Bring it on........................

Going back to review the tail end of the season, it seems like a long time ago to the National '10' but the day after I had an unusual occurrence a TT win! I rode the Coalville Whs 2 up (one rider a Vet - that's me) on the BH with Kelvin Southan (MG Decor) and we trounced the somewhat limited field due the the torrential rain on the tricky Gryffydam course (18.64m) used for last years CTT circuit Champs going over a minute faster than I did solo 45:44. Second place went to 'Roadmen' Jon Knapp/Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) and Robert Stephenson/Neil Taylor of the promoting club who tied on 47:11

A day out at the BDCA

I did another wet Tuesday evening '10' (third in three days!) before lining up for the BDCA '100' on the following Saturday, this is a season target as a qualifying event for the VTTA BAR. At least I have a '100' under my belt (4:08:25 in the Anfield) but I was hoping to go considerably faster here on the smooth tarmac of the A50. I had felt a bit under the weather (all that rain) but I think with the big events you are able to stave off a few niggles but this is the start of an important few weeks as my recent block of training brings something to the speed game I hope to set a few PB's and even a Club record in the next month. Only hope my grumbled don't develop and I crash and burn, such is the fine line between pushing your body to the limit and not over it.

 I had a massage the day before as a treat, but it was probably a mistake not to do a ride or have it the day before as I could feel it in my legs all through the race and while it felt like the onset of cramp none materialised at all. I usually expect a few twinges in the last  ten miles as to push your legs into the red but I held back a bit and did not go as hard over the first half as I possible could have. 1:51:56 for the first '50' was still good. There was a North wind so it was pretty cold and several riders suffered from the cold in the second half, where your body generates less heat through the reduced effort and once the core temperature drops so does performance

Adam Topham (High Wycombe) the reigning BAR and in need of a good time as the BAR elect Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest) had broken the Competition Record for the distance a month before (3:18:54 - that's 30.1659 mph Av.!) he started 5 minutes behind me and came past at 23 miles going lickety-spit I get around on only the two (500ml) bottles of carb mix and two caffeine gels so I carry a third of water for extra weight and Fiona does give me a half bottle of coffee which does both jobs with 25m to go
I did relatively the same ride as last year 3:46:53 and only a minute off my PB, the difference was the number of riders going faster, I dropped from 17th this year to 24th, a ride like that 5-6 years ago would have garnered a top ten (even a top 6 in a BBAR event) Lots more younger riders in the event and some amazing times, The wheels came off Topham's effort in the second half but he still recorded 3:22:40 but he was beaten by the National Champion Charles Taylor (S Pennine) 3:21:31 the second and third fastest 100's of all time. Joe Skipper a 27 year old Tri Professional came in third 3:33:41

N & EM VTTA '25' Bert Christian Memorial - 54:03

I had a week to recover before the Stone Whs '25' a long time favourite at the end of the season traversing the same roads as the '100' it descends the 'Concrete Mountain' at the far end giving some of the fastest splits that get riders excited until the prospect of the ascent and if your effort is badly paced then a lot of pain to go with a dismal time. I try and keep it steady at the start but 9:26 is still well over 30mph so 8:50 is only slightly off 34mph and 10:07 through the turn without getting too out of breath, it looks to good to be true. And it is 11:50 looks pedestrian by comparison as you come into the Westerly wind but still only just outside 30mph for 20m. The CM is too long even to max out on, it goes up in stages and you have to go in and out of the red like intervals, not great for Old'uns 12:13 is the straw that broke the camels back and I finish with 52:28, fastest of the year by nearly two minutes and good enough for 13th in a classy field as the pure speed-men wilt on the hard return. Alex Royal (Army CU) wins in 48:17 but he is the only 30mph rider Lee Suthard (Weaver Valley) 50:33 and wile old fox Jon Surtees (Swift) 50:51
I had a dilemma a week later, to improve my '25' or my '50' time, Sat was an afternoon event on a new fast course in potentially warm (Indian summer again) but having done a 52 in the Stone Whs could I go better? I also could improve my relatively slow '50' more than a few minutes off my PB, last year I broke the CR in the Manchester event on the A50 (Again! ) But the Wheelers finally decided to stop promoting this end of season Classic as there are 'issues' with promoting so far away from their base. Events need fast (& safe) coursed to be popular but sometimes getting the support is difficult and another late season banker relatively close is replaced with an overnight stop for (potentially cold) Sunday early Breckland over at Attleborough on the A11.

