SWIFT '100' - To the End

Shakespeare knew a thing or two about performance "Stiffen the sinews" said Henry V in his speech at Agincourt made famous by Lawrence Olivier in the 'Cry God for Harry, England, and Saint George!' and I felt under siege at the weekend as I tried to improve my BBAR average in the Team Swift '100' on the A168/A19 up near Dishforth . I've been feeling off colour on the bike and Fiona and I travelled in hope rather than expectation up the M1 as the wind blew, I was also anxious as I had a new bike and 100 miles a long way on an as yet un-tested position (23 minute '10' on Tues night!).
The last fast '100' of the year usually in September but brought forward to get a better field but many of the fast men stay away as they have ridden the National/Breckland 12 last week and not liking the look of the day, a long way to travel for a pasting and I was thinking how slow would I have to go in the first half to justify packing if I'm taking a good hiding out on the roads over the exposed North Yorkshire Moors? Fi has come to support my ride and while I don't like to DNF at all to do so when we have come all this way (leave at 11.30am back home for 11.00pm) a bitter pill to swallow.
A five mile ride to the start from the HQ in Ripon where the race (of the horse variety) have made for extra traffic and delays, the wind from the SW makes for an easy start so I will use the first 17 mile leg of this 3 lap course to give me an easy(ier) beginning to four hours of effort on the edge of madness. Bike feels OK I have two 20mm spacers under the stem and it still feels a bit low at the front, all that weight on your arms, could make for an uncomfortable time but for now I just try and get in 'the zone'
I have a caffeine gel early at 15m before I turn into the wind to numb the sensation as 'the zone' is a bit elusive and I am anticipating a battle, I use my 50 (inner) instead of the 56 but feels a bit on the low side and not as bad as I anticipated, saddle is a bit wrong angle and I figit to get the most comfortable position, front or back? saddle (a Flite - I use the same one off the 'Sigma' for luck) a bit on the long side now I have such an upright position and bangs on the back of my legs out the saddle (in the most back position!). My arms and back register the minute differences to the previous position I've used for 3 seasons, a twinge of recognition for the body when the legs are what get you through the race, but so far no harmony
Fi is at the far turn and then back at the Dishforth turn (34m) and offers a bottle but I've drunk 500ml before the start and carry 750ml and its not such a hot day so refuse, I have the second downwind section to the halfway point, its not been so bad
and I went through 25m in 57:15 and push onto the far Northallerton turn 1:54:45 making the 2nd 25m 57:30. A PB is out the question and improving my BBAR (3:47:55) unlikely as I always go slower in the second half but I decide not to stop as I'm not suffering and the wind is dropping and my bad patch is over, a bad patch can be mental or physical but usually a bit of both as you struggle to focus and 'the zone' is like the Bermuda triangle everybody's heard about it but can you find it when you need to? I had a second caffeine gel at 55m, some riders eat these like sweets "I had six gels before half way!" apart from being an expensive way to get around an event I try and make them do a bit more work than just a funny taste in the mouth. (have you tasted 'Powerbar' lime - Eucchh!) Fi gives me 500ml of warm coffee as I get rid of my glass's but a mix up with hands means I take the bottle from Fi (on the left) with my right hand! I only have the one bottle cage now so have to down it while negotiating two roundabouts and allot goes down my front and over the bike, a baptism of sorts for my new bike

Grrrrrr!

Beginning to pick up a bit and at the end of my second lap my average speed has gone up from just over 26mph to 26.3mph and something very strange is happening, I begin to go better on the downwind leg but almost no wind now at 6 o'clock so no great benefit, I begin to go much better and my body is well into the race as I become one with my bike, it sounds like a cliche but this is my form returning in the middle of a race, I pound the tarmac eating it up at an alarming rate, the climb up from Thirsk which I'd done at 20-22mph the previous two times I cruise up at 25mph I feel amazing as I press the pedals into orbit
I have not kept track of what the opposition are doing but at the final turn with 12m to go I find myself about level with Andy Jackson (Pedalsport) 15m in front and we are usually close in the result, triathlete Philip Graves (Clifton CC) the eventual winner has caught him for 10m but this has not been my usual type of ride so all I can do is make the finish at the best speed. I usually get cramp here as the speed and the big gears combine to play havoc with the thousands of muscle fibres twitching to do their best under the pressure of the ultimate effort as you urge the maximum out of your limbs but no cramp here and I've long forgotten about my arms and back.
The remains of the race a bit of a blur but the finish just after the Topcliffe services so visible from a long way out and I'd long since stopped looking at my computer except to see that I was travelling at well over 30mph most of the way. I stopped the clock at 3:46:20 a mere 25 seconds off a PB although I did not know that yet, I had done the second 50 miles in 1:51:34 a negative split by over 3 minutes making nearly a mile per hour difference in the two half's, as I sit here typing this it almost seems impossible as I know how my race plan pans out and this makes for very unusual reading

New Bike - Baptism of fire (& coffee)

Graves the winner 3:33:56 from Nik Bowdler (Farn & Camb CC) 3:39:29 and Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 3:41:27 Andy Jackson pipped me for 6th by 39 seconds, it was dark by the time we set off for home.

