The Anfield Classic (You'll never walk alone!)

A tough few days of racing with a mixed bag of results which do not give me a clear picture of my fitness and where I am in my season so far, If this sounds like an excuse then I am guilty as results have to be judged against expectations and there is no doubt that this year I have raised the bar as to what I expect from myself.
A midweek 2-Up (One rider a Vet - Me) with a Triathlete friend Mark White went well and we finished 2nd, beaten to the top spot by 3 seconds from the promoting clubs Zenith CC Stefan Rick and Richard Hunt of the Derby Mercury.
Next day I took a right battering at Mallory Park in the Roger Martin Memorial Event, a quality field ripped it up and I missed the break and when I got in a small group to try and get up after half distance I could not hold the pace with only two others, I was not recovering and I'm not the sort of person to sit on, I sat up after ten laps as I was getting cramp every time I went up the hill into the wind, I dropped back to the bunch and finished with them.
On Saturday I was 9th in the Mapperley 10 with a relatively slovenly 23.20 in very windy conditions, Geoff Platts (De Rosa RT) won only just over a minute faster than my time so slow times all round.
Sunday was a rest day before the Anfield 100 on the Bank Holiday Monday and I drove over to stay with friends on the Welsh border, to be near the start near Shrewsbury, I would have gone out for a spin but it poured with rain all day and Mick and I sat in his conservatory and chatted about the book he is writing about his life in cycle racing. Mick was the first rider to win the National 25 and 50 in the same year 50 years ago and it has the provisional title of 'Twiddling Fifties' a reference to the fact that in those days they all rode single 'Fixed' wheel. Mick was one of the first to try out bigger gears and was considered outrageous when he used a 90 inch gear but it obviously worked (although he won both the titles on a 88"). Alan text ed from the I.O.W to say it had been lovely all day long.



Colin carbs up for the Anfield


The Anfield 100 is a 'Classic' event with a history going back to 1889, only 60 riders but a true spirit of time trialling prevailed with helpers and spectators cheering on the riders on an undulating circuit course. Seven time consecutive winner (1990-96) Andy Wilkinson was out, a bit of a hero in these parts and this event particularly, It is said he won the event once on a Mountain bike because he had a bad back! I quite like these events on B roads and varied landscape they require a different approach to chasing times on 'fast' courses.
My hope that the strong Northerly winds would have blown themselves out on the Sunday were not to be, the flags we saw on the way to the start were all devilishly active. I have done no time trial longer than 25 miles so far this year so I had planned to take it easy but as soon as I started I realised that 'Easy' was only going to be a relative as most of the effort was going to fight the conditions rather than into a good time. Every rider was buffeted by the murderously strong winds and I passed some going very slowly into it as my own speed dropped below 20mph and two were still out on the course when the photo of all the competitors was being taken after the presentation.



As it turned out my 4.11.51 for 5th place was respectable, I had started moderately needing a consistent ride, the tough conditions helped as we had to do 15 miles into the wind at the start. I kept it on the 50 ring most of the ride, its more psycological than anything else but it does seem to go better when it's tough. But I pushed on to 50 miles in 2.4.50 and then tried to keep my form for the rest of the ride, I had a bit of a shock when eventual winner & local rider Andy Bason (Wrekinsport) caught me for 15 min at 55 miles but he was onto a storming record breaking ride beating Dave Lloyd's 26 year old record of 3.47 (set on a standard bike!). His eventual time of 3.44.13 beating two time winner Nik Gardner by over 8 minutes was an astounding ride under the conditions for this Ex Triathlete who has only been riding time trials for two years, I would make him one of the outstanding new names to watch and to win the National 50 or 100 and be up there in the BBAR.



I had to stop at Telford services for an hours nap after waking up at 4am an hour before my alarm. On the way home the car was buffeted on the raised M6 through Birmingham and I could hardly believe I had been out riding in it earlier in the day (let alone a hundred miles) my eyes were burning from the wind and I think the sign on the gantry over the motorway said it all but my legs did not hurt too much, save that for another day.