In the end I do both, It's sunny and hot alright but just too windy again to better my 52 but I do my second fastest of the year 54:03, all my time was lost in the first half and I was playing catch-up in the second as I head for 7th. Ian Guilor (Mapperley CC) 51:42 wins it from Ian Dalton (Cherry Valley) 52:03 and Adam Coffey (Alford Whs) 52:06 close behind in third. Ron Hallam (S Pennine) sets an age Std. record for 85 years 1 :03:23 that's a +23:32 needless to say he won from 60 years young Geoff Platts (MG decor) who could still bash out a 52:57 for forth overall but still not be within five minutes of Ron on Std.

'Big' Ron Hallam (S Pennine) 1:03:23 at 85

 The next morning I am up at 4am staying with the Hopkins in Kings Lynn to lessen the travel and Peter who has been away from racing this season will be my 'second' and hand me a bottle If I need it. As it turns out its very cold, only made better by the lack of wind. this is what we used to call a 'float' but its too cold to get going  and while I give it everything from the gun and I get the better of the wind which rises
 later I can only go through 25m in 54:14. Adam Topham has another chance to retain his slipping BBAR crown having failed last week in the Yorkshire RC event to overtake Bideau by .009mph with an amazing 1:38:10 (the fastest of the year) here he was again with another tilt, he sure was going down fighting. In the end he went back another two minutes 1:40:08 but still a 30mph ride on a cold morning. I was one of the early starters and my 12th place 1:49:48 was my fastest of the year by a handful of seconds. Peter Harrison (GS Henly) and Ian Holbrook (Stone Whs) also looking to improve their top 10 BBAR places with 1:44:20 and 1:45:06 respectively

The Mercia '30' is my final TT of the year and a few days before the World Masters Track, I've been off the bike for a week with a bad head-cold so my 'taper' for the Masters has started early but all the work is done and I just need to recover from my malade and the Mercia event on my favourite A50 will give me an indication if I am over the worst. I have done three evening Track League meetings at the new Derby Velodrome in preparation for the Masters so I'm hoping a bit of track speed will rub off on my TT'ing (but more of TL later in the year) I've not ridden a '30' for a couple of seasons, a bit of a curates egg of an event but today there are two! The Leo is a traditional Record breaking event on the A14 at Newmarket and this year it has been revised and much is expected but just too far to go when you need to be resting up. I set the Club Record here before and I will need to go close to my season '25' time to beat it.

This has the benefit at least of being mid afternoon and its mild and windless, I try and keep a lid on my 'good legs' gears down a bit so I hit all the tough sections hard and the 'dog leg' to Doveridge which give us the extra five miles is a tough section with a bad road surface. We get a brief rest bite coming back to the A50 as the wind seems tougher than expected but on the A50 trans-versing the Midlands the direction is crucial and the direct Westerly today is blowing down the gully of a road making life and faster speed difficult. 33 minutes to 15 miles is not auspicious 27mph but then things begin to turn and so does my speed. I come back at a few seconds over 30mph and break the Club record by seven seconds 1:03:16 10th place. Steve Irwin (N Lanc RC) is the winner 57:46 and the only 30mph all the way (31.1598 mph actually) followed by local Baz Charlton (lyme RC) 1:00:22 and Paul Flemming another half minute back in third 1:00:52

There were more spectacular results in the Leo event, Stuart Birnie the long distance specialist who I'd put over five minutes into last week in the Breckland 1:00:47 and ten riders inside the 'hour'. Winner Matt Smith (Velocity) 56:49 thirty years ago that would have been a good result for a '25' The topping on the cake , my good friend Rachael Elliott (Newbury RC) broke Competition Record for the distance 1:03:29 beating the 1999 time of Jill Reams by a minute and a half, a sound beating! o7ò


BDCA 100 Result here

Stone Whs 25 Result here

Breckland 50 Result here

Mercia 30 Result here

Leo 30 Result here

Power to the people

19:57 PB

 Power meters seem to be all the rage for fast times these days, giving the riders an indication of the power necessary to optimise their training and racing performances. I told myself I'd look into it when I no longer managed a personnel best during the season in a time trail. It looks like my money is safe for another year as I scraped a PB by the smallest of margins in the evening City RC (Hull) '10' on the V718, a long way to go for an evening race and the last one I had a late start and it was cold, I got back home after midnight so an early start just after 19.00 was also a boon for a bit of heat still in the day
I'd only done 23:11 in the previous evenings Hinckley club event so the expectation of going 3 minutes faster seemed an impossible prospect, but this course is so unusual, fast it seems under any conditions as my local course so slow. After a modest first five miles in 10.00 dead  I stormed home in 9:57 and a nervous wait to see if the timekeeper gave me the benefit of the single second.

