a long 21 on the day and today did a not too shabby 22.08 for 13th.
The Hitchen event was an 'Old Skool' for me and organiser Ian Cammish clocked me at the start "Oy! Power" I checked that nobody was around before going bright red with embarrassment (blame it on the leg rub getting in my eyes) "I can dine out on that name for years to come" said I in some sort of response, well there are a host of lesser nicknames that I could be called so for TT royalty to give me such a grand moniker is a fine thing indeed. King Cammish informed me he was going S*** and would
be DNS, I could do with some of his problems as he stuffed me for seven minutes in the Lea Valley '50' last week (maybe it was motivation!)
The sky was grim and the rain was falling, spotting but cold and wet, lots of other DNS's wary of the conditions and the course a rider had been killed on this road a few weeks ago and we are still coming to terms with what we do week in week out on potentially dangerous roads. No time to do a proper warm up after a bare five hours sleep just ride to the start and get going, legs pretty stiff but a bit of a tail wind to the first turn at Sandy (2.5m) but now a long twelve mile pull into the wind on my Non Aero 'Lloydy' bike, legs not getting better in the cold and the wind. Caught my minute man at half way but struggled to drop him (he was on fixed) eventual 2nd Gareth Rose (Icknield RC) 1.01.58 and a 29th Wheeler on an Aero bike for
two minutes. On the way back I saw a line of traffic behind a Police car and my heart sank at the prospect of another rider caught in an accident but as it turned out just the Police stopping the traffic (& the race) to get a crashed car out of a ditch, I had been the last rider to get through (the 29th Wheeler and Gavin Hinxman (Welland Valley)- my minute man gave a wave as I went by). I was a bit put off by the thought of another accident and should I stop? But I ploughed on to the finish as the rain fell harder, I had said to Cammish I would be disappointed with an outside the hour ride and I knew it would be close but as it turned out I was 14 seconds over. The ride 2 miles down the A1 to a crossing point at Sandy and back coincided with the heavens opening and I was soaked and freezing by the time I got back to the car. I got the story of the 'hold up' and felt much better that nobody was hurt, but it had messed up the tail end of the race, seven DNF's to add to the 40 DNS's only 27 finishers. I took the honours in the Old Skool and pleasing 7th on the Open which was won by Tony Parks (N Bucks RC) with 57.38 Gavin Hinxman eventual 3rd in the Old Skool with 1.08.52 after a 7-8 minute hold up

Landslide win in Local Election

After a couple of weeks of doom a win to lighten the mood on Tuesday at Mallory Park in the 3/4/w/J 30 lap sunshine special. I'd had a rest since the weekend and only rode to the circuit to see how my legs feel, they felt as bad as when I began but the barmy evening the sight of the Mallory flag on the hairpin with not a jot of movement convinced me to ride, that and a bit of barracking from some of the other riders I was last of the 69 riders to sign on. In a fit of enthusiasm I attacked after a few laps, got a bit of a gap and waited for somebody(s) to get up to me, and waited, and waited, I waited for nearly 10 laps (at 1.3 miles a lap that is a B****y long way!) as one group after another got off the front of the bunch but then got consumed again. My legs were getting a bit tired, I could feel the weekend riding begin to tell, I began to give up hope and went slower up the hill, eventually a rider (Derby Mercury?) did get up to me and then he has the cheek to say "You been lapped?" To be honest I was offended, I almost sat up but then some more got up to us and we worked for a couple of laps and then it was over, the bunch washed over us and we were all one again. A few more attacks came to nothing but with the finish approaching three were away 20 seconds or so ahead, a good lead, I did a few hard turns on the front to try and get the bunch working or at least to keep the break within catching distance. A few more got up making 7 or 8 and they began to look like a bigger target. I attacked to No Man's Land where an A Taylor (Ashfield RC) rider was stranded, we worked a bit and then Matt Sinclair (Leicester RC) Mr local fastman - let me see if I can bend this bike out of shape with just the power of my puny 6'3" and 14 st body and another Simon Skeggs (Lutterworth CC) made their way up to our duo and we made like a team pursuit to the leading group, we were reducing the lead but laps were disappearing, on the penultimate lap we bridged the gap at the bottom of the hill, now anybody who has seen me race at MP in the last few years will know that a last lap break (A la Cancellara - I like to think) my trademark move and I didn't even think as we made contact I just went for it narrowly avoiding a gap closing on the inside of the bend (anybody on my wheel would not have made it) and I just put my head down. Even If I do say so myself, I won it by quite a distance, I've been caught with half a lap even a quarter lap (not that exciting), on the last chicane, on the last bend (beginning to warm up) on the hill and with a hundred meters to go (very exciting!) but still not in the top ten but today I came up trumps and all the self doubt washed away, that's the value of a win, a vindication of your tactics and a fillip for the soul, you are a winner! Everybody was pleased, at least the older ones who like to see the youngsters loose one in a while, and I can swagger back to the car and give Fiona the winners kiss on a sunny evening. Perfect Full Result Here

"Reasons to be cheerful, Part 3"

