Seconds Count

I raced a couple of events at Etwall Derbyshire over the last couple of weeks and pleasantly surprised myself with my second fastest times ever at 50 and 25 miles. The BDCA '50' is one of the hotly contested events of the year with only 90 places (72 Men & 18 Women) and closed on a 1:53 time, most of the BBAR contenders are here. I was feeling 'out of sorts' in the morning so only a short ride and stretch in preparation but with the memory of the Shaftsbury event still in my legs I knew I had a good chance to do a better time than my 1:48:51. I set out up the A50 to Blyth Bridge into a stiff breeze but it was South Westerly and I'm always comfortable with that. Travelling out was going to be crucial as it includes the feared concrete mountain past the JCB - World Parts Centre (When Fiona and I first came this way, to the Lakes, we thought it was great to have a World 'arts' Centre here in the Midlands but the sign was just obscured by some trees!) 11:04 my first split then 11:11 going around the Uttoxeter bypass and several tricky roundabouts to negotiate as I had been deluged with rain for a short while and the roads were wet and greasy. 11:04 and the wind was less of a problem than I thought, I caught Baz Charlton on his trike (Ex runner - glutton for punishment as if riding a bike is not tough enough) and another who proved a good target as I crested the 'mountain' of the rise to the top of the course, it flattens out a bit 12:05 before the far turn (21.7m) and it can be exposed but not too bad today as I go through 56:05 at 25 miles Matt Bottrill (drag2zero) my minute man over 5 minutes up in on me at this point (51:06)! As you get the benefit of the wind the road also drops and your speed quickens 10:39 is followed by a 8:58 (that's 33.5mph Av!) to cancel out that climb, I'd saved a bit for the dog leg to Doveridge 11:19 and then getting back on the A50 for the big finish 10:54 into Derbyshire the road is still a bit up & down but the final ten miles you get the full benefit of the wind on flat roads and drop to the finish 9:37 and a final 10:03 for a time of 1:47:09, only a second a mile off my best ever and after a 56 minute first 25 I'd come back in 51 minutes. My time only good enough for 23rd but 2nd Vets 50-55 Bottrill had won it and done the 3rd fastest of all time 1:36:46.

A week later and I'm on the same roads for the Derby Mercury '25' same start same finish turn at half distance and no dog leg, it's the National 12 Hour the next day so a more open race apart from that man Bottrill again. There is less wind but it's directly from the West so that will make the conditions harder as the A50 cuts across the country and we shall be heading directly into it, I'm feeling better in myself and manage the full hour in the morning, raring to go. Always difficult to hold back when you feel good, the couple of ramps at the start can take the wind out of your sails if you go too hard and with less fitness less scope for mistakes. I need to feed out my effort and my pacing will be important, 10:51 is a good start although I have my computer sound turned off for the race so It's all done on feel and I rarely pay attention to it these days, 11:00 for the second split and 27:16 (Bottrill 25:23) at the turn is not setting the pulse racing only 153bpm compared to the 160+ I could manage a couple of years ago. When people tell you your faculty to push your limits once you go over 50 I think that is what they mean. But like my dad used to say "It's no good getting old if you don't get.........crafty" so you have to make up deficiency with guile. My split including the turn improves to 10:49 as I get the benefit of the tailwind then as my legs get used to pedalling I bang out 9:07 almost as good as last week but not quite. The finish comes too soon 9:48 for a sub 19 minute last ten miles and 51:35 only 50 seconds off my best, a better paced ride than last week and good enough for 12th and 1st vet in my age this week. The top four riders all +30mph but that man Bottrill blisters around in 46:10 (Av. 32.5mph all the way!) making him also the fouth fastest of all time to go with his effort last weeks, surely on a better day competition record will be his

Matt Bottrill - drag2zero

Eternal Second

Forgive me Blogspot for I have sinned, it is over six months since my last post. The Winter and Spring time these past couple of seasons have not had a great deal to recommend them so what with taking on an allotment and a greater commitment to work there has not been allot of time for racing. I've kept riding the bike at a lower level but come April I thought I'd better push it up a level with some six hour rides so that I was not left without any miles in the legs when the mood to race came around
For those of you who have an allotment the amount of work getting it into shape is large and it has taken me four digs to remove the Couch weed that they call 'Twitch' in these parts but on a plot that has not been cultivated fully for a few seasons its plenty of work to keep me in shape. I've filled a compost bin a meter square with the stuff, I am advised to "Burn it" but presently I'm trying to compost it with weed killer and treats of violence as it seems to be almost indestructible.

