Mid season blues

My blogging like my racing has been inconsistent this year, so here is an update for the last few weeks. On the 18th June we had a team in the local National '50' Jonathon Thomas along with Keith Garbutt promoted by the Charlotteville CC on the A31 (Bently) course near Farnham, both brothers rode out although not together, Phil feeling it was too far for his new found 'fitness' for the bike and rode from Guilford Alan thinking it was not far enough in the light of recent rides rode both ways.

Jon gets his breth back

The Farnham roundabout

I'd put in a hard week training but just to emphasise how fragile my fitness was I barely managed 19mph around Richmond Park the day before (it was windy!) and though not fully recovered you never know on the day,  I'd had a massage in the morning but it all looking a bit delicate
There was a hard pull into the wind to start the race and It did'nt help having the (10 times) champion Michale Hutchinson (In-gear) two minutes behind me, he closed the gap in under 7 miles so my hope to last out ten was shattered before I even had a chance to get into my stride. The pattern of the race was set and I allowed myself to loose concerntration on the second lap to finish just outside 2 hours, Jon better than of late 2:01:10 after being only 20 seconds at half way and Keith a PB 2:03:07


Hutch is the master at this distance and ran out winner again but it was mighty close , 15 seconds down on Matt Bottrill (i-ride) at half way he pulled out a lead in the last 10 miles to win bt 14 seconds, Andy Wilkinson down for the weekend to recce the 24 hour course took a magnificent third spot and 'local' Steve Dennis (E Grinstead) 4th. The womens event won by Julia Shaw (Drag2Zero) the previous day after being delayed for 30 minutes due to thunderstorms.

Keith (camera shy)

The next weekend I had a bit more of a rest and only a '25' on the local (for me) A50, South Pennine RC promotion with a full field of fast man and my 52:54 only good enough for 25th place and on form Matt Bottrill course record 47:33 followed by Planet X duo Lee Tunnicliffe  48:54 and Ian Cammish 50:06 split by Joel Wainman (Swift) 49:04

NB Hutch beats Bottrill's course record with amazing 46:48 in the Belper RC event a week later