Jonathan Thomas and I both rode the Lea Valley '50' on the Saturday afternoon where we both posted PB's last year, sweltering hot weather which had made the past couple of days a welcome change to the rest of May greeted us as we turned up at the HQ. There was a bit of a breeze to take the edge off the heat and we discussed re-fueling strategy for the event as we had not faced yet this season, I opted for two 500ml (weak) bottles of 'mix' (one electrolyte one carbohydrate) and a couple of gels and drunk a bottle before I set off for the start five miles away at Six Mile Bottom on the A11 Newmarket Bypass
The heat from the concrete road was incredible as I stood at the starting point on one of the small bridges to cross the main road, a tailwind start helps settle you into your ride but as soon as I turned at Four Went Ways roundabout to re-trace the stiff headwind was a bit of a shock. I stayed with it keeping my PR steady at 154 but when 10 miles came up in 22.15 I knew I was in for a difficult ride. The wind from the West made this section of the A11 and then the A14 tougher than I expected and my Av Speed dropped a mile per hour to 26.3 at the Red Lodge roundabout, thankfully the dog leg along the A14 has been re-surfaced from last year and I did not have to pick a path through the potholes. Jon was having a bit of fun with a broken armrest and having to balance on the one Cirque du Soleil style (such a talented rider) but at least his knees were giving him less trouble
At the half way I was unexpectedly caught by my minute man but by then I was not on such a good ride and in such good shape, the struggle against the wind my legs were not feeling too good and rather than respond to the challenge I let the rider pass into the distance perhaps a minute as we re-traced our path down the A14 and A11 to the start and Four went ways for a second time. I'd taken both gels by this point as I tried to revive my performance but the downwind leg was not easy on the legs as I pushed a bigger gear to pull back some of the deficit, to my supprise my minute man was having a tough tome as we came into the final ten miles and I closed in on him. A fifty is far enough to get your pacing wrong especially in extremes of temperature and it must have been over 30 degrees at this point, I caught him with five miles to go just as eventual winner Sean Childs (RN&RM CA) caught us for nine minutes (him for 8) and going like a train in a much bigger gear than I could possible have attempted on this last section into the wind (even at the start of the race!) and the two caught men had to watch as he sped away. But we had a private battle to the finish, with me getting the better in the final mile albeit a minute down.
After the finish Childs disappeared in the Pub at the level crossing that makes this a commuting point into London during the week, he gestured to me for having a pint, to be fair I could have done with a drink (of water) but didn't feel like being sociable and staggered back to the HQ exhausted. Times were down on last year by five minutes or more but Childs had done a great ride (and a PB) to win in 1.44.41 just from Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 1.44.57 Kevin Tye (ODLS.com) 1.45.03 third then a host of 47,48 and 49's from the likes of Joel Wainman, Paul Smith, Ian Cammish and Michael Broardwith who I should be challenging also Julian Jenkinson my minute man who I fancied to have a chance to beat (or even catch) but on this day it was not to be, my final time of 1.54.39 half a minute back on what I'd done on the freezing/windy A1 two weeks before and six minutes down on last year. So not a satisfactory result as a pointer to the National Championship in 3 weeks time. Jon will be making the trip to the National '50' on my local A50 course and if he keeps improving (and no more of his bike/body breaks off!) then his 2.00.14 today will be a distant memory as this was a significant improvement on his 50 of a few weeks ago, even with a bit of bother.
Doing a bad ride always leaves me in a bit of a bad mood and I had the LVRC National Criterium Championship the next day at the New Redbridge Circut (the replacement for Eastway). Stayed with friends in Ian Dury's old manor Upminster but then woke up at four in the morning thinking about my form and not able to get back to sleep, worse than your team getting relegated, I should be racing in the North East not the South East. Day was shaping up to be another hot one and my race right in mid day. It was only eleven and over 30 as we drove to the circuit, you can see the track from a distance and with a bit of a climb, when we watched the prior race our thoughts were confirmed as riders struggled up to the finish, some on the inner ring! Criterium more like a tough road race and a bit of wind on the exposed hill too!
The twenty on the start sheet had expanded to double that number with the 'A' (40-45) race off a minute in front on the 2Km course, I had to sit in the first bit as my legs a bit sore, several breakaways of 2 and 3 were pulled back and the Team Quest duo of Fuller and Roshier attacking one after the other to split up the field. Fuller, Scott Holmes (Hillingdon) and Graham Payne (Whitfield RT) were away and a group of 6-8 detached off the front of the bunch, I knew I had to get with them as the bunch fractured and then when the leading three were 50 metres in front I attacked past Roshier thinking he would come with me but marked out of it by some local Finchley riders, this lot all ride at the LVRC races at Hillingdon every Wednesday and know each other well, mabe they thought I was my brother Alan! However got up to the leaders on my own and we began to work and pull away
We never looked like being caught, It took a few laps for me to get my breath back and to be truthful I was never happy on the hill, my legs ached from yesterday but I never went on the inner either and our quartet closed in on the 'A' bunch with 20 minutes of racing still to go. Of course we went to the front but the bunch sat on us until the judges threatened to pull them out but we were half a lap up on the rest of out race lapping riders it was all a bit confusing. After an hour we had three laps to go and I had an attack but there was not much in my legs and apart from the hill the wind made the circuit a pretty uninviting place for a solo effort. When the bell rang we were embroiled in the 'A' race again and caught up in their sprint, I lost contact with my fellow escapees until they all came past me on the hill, the finish was a bit of a mess, they should have finished one race and given us another lap, I would probably still have been 4th as the hill and the '50' had put an end to my sprint if there was one. Holmes took it in a tight finish (good thing they have photo finish) he was the strongest all day from Payne who had been going well on the hill Fuller 3rd More Results Here