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

Don't Panic! - BDCA 100

I have a one time opportunity for a hundred this year, it's the BDCA on my local course near Uttoxeter, it's also the last chance for any aspiring BBAR riders to make an improvement so the field which is limited to ninety riders is stuffed with fast riders wanting to make a difference to their season

Indigestion at the start

As its my one and only '100' I have to take a cautious approach to the effort and I have to get around to qualify a ride for my VTTA (Vets) BAR, the weather has been looking good all week and come the day its cool and light wind from the North which will make a cross wind most of the time, good for this course. It begins to rain as Fiona and i drive to the HQ at Etwall, Fi is my helper for the day and as one of the more experienced ones has numerous other WAGS to help with their duties of handing up bottles and 'hollering' from the sidelines. Fi does not come to many races these days but the course here has a dog leg off the 
main road which makes an excellent staging post for support where she can see me 5-6 times in the race and have access to nice toilets and a McFlurry from the facilities on the main road.

Steady on the way out (10m)

I get under way at one o'clock and after a few more spots of rain it turns into a glorious day with even some sunshine later in the race, difficult to know what to eat for a mid day effort, breakfast was hours ago and I need to keep eating up to the race as with a four hour effort you can easy run out of energy. Riders these days sustain themselves on almost a liquid diet albeit with carbohydrate added and gels on top, you might get a fancy for a banana but with times ever faster you are on the road for less and its a balancing act. I have half a sausage sandwich, BIG mistake!
I trundle out along the A50, I have a schedule for 3:52 a time I have not achieved for a couple of seasons so I need to get up the far end (25m) in 57 minutes (that's over 26mph Av.) to get to half way inside 1:54 so no hanging around. I have Ian Greenstreet (Newbury RC) 4 minutes behind to keep an eye on, we race track and TT's together, he beats me in the shorter ones but in recent years he's started beating me at the longer distances, we are the same age and been racing since the 70's, we go back a long way! I can feel that sandwich working its way back up! Thankfully I have to drink plenty in the first hour to get ahead with my liquid feeding and after a while the sausage admits defeat and retreats to my stomach. Sometimes you have to have to train your constitution as well as your legs

At the Blythe Bridge turn Ian is only 10-15 seconds up and my legs feel good, 25 miles come up soon after (55:40) unfortunately my tyres feels a bit soft, Its one of those things that I cannot tell if its the front or the back or both! but it feels a bit suspect. I carry on to the dog leg to Rocester, Fi will give me a bottle on the way back, I should have told her to get a wheel but I have been flying down the mountain at break neck speed (40mph) and It still feels OK, however going around the small Rocester roundabout I can tell it will not last, in fact it almost bottoms out. Ian is only another 15 seconds up so I have to get to the car without an impact puncture. There's lots of cars all of a sudden and handling the bike is tricky on the narrow aero bars and a softening tyre, I have to go up a gritty channel the inside of a long row of cars. Please don't puncture! I see Fiona and divert to the car, the spares are pumped up and I grab a bottle as well, I loose maybe a minute or more but my heart is racing and I need to get back on the course, I pass a couple of riders I have passed already and I have to stop myself panicking and going too hard, its only 40 miles gone and the hardest part to come.

Pete with the bottle, me with the flat (35m)

In the haste to get a wheel my computer is now not registering so I only have the daytime and heart rate, I go through 50 miles and Ian is now less than two minutes behind (1:50:05 - but I don't know this) I am more composed and its the second lap so I know what I am up against and I just press on. Back up at the far turn Ian is only 20 seconds behind, either I have slowed or he has chased me down, I use my HR to make sure my effort on the mountain has been progressive and not too feeble but still I have to stick with my race as Ian powers past seemingly going several miles per hour faster. Ian's best is not inside 3:50 and he has caught me for at least 2 maybe 3 minutes at 75 miles I seem to be on schedhule. I pick up going down the mountain as I know that the hardest part of the race is over, I have taken a couple of gels and I have another to get me to the finish, I have two bottles and I drain them both before the Rocester roundabout, Ian is about 40 seconds up but I still feel good and I take a final bottle of water from Fiona.
Now getting back on the A50 I see a rider in front, my vision is a bit blurry but he has unusual white overshoes like Ian, another couple of miles and every uphill I gain a good deal, as I approach I see it is Ian, overcooked it catching me and now paying the price in a bad way, I pass him but he passes me back and we get into a bit of a race. I don't want to get into a race situation I just need to finish,