I had a trips to different sides of the country next, first the Shaftsbury '50' at Newmarket with an overnight stay with friends in Bedford. It garnered a hard ride on a terrifically windy day. I was inside 53 minutes at half distance but the slog back saw me drop to a disappointing 1:50:46 as I'd eased off in the first half to give myself a better chance to battle the wind in my effort to negative split more of my rides. On this day I was well wide of the mark.

VTTA '25' dashboard fare

The next weekend required a visit to South Wales for the VTTA National '25' necessitating another overnight stop in nearby Neath. I rode down the course on the Saturday evening where Michael Hutchinson set competition record 45:46 in 2012 and Matt Bottrill went 3 seconds faster two years later. It was a lovely breathless evening warm and I touched 40mph on the start hill so I was expecting a great event with all the top over 40's in the country. I was alarmed and dismayed to be greeted with strong winds and lashing rain when I arose the next morning

VTTA '25' wind & rain (Photo - Kimroy)

I was off early at No 10 so I was waiting outside the HQ with the organiser when the slightly worse for wear local opened up at 6.45 swearing he was doing us a favour, 'it' not having to be open for another 15 minutes! Some of the locals had already decided not to start but us far travelling guests to this lovely corner of the country had to make good on our commitment to the cause. After helping to setup a few tables and lay out the numbers I was off to get ready parking at the finish as I figures I'd need to get into the car as soon as I finished as the temperature still not above ten degrees. The only problem with this a five mile ride to the start, half of it up the start hill in a torrential downpour. I made it to the start with a couple of minutes to spare having given myself an adequate 25 minutes but I was blowing a bit but I was WARM! Alarmingly only one rider in the top ten had started, the race was a bit of a blur as my visor fogged and the motionless trees that lined the lush valley and had been a picture the night before were a streaked and cloudy mass. I finished with 54:15 good enough for 12th on Standard (+14:24) and 9th fastest, longer travelling even than me Derek Stewart (Deeside Thistle) won on Standard so the Champion with a plus of +20:26 and late starting  Brian Sunter (Condor RC) second once again +18:58 with a handy 56:11 at 72 years Gavin Hinxman (Kettering CC) who had travelled down on the morning fastest in 51:09 and third on Std +16:17

VTTA '25' Hinxman Stewart and Sunter Team (Bynea CC)

Although I did not find the roads busy or dangerous the result sheet showed only 61 from 157 entrants had started. a record number of DNS for my racing career

I was in London in early August for the Epsom '10' on the course at Rusper back half a minute on last year in similar conditions 21:47 not able to turn around a 11:18 first half despite the 10:28 second half. I think I was still fast asleep, after another early rise at 4am. I went back along the course after I'd finished to give fellow SWRC rider Fidel Gonzales a shout to the line and he recorded a PB 26:10. Event won by Simon McNamara (South Down Bikes) 20:24

LFCC '10' last corner 21:50

Next morning was the VTTA National '50' on the A3 in the Surrey hinterland, Alan joined me this time (4am again!) but this time it was foggy and cold and I needed some warming leg rub before heading off Brow Hill to do two laps between Petersfield and Liphook. Despite a very even ride over the whole distance I found it difficult to get going 54:39 at half way as the sun gave a bit of muted heat away and I struggled to find any rhythm. Maybe I should stick to all fixed or gears as the chopping and changing between styles of racing play havoc with your pedaling tempo and you find yourself unable to settle. I ended up with a slight improvement for the season 1:49:56 Winner was Brian Sunter 1:50:57 (+44:46) a National record for a 72 yr old. Kevin Tye (Velorefiners) recorded a spectacular 1:40:57 (+40:24) fastest and second on Std.

I have been building my fitness towards the end of the season so the National '10' promoted by my second claim club Hinckley CRC on my local Wolvey course at the end of August is an obvious choice to judge my fitness for the Worlds in October. I ride their Tuesday evening '10' most weeks for training and I've been trying to beat my times on here from a few seasons ago. My best ever 22:01 August 2011 had seemed a long way off but in recent weeks I'd got within 20 seconds of this and then last week 22:02 On my computer I had 22:00.6 but on this occasion the timekeeper took the second away so I will have all to play for in doing my first sub 22 minute ride on the a course that should give a more accurate position of riders in the country than the super fast 'V' The event closed on 21:00 and I'm off number 62 as opposed to 55 last year (riders go off in descending order of time) o7ò

