Next week I have the World Masters Track from the Velodrome in Manchester. Defending my Scratch race title and trying to do better in the Pursuit and Points Race (Only one place to go there!)
Its going to be a pretty intensive few days, Pursuit on Tuesday, Scratch on Wednesday and Points on Thursday, heats in the morning and finals in the evening so needing to be ready to race at 9.00am and then focused and ready for the rest of the day, late evenings and odd eating patterns. At least we don't have to worry about the weather, but the atmosphere can get very intense and claustrophobic so I'll take a road bike (with mudguards) just so I can get away if it all feels too much.
I will be riding my 35 year old Roberts track bike, a proper steel 'Iron' with chrome and Cinelli components so never mind all that trendy 'Fixie' nonsense some of us are still keeping the faith. My father Philip bought for me on my seventeenth birthday, and I hope he's watching me still. Brother Phil had an identical one (although he does not know where its gone to!)
I had a final race on Saturday North Midlands VTTA '10' on 010/3 the latest incarnation of the famous 'O' course on the A1 from Ranby to Blyth where the Competition Record for the Ten Mile was set by Ian White (Clifton CC) in the mid 70's. 20:50 was a good ride for me on 100" fixed if I had not been held up at a level crossing on the way to the start and so I had 2:27 late start against my name that cost me 5th place on Standard, Fastest was Dan Barnett (drag2zero) with an astounding 19:15 but one of the most improved riders of the year and now being trained/mentored by Matt Bottrill (go figure!) Ride of the day and winner on Standard was Ron Hallam (South Pennine) with a time of 25:02 (+8:15) an age record at 84 years o7ò
World Masters Track Website
North Midlands VTTA '10' Result
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