New boots and panties

After a mixed bag of old and new in the Interclub on Saturday the new club colours got a proper outing in the De Laune LVRC Road Races on Sunday, the SWRC had riders in the 40 & 60 age races around the (9 mile) Bletchingly circuit near Godstone. I rode out to ease the legs (& shame) of going wrong in the previous days event (after telling all and sundry to make sure they went around the right roundabout!). These races are part of the season long South East Green Jersey series so there was full fields and competitive racing in all the events and the LVRC tend to be quite combative as they are populated with (Ex) pros and top roadmen who like to race hard and know how to exploit weak legs



Brother Alan had a tough ride in the 5 lap 40-49 race with Colin Roshier (Team Quest) running out the winner over Matt Seaton (Rapher/Condor) in a break from half distance and Andrew Meilak (ODLS Racing) just pipping Alan for the uphill bunch sprint after Alan led out, his usual speed must have been blunted in the hills of the Lake District last weekend!

In the 60-69 we had two representatives Andy Hicks & Roger Jackaman and who were in the action all race long but missed the two man break that snuck away on the second lap of the 36 mile race

The Bletchingly circuit is a tough course with a steep climb up to the finish and then a mile long drag up through Godstone and as this was Andy & Rogers first race of the season they did well to be competitive and come away with 5th and 6th place respectively, the last time I saw them they were off the front with half a lap to go but they did not have enough conditioning to stay away and the bunch brought them back so they both did well to get up in the sprint. Their race was won by Dave Bonner an ex Old Ports '25' mile TT Champ from 1963.

Internet working.......................