I rode down to Devon in two days staying over at Salisbury YHA and the unusual North wind (NW) was a great help on the first day so the W wind on the second day slowed my progress and Fiona picked me up at Honiton before I had to negotiate the A30

On the way to Devon - Shaftsbury

My first event of the season the local Leicester Forest '25' on the A46 (Six Hills) course just North of Leicester, I'd done a couple of speedy sessions in the week to liven my legs up but with a windy morning I was wondering if I'd done too much. I only put a 92" (52 x 15) gear on as I reasoned that it was not about going for the win but just to test the legs and get a few hard rides in the bag before the British Masters Track at the end of the month
That North wind (NE today) would make for a nice return but first the tricky outward journey to Wymeswold and the Widmerpool Island (the top 6 mile section covered twice). I was caught by my minute man eventual winner Nick Cave (Lutterworth RT) also on a fixed at 8 miles, I was concentrating on the harder sections but not trying to go overboard as I only has PR and RPM to go on which was probably a good thing as I made me focus on my ride rather than my time.
The final five miles were glorious and I'd left myself enough in the legs to enjoy them as my legs span at 120RPM+ and I was pleasantly pleased with my time and position 57:40 for 8th place.


Photo Here

Result Here



 On the Sunday I left the house at just after 8 O'clock to ride out to watch the National Championship '25' at Tattershall in Lincolnshire, I thought it would be three hours into a stiff headwind as it was it took nearly four as I battled passed the triathletes at Belvoir Castle barely above 17mph. Once I got onto the flat Fens passed Sleaford I felt the real force of a block headwind and arrived to see the final 10 riders to the finish exhausted 72m @ 18mph.

There was a changing of the guard as Matt Bottrill (Drag2zero) 49:31 finally got the better of Michael Hutchinson (In Gear) 49:58 something he has been trying to do for numerous seasons but unfortunately they both came off slower than 22 year old (former European Junior TT Champion) Matthew Perrett (IG Sigma) who ran out the winner 49:21 Bottrill had the honour of leading the team and will now have to wait for the '50' in a couple of weeks after getting so close (7 seconds) in the '10' but it was the Blue Ribband '25' that he would so dearly love to have taken but that will have to wait for another season sport can be cruel!

New Champion Matt Perrett (IG Sigma)

I almost had no time to hang around as I put my kit back on and did the return journey from the event at 20.5mph


Men's Result

Women's Result

Junior Result

CLUB RECORD (1:47:40) - 'Fixed wheel fever'

Shaftsbury '50'  - Always out the saddle (Pic Dave Jones)

I had a double header at the weekend in the East of the country, the first challenge the Shaftsbury CC '50' on the Newmarket bypass (A14-A11)and around, a quality field assembled and looking like perfect conditions, light wind and the first heat of the summer. I was off early and I too almost missed my start but made it with a minute to spare once again on my 56 x 14 (106") fixed, Fiona was out to help and popped up all over the course but I was pretty focused and did the ride unaided on a single bottle and one gel at half distance. Taking things a bit easy this year I had no anticipation of breaking any records so It was as much a surprise to me that I took 12 seconds off my own personnel best (& a club record) for the seventh time in 5 years, I don't know the last senior rider to break a club record on a fixed but probably in the 50's when it was the only option. My friend Mick Ward the last rider to win a Championship on a fixed (Obree excepted) in the late 50's (on an 88" or possibly a 90") then along came gears and the 'Roadmen' took over Hoban, Woodburn and Simpson, the old ways were left behind

