Form & Football

I seem to have lost my way after an excellent start to the season putting in some good performances in early events and avoiding any illness (washing hands obsessively and avoiding crowds - Phew!) I have been taking more rest days, (at least one day a week) mileage down slightly but up on the quality. Riding events as training has become part of my overall route to fitness but this can lead to complacency and not taking your racing serious enough, I never seem to hit a purple patch until the last part of the season and the risk is that you fail to take events with due regard ("Just another training ride") and of course you can run out of season without attaining your potential
I have struggled to get any rhythm in my riding and my consistency had been woeful but like the England footballers maybe I could also be blamed for trying just too hard, I suppose with more rest I was expecting there to be a commensurate improvement in these areas, in the past I was verging on being overtrained but it does not seem to be that simple as the margins for improvement get slimmer the need to necessity hit top form to do a 'ride' becomes imperative and if you are below par then frustration follows as you try tweaks to move your fitness to that next level. Traditionally I consider my season to take on a more serious completion at the BDCA '100' in early June, the bulk of my training is done, I have nearly 6000 miles in the legs from the New Year and I have been racing for 3 months and although the weather has been as 'mixed' as my racing programme I still seem no closer to top form and I feel I need a good series of rides to take some confidence into the second half of the season.
Already I hear that some riders are feeling jaded and looking for new challenges but I know if I want to get a high placing in the BBAR I must feel that I am not having to extend myself in my racing as the longer distances require you to hold a bit in reserve and you cannot race conservatively when you are not on top of your riding
Back a week to the BDCA, I had rested well after an intense time in the penultimate week, all I needed was my legs to come good in the race, It was a fairly windy day but these days with all the 'aero' advantages this is not so much a factor when you are not on the limit of a shorter distance and you can modify your game plan and then use the wind assistance & the course, measure out your effort and speed over the duration
The first (25 mile)leg into the wind was a shade over the hour, this was pegged back to 1:52:30 on the second leg but I knew I had to keep some in reserve for the second leg into the wind so I did not go at it 'hammer & tongs' and Nick English (Reading CC) my minute man caught me at 45 miles, I was not overtly concerned as this happens and I usually have a stronger second half as my fitness kicks in but my legs were hurting, I took a second gel and a bottle off Fiona. Charles Taylor (S Pennine RC) however caught me for 5 minutes at 60m and by this time I was worried as my legs were not responding after being 'on the rack' for quite a while but I just had to make the best of it as I climbed up the concrete mountain to Blyth Br. once more. Although the final 20 miles were brisk the damage had been done and I never felt I had got into the game in the second half, to cap it all I had to be drug tested by UKAD (Anti-doping in sport) which took an hour and I was barely able to produce a sample (3ml over the 90ml min) in a dehydrated state (I sweat allot!) although at 6x the min specific gravity it was the colour of lucozade, this compares with Neil Skellern who finds he cannot drink in races at all and had barely consumed 750ml to my 3L! My skin suit was encrusted with salt it would have stood up on its own! Mark White (Leicester Tri) trailed in DNF with cramp at 80m still to be tested and the women were having trouble producing a sample at all, for those of you that need to know the details as soon as you finish those chosen (at random) have to be shadowed by an official until the whole process is finished and there is much form filling and signing at every stage as the (costly & methodical) process is adhered to and if you cannot produce a sample of quality or quantity then you just have to wait until you can there were six testing officers and one in charge. Drugs are a serious business


I was a bit disappointed with my ride although I cannot be too hard on myself as I just have not shown the form in the last couple of weeks, of the other riders 2nd last year Julian Jenkinson (UTAG Yamaha) was fastest a minute faster in 3:36:55 from Taylor 3:39:31 and Joel Wainman (Swift) 3:41:59
I now had a week off the bike sitting around the pool in Portugal in an effort to re-group my focus and recover my form, on returning I only had a couple of days to prepare for the National 50 mile Championship on the A3 just past the Devil's Punch Bowl, I did a quick ride as soon as I got back (on empty roads) while everybody was watching England disappoint against Algeria and then a few laps around Richmond Park Saturday night before the event in the cold wind not making me feel like doing more than ease my legs from the journey down.