NEW BIKE!

My new bike has finally arrived, during my week off I spend a bit of time to build it up but there are some new bits to buy like one of those under bottom bracket brakes that I've never seen before

Record breaking week (for the SWRC)

Seems it has been a record breaking week for the SWRC members, with Tom's efforts in the WLCA '50' we also have Ruth Hutton smashing the Women's '10' record last Saturday (1st Aug) in the Charlotteville CC event on the A31 - Bently Bypass (H10/8), her time of 23.00 (26.087 mph Av.) knocking almost 30 seconds off her own record set 10 years ago, she took the women's prize, event was won by Stephen Whitwick (Utag Yahama) 20.08.
I followed this up on Saturday with a reduction of the '50' time in the BDCA event on the A 50 between Etwall and Uttoxeter, officials and riders were left in a quandary as there were cones out for inspection on the upper part of the course so the event was changed to two laps of the '25' course instead of going all the way to Blyth Bridge.
A one hour delay made for some anxious moments as the inspection crews were vague about how long they would be on the course but we eventually got away in what were ideal conditions (for this summer) light wind and a bit of heat. After my miserable ride in the Pennine event last week I was more recovered and less travelled this week and my ride reflected this although I was still short of some top end power and I can only put this down to tiredness and having spent more time than usual on track preparation but with that out the way I was free to indulge my 56 chain ring a bit more.
It was harder out to the turn so I saved a bit for the second lap posting 53.30 for my first '25' mile lap after getting caught in a slow moving convoy which meant riding up the centre of the dual carriageway for 5 miles.
My second lap was slightly slower at 54.30 but a total time of 1:48:04 (27.76 mph Av.) reduces the record by 35 seconds and gives me a current BBAR time of 25.71 mph for the '50' '100' and 12 hour (which is a new record in itself)
Julia Shaw (Utag Yahama) broke the Women's Competition record for '50' miles with 1:46:49 beating Jill Reames time from 1997, Event was won by current BBAR Nik Bowdler (Farnb & Camb Whs.) just outside 30 mph Av. with 1:40:01 seems like Ruth Nik and myself could do with a bit of finishing practice to get those last few seconds off!
N.B. This may be the last ride on my beloved 'Sigma' frame, the old bike (as it were) she was third hand when I accuired her from Ex club member Steve Gowar as a road bike but after a season on the road she has done me proud and all my rides of note have been done in her company. I have come to the end of the line as I feel she cannot take the battering I put her through week after week. I have my first all carbon frame.

European Masters Track - Quantitive easing

3Km Pursuit :- Two days later after Points race success I had a chance to redeem my problematic British Masters ride in the individual pursuit, a hiccup at the start meant a disappointing 6th place so here I would be paying particular attention to every detail, I was riding the same bike I finished the Elmet 12 (the spare) kitted out with a 97" gear (up from 94" at Newport)
The European Championship run with a qualifying round and the top two ride for the Gold and the next two ride for the Bronze, I was against Steve Clayton in my round with two heats remaining I needed to be the fastest for the chance to be in the top four. The start went without a hitch and I settled into my ride, the first kilometer is just a waiting process but as you enter the half way your legs tighten and the result of keeping the revs per minute at 110 begins to make the pressure inside your head build up as your back arches to support the force of your legs through an arc of ever increasing pain. By the time you are in the last few laps the burning pain is only held at bay by the memory of all those sessions on the turbo that push you to the point of collapse.
I had glanced across the track and saw I had my opponent at a couple of seconds but was unable to 'lift it' any more on the final laps as my legs were blocked by the sudden and increasing pain so my effort finishes on the gun but I had no more to give. My time a PB 3:41:751 I'd snuck in ahead of French rider Sylvan Abadie 3:41:838 from the previous heat and I could only afford to be beaten by three of the final four. Both the British Champion Peter Ettles and Alistair Taylor (2nd at Newport) were faster with 3:35:786 and 3:40:702 respectively so it would be the Bronze ride off if I beat one of the final heat, World Champion Claus Christiansen came home 2nd fastest 3:37:906 but Ian Greenstreet (3rd at Newport) could only manage 7th so I had another chance to get a medal.
The final was in the evening so I went back to the flat where I was staying (Thanks Kelda!) to do some stretching and have a sleep, all the while coughing and re-living my ride thinking how I could improve the second needed to beat my opponent. Track racing is a series of races done on fitness but also pent-up and nerve jangling energy, I was able to ride the Points race with luck and skill but here in the physical desert that is pursuiting, nowhere to hide, the bleached effort of a pursuit is not mental it is just the physical sensation of effort stripped away so that it burns until your body is a husk, building yourself up for another effort is the skill, push away the pain and the doubt, encourage your mind to think that it wasn't so bad, settle in for another voyage to the surface of the sun.
It comes around soon enough, I'm up in the trap with the countdown from 10 seconds, 3, 2, 1, GO another safe start, already I feel better with the blank wood of the track passing under my wheels, the black line pulling me forward and my breathing dominating my senses. It is close, I do not have anybody 'walking the line' so I do not know if I am up or down, it is close, I glance across I know we are close. For the final laps I am able to pick up the pace, my rev counter is not working so I just go for it, as much as my body will take, the bell for the final lap ring together, still too close to call, right to the line with a lunge at the line and the guns go off together. I almost come a cropper as I go over the foam blocks into the banking but it is over and my body relaxes a bit, its all over
When the result shows I am not crushed, I had no more to give, I ride over and congratulate the Alistair the winner, he had gone a second slower but crucially I had not gone faster. A mere 27:1000th of a second had split our efforts, not more than a foot in it at the end after a joust at 35mph with the track stopping us from coming together. The positions from last year were reversed in the ride off for Gold, Ettles the Champion in a new European record time (3:35:483) and although Christensen had pushed the Scottish rider he faded in the last kilometer to finish just under two seconds behind
Victory ceremony for the Pursuit