Fiona shows how to hand up a bottle in style (85m)

It's a shame as I feel good but the onus is on the caught rider to drop back in these situations. This is an important race and there are observers out to see that the racing is fair and above board, already this year one of my counting events has had a 'pacing' inquest which delays the result while the whole thing is investigated. I drop back 20 seconds and just bring my race home, I hope I have a good enough time to improve my Vets Standard and my clock suggests I'm ten minutes inside my four hours but sometimes these things are out if your watch does not tarry with the timekeepers, it can be minutes out.
The first indication that things might be better than expected is that Ian says he has taken 10 minutes off his PB 3:41:34 , so that makes me close to my PB four and a half minutes down even with a delay. 3:46:13 is less than 20 seconds off a PB set six years ago, I never thought I would attain that sort of result on a diet of ninety minute rides and hardly any long distance racing. Its over 26.5 mph all the way, I have given myself a week to write about this as I was a bit depressed at going so close I got it a bit out of proportion what a good ride I had done. With all racing seconds are the battle and when you give them away cheaply its hard to take when you have done all the work but don't have the result, I had a better result than I planned or hoped for but. Still not satisfied? What's wrong with me?

'Baz' Charlton on his way to 25mph ride (with Fiona)

Mind you when I look at the other times coming in it is evident that it is a super fast day BBAR elect Adam Topham (High Wycombe) 3:26:44 is the third fastest of all time and there are a slew of PB's to match. Best of all was Barry (Baz) Charlton (Swinnerton Cycles) breaking competition record on a trike, and being the first rider inside four hours, a little harsh on Dave Keene who set the record in 1996 with 4:00:01 but Barry's 3:58:19 almost gives him the set with '10', '25', '30' & 12 Hr. only Glen Longland's 50 mile eludes him and that may be how it stays as he announced that the trike had been sold and he'd bought himself a new Giant 'Trinity'

I have to be satisfied with having a near nine minute improvement in my VTTA plus to 1:12:30 which should boost my 3 distance if I can improve my '50' in a couple of weeks on the same course o7ò

Pictures - Martin Purser/Fiona



BDCA result VeloUK

Burton & District Cycling Ass '100' - Heat is on

I've had an exciting few weeks as most riders are bringing their season to a close with late season races that feel a bit 'After the Lord Mayor's show' but I still have the World Masters in early October so I need to be ramping up my intensity to get the best out of my fitness. While my overall training is well down on previous years I still seem to have the condition to do some amazing rides, better than when I was doing the BAR when I might have been overtired, I leaned from last year If I do less training then It has to be top quality and then more rest. I rest every other day so my training/racing is only three or four days a week and my monthly total has not topped 900 miles all season (compared to 1500m in other years)

BDCA - Not the easiest (Pic by Flybike) o7ò

So how would I fair over one hundred miles? I'd done a couple of long rides in the two weeks previous but my ride would depend on careful pacing, I need a '100' time to improve on my VTTA BAR (7th 2012) last year I blew it on a windy Northern day I made a good start and went to pieces. This time on local roads the BDCA '100' on the A50, it was cancelled last year due to a RTA (motorbike not a bike!) and there were many disappointed riders who lost out and I did not get a chance to correct my Yorkshire error. This year only one chance, all or nothing, I suppose last year I thought I had a second bite at the cherry but this year I don't have that luxury.