A weekend of ups and downs and nearly 500 miles in the car (almost as far as the poor buggers who had to go up to the Lakes for the Frank Whitton!)The first really hot w/e of the season and I had to reflect that two weeks ago I was racing with gloves and legwarmers on. I had planned a visit to Essex to visit friends and do a little bit of racing and I end up in the fastest 10 of the year and the hardest Road Race in these parts (as the organiser gleefully told me over the phone when he called to let me know that he'd cashed my entry cheque and there was no getting out of riding) But before all this I'd entered the Shaftsbury 10 on the E2/10 which I thought would be near the Essex heartland of Chelmsford on the A12 or A127 where we always used to ride in the 1970's but as it turned out was all the way out near Newmarket 70m away. I was worried that I had not recovered from a pasting at Mallory Park#3 on the Thursday evening when I'd done 20 laps bit & bit with 3 other unfortunate souls after getting tailed off in the opening salvos of the race. And then the ignominy of being lapped (it's a big lap 1.1m) by the two leaders as they sized up the finishing sprint. I had to give my legs a stretch and a rub on Friday and Saturday and go out for an hour in the morning to get them feeling anywhere near normal, then a 2 hour drive to the event! Comeback man Adrian could not even get a ride his own club promotion which closed on a short 25, but he rode out to marshall and give me a cheer from the turn I had no idea this event was so sought after when I entered but the line up was like tha National Championship with my best not good enough for the top 30, but I have said I would target the Club Record at some point this season and I feel I could have broken it here if the event was in 2-3 weeks time. There is no doubt it was a good day, hardly any wind and stuffily hot as I arrived at the start I heard two racers (one who had ridden and one due to) saying "Yeah the humidity a bit much and it doesn't feel that fast". Yes I thought to myself get your excuses in early to see as I passed that the rider to still go who was nodding his head was Michael 'The Hutch' Hutchinson. I must have looked over hot, after my 5m ride from the HQ at Westerly Waters to the start at Six Mile Bottom there was a hum from the riders on turbo trainers in the windless air. Why would you want to warm up on one of those things when you can ride to the start? I must have looked over hot after a sneezing fit (I hope I'm not developing asthma) One rider came over to me and said "How was it?" as I sat head bowed on the kerb, " I haven't ridden yet" said I giving him a blank stare, I looked at his number (No.45) I'm goner beat you I thought. My minute man Stuart Wright (Planet X) had an impressive 20.01 (Oh! so near but so far) to his name, I had asked Adrian to give me a time check on him (how much down I meant), it's an undulating road the A11 to the turn at Little Abington I have ridden it as part of a 100 mile event but I just concentrated on keeping my revs up and my effort even, at one point my speed went down to 25mph but most of the way it was 30 and above and I did not touch top (56 x 11) mainly the 13 and 14. As I approached the turn I saw my minute man on the other slipway and caught my two minute man in the melee of traffic at the junction (one note here to practice for every rider, Adrian said all the 'fast' riders judged the roundabout better and did not get baulked but timed there entry and exit with precision, with a 10 mile every second counts - he said I looked good which was all that counted!) He shouted "10 seconds" down but I judged myself to be level with No.40 but you can never be sure on a featureless main road in 'full flight' coming back I felt myself to be going better although I heard numerous people say " Wasn't it hard coming back?" but I was flying although my top speed did not go over 35mph (used top once - it was too big) so it was a very even ride (Av. speed 29.1) I did not (could not) lift it at the end just wanted it to be over and as I rolled to a stop my pulse meter showed 167 max and 160 average, If these are within 5-10 then that I feel is the sign of a good ride (at the shorter distances) I was certain I had done a PB but not sure of my time until I got to the result board where it was obvious it was the event of the year and PB's were dropping like flies, Half the field registered an improvement and even the winner 'The Hutch' the best ride of the day at 18.26 a 45 second beating of his PB (made me look & feel normal!). I beat my minute man by 3 seconds and one position but a 15 second improvement would have put me in the top 10, as for number 45 I beat him by nearly a minute and now we both have the same PB time! Now all I have to do is beat the Club Record, I did say I would 'Av a go' at breaking it this year, that Roger Hammond he's a good bike rider but not much of a 'Classy' Time Trialist and should'nt be holding any club records!
I have the Mapperley on the Bank Holiday w/e and the Headnor Clarion when I did my PB last year two weeks later, then I have to concentrate on the longer distances.
On the Sunday morning I roed the Lea Valley Road Race at Woodham Walter (yes it does sound like where I was yesterday!) near Maldon, no lack of salt around here today for you culinary buffs it was all beef cooked over a slow heat. I had the misfortune to be the first puncture victim of the day as we made the first climb of 'The hill' I tried to get to the top but I was weaving all over on a dead flat and stopped on the steepest part as I was engulfed in a 'Chuckle brothers' sketch as first the back doors on the service vehicle were locked (on an Escort van!) and then they had to stop the engine to get the keys and the van started rolling down the hill because it wasn't in gear and It was 2 minutes before I was on my way and then instead of doing a 'goodly' deed and giving me a 'tow' (to try and rectify their comedy of errors) they sat behind me for 5 miles as I tried to get the bunch in sight, I know Dean Dowling got disqualified for this type of antics but that was in the last 10 miles of the Melton Classic not the first 10 miles of the Essex tragic. I came out after a lap of being humiliated and my pulse going off the register as I could have done with a nice easy first hour to 'ride out' yesterdays efforts, all I got was a bucket load of sweat and a heavy dirty spare. To cap it all Ben Price (remember this name) of the Pinarello RT stood on the top of the hill with his girlfriend as I toiled up to finish my race, at least I'm not the first person to pack I thought but then to my amazement a lap later he got back into the race (in the lead group) and proceded to finish the race. When I mentioned this to an official he did not seem to know what had happened!(too many exclamation marks this week but this story needs at least one! or two) To my relief he has been excluded from the result but with a skin as thick as that this boy will run and run, I have seen some cheeky things done over the years but not many can match taking ten mile break in a road race.
The race was won by Elite enigma Philip Hetzel of the Ipswich BC from Nigel Williams of the Python RT who had beaten me by one place in the Zenith last week, not to say I would have been up with the leaders on a hard, hot and hilly day but sometimes things are not meant to be and if that is the only time I puncture in a race this year then I'll take it gracefully