I felt I'd made some amends for my ride at Newport and 4th place is the worst place to finish but I had Gold under my pillow and that makes failure a bit easier to swallow. I missed the final days racing where I could have ridden the Brain Cossavella scratch race on the Saturday in favour of heading out the next morning at 4.30am in search of a fast Pennine CC '50' on the Yorkshire Dishforth course. A promising day blew up into a bit of a storm and I rode like a 'bag of spanners' to finish just inside two hours, event was won by Joel Wainman (Team Swift) who I'd narrowly beaten in the Elmet a mere seven days before, I suppose something had to give I was a bit of a physical wreck in the race and the tough conditions just served to expose my frailty with no inner power to 'boss' the tough conditions. Track racing on top of the mental stress of the 12 Hr. I was in need of a break.

European Masters Track - Gold standard

Points Race :- Almost three days to the minute at 7.00pm after I'd finished the Elmet 12 Hr. I lined up for the Euro Masters (45-49) 20Km Points race final on the Manchester track, my first competitive race on the Velodrome where I had watched so many of Britain's finest triumphs over the past few years. I'd only got to the track and hour before after being stuck in commuting traffic and the signing on sheet was ripped from under my pen, I was the last to sign in and as I rushed off to accreditation I enquired "When are we racing?" to which the alarming reply "You're up first" so I had only 50 minutes to put bike together (and spares) get changed and have a warm up, after having barely an hour on the bike since bringing my battered body to a standstill in Yorkshire.
Most of the riders I knew from the British Masters but there was a handful of unknowns from other countries, the usual track cycling nations France, Italy and Denmark. I sat out the first couple of sprints to let my legs get used to the speed and the cadence of the group, Sylvan Abadie (Fr.) was very strong winning the first sprint and attacking several times, Stephen Clayton (GB) won the second with Abadie 2nd and I felt I had no option but to go for a lap so I attacked immediately and got a good quarter then half a lap but with no company I had no option but to continue on my own. I took the next points but my legs were in no shape to continue the attack even though I was almost in the same straight as the bunch, a group of four got off the front of the bunch and I was in with them when they caught me but eventually we all came back together for the sprint.
Clayton (3rd) and Abadie (4th) were in the points and leading the race with 9 and 11 respectively so I went on the attack again taking Ian Greenstreet (GB) and the Danish World Pursuit Champion Claus Christensen with me, I won the sprint but had to sit out the next won by the British Pursuit Champion Peter Ettles (GB) blowing a bit but with 10 Pt's in 3rd place. Attack again the only option this time after Trevor Burke (GB) and I had to go for the sprint from 2 laps out to stop Christensen catching me on the line, I was now leading with 15 Pt's one ahead of the French rider so I only had to beat him in the finale to take the win, I tracked him for the last 10 laps and then attacked with a lap to go and lead out the sprint, fading Ettles and Clayton came past and I had the title, there was a bit of confusion (as with all points races) Clayton would have beaten me if he had won the final sprint as we would have had the same total and in this case the position in the final sprint is the clincher but with 17 Pt's a clear 2 Point margin over the Litchfield man and Abadie a point further back in 3rd

The Champion and his 'iron' (carbon wheels mind!)

There was a whirlwind of victory ceremony with jersey and medal, girls and flowers (do I kiss two or three times?) with national anthem and flags and "Yes Mr. President a good race?" and a lap of honour to 'We are the Champions' (get a bit sick of this one after a few days - I'll be bound) and then a sit down blinking into the first day of being a European Champion. Lots of people came up to congratulate me, I wandered out into the daylight of the early evening from the artificial light of the track center stunned and a little dazed
As a little note to the evening, I was waiting for the victory ceremony with the two other riders, we propped our bikes against the acrylic fence ready for the lap of honour, we exchanged pleasantries and looked at the bikes two identical (but differently branded - 'Planet X' & 'Bernard Hinault') carbon bikes and mine in the middle a 30 year old 'Roberts' iron and in that Gallic manner Sylvan rolled his eyes and nodded his head in a way that pleased me almost as much as the win.