61 year old  Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) on his Lotus (7th)

It was a windy day again and I had to make a slow start not to repeat my error when my eagerness let me down. I make the first quarter (most of it into the wind) 59 minutes, there is a good crowd out and Fiona is out to assist and enjoys a bit of roadside banter with the other helpers on the dog leg to Doveridge which thankfully is fairly neutral in the cross wind. There's plenty of interest as its the final British Best All Rounder counting '100' and a ride off between defending Champion Adam Topham (High Wycombe) and 2011 Nik Bowdler (PedalRevoloution) I take another bottle and its pretty much all I need to the finish. I have to temper my cool start with a bit of speed on the return and get to half distance in 1:53:56 so I have a second lap and a second time up to Blythe Bridge where the wind is stealing my time as it blows directly down the highway leaving no place to hide.

Joel Wainman (SWIFT) 3rd

It takes me 1:05 to do the next 25 miles as I grind out my ride but as I get to the final turn inside 3 hours I know I will pick up on the way back and beat 4 hours which at the start of the day was my target. I can feel my legs go a bit wobbly with the lack of endurance training and Andy Jackson (Swift) who has only caught me three of the five minutes he started behind me to this point reels in the reminder in the last 15 miles to catch me on the line. 3:54:11 a few years ago that would have been a disappointment but with lack of training miles and tough conditions its a great result. Local rider Charles Taylor (South

Andy Jackson (SWIFT)

Pennine) shows the National stars what can be done with local knowledge and on a set of favoured Shamals wins the even with an amazing 3:35:39 Bowdler 2nd 3:36:06 and Topham 3:40:20 for 4th but he still leads the BBAR and it will all come down to the final event of the season the Manchester Whs. '50' on these very roads (starting Blythe Br. end) on the 28th Sept I will be riding that one as well, final preparation for the Masters. o7ò

Result here

Pics here (By Flybike)

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

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)

CLUB RECORD (1:46:13) - Olympic Dreams

The British Olympic cyclists were sweeping all before them and I was getting into the spirit with a second breaking of the Club '50' record in the space of a fortnight, a shade under 90 seconds off what I'd done in the Shaftsbury but this was a different sort of ride, the third time I'd broken the record in this event the BDCA on my 'local' fast course on the A50 between Etwall & Blythe Bridge I'd ridden back from London on the Thurs (80m) Fiona picked me up from Northampton so I didn't have to do it all and I took it easy (18.5mph) but it was still a long ride close to the event on Saturday afternoon. The day forecast showers (again) and I plumped for gears for the first time this season since the opener as I figured the 'Concrete Mountain' would blunt any chance of taking advantage of the course and conditions which were blustery I downed several coffee's after being abstemious as usual and I was off to the timekeeper (Joe Summerlin) resplendent in his Olympic 'Gamesmaker'jacket making us feel part of the amazing sport we have witnessed so far. I looked up at the ominous heavens and removed my visor, not raining yet but it was 'how long' now not 'what if' I've been starting more cautiously because of using a fixed, it takes a bit of time to get into your ride and I carried over to gears, I've also turned off my computer notifications but with the rain I soon forget about my splits and just concentrate on my performance. Looking at my splits in retrospect my first (five mile) split was the only one outside 11 minutes 11:10 apart from the dog leg to Doveridge which knocks you for six after descending the Mountain at top speed. 10:33 as I get into my stride and then 10:19 as I battle with the conditions and the rolling roads, a couple of tricky roundabouts and then 10:54 as we ascend to the high point but still keeping my form. Around the Blythe Bridge roundabout at the far turn, I was about level with Neil Skellern (Team Swift) my 5 minute man but still not caught my minute man which is a bit unusual. The return is slightly harder but the rain storms have killed the wind a bit and it's only tough for the couple of exposed miles at the top of the 'Mountain' 10:42, and then descending is 9:57 my only +30mph split Then I catch my minute man at 35m and he promptly re-passes me on the dog leg as I have a bad patch but I decide not to get involved and ride my race,11:14 past the JCB factory I was only 20 seconds down on Skellern Its pouring with rain again and I try to keep out the grit, I have already seen a couple of 'walkers' and its a rare occasion when I do not have a spare since I lost one (with inhalator) and I feel lucky! Once back on the A50 I re-pass my man but he goes passed again but I'm not going that bad 10:33 and I decide (again) not to race and he goes out to 10 seconds. Coming to the penultimate 5 miles 10:12 and then I re-pass my man again and push for the line, I'd long since stopped looking at my time but the final split 10:32 I knew it would be good but again I'm not expecting to do personnel bests when not concentrating on the distance events, all my effort has been around preparing for the track in October and you would think I would have done my best times when I was doing longer distances in preparation for the BBAR but perhaps there is something to say for doing less and more recovery time as I feel great! The several riders that rode the Shaftsbury have gone back one or two minutes but I have done my biggest improvement for four years so surprised as the conditions not the best but my legs are, which bodes well and I can build on that.

