Keep the Faith - Manchester Whs. '50' - Club Record ..........o7ò

With the Manchester Wheelers having their 130th Anniversary (Is that Carbon or Titanium?) they promote the last gasp 50 mile time trial for all those with an interest in the BBAR and those like myself  who think we can improve. The course only just in the Manchester district starts at Blythe Bridge on the Stoke end of the A50 like the Stone Whs event a couple of weeks ago but comes right down to Etwall in Derbyshire. The Tommy Barlow Memorial finishes up the feared 'Concrete Mountain' past the JCB factory at Rocester but has a lovely decent out and this autumnal day at the tail end of the season.

Club Record 1:45:56

I had been blown around on my Friday ride to work after a difficult week, I'd had a disappointing ride last weekend in the Bert Christian Memorial promoted by my own Notts & East Midlands VTTA on the A46 just South of Newark, I'd given myself an easy week and hope for a sprightly and encouraging ride with the World Masters only two weeks away but my time and more importantly my performance was brittle and lackluster in the windy conditions, my time was average but crucially I went back on most of the riders I performed well against in the Stone Whs and the BTTC the week before so I was plunged into a gloomy week of what ifs and maybes about my form and fitness, two weeks after the BDCA '100' I should be solid but I was up and down the gears unable to settle and in the end my frustratingly fragile ride started to eat away at my confidence. I have to kept the faith, no more fitness to gain no, from here on in it was all going to be about condition and self help, no trainer to turn to I just think about what I have been taught and what I have learned

For the Saturday I am blessed with a wonderful autumn day, I go out for an hour after breakfast, quit hard on my legs but Its the only warm up they will get, the start is fast and to hit this event too hard could mean I pay later when I need it in the last ten miles
There is a dusting of rain as I sit with my coffee and compose my thoughts, I'm one of the last so most of the other riders are out on their effort, now like the calm before the storm. I sit at the side of the road waiting my turn, a bus pulls into the lay by where we are starting from just thirty feet in front (it's not a bus stop!) Is this a sign? Am I to be blocked and baulked today? I start and get on with the race

My legs feel good, 19:27 for the first ten miles dropping to the dog leg to Rocester which is slower B roads and two new roundabouts and I get baulked a bit on a couple of these so 21:38 but once back on the A50 I'm still feeling good 20:23 and the far turn at 31 miles comes up with no problem. Shortly after Charles Taylor (South Pennine) the National '100' champion and my five minute man steamed past, I do not look at my splits in the race these days, too much information and it spoils the race if you are going badly so either he's going well or I'm having another dismal day (when I look at it later I'm over 29mph to this point) 21:51 and I still save a bit for the 'Mountain' looming in the distance, It's getting near dusk and the light makes the speed feel deceptive, always feels faster and all I have to do is not overdo it on the series of ramps that make up the last ten miles, each one increasingly harder and as you press your body for more as you reach your threshold for pain and lactic acid fills every sinew of your legs, at one point when the pain is the worst I glance down and see my speed at 20.5pmh! How can I be going so slow? It's not encouraging and my advantage is slipping away. As the end is near, going over the top is the worst though, as you try and pick up the pace again, you need to have a masochist streak, nobody to see or encourage you just you and your self inflicted suffering

With less than a mile to go Robert Hayes from the promoting club catches me for a minute, he must have been chasing me up the final drags using me as a target, he was only 10 seconds up at the far turn but has come back better, that's what catching a rider can do but once past me he slumps a bit and I am able to go past him and cross the line. 22:34 for the final split so I lost about a minute on that section over most of the return (the winner 20:07 So you can see where he gets the power down) 1:45:56 is a seventeen second beating of my previous best and always satisfying to go into another minute, from being a forty six man into a forty five man. Great feeling!
Charles Taylor has pounded back to 1:37:33  but he has been beaten by 'Scratch man'  Adam Topham (High Wycombe) 1:37:19 to seal the BBAR for the third year Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest) 1:39:34 surely the first rider to do +30mph in his first 10, 25 and 50
I'm happy with a PB and a club record for the ninth time in seven years on seven different courses o7ò


Manchester Whs. '50' - Tommy Barlow Memorial Result

Nottingham & East Midlands VTTA '25' - Bert Christian Memorial Result

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

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