My dad was keen on us riding fixed and we used to as Schoolboys and Juniors, Steve Gowar broke the Junior '10' record on 88" in 1979. On the national stage Chris Boardman used fixed to great effect breaking the '25' record on 110" in his preparation for the hour record and of course Graham Obree broke all his records on a fixed but even that was surpassed on this day by Scott Povey (drag2zero) who managed 1:38:54 on 112" gear and he was only 3rd! the winner with the second fastest '50' of all time Andy Wilkinson (Port Sunlight Whs) 1:36:31 from Adam Topham (High Wycombe) 1:38:05. Team PedalRevoloution Mr's Bason/Bowdler and Arnold beat comp record for a team to add to their record in the '100'. 'Wilco' using his customary 'Mountain bike' frame with triple but he told me he borrowed a 56 chainring for the occasion - first time he ever used one

First Club Record on a fixed for over 30 years

I'd taken it easy at the start only 11:01 for the first 5 miles but a string of near 30mph splits (10:19/10:10/10:24/) and with the bone jarring turn now resurfaced my slowest split of 11:11 put me at 53:04 for half distance. It was harder on the way back but with me barely outside 11 minutes for the remainder and a 10:41 final I thought I would be outside the record but to my supprise my computer was in error and the time keepers chequered board came along at 49.5 miles so I was inside, I could hardley believe it

On the Sunday there was a 50th anniversary invitation event on the A1 promoted by the Verulam CC, I of course was in the accompanying event not studded with current and past stars so while I could not hope to compete withTeam Sky's Alex Dowsett I could at least say I raced against him. 

On the Sunday morning I wasn't rudely awakened by my alarm so when I took a look at 6.45 I was already an hour late and only an hour until I was due in front of the timekeeper, not helped by going to the wrong HQ and the right HQ being a couple of miles further from the start than anticipated. For my shame I had to pass a rider (sorry No 59!) who was racing on my way to the start but I made it nonetheless albeit unprepared and in no state to race.
The A1 at Bedford is made for a fixed wheel and on a summer morning with light wind should be a joy, my legs beg to differ, with less miles (and fitness) in them their ability to make an effort two days running is suspect and after a supreme effort the day before they were not willing to double up on their pain,
Yes that gear felt OK yesterday but today it felt immense and unwieldy

Now recovered from his injury earlier in the season but still not on form enough to get in the Olympic team Dowsett ran out the winner of the invitation by a whopping 2 minutes 47:31 to Matt Bottril's (drag2zero) creditable 49:33 with Andy Wilkinson just under another two 51:17. The supporting event won by Lee Turner (La Fuega) myself ringing up 14th with 57:04

  Verulam '25' - Out the saddle again (Pic Dave Jones)

Shaftsbury Resuly Here 

Verulam CC Result Here

Verulam Invitation Here 

Mid summer MADNESS!

Restricting myself to one local event at the weekend makes for such tough choices, should I go for speed or something more exotic like a 15 mile or a Veteran 2Up? Of course speed usually wins out as my mantra for 'Fixed Only' always adds a frisson of interest to the event, I've ridden many of these courses & events before but almost never on single speed, on the rare occasion that I have plumped for fixed over gears it's usually 10 miles where I want to have a real 'Shake up' and that's during the evening 10 where nothing much at stake but a nasty cough for a day or two. But this year I've done nothing less than 25 miles (well better value for money and I've got to get the miles in somewhere) I got my chance to ride an evening 10 with the Hinckley CRC at Wolvey just South of Leicester as Tuesday looked like a promising day with sun & light wind for a change so I put my 93" gear on but by the time I got there it was drizzling (the watchword for a normal Leicester summer) so I had to make the best of it. Only 19 riders (instead of the usual 45-50) so I do not have time for my usual warm up (I'm always last!) and 10 minutes on the rollers is it. Its a blast up the the Magna distribution Park at Lutterworth and back trying not to upend on the roundabout for a reasonable 22:56 a minute down on the fastest - Andrew Green (Lutterworth RT)
What I neglected to mention was I'd ridden the Belper RC '25' the previous Sunday with a slightly increased gear of 106.5" to a fixed PB 53:14 on the A50 at Etwall, again it looked good all day and then just before my allotted start the heavens opened as is the way with this record breaking summer the event was deluged with the wet stuff. I did not enough time to remove visor so I spent the duration of the race making like a windscreen wiper with a finger (both inside and out as the warm conditions made for condensation as well) I saw a couple of riders dismount 'DNF' but the day was good and my 10:50/10:44/11:02/10:21/10:33 attest to the day and my performance as I neg split the race which saw me caught with 2 miles to go and then overtake and finish 3 seconds in front of my minute man again the worst part was trying to keep upright on the nine roundabouts. Winner was Matt Sinclair (Lutterworth RT) with his first inside 50 minute ride 49:28 after many years of trying so he was made up

North Notts Olympic '25' - 28.01mph (pic by 'Bombmeister')

So a week later I have an evening event on the A1 at Newark the North Nottingham Olympic CC '25' (in this Olympic year its refreshing to see somebody not taking advantage of their name to promote something or maybe Locog came down on them and threatened legal action, who knows?)  I'd ridden fixed on this course before 53:33 in the VTTA National Champs 2010 but only on 100.6" so a couple of inches on the gear will do to erase the memory of forgetting my 'chammy  balm'  that day! Anyway new '100' Champion Matt Bottrill off number 10 (probably got Olympic tickets to deliver as he's a postie so asked for an 'earlie') was home almost before the event had begun with a blistering 48:05, so who's for second place? There were menacing clouds crossing the skies and I had to do my 'roller' warm up under an awning at the HQ (Carlton on Trent) but I was never touched by a drop of the wet stuff until the final mile of my ride down to Long Bennington and back.
For my efforts I got another 'fixed' PB by a second (but they all count), it felt like a better ride without the streaming water I was able to concentrate a bit better and my splits 10:33/10:34/11:15/10:44/10:03 only spoiled by the turn which is interminably rough and prolonged as the speedy A1 lies a few feet away while one bounces over the lumpy tarmac of the Old A1 (from mid last century) that mid-race nightmare led to a lapse in concentration until I was back on track with a flying 30mph finish. Tony Nash (Scunthorpe Poly) won the Vets prize with his 50:58 after doing a 21 minute '10' that afternoon but mores to the point he beat me by over two minutes when only beating me by 15 seconds last weekend, maybe I need to be racing more?

Matt Bottrill (Drag2Zero) - Now that's what I call 'speedy' 31.21 mph

As I came away I said my farewells to the five cooling towers of the High Marnham power station on the nearby river Trent that have stood there for 50 years and become a regular feature for everybody that comes this way like a beacon of the Midlands. Because we have a young French rower Quentin staying with us and as we came this way on Sunday to the National Water Sports Centre at Ratcliffe on Trent (to see the National Rowing Finals)  they were no longer on the skyline having been blown up at 10 that morning. And to think I had to go and complain about the builders at the end of our road for taking a scaffold down at 7.30 that very morning  - They got all JT about my industrial language, almost spoiled my weekend

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

A5 Ranger 'Hilly' - Season Opener

Start of a new season began for me on Saturday with the A5 Rangers CC Hilly 30.8 (15.3 for one lap) on the A5 and roads around Towcester to Daventry. The weather had been wet all day with heavy and frequent showers and the wind got up giving every rider a tough race and I was drenched a couple of times and the roads already treacherous form a bad winter were running with water. I'd ridden this event twice before but still managed to loose my way to the start and end up doing a 10 mile loop thus getting to the timekeeper 10 minutes late for my allotted position. Not to worry, I went off in the auspicious No 50 slot (J Woodburn DNS) but in the midst of the 'one lappers' I was fine for the first of my circuits (40:36) but from here I was solo as most of the marshalls had made an early exit and I was left to plough a second furrow around the lap On mi'todd
30 mile quite a long way for a TT opener and I would be lieing if i said my concentration did not waver on the second lap, as I got soaked again the sun came out briefly as I crested Weedon (Bec) hill for the final time in bottom gear (39 x 21 - Note to self, put a lower bottom gear on for Leicester RC/Melton Hilly) and plugged away into the wind I was getting cold by the time I crossed the line for the last time (42:54)
Matt Bottrill (Team i-ride) was the winner 1:11:48 (35:46) from James Perkins (Zenith) 1:14:28 and James Cambridge (Team i-ride) 1:14:43 the one lapper Jon Shubert (Verulam) 38:17 from Sam Barker (Planet X) 38:58

Up hill and into the wind - Bottom gear

Winner Bottrill

2nd Perkins


Sarah Brooke Photography