A couple of weeks to catch up on since my attempt to put a decent '100' time on the board failed for the second week running, this time I completed the event but was thwarted by the weather. After foregoing the National '50' the day before in Yorkshire I chose the EDCA '100' covering a 12 mile section of the A11 between Thetford (Forest) and Wymondham in Suffolk. The early start and a two hour drive meant a 3.30am start with breakfast on the way, I would be up at this time tomorrow on my way to Luton airport for a 10 day stay in Portugal as the day revealed itself I am looking out for signs of what the days weather would be like, a stirring tree a limp flag to denote a good or a bad day.
There was a bit of wind but I'm already committed by the time I'm off at 7.15, I park my car on the course with a couple of bottles on the roof to grab in transit, I start fast(ish) on a 3.55 schedule, not a PB but I need something decent to give me confidence after last weeks bad luck, the first 25 miles in 57 minutes is tougher than I expected the Westward journey is into a strong headwind and relentless but I press on to 50 miles in 1.57 this is not looking good for time but I am in the lead and closing in on my 5 minute man(No 80) I follow him all the way to 70 miles closing to 50 feet of his back wheel but then I blow and he gets away from me. I loose 3 minutes on him to the finish and with it the race, I end up in 4th spot with 4.9.57 behind Lee Bark (Stowmarket & Dist) 4.4.39 just pipping Brian Phillips (East Grinstead) 4.5.05 and Dave Green (RAF) 4.7.16 The last circuit was the talk of the result board as riders came in their faces streaked with tears if sweat from the effort, with winds gusting up to 60mph I was down to 17mph in places (on a flat dual carriageway) and the windsock at Snetterton Motor Circuit was as stiff as a frozen orange ice lolly. I paid the price of going for a time, of starting too fast and not leaving anything in reserve trying to beat the force of nature, sometimes its better to save a bit.
Portugal was hot hot hot too hot to do any training (we're talking 40 degrees) so I just rode my bike for an hour or two in the early morning or late evening, the one time I did go for a longer ride on the penultimate day I bumped into a group of Spanish riders who had come across the border to ride in the hills, among them the Andalusian Road Race Champion and Alberto Contadors brother (a bit of a sprinter apparently but he seemed to go up the hills OK), I went with them for 30km but left them when they began to tear it up a bit and I was getting a bit hot under the collar.


Back in 'Blighty' it was a day in Leicester and then down to London to bolster the Epsom Inter-Club team as we were a few light away 'Marmotting' I was pleased with my win in 21.12 on a blustery day with greasy wet roads near Horsham. Paul Gadd was third with 23.11 and Simon Neave fifth in 23.50 It was a short hop across to Loxwood where the club was promoting their LVRC 'Follicly Challenged' Road Races, We had a good representation in the morning events but no riders in the afternoon which was a little disappointing, everything went off well and there was a round of applause and an award for Geoff Redhead stepping down as promoter after 10 years

Sunday I had entered the Axiom '25' on the A3 near Liss with Jon Thomas and Simon Neave in an effort to put up some fast times and have a crack at the team prize, My effort stalled just out of the gate with a puncture in the first 500m on gritty roads in weather a repeat of the day before, It took an age to change the tyre with me not able to let the rest of the air out of the soft tub and valve extenders all getting in the way, I eventually managed it but lost over three and a half minutes, my 4 minute man (No 45) must have wondered what was going on he was 15 seconds behind me the whole ride and then I dropped him at the finish he did a middle 56 which would have been approximately my time. Simon stormed around in blustery and difficult conditions to a new PB of 1.00.23 Jon was a steady 59.32 after doing a 56 on this course a week ago and with my 1.00.19 we managed 3rd team! (only 2 prizes)


I left My brother Phil's at midday on my way back home, I was caught in traffic at Wimbledon (The Mens Tennis Final) Hyde Park (Gay Pride) and The M1 (Silverston Motor Racing GP) I had to stop at one of the service stations (I did'nt catch which one I was so knackered after getting up at 5 o'clock both mornings) for a sleep and I got back to Leicester at 8pm, at least I set one record over the weekend.

BDCA '100' (Heaven knows I'm miserable now!)

Not such a great day for the SWRC in the BDCA '100' last Saturday, this has been the fastest Hundred mile Time Trial of the year for the past few seasons so always heavily subscribed and eagerly looked forward to. Paul Alderson and myself both had high hopes for the event based on a 25 mile section of the A50 near Uttoxeter cover twice, the course traverses the Midlands from East to West so the wind can be unusual and on the day seemed to vary quite a bit throughout the course of the event which starts mid afternoon and the last rider home after Eight O'clock in the evening which gives the event a unique feel when most time triallists are used to getting up at four in the morning to fit in a Hundred mile race before the roads get busy.