22:02 on the National course

Hull (City) RC '10' Result here

VTTA Nat '25' Result here

VTTA Nat '50' Result here

Leicester Forest CC '10' Result here

National '10' Start Sheet 

Leicester Win! - Stone Whs '25' - British Circuit Champs

Fastest of the year 51:45

I have a rest day after the '100' and I have done five sessions in five days coming up to a double header, the last ride was a 'recovery' to scout Sundays course for the RTTC National Circuit Championships up in the Charnwood Forest but by the time I've ridden there and back to work and done a lap of the course it's nearly 50 miles so not the best preparation for what I hope will be my fastest '25' of the year. The Stone Wheelers event a bit of a Curates Egg of a race on the reverse direction of the speedy Etwall course but over the years it has produces some speedy times despite finishing up the Concrete Mountain. Weather is looking favourable with the unusual East wind blowing us back the best conditions for this event

I have asked for an 'early' to facilitate as much recover as possible, some riders do it (apparently) to get more favourable conditions if they have local knowledge about the weather or say like today when Leicester now back in the Premiership are playing Stoke a mere bus ride away up the A50! And they think there will be lots of coaches returning from the match at a certain time

Andy Jackson's Falco

The race goes well, Its a bit harder going out than anticipated 10:25 and 9:32 put me level with my recent PB '10' time but the turn is slow here with two roundabouts and a drag back up to the main road 10:31 but once back onto the DC its fast 10:15 and I'm level with my best but It cannot sustain that pace and even though I average over 27mph up the Mountain I am left with 51:45. There are some cracking times though and I wonder where the winner Simon Wilson (Wheelbase) put 4 minutes into me! 47:43 just ahead of Andy Jackson (Swift) 47:43 and Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest) 48:32 all break the old course record, The latter his first open '25' but then he did 18:35 in his first event! the Charity '10' on the V718

As i returned from the event I was passed by two dozen buses with Leicester scarves in the window, first win of the season

Can't miss it!

I have second thoughts about Sundays ride and put 53-44 on my bike as the course is just too hard for a 50 inner and the fast sections not long enough to get the benefit out of a 'Dinner Plate'. HQ is Bardon and I find a quite corner of the car park to do 20 minutes on the rollers, legs feel remarkably good considering the pounding they took in the last five miles yesterday but that's improved fitness as well. As I ride up to the start I bump into my old friend Andrew, he has taken a few hours off to ride out and support me, I'm in a bit of a pre-race frame of mind so I hope he does not think I'm rude, its difficult to be easy going and race ready at the same time Fiona knows well enough to leave me alone in the hours (and days) coming up to a big event but I've had a good result yesterday so I can afford to have a bit of a chat. The start is one of the highest points in this part of the country and you have a panoramic view of the National Forest (most of its oak cut down to make the Tudor fleet but Abraham Derbys' smelting process took its toll of this area and its now has several large quarry's now the mining at nearby Coalville has ceased)

Waiting for the Off

The course has an uphill start (inner ring!) but then drops for the next few miles and my speed is over 40mph I dare not look down at my computer above that on aero bars as the road surface not the best. A left turn and the course is 'Rolling' I should have done my practise lap at nearer race pace as its difficult to get my tempo right over all these obstacles and the final part is up a steep hill and I'm in too big a gear and its not so smooth for all the spectators who have gathered here. There are a few cheers of "Go on Colin" well it is my local event, I didn't realise I was so well known. The second lap I get better, smaller gears, attacking the slopes and over the top, my legs feel OK but I think my HR is down as I lack that extra bit of power to smooth out the effort and get the best out of myself, it's all preparation and practise so no matter how well you focus performance suffers
In the end my time is about what I'd expect so after yesterday that's a bonus, I'm second in my 50-54 age group behind Kevin Tye (Velorefiners) who has won this six years in a row (and World age related TT Champ last year) so its to be expected, Michael Hutchinson, now 40! is the fastest of the Veterans and second Overall 43:17 Best on standard is 63 year old Chris Scawn (Plymouth Corinthian) 46:14 (+12:56) I'm 14th overall and 13th on standard
Fastest is 'Man of the Season' Matt Bottrill (drag2zero) racing on virtually local roads 41:50, a tie for 3rd place between Dave Crawley (Wrexham) and Brett Harwood (Terry Wright) and 4th Russell Hampon (Athlon Sport) only a second back so almost a three way! o7ò



Stone Wheelers 25 Result

RTTC British Circuit Champs Result

Main Course - National '10'

Training bike 'Lloydy'

Traditionally the National 10 Mile Time trial is the first big event of the 'Testing' season but this year its at the tail end and on the fastest course in the country or a version of it, the powers that be decided for reasons of their own to turn it off the fast dual carriageway and do the last mile along a bumpy B road so that it can finish near the headquarters, this will entail riders to negotiate a slip road a turn and a roundabout (together) when coming to the end of their ride so should be interesting. My last four rides on the traditional version of this course 20:08, 20:07 last season 20:13 and 20:08 this season so while I am informed that I have not experienced it under 'Superfast' conditions (apparently) they have been consistently fast. Now when I saw the National was going to be the tail end of the season a month or so before the World Championships my major objective of the year I planned to target the event as the start of the build up to the main course.