Warming (Steaming) Up

The morning itself was fresh with the North wind and I warmed to a head of steam on the rollers in the early morning sun, Martin Kostler and Jon Thomas had already made there way from the HQ at Rake to the start on Hillbrow which gives an almost 2m gift start to this course which means the pain is delayed somewhat before you get onto the main A3 between Petersfield and Liphook. However the pain came a little sooner than I anticipated as I proceeded to touch a pedal and crash on the mini roundabout banging my front wheel against the kerb and sprawling onto the grass centre but avoiding the chevron sign.

Kevin Tye - 3rd


The marshalls helped me up and with a spin of my wheels I was away before my minute man came along, I was a bit shaken but my only thought was to get on with it, only one problem I had broken my rear brake lever so I would just have to be cautious on the bends but it's not like a road race where you might be caught out and my anticipation would have to be better.

Roy 'Rocket' Brook of the Epsom had a rush of blood to the head at the last roundabout and crashed spectacularly breaking his collar bone (in two places) finger and rib and doing a fair bit of damage to his bike so my incident looked a little unspectacular by comparison - Get well soon Roy

Roy Brook bites the tarmac



With the adrenalin pumping I went very hard over the first 25 miles after that, (55:42) probably too hard in retrospect for the conditions and I suffered over the second half, as the northbound section is ascending and into the wind it was pretty tough and I was caught by Kevin Tye (Datateam) 2m at 15 miles as I could not settle into a rhythm, second time up I was caught by Julian Jenkinson doing his first lap but we were all struggling to make a smooth job of the tough sections and he gradually pulled away as my early efforts began to pay


Michael Hutchinson did a remarkable negative split ride (when you consider the gift of a start) to be crowned the champion for the tenth time 1:38:55 (50:14) from Mark Holton (Drag2Zero) 1:41:10 (51:25) and 'B' group winner Tye in third 1:43:24 another local and 'B' rider Steve Dennis (E Grinstead) 4th 1:43:38 these guys hardly race out of the South East and gave a great showing at the National level.

Drag2Zero - Winning team with Championship record


I finished in 45th place 1:52:25 and 9th in the 'B' age group. Jon had a solid ride 2:00:11 (59:42) and Martin in his first 50 mile since 1979 2:12:52 (1:05:15) we missed the club team record by a couple of minutes (6:05:28)




BDCA '100' result

National '50' result (Men)

National '50' result (Women)









The lesser spotted Parkinson in resplendent plumage

OldSkool classic

It's been a terrible week weather wise with rain nearly every day, I was even out in overshoes and waterproof longs on Wednesday which turned out to be like being boiled alive in rainwater so I've put a picture of my OldSkool style with genuine wool SWRC jersey (circa 1980) for my Friday ride to work.

National '25' - Performance graveyard?

Not a performance I will look back on with fondness or any special memory, although the event and the day was superb, everything a National Championship should be, a challenging course (a true and fair test of ability against the clock) great promotion and execution by the promoting Yorkshire Velo and a beautiful day, this much I can say I enjoyed......Well actually a boiling hot day to be exact with crosswind making our charge up and down the Great North Road from just above the pretty town of Boroughbridge adjacent to the A1(M)I think there were more riders succuming to the conditions than mastering the event and a ride I will soon want to forget

