Picking up the 'Poop'

After the thrill of the Olympics I settle into my preparation for the World Masters Track in October, I've done a few miles to and from London to watch the Road Racing and Time Trial on home soil, not a stones throw from the home of the SWRC. Our one and only place to place club record the Portsmouth and back and here were the worlds best plying their trade along the very same, knowledge of the back lanes came in useful if you wanted to take in the race at several places but the crowds were so big that you were better to stay in one well appointed place (Thanks Phil!)and watch the race on a big screen as I did with Alan at Headley Common and Bradley did us proud and Froome confirmed what we knew after the Tour, we have the best TT'ers in the World and Britain and Cycling in particular could bathe in the glow of their efforts if not the sun which came out for the Games and gave us a summer of sport to remember.

I had some distinctly average performances myself, an off colour ride in the Bedfordshire Roads CC '25' on my 106" fixed, I struggled to 56:55 on the undulating roads of the lower A1 to Baldock but then had the best evening of the year in the Hinckley CRC '10' and recorded a 22:40 for 2nd on my 93" for a 100 RPM effort. The next weekend's Swift '100' would end badly for us all as one of our number involved in a collision and killed while competing, the event was cancelled even though I'd already finished in 4:01:11 every rider on the road that day felt like our world so newly bathed in glory was but a black hole. The rider 75 year old Lenny Grayson from the promoting club had recovered from serious illness to race again and had beaten numerous Veterans records was my minute man and I gave him a word of encouragement as I passed early in my ride but he was destined not to finish his final race and our own time trial frozen on that day out of respect for a life taken before its time doing the thing he loved more than all other, it leaves us all with the real sensation that we risk everything

The next weekend was the Swift 'Charity' '10' inspired by Lenny's recovery from cancer, all proceeded to Marie Curie and I have ridden it the last three seasons in the hope of a fast time on this the famed V718 "The fastest course in the UK" but so far this event (well 3 events) with nearly 300 riders from across the country come to try their luck.

SWIFT Charity '10' - 20:33

I'd been throwing up a couple of days before with a bug that left me a little bit out of sorts and not looking forward to the 2 Hr. drive for a gut wrenching effort but in the end my second fastest time 20:33 (29.0 mph) for 61st place on the day!! Michael Hutchinson broke competition record with 17:45 12 seconds off Bradley Wiggins record so the day proved to be a good one all around as it was announced that the event will become known as the Lenny Grason memorial and a fitting tribute to a rider who enjoyed his sport and that was a positive feeling to bring away from a great day of sport with many other personnel bests I rode the Coalville Wheelers 2 Up with Mark White (Scicon), he had won the Team 'tag' Tri National Champs the day before so a little bit jaded but we managed our fastest on this 'lumpy' course 58:33 and the fastest 'mixed' team.

I had a dilemma a week later with clashing events, with the cancellation of the Swift and the ECCA the final '100' of the year the BDCA had taken on another level of importance as the weather hit season was coming to a close. As if to emphasise the important of the day itself I'd chosen not to ride the British Time Trial Champs (BTTC) on the Sunday

Many riders had BBAR aspirations riding on the BDCA, Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight) needed to finish inside 3:40 to break the BBAR mph speed record and numerous other riders found them self's needing a time just to qualify. I was riding to get a 'Short' BBAR of '25, '50' & '100' I was feeling in good shape after overcoming my bug.

Unfortunatly I never got to turn a pedal (or is it crank?) in anger at the BDCA for with my front wheel literally on the line word came through that the A50 had been closed by the Police because of a fatal motorcycle accident, the rider who mis-judged a corner had been spotted in a ditch by a lorry driver, (apparently he had been there some time). The event was cancelled with half the riders on the road (so no re-start or re-schedule) and all the pre talk of records and rides came to a premature halt, I had to go out in the evening to get the stress (and cafeen) out of my body but It looked like I would ride the BTTC after all.

The next day where being new to the 50-54 age group I had a good chance of a medal. Kevin Tye having seemingly already sewn up the top spot in the week by winning the World title in Austria! but not to worry the local course in the Vale of Belvoir was not to my style with a swingeing climb and I had done no preparation work for it. In the event It all felt 'After the Lord Mayors Show' as I came up 7th on the Sunday with Tye taking the title as predicted.


Bedford Roads '25'

SWIFT (Charity) '10'

BTTC - Masters E (50-54)