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)

2 x 50 (+ 25)

A last chance to improve my BBAR standing before the end of season with the last couple of 50 mile time trials, last week in the Team Swift '50' on my 'local' Etwall course on the A50 near Uttoxeter there was a full field of top riders with all top twelve BBAR contenders entered always fast and the competition always seems to bring out the best in riders. This week three in different parts of the country Yorkshire, E Anglia and the S. West so riders could pick and choose but the Swift event came first.

Fi - No 1. Helper

I have a problem with saddle sores after the 12 hour, never this bad before and do no respond to the usual treatment (antiseptic cream and walking like John Wayne!) require a visit to the doctor who confirms ulcers. The nurse is helpful and applies padded waterproof dressing to wound. The next day (Thurs) I'm able to ride for 30m carefully but I don't need to do much in the intervening week as I'm trying to get over the physical (& mental) damage of the 12 hour, Lack of sleep and hot and cold sweats all week leave me feeling a bit of a wreck but come the weekend I'm ready for a battle.

I'll have a McFluffy!

It's a late afternoon event and pretty windy so those with fast times are happy that it's going to be difficult to improve, wind will present the biggest obstacle to a fast ride today I have 1:50:38 to my name over 2 minutes down on my best so I should have a chance to go faster, I start cautiously and my legs feel good but try and hold a bit in reserve for the final push up to the turn, the "concrete mountain" they call it and with the wind it slows me to 58:00 at 25m. The return is a dream, the first 5m back covered in 9:13 but then a tricky leg out to Rocester from the McDonalds roundabout see me outside 22 minute for the next 10m then disaster! avoiding the 'rumble' strip (Ouch!) on the lead up to the Uttoxeter roundabout with 12m to go I puncture, straight down! I wait for Fiona who is out supporting and handing up a bottle to a friend (Mark on a three bottle strategy while most of us make do with one for the whole race) she has stopped to pick up another puncture victim and no space in the car and I want to finish the race anyway. 9:36 and 10:13 my final two 5m splits with the wind taken out of my sails by the puncture but I've done the hard (slow) bit so why not enjoy the fast (hard) bit, time would have given me a seasons best but I have to make do with 1:56:22 one of my chances taken.

Puncture victim (pic by Placid_casual)

When I see the times come in some are spectacular, Julian Jenkinson (UTAG- Yamaha) BBAR leader wins the event with seasons best 1:41:27 Joel Wainman (Swift) who has been consistently fast all season 2nd 1:42:48 and BBAR 2nd settles for 3rd Andy Bason (Pedal Rev) 1:43:06 What must they have done into the wind?

Another week of rest and my sores are much improved and I have the Stone Whs. '25' on the Sat PM, again on the A50 but this time starting at Blyth Br. at the '50' turn, unfortunately the wind has also been mirrored for the day but we have a blindingly fast start and excruciatingly hard finish up the 'mountain' 10:05, 8:31 and 10:04 splits put me at 31.4mph and I'm still above 30mph with 5m to go but nearly 13 minutes for the final 5m give me a final time of 53:12, good enough for 12th place. As I warm down the rain begins to fall, I have asked for an early start as I'm racing on the Sunday and to my disappointment the rain becalms the wind and the late starters gain the benefits, scratch man Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) wins in 48:52 with Charles Taylor (S. Pennine) sneaking over 30mph with 49:59 Alf Hilton (Congleton) 3rd in 50:54

Baz (in the rain)


I have chosen the Severn RC '50' on the A419 between Cricklade and Cirencester as I resolve that I'm likely to get a faster morning than the Yorkshire RC event on Saturday afternoon (I'm right) and my attempt to ride both last year ended in a bout of cramp and me missing my target in both. A more selective approach here, I suppose If I really wanted to target this event then I should have not ridden on Saturday afternoon but I'm as fit as I will ever get and most of my racing is predicated on being able to 'back up' your rides I just make sure I have a 20 min warm down after the '25' on the rollers (25 min warm up!)
Sunday morning is colder than of late and a bit breezy from the West across the course but see where that got us last week! start is 5m from the HQ so I just ride there and watch the riders come and go on this two lapper. I'm a late starter (they have collected all the 'fast' men together to avoid bunching and the pacing that marred last years event. I start 'full gas' there will be no further chance, 11 min 5m splits should do it and I'm only 3 seconds shy at the beginning and then 10 seconds inside. A tricky hill up to the far turn drops my average but 40mph payback and 10:57/10:34 sees me bang on 55:00 at 25m. It's not warmed up and a rider crashes on a side road into a turning car, next to a man taking photographs, he is walking wounded but has a bad gash over his eye, the race continues. Lack of concentration costs me 40 seconds and I'm in & out the saddle urging a bit more speed out of the dead conditions and although my style is not altogether laboured I don't seem to have 'it' today, two splits at 11:13 and Adam Topham (High Wycombe) catches me for 5 min at 40m and takes the wind out of my sails, I had not been tracking other riders only Jon Shubert (Verulam) 10 min in front and we are pretty level. Lack of concentration costs me 45 seconds on the penultimate split 11:46 and I only have the final 5m (10:23) to give me 1:51:25 good enough for equal 5th with Shubert. Scott Povey (Warwickshire RC) wins with 1:43:54 on a 'fixed' a near minute in front of Jenkinson 1:44:47 and Topham third 1:45:05
It's been a difficult few weeks and in a way I'm glad its over, a few more races to finish off the season and I can reflect fully on what I got right and wrong. Fate can be a cruel master and if luck is his lady companion is against you then your destiny can be in the balance. In the week when the Pope called for more faith in society you know superstition won't be far behind, you can try to outwit them both but it leaves you precious spare to do your best. It's difficult getting to the end of a season knowing that you didn't get the best out of yourself (or your fitness) , what I have learned is these two impostors have played their part in the things I have achieved so far, and coming to terms with the more negative role they play in sport is something I have not experienced since my comeback, I have the belief that I did my best, I will have to be wary of them in the future.

Team Swift '50' result here

Stone Whs. '25' result here

Severn RC '50' result here