Full Result Here

BDCA 100

Funny how things turn out, I felt for sure that all I had to do was a reasonable ride in the final '100' of the year to confirm my position in the top 12 of the BBAR this year, the top 7 places are well out of reach above 27mph which must be a record and would have got you a top three place in most other years. The next three places all above 26.5mph and also out of reach for us mortals who have the final three places to fight for and the next 5 places covered by 0.04mph that's about 5 seconds in a 10 mile time trial

I had a consistent week of training, and felt good, tight calf muscles were sorted with a bit of stretching and I was good to go except late on Friday night I began to feel queasy and had a bit of indigestion but I was able to sleep fairly well maybe in the excitement I had got a bit tense but that what come with pressure and I did not feel it was unusual. In the morning I had breakfast in a bit of a sweat but I just went out for 30 minutes and did my stretching as normal and physically felt OK, my stomach was a bit bloated but I managed to put away a bit of pasta at midday as the first riders set off out onto the A50

Two identical laps from Etwall to Bylth Bridge and back along the Dual Carriageway with a dog leg to Doveridge where the JCB headquarters are situated, the wind had blown up from the South so it was pretty much a cross wind but harder on the way out as there was more uphill and the dreaded 'Concrete Mountain'. There was a bit of a plan to pace myself for the first outward leg and not go overboard I did not need a PB just inside 3:50 well within my capabilities, 100 miles a long way but I'm not going to get any fitter and I rated my chances of coping with any conditions baring in mind my recent form and plenty of experience

55:30 for the first 25 miles was good work as it was hard but I did not let my concentration slip even on the hardest sections but my HR would not go up to its normal 159/160 and hung around the 156 which could mean I was not overextending myself but every time I tried to go up there my body resisted. Coming back was easier but the dog leg was the hardest as we came back into a block headwind and  my second 25 of 56:02 so that's 1:51:38 to half way which was good and well  inside my target and on course for a PB

The second lap begins I had to have another gel (my second) and Fi had handed me a bottle at 35 miles, I had been using bigger gears (for me) so my style did not feel fluid so there was a drop in the speed back on the main road and I was not feeling very comfortable with the effort. Jeff Jones (Chippenhan & Didt) the BBAR elect caught me for 9 min at 60 miles super smooth and aero he is doing what is needed but I was having problems. Why can't I? I was expecting a bit of a slowdown but I just could not match this as I watched his flashing light disappear in the distance, I was catching riders myself but more slowly and with a laboured effort. I needed another gel to get me to the finish, my supplies gone too early Fi gave me one and I held it in reserve

It's always best to ride your own race and here I was beginning to feel that the ride was getting away from me I had a second time up the 'hill' to the far turn felt like it would make a difference but once around I still had nearly 30 miles to go (not 70 done!) even the downhill seemed an effort when It had been such an effort to climb you feel it should give back its power easily but in reality you have to toil to harvest the speed from the gradient and the wind all the time pulling at your side. 1:01:11 was a sudden shock for the third 25 and the ride was slipping away

The Doveridge section was a miserable experience,  you relish the hard times when you are going well, welcome them even, when there is nothing there they drag, Fi gave me a final bottle of water I feel disembodied as I look down at my legs, I drift away from myself and have to pull myself back down to carry on the effort and the pain