Storey on the way to silver

The ride itself probably my least efficient and enjoyable I have done all season and it reaped =49th place which was all it deserved, I had a hard week of training behind me and I just could not retrieve my legs to produce more than an average (C+) performance. I had done several recovery rides a massage and stretching before setting out in air conditioned luxury (Fi driving) up country and we had enough time to recce the course and follow the Women's top riders as they returned from the turn at Kirk Deighton just North of Wetherby. We were hit by the hot blast of the day to cheer Julia Shaw (UTAG Yahaha) to a 2 minute win (54:30) over Sarah Storey (Horizon Fitness) and Dutch student Mathilde Matthijsse (Ferryhill Whs.) another minute behind
The Junior race saw Conor Dunne (Glendene) step up from the silver in the '10' with an amazing 54:04 but not as amazing as Ryan Mullan (Planet X) only 10 seconds behind at 15 years old! Third '10' Champ Oliver Rossi (PCA Uno) inside 55 minutes as well.
Old SWRC lag John Thacker was out for the day from his home in Bradford, he came out to the National '100' last year at Dishforth just up the road and still follows the Time trialling scene and the clubs riders although his racing days are long gone.
John managed a lap of the course starting just before me and finishing getting caught by Dr Hutch as he crossed the line so that makes 1:50 for the 25 miles, a good ride for him as he has arthritis in his right knee which gives him a bit of trouble, he saw that eight in the club had done the recent Etape du Dales and would love to be able to do some of the hilly sportive as he was a handy climber in his day and still has the physique to make Bob 'sparrow' Maylin look over developed.

John Thacker doing his '25'

The Men's result was a repeat of the '10' without the Motorpoint professionals in the frame Dr Hutch again the Champion with the only +30mph ride 49:34 (24:42) and 4th and 5th Mark Holton (drag2zero) and Matt Bottrill (i-ride) moving up to the podium just under and over 2 minutes behind the fourth time Champion.
For myself all I can report is that I went out to the turn in a respectable 27:43 (same as Julia) but came back to record 56:22 as I went to pot in the heat of the day with little or no fight left for a better placing, Championships are not about times they give a result of who performed 'on the day' I was good enough for third in my age category and beat a fair few who I would usually be in the same bracket but still there is a sense of having not done my best on the day and for a racer to not leave his mark on the race that is unsatisfactory.

I used way too big gears for the way I normally ride, my pedal revs were 82 RPM (FFS!) down at least 10-15 on normal but when I tried to take my racing 'in hand' after the initial adrenalin and rush from the start had settled down I just could not hold my cadence in anything near sustainable level. I passed my minute man (a reserve as Sean Childs DNS) at 5 miles and closed in on my two minute man all the way to catch him in the final 1/4 mile but still I did not get any satisfaction from the ride.
I finished the week with my biggest mileage of the year (420m) as I have the BDCA '100' at the weekend and in my mind this is where my challenge for the season (the BBAR) begins, I hope I have prepared well and I will have forgotten the disappointment of the National '25' which like every race promises much to the athlete but will only garner a reward if you get it right on the day, Michael Hutchinson seems to be able to do this with ease (Who knows if this is the case?) but a good performance has a reward in its own right that a fast time will never yield.
Ultimate performer - Dr. Hutch (Photo www.cyclingimages.co.uk)


www.cyclingimages.co.uk
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Women's Result

Junior Result

Men's Result

Video Here

National '25' - On the' Boro'

Saturday brings the National 25 mile time trial in Yorkshire on the famous Borougbridge course, well not on the A1(M) which is now a motorway but it takes place on the old Great North Road that runs parallel to the new one. I get to ride the No 100 which in the past would have made you one of the favourites but with the new seeding system simply means I'm the 50th fastest so I'll be trying to better that on the day and marvel at how Dr Hutch manages to put so much distance between himself and the rest of the field (never mind me!)

The '25' Field
Yorkshire Velo


We have four riders in the National 50 mile time trial on the 20th June, Martin Koester will have a rare old battle at the head of the field with Matthew Eckford being off number 2 & 4 respectively, either of them have the chance to lead the National Championship if they see off the surrounding opposition. Jonathon Thomas off half an hour later at No 36 and myself at No 73 (I was 26th fastest entry) so it should be a good morning for the club, at least we should be able to break the Club 50 mile team record which stands at 6:03:30 set in the Colchester Rovers '50' 28th August 1983 so due for updating

a3crg.. Nat '50'