Oldskool style (and time) 23:38 (Pic Taceys Photos)

By way of preparation I had a full Bank Holiday of riding, first the local Leicester Forest CC '10' on A46 Six Hills. and then the VTTA National '25' at Newmarket on the Sunday early! They had tried to run this earlier in the season and it was cancelled half way completed by one of those torrential rainstorms in June. I had not entered the original event, this was to be a complete re-run.

Winner - Matt Sinclair 19:46

I rode a single fixed in both events my steel 'David Lloyd' (Lloyd'y), a modest 92" on my training bike with 'non aero' as there was a Road bike prize and I did not want to stuff my legs, it was important to get two hard rides without overdoing it as this would be my first back to back racing of the season. The only race wheels I have for the Saturday are over 30 years old 28 spoke Campag SF, my best track wheels in the day, elliptical spokes and super-light Argent 10 rims (can you feel the nostalga?), the front tyre (a Clement No6) still shellacked on (Google it!) for that real Oldskool experience. Advanced in their day but would I be able to compete with geared riders on their carbon aero road biked and wheels (No Disc or Tri bars allowed)

'Bands' get an outing

I wanted to change the bars and stem to get a better racing position (on the drops!) but the stem stuck fast, I did a nice warm-up on the rollers and it felt great that gear spinning around at 110 RPM. The race however was another thing, strong cross-winds made it tough both ways on the DC section, some were having problems with their deep rims, not me on my 'skinny' Mavics. I was off number 50 so I knew I would be caught by David Mead (Hinckley CRC) who usually beats me by half a minute or so in the Tuesday evening 10's but without the aero aids he was on me at half distance. To be fair I struggled in the conditions and did not get into my riding even though I was not over-geared and even the fast last 3 miles was a struggle, my time 23:38 only good enough for half way down the 100 rider field but I did manage to get third on the Road bike event and got my entry back, so a result of sorts I don't think I could have bothered the winner Matt Sinclair (Lutterworth) 19:46 by a second from Brett Harwood (Terry Wright RC)


On the Sunday I rode my Pursuit/Fixed Time Trial bike an alloy Cervelo SL which is 'Super Lite'  it comes in only 80 grams over the UCI minimum weight for bikes and makes a lovely 'stiff' TT bike and this was the first time this year I've stepped the gear up to 106" (56 x 14). The conditions for the 6.30 start were not ideal (cold, windy and early!) at least I was off in the last half hour (125) and had time for a 10 mile warm up on the roads this time as the organisers did not want riders disturbing the locals with Turbo's or Roller's at this un-earthly hour.

VTTA 'NuSkool' (Pic Kimroy)

It was a bit of a struggle going out, I could see I was not handling the uphill sections on the bigger gear and then not able to take advantage of the downhill until the way back when I got into my stride and managed a 30mph last five mile split (9:47) But I'd lost too much over the rest of the ride my dad's maxim "You only ever loose time!" ringing in my ears, still 53:30 good enough for 10th overall but only 16th on VTTA Standard (+14:56) Defending Champion Rob Pears (Pro Cycling) went fastest 49:46 at only a year younger than my 25 years but could not match the 'Old Guys' and 6th on Std +18:18. Local 84 year old Eric Marsh (Cycles Uno) +22:11 was the winning plus (1:03:21) over a minute ahead of Scot Derek Stewart (Deeside Thistle) a mere youngster at 78 with 58:22 but Brian Sunter (Condor RC) 54:33 at 71 only good enough for third +20:03

These are the times you need to win at this level, Rob Pears would have to break Competition Record to win today, on a slower/harder course where he is on the roads longer and the 'Old Geezers' suffer more power loss than the younger man they are clear winners even though the Standards have been adjusted (from their 1943 original) in the past few years to allow the younger man to be more competitive as riders are better even though they are getting older.