Derek Parkinson (Cleverly RC) catches me for 19 min with 10 to go and going strongly and cheers me , he is pounding  where I can only poke at the pedals, I see a couple of riders ahead that I have been closing in on and try to use them as bait for my effort, I am closing in on the final miles and there is effort and no effort, pain and no pain, tears of effort and tears of frustration closing in but not making the kill. I pass one Fiona at the side of the road cheering with Sean Childs urging me on, I have effort but it will not be urgent it will only subside at the finish

When I cross the line the twinges of cramp only for the final miles slip back into the water with the pain and I come up for air and breath properly, not the urgent breathing of a distorted mouth  but shallow breathing of late sunshine and a warm breeze, 3:52:20 the numbers stare back at me, not a disaster nothing really. After that good start I let it slip away, Was it the sickness? I felt sick in the race but my body was good, until I needed more. Was it the conditions? Did I underestimate them? When you look at the times of the other riders I feel a little bit more uncomfortable, I went out to race and got caught by the pace

Only '50' mile time trials remain to affect position in the season long BBAR, only 0.04mph between myself in 15th place and Antony Stapleton in 11th and  means riders only need fractions of minutes to move up a place, Mark Arnold only needs a single second improvement to move up a place and I only need 30 seconds to make the top 12

BDCA Result here

Current BBAR standing

BBAR times and '50'  times needed for improvement

BDCA 50 = 2 x PB +1 x CR

Like buses you wait ages and then two come along together (unless you're in Tottenham of course) so breaking my personnel best '50' (and the club record) was a surprise to me as even with my recent mixed fortune I've had better rides on better days. Although I knew I'd turned a corner with the '10' a couple of weeks back I have been on a last round of training and primping to round off my conditioning in time for the 12 hour next week and the end of the season. It was in this event two years ago that I last rode to a club record and although I was at the top of my fitness for a while last season, conditions (and luck) prevailed to stop me making good with that form and I endured a frustrating end to the season.

Dr Jeff Jones winner of the BDCA '50' and recent NM & H '100 (Pic gbr295)

The BDCA '50' lines up like a mini championship with only sixty riders in the main event (closed on a 1:58) the rest taken up by the ladies and the Association event as this course has a 120 rider limit.  The  A50 has become a favourite for its fast times in all conditions but this the one lap version as opposed to the arguably faster two lap (2 x the '25' course) and goes all the way up to near Stoke on Trent, the glorious weather of late has become changeable in the week so as we look to the skies on Saturday morning we are left with mixed feelings as the wind seems too strong and the heat of the past few weeks evaporated as quickly as it arrived. I went out for twenty miles in the morning and did my second portion of yoga this week to ease out the aches and pains of the past couple of weeks which I can still feel on my body.
While there is a frantic Whirrrr of turbo in the car park I prefer to take a more relaxed approach to my warm up, take some food (banana & fig roll) and drink prepared coffee in the sunshine, I do a five mile ride on the road and arrive just as my minute man Scott Povey (i-ride) goes off, a bit fine but its going to be straight into it today as we have a head wind for 22 miles to the Blyth Bridge turn. My first few splits 11:16/11:47/11:58 seem unremarkable and the killer 'concrete mountain' section 12:17 puts me below 25mph for the first time, I see the winner of N Middx & Herts '100' Jeff Jones (Chippenham & Dist) going the other way and put him 5 min up on me and Povey not far behind so my 57:48 (26.0mph) at 25 miles does not look impressive or PB material, that however does not allow for the return which is super fast 10:28 is followed by 8:29 (this is not an error Av. speed 35.4mph for one 5m section!) The dog leg to Doveridge (JCB) slows the pace 11:13 some what but I catch three riders along this section and this helps me to focus, so are the hunters hunted and I am indeed caught by BBAR Julian Jenkinson (UTAG) for 4 minutes at 34 miles just as I take a second gel, 10:58 back into the A50 with 12 Miles to go and I am hunting down my 4 minute man Gavin Hinxman (Welland Valley) its all high speed stuff around the two roundabouts at Uttoxeter 9:17 and then as the pace and the distance take a grip of my muscles and I realise I must be close to my best ever, I catch Gavin on the slip road off the main road onto the A516 we are either side of a startled driver like pilot fish myself in Red & Blue and Gavin in vivid orange (nice socks!)
It's 1:47:52 at the line but I'm unsure of the seconds, I've never been inside 1:48 I have made it back in 50:03 (30mph), back at the HQ there are some super fast times and (Dr) Jeff Jones is fastest of the year so far  the outstanding winner 1:39:08 his splits 53:14/45:54 (32.7mph all the way home) so although he was 2.1mph faster into the wind he was even more impressive going faster on the way back. Povey was an excellent 2nd 1:40:08 (on a fixed) and in form Derek Parkinson (Cleverlys RC) 1:40:49 pushing back the more established riders Jenkinson 1:41:42 and Joel Wainman (Swift) 1:42:32 these are all terrific times for what was a pretty ordinary day but riders are coming into their top form with the National 12 containing most of the same protagonists next week, I will have to contend with Jeff Jones starting 10 minutes behind me in the Breckland 12 with Nick English (AW Cycles) and Steve Berry (San Fairy Ann) also it should be a good race.