Zenith - Nigel Measom Two Day

Internet been out all week so more delay in posting updates, I have ridden this my local event the Zenith 2 Day based just South of Leicester around Gilmoreton, I had a good Prologue (3m) and came in equal 10th on the same time as Phil Rayner and Brett Harwood but with a good few scalps in a field of 30+ 1st Cats. Winner Matt Bottrill (De Rosa) was way out on his own (5.41) 25 secs faster than the next man Andy Profitt 30 secs faster than last year making my 10 sec improvement look ordinary, a good TT and then hold on tight as the 'Roadmen' take the field apart on the second stage Mark Lovatt (Planet X) won the speedy 2nd stage breaking away with Gavin Evans (Sportscover) after the Judges made us do an extra lap pushing the stage over 70m. With me hiding in the bunch and dropping a few places not picking up any time bonuses, myself and Andy Proffitt not credited with a finish (mainly due to the BCF not having anybody to staff the Photo finish equipment) we had to pertition the Chief Judge the next morning but got a ride
Sundays 80m stage using an enlarged version of the 2nd stage with a long draggy climb of over a mile and the first warm weather of the season making for hot and hard racing. I sat in waiting for the field to fracture under the constant speed and attacking but found myself away with Robert Wilcox (Ajchva Limoux) between the break and the bunch, Our group got bigger as several got up to us and we mopped up the leaders and I thought we were away for the duration but the charging bunch pulled us back after 2 laps and I was wilting (and cramping ) on the hills so I had to play it safe and finished in the bunch while a group got away and local rider Matt Barratt (Lutterworth CC) won the bunch sprint and finished 2nd O/A a mere 2 secs behind the winner Richard Meadows (Pezula Racing) and that after having a punture in the TT. I came in the bunch a minute down (24th O/A)

Operation Overload

Last week was a bit of an overload of racing with 130 miles in 4 days to cope with, I have only just recovered, that and a problem with the 'electronic highway'(Well it makes a difference from the usual atmospheric and vehicular strife!)
Last Thursday was Mallory Park #1. of the year, it had been raining all day so we were greeted by a damp but drying circuit by the time the race commenced. No nice big bunch to hide in just 35 wound up Elite 1st and 2nd cats, a few 3rd's but I had relinquished that status with a badly misjudged 2 points late in the season to take me above the threshold. The racing was flat out with constant attacking, a group of 8-10 got away and the race settled down into a 'bit and bit' frenzy with Dave Clarke (Team Lacuna) orchestrating the chase but riders dropped every lap until there was only 10-12 in the bunch. In the finale we caught most of the break which exploded under the pressure, I finished a little jaded in what remained of the bunch.
On the Saturday I equalled my PB for a '25' in the N & E Midlands VTTA event on the same course I roed last Sunday (excluding my ride in the Stone Whs event last year). A shade under a minute improved in six days to 56.30 in crosswind conditions making my out and home splits the same within a few seconds but I did change my 177.5 cranks for some 5mm shorter as I felt that the longer ones were inhibiting my higher cadence. I also put on my 56/50 combo that is my standard set-up but in doing so I realised I had been using my 50 instead of a 52 for all my racing thus far (Doh!)
Sunday was the Litchfield City RR near Tamworth, I had not recovered my 'legs' so sat in the whole race apart from the last 2km when I made a play for the front and pulled the bunch up to the break but as soon as we hit the finish hill I was going backwards. Phil Rayner who took 2nd (after being in the break!) said he set a new HR record high of 187 (up from 185) in the hill sprint only a couple of years younger than me it's something to aim at, his average for the race 156, mine I'm embarrassed to say 130, it went over 155 twice the average for my '25' the day before