My preparation had been impeccable, not the usual dash to the line at Six in the morning, tapering my riding in the week, a ride and stretching session in the morning, I felt ready to do a good ride. I'd managed to be a record (for me) 16 minutes late for a mid week 10 mile TT at Darley Dale caught up in early evening traffic around Derby. It was a 'Medium Gear' event (72" Fixed) and ignoring my L.S. I managed 24.13 a shade under 25 mph after having to wait 40 minutes (on a chill summer evening) to find a gap in the field to start, there's never a DNS when you need one! Winner managed 23.58


There was quite a bit of wind for the '100' but this course has a reputation and you can never tell until you get going if it's going to be a good one, you have to start fast in these situations, no margin for an easy start it's a calculation that you can never judge until you get into the race. Before I had a chance to make any assessment of how it was shaping up my chain broke in half when I un-shipped my chain going over a rumble strip into one of the roundabouts, a brief scan of the road for the parts and my race slipped away there and then, a bike without a chain is no use to anybody (not even a fish). Fiona was a mere mile up the road oblivious to my plight, I started walking to where I knew she would be, I gave a shout to the eight remaining riders (No 120 Kevin Dawson a DNS) behind me plus Clair Lee of SIS who I'd caught for two minutes at eight miles. (She was 2 minutes in front of me in the API '50' a few weeks ago)
Once I'd located Fi after carefully removing my 'new' overshoes for the trudge along the carriageway, I managed to fix my chain and get going again, it was into the wind but I was determined to get something out of my day. On the return I got an in cling to how hard the day was becoming, my speed was up over 40 mph but I was 25 minutes behind last man and the marshall's a little perplexed and un-prepared, it's a good thing I knew the course.
After the exhilaration of the downwind section the realisation of another ascent of the concrete hill to Blyth Bridge and my enthusiasm for the ride rapidly evaporated, It's difficult to hurt yourself when you know there is nothing at stake and this is not an evening 10 and the second half of a hundred mile is in the mind more than the legs, I rolled up to finish at 60 miles with Fi a bottle in hand. Ten minutes later Paul came along to finish his ride, he was very disappointed with his 4.04.05 a handful of seconds faster than he had gone in the Houndslow event on a slower course a month ago, not the sort of result you want from a 300 mile car journey in these petrol inflated times. To be fair Paul's ride was OK and several other fancied riders had problems realising their potential on this difficult day, one rider who had no problem was the winner Nik Bowdler who used his 77 chain ring (118" bottom!) to 3.37.52 and must now be one of the favourites for the BBAR with a 1.39.05 '50' Second was evergreen Ian Cammish in 3.41.56 and third Carl Ruebotham 3.43.39 Fastest lady Lynn Hamel TheGreenRoomGroup.com did an excellent 4.00.14

'Bunk-up' in Bedford

Andy Jackson 12th 54.29

A busy twelve hours over the weekend, I rode the Headnor Clarion '10' at 6.45 on the A50 near Uttoxeter on Saturday evening and then the Finsbury '50' at 6.40 the next morning. I did the same last year and managed two P.B's but times have moved on and I was 30 seconds slower in both events, 21.42 was good enough for 6th not such a good evening, I made a big effort but I came up a little short on speed, I think that 105 miles ride out to watch the LVRC Road racing at Shipton on Stour last Sunday on a 72" fixed after the API '50' did not help.

 Richard Bradley 10th 54.21

The '50' went better after a few hours sleep at a friends in Bedford near the start at Tempsford on the A1, getting down from the top bunk of the spare room at 5 O'clock in the morning while half asleep was good stretching for my stiff legs. It took 25 minutes for me to get going in the race on a cool but not too windy day, there were several riders who had ridden the API '50' last week so I was interested to see what our comparative times were like.




After a fast start to Sandy we had a long pull to the turn at Buckden into a North wind, this was tough going and by the time I finished the first circuit of 25 miles in 56.44. More of the same followed and I ended up with eventual 5th place in 1.53.51, I dropped a place on Dave Green (RAF CC) who I beat last week by 20 seconds but this week he turned the tables, I had been 30 sec up on at half way. Like me the leading two Cammish and Platts were both 5 minutes slower than last week so no change there.

Eventual 11th Richard Prebble 54.25

Most of the leading time trialists were riding the National '25' just up the A1 at Sawtry, so after a large breakfast a brief sleep on the sofa plus earning my keep by trimming my friends out of control front hedge I took a nip up to watch the final thirty riders complete their Championship rides. The wind had got up a bit but on form and eventual champion Michael Hutchinson (In Gear RT) still managed a respectable 50.49 from Charles McCulloch (Shorter RT) 51.50 and Ben Instone (scientific coaching) 52.05 It's always good to go and watch the fast men and appreciate their effort and style, some of the fastest can hardly negotiate a roundabout while having terrific straight out power and speed.

3rd Place Ben Instone

Jonathon Thomas said he had been inspired before his recent fast '50' after watching the recent Championship '10' on the A3 lets hope some of the magic rubs off on me, I have a 'head to head' with Paul Alderson in the BDCA '100' next Saturday. This along with the following weeks National '50' up in Yorkshire marks the end of the beginning of this season for me , Fiona and I then have a week off in Portugal by the pool (Oh! I might take my bicycle)

Champion 'Hutch' Hutchinson

'Super' form in fast '50'

Jonathon Thomas and I rode the API '50' on Saturday afternoon on the E2/50 course up on the A11/A14 near Newmarket, the same course I did a P.B. 10 mile not three weeks before. Again it was a super fast event in near perfect windless conditions and we came away satisfied with two P.B's and a new club record for me. Jon was a rider transformed from the one who could not break 23 minutes in the Inter club a couple of weeks ago and 'back to back' 56 minute '25' rides (the first more like 55 minutes) shows that he is returning to the form of before his knee operation.
Any sporting performance requires a great deal of self belief and crucially confidence, cycling is an individual sport and time trialling doubly so