Anfield '100' - Rational thought in an emperical world

I'd done a 21:04 in the midweek Leicester RC '10' on the local Rothley (A6) bypass just North of Leicester for 2nd place, not a bad effort on a cold blustery evening with spitting rain but this was supposed to be a recovery week with lowest mileage of the year so far (181 miles) That included 40 miles at Mallory Park the next evening and with the Elite boys doing their stuff in the City center crit series it was left to those that remain (only 27) to make a race of it, this is always harder than following a race being made by somebody else as you have to make sure you don't overdo it on the front and end up going out the back if the speed goes up when you come off the front, I was caught in no man's land with 5 to go 20 metres off the back but managed to squeeze back on and finished in the (back of the) bunch
The 'resting' was extended to the Saturday when I DNS'ed the Beacon '10' on the Saturday giving myself the full weekend off as I have the Anfield BC '100' on the Bank Holiday and want to get through it with as much dignity as possible as its a bit of a sporting course with a reputation for catching out the unwary but I need a bit of a challenge at this time of year to bring on my fitness honed with quite a bit of speed but still lacking the depth necessary to feel comfortable over the longer distances. I ridden it a couple of years ago in very windy conditions but the event has such a long history and is the definition of a classic (first run 1889) with a good atmosphere and has drawn me back for a second crack at the course based at Shawbury to Terne Hill and Prees Heath and a circuit covered four times.
I was off No 90 ten minutes in front of scratch man Andy Bason (Team Pedal Rev) and as he had only beaten me by 21 seconds in last weeks National '10' I figured I would hold him off for the duration. It was quite a good morning cool and windless (compared to the day before when it had blown a gale) when I pressed the pedals for the first revolution of the race at 7.30, the first leg out to Prees Heath was harder than I anticipated and the first 10 miles came up in 24 minutes (25mph) and then the first 25 miles in 58:30 somewhat down on what I had planned. I took a gel as I went onto the circuit and decided that I would take it easy to half way and then see if I could pick it up from there as the promised hot weather was nowhere to be seen.
Fifty miles came up in 1:59:30 and it had been a bit of a struggle, It's difficult to express what goes through your mind at quarter distance (ie three quarters to go!) and you feel ....well.... not up to par, sure you think about stopping for a moment....and then again for another moment.... but you've driven over a hundred miles to get here and got up at 5.00 somebody had come out to help (Thank's Mick) your position feels a bit different.... too much weight on my arms.... visor steaming up and other annoying factors, forgot to put some cream in my shorts....so they'll be hell to pay for the rest of the week in the saddle! Just then Andrew Allan (New Brighton CC) my 5 minute man comes past, he is doing a good ride and it makes my heart sink a bit he is using a big gear but then Andy Bason comes past 30 seconds later and my heart sinks a bit more.....Oh god!.... I've still got nearly fifty miles to go.
The three of us ride in a line 5 seconds apart after Bason takes a bottle which holds him up a bit, Allan as all over his bike looking over his shoulder (at me?) and looking very uncomfortable on the uphill sections. I go past him on an incline close up on Bason and settle a bit, Allen comes past just the once but I can see his distress and he looks like he is ready to 'blow' Bason goes away into the wind but still in sight and I re-pass Allan and leave him, put my head down and concentrate on the rough roads up to the Esplay roundabout on the A53. (Allen climbs off at 75 miles DNF) 75 miles comes up just outside three hours and in my minds eye I have the finish in sight, my legs are still suffering and cramping up when I push too hard but I've taken a bottle at the feed station (1 x 500ml + 2 x 750ml at the start) as my helper is AWOL but I don't need anything else, another couple of gels at 50 & 75 miles but it's still overcast and I haven't over extended myself. A man gives me time checks "30 seconds up on No 80" Neill Skellern (Congleton CC) and "You can get 2nd" with a lap to go. I can't push any more, these roads have sapped my strength and I cross the line in 4:02:20
Bason has done 3:44:12 a second faster than last time I rode, I have gone nearly 10 minutes faster for 3rd place David Shepherd (GS Stella) has come in 2nd (after a long wait) with 4:00:58 Allan has a word with me at the finish "I started too fast" he's young (only 27) and will get plenty more chances to tame this his local classic (3rd last year) I walk away but when you make it to the end you know its an empirical victory with experience the winner on the day.

Andt Bason (Left) and Andy Wilkinson (2009 Winner)


Anfield BC Here