So the National '10' is this Sunday and I'm off just before 2.00pm No 55 of the 150 man field (Juniors and Ladies at Alcester) so that means there are 95 riders faster than me at the present time (or the time of entering, rider No 2 did a 19:11 in the Swift Charity '10' on the Championship course last week!) so a place in the top 50 could be considered a good one. I would still like to break Roger Hammonds club record 19:49 but that would require half a mile per hour improvement in speed to shave off the twenty odd seconds (two a mile!) needed to go from my personnel best. I would like to be within two minutes of the winner, the last time I managed that of last man Michael Hutchinson was 2010 on the windiest day I have ever raced and that too was on the V718, he just scraped a 30mph ride with 19:57 and I did 21:34 so maybe I should wish for tough conditions but that would mean my ambition for the club record would go out the window and it seems like I have been trying to attain that for most of the ten years since I came back to racing

The march of time

If you look at my times over that time, there have been a few 'wobbles' but I have steadily got faster over the years, despite the encroaching age I still feel I can do it. Roger was a 21 year old recently crowned World Champion and had all the same aero advantages that we have today (aero bars, helmet and disc wheel) but had to negotiate the six roundabouts on the Rusper course (twice) to achieve the feat. I think he was studying at Brunel University when he was racing in the club, going over to Belgium to race in the summer months and I do remember him and Steve Gowar riding (& winning) the Divisional Road Race Championships around Lingfield in SWRC colours circa 1993. I however am also a newly crowned World Champion and when I saw him at the BC dinner where he was being invested into the 'Hall of Fame' I had a quite word with him and shook his hand hoping a bit of Hammond magic would rub off.  o7ò

Follow events unfold on the TT Forum

A tale of two rides (2 x 25)

1970 World Champioship

Two contrasting events over the same distance approached in different ways with the same objective and different outcomes. The Leicester Forest '25' on my local 'Six Hills' A46 course that was used for the 1970 World Team Time Trial course.

The Rolling A46

It was won by the mighty USSR from Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands. Britain was represented by the cream of the Time Trial scene at the time '100' Competition record holder (03:46:37) Ant Taylor Oldbury & District, with Houndslow & District duo Martyn Roach and Jeff Marshall all three were BBAR top five the year before, the odd man out was 'Huge Gear Man'  John Tooby (Coventry CC) but their time only good enough for 16th place (from 21 starters!) This was when the TTT was an amateur affair.  By the time Britain hosted the World Championships again in 1982 and the TTT was held on a hilly course over the South Downs at Goodwood (in the pouring rain) we had gone over to almost exclusively roadmen (Joe Waugh, Bob Downs, Steve Lawrence & Phil Bateman) placed also 16th (from 21 starters again), winners were the Nederlands from the Swiss and the less mighty Russians in third (Czechs 6th) so no change there then!

Team GB in the rain at Goodwood

I'm using a fixed again, put up to 54 x 15 that's 96" or slightly above what I have been using in the evening 10's and on here two weeks ago. It was raining 'Cats & Dogs' in the morning as we are having allot of showers so I have no chance for a ride just a bot of stretching and twenty minutes on the rollers in the now sweltering heat but by the time I get to the start the roads are pretty much dry apart from the off DC bits where I will just take it easy. Only fifty percent of the riders start a legacy of the rain but I hope for a good workout and a moderate good time in the blustery conditions with the 'Rolling' nature of the course

A46 pedalling action

I had a tail wind start to the turn at Widmerpool and then a little climb up to the roundabout the only place I need to get out the saddle as its steep and I'm barely moving at the top. We go half way back to Wymeswold (It's Stilton city round here with Cropwell Bishop & Colston Bassett up the A46) under the dual carriageway and back to Widmerpool again. Coming away from the far turn I was caught by Dave Ellis (Mapperley RC) twenty minutes behind me but on the first lap of the circuit and we passed and re-passed each other before he turned off.

Winner Dan Barnett

It was tough work into the wind but once back at Six Hills there was a long section dropping gently down to the finish at Thrussington where I was able to average 30mph which is 110 RPM on my moderate gear but nothing compared to the 155RPM and 45 mph finish (on aero bars somewhat hairy!). 56:15 was good enough for 7th place 98RPM Av. helped by that last section and two minutes faster than two weeks before. Winner was Dan Barnett (drag2zero) 52:42 from Nick cave (Lutterworth) 53:26 and Ellis 54:38 able to pull out more time on the fast sections

As a point of interest Dan's speed (all be it over 25 and not 60 miles) 28.46mph would have been faster then the four man Russian squad put up to win the World title in 1970 28.18mph. My speed 26.7mph would have been faster than the British quartet 26.36mph