Result here

Short back and sides

I suppose you have to start a new season somewhere, and although this season started several weeks ago there has been no action on the blogging front
I'd ridden the Melton Hilly 20.5 on the 27th of March on the B6047 between Gt Dalby and the A47 a course that defines the word 'Hilly' with hardly a flat in this flattest of counties. Its one of those roads that attracts bikers and men in bobble hats driving Morgans and Caterham 7's but on this day a long line of Lotus Elise's streamed along the course making everybodys life more difficult, it only gets used once a year and yet cyclists cannot get one to themselves so we have to avoid the racers as well as the muck spreaders and horse boxes and other rural obstacles
I finished 13th of 28 who managed to make it on a typical spring day, cold and sunny I never removed my leg warmers after riding out and my time while 2 minutes slower than last year but in my defence I had ridden five events and although I never go well in these type of events it provided part of my training
Skip a few weeks with a head cold thrown in last weekend I missed the local CDCLA '10' not the best on a wheezy chest, and so to this weekend and my first proper outing on my 'Parlee' others having been done on the spare (52/39). The BDCA '25' always a fast early pointer to who is going well and where i did my PB & my seasons best last year, no chance of that today although the conditions were pretty good with a SW wind making for a fast return in the sunshine and all the new bike bling out on show. Matt Sinclair an Ex Footballer (footballers not known for their fitness, that Giggs only just discovered yoga and he's been at it for 20 years) Matt already a formidable short distance TT'er but with more miles in his legs and sporting 5Kg less weight looking the business on the turbo for an hour taking things seriously.
Even more extreme an unrecognisable Stuart Dodd minus 12Kg (difficult to tell what riders are like behind the visors but the Lycra is pretty unforgiving) Instantly recognisable however and stylish with it Ian Cammish (Planet X) came in with the first 50 minute ride of the day 50:42 after a string of good performances but Sinclair (Lutterworth RT) a 26 sec beating of his PB for 50:10 looking like the ride to topple. Baz Charlton (Lyme RC) and Derek Parkinson (Cleverly RC) came in tied 50:32 Derek my 5 min man was almost upon me 30 seconds behind me at the finish where I managed a creditable 55:06 loosing most of it on the way out as my return was still +30mph. "Definitely a power PB today" says Derek as he saunters along next to me like the cat that got the cream, he was looking for an actual PB but would have to be satisfied with the scientific equivalent as I eyed his 60+ carbon behemoth chain wheel. Last years winner James Wall (Echelon) ran Matt close but could only manage 50:19 and Matt was looking good for the win until the new slimline Dodd (Drag2Zero) came in with 48:42. You think a rider sponsored by a wind tunnel would have worked out that slimmer objects go through the air more swiftly well here was proof if needed that we could all do with a bit of a trim