1970 Team Time Trial Result

A week later I'm playing away on the A11/14 otherwise known as the E2/25 or the Newmarket bypass, the API/Metrow Zak Carr Memorial '25' is developing a reputation as a fast event on these roads that can be exposed and windy, it had been calm all week and then Saturday morning it blew up a bit 15mph from the North which is good for this course which travels NE to SW. We are staying with friends in Bedford so no chance of a ride in the morning but I do get 25 minutes in the rollers at full pelt.
I'd asked for an early start so off number 10 but with David McGaw a minute behind me who was second to Alex Dowsett in his recent record breaking '10' ride with 19:24 How long before he catches me? Well as I stick to my high revving attack (on gears this time) and its very fast with the wind half behind it takes him about nine miles! I'm still inside 20 minutes at ten miles and 96RPM but with the wind taken out of my sails I have to tackle the harder return. I get caught up behind a tractor (on the A11!) and have to pass it TWICE! as its going uphill faster than me but not when I get on the flat, it also passes my two minute man which just puts me in the outside lane, I eventually get rid of it on the long flat middle section.
Ooh! its hard coming back and my hard week has caught up with me and my revs drop markedly, the finish is more covered and I finish with a bit of a flourish. 53:47 is a decent ride in the conditions but there are some fast times McGaw has gone close to 30mph with 50:06 but only good enough for 8th the winner Matt Smith (Velocity) 48:34 and a string of 49's, my time good enough for a lowly 43rd but I'm happy with my form on limited racing o7ò

Leicester Forest result

API 'Zak Carr Mem' result

This is a great Result finding site

Roll with it

As before its a late start for me but last year I was into June and did not give myself enough time to get race ready for the British Track Masters at the end of the month so this year I got out and rode some evening 10's on 92" fixed just to ease myself into it. Times were pretty slow but trying to spin that gear at 100RPM is like being punched in the stomach so I just had to lean on the ropes and take the blows. My first open was the Nottingham East Midlands VTTA '25' on my local Six Hills course (A46) just North of Leicester, It was sunny a brief interlude between the rain making it the wettest month since the early 30's. I put my gear up to 95" as its nearly all DC but 'roll'in' and a stiff breeze was going to make it tough in places so I thought best to not make it too hard for myself. In the end it was the faster sections that were more painful (note to buy some more chamois cream!) as I nearly topped 150RPM on the down wind downhill sections Ouch! 58:10 good enough for 10th overall and second Vet on Standard, won by Phil Hunt of the Nottingham Clarion 55:31
Second event came after a two week break and a week in Devon schlepping up the hills when I should have been honing my speed but no worries its all training at this stage still. Sunday 1 June arrived like the Summer was here, Movistar professional Alex Dowsett had broken the 10 Competition Record the day before 17:20 on the E2 at Newmarket but the Sunday was also hot and windless. The Nottingham Clarion '50' I have ridden numerous times and its 2 1/2 lap course on the Vale of Belvoir is flat and well broken up a good thing in the windy Midlands, I was on gears here but with no 'form' I set out to keep my gears low and attack the second half. A brief ride to the start and a few efforts tells me that it may be too warm for just the one bottle but its all I have as I sit on the line with sweat dripping down my nose (riders were actually warming up on their turbos!) I find it difficult to hold back once out on the road and maybe I started too fast but by 15 miles I was blowing a bit into the wind on bumpy B roads, I eased off a bit but still trying to keep up my 90-95RPM and attack every incline and hard section. I allowed myself to put the gears up a bit on the fast A52 section between Grantham and Nottingham. A car came the wrong side of an junction island so I was faced with an on coming car on the second lap, that and another trying to run me down on the longest straightest Long lane because I was passing another rider made me feel a little concerned
The first half 57:20 and I could feel the un-natural pressure in my arms and neck from the position and the effort, I'd got to the HQ early and remembering I'd put my most aero position on for the last race of last season I'd raised the front end a couple of inches but my saddle was a bit too sloping and I kept having to push myself back as you tend to draw yourself forward with higher revs. It was now mid day and very hot, my bottle was nearly gone and a second gel just to smooth out the last half lap effort but the finish came along too soon before I got all my effort out and coping with a newly 'dressed' road surface (Why do they do that?) and a bit of headwind I was over the line and done. My time 1:55:59 is two minutes faster than I've been on here before but 93 RPM Av. is tidy and good enough for 6th place, the best over 50 rider and contented with my effort. Winner was local Scott Walker (MG Decor) 1:47:33 o7ò

Zipp action o7ò

Nottingham Clarion '50' Result

Stone Wheelers '25' - Life's a Drag

Another week another trip to the A50, this time starting at the Blythe Bridge end and literally dropping down past Uttoxeter and then back. This is always a race of two half's, one super fast and one super tough, tough physically as you have to fight the course and usually the conditions and mentally as you see your dream ride ebb away. Its always the way so a lack of wind was a welcome sign that I might be spared the superlative and only be reduced merely tough.

It's a drag - 52:02  (Photo - Chris Lees)  o7ò

I've been paying a bit more attention to my position after looking at my 'double' photo posted a few weeks back, allot has been made about wind tunnel testing and how much (or not!) the top riders pay attention to what benefit it has on performance. Matt Bottrill claims not to have achieved any more power output for his recent improved times but being sponsored by a wind tunnel lab (drag2zero) seems to be having its benefits.
I decided to make a start by dropping my bars an inch as I'd put it up for my last 12Hr and got used to a less aggressive position and then did 20 minutes on the rollers as even with a fast start its a cold day and a bit of warmth in the muscles always nice

My first split 9:48 as I try and resist the temptation to start too fast but 8:51 (33.8 Av.) is more realistic and I know how Hutch feels as he scorches along on the flat all the time 10:06 including a tricky double roundabout at the turn that I had driven on my way through just to check my line and the road surface, I was glad to see Sir Brad concur for his TOB time trial at Knowlsley

Spot the difference 2009 o7ò

32 Av. mph to the turn is not quite competition record speed but you would think its a good position to be and 10:39 for the next five miles still put me fifteen seconds inside a 50 minute ride. But that last five miles are the hardest I will ever race, I have taken 14 minutes to polish them off, on this occasion its 12:19 still well over 24mph but it does not matter how you cut your cloth all I can salvage is 52:02 minutes my third fastest of all time and a course PB and I should be pleased but this course always leaves you unsatisfied with all that promise its never going to feel comfortable. Good enough for 10th overall, a couple from Manchester Wheeler's Simon Bridge and Scott Burns take first and second and that man Charles Taylor the only other rider inside fifty minutes. o7ò

Result Here

Photo Here (Chris Lees)

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

NNO 25 + SB 50

I had a couple of fast outings mid July while the 100th Tour was wending its way through France, the North Nott's Oly '25' I've ridden numerous times on fixed usually but this time I plumped for gears as I've not done much and I was wanting to get the best out of myself in the next week Shaftsbury '50'
Almost a repeat of last year when the long spell of dry weather was broken by thunder storms that fell early evening, gone are the days when a Saturday time trial was midday due to traffic count this part of the Great North Road is used in the early evening (first rider 5PM) so it was a long days wait (I did 20m in the AM & some Yoga) watching the Tour for inspiration. The first 30 or so riders were deluged to the point where the A1 was almost un-rideable and some competitors decided it was too dangerous but by the time I was off an hour later the rain had completely cleared up and the temperature dropped and all we were left with was damp roads to contend with.
I still did a good warm-up on the 'rollers' as my legs had been sore after doing my first Mallory Park evening criterium in two years on the Tuesday, I finished in the bunch and a bit of a shock to the system. The wind was a bit weird stirred up by the evening storms and I set out with the aim of not going too much into the red too early! 10:45 for my first (5m) split and then 11:02 and 11:20 as I negotiated the damp turn and then picked up a bit on the way back, as it was evidently faster 10:24 as you climb up to Newark and then 10:14 dropping down to finish at Sutton on Trent 53:46 about 30 seconds down on my usual for this course but good enough for 10th and only 2:30 off the winner's time Adam Gascoigne (Loughborough)
The next Saturday I have the Uber fast '50' on the Newmarket bypass and around (A14/A11) Last year this event was run off in almost perfect windless conditions but today we have a steady NW wind that will make the long 20 mile pull out to the turn at Red Lodge hard work and the heat is there to make it worse, I still see some riders with a bare 500ml bottle and some with none at all but I'm taking a full litre! (of water) and it can go on my legs if I think I don't need it.
The first ten miles out and home 21:57 does not look bad as I think anything inside 1:50 today will be a 'good job' so I have to average 22:00 for each ten mile section over the duration, my second split 23:34 is not so pleasant as the wind hampers my progress but I dare not put in too much for fear of overdoing it and having nothing for the return. After a while my legs get the hang of the conditions but my head still has to rule and the (out & home) third split 22:28 means I can let loose a bit as I now have a tail wind and the worst is out the way 19:58 is good work and pulls back the time lost on the two previous splits but I still have to do the final ten miles, (the same as the first) This means a hard final five miles but 21:41 gives me a time of 1:48:51 making a negative split of nearly 5 minutes as I was at the '25' point in 56:51 and then a nice round 52:00 for the second half. Just shows what you can make back if you hold your nerve, last year I was 53:04 to the turn and I suffered on the way back into the wind as I usually put everything into the first half but when you only have a limited amount of condition you have to be assiduous with it and on this occasion I think I played it right. Winner was a new name at this level Jon Wynn (Northover VT) 1:40:47 (52:10) from current BBAR Adam Topham (High Wycombe) 1:41:16 (52:54) and third 51 year old Kevin Tye 1:41:37 (53:28) winning the Vets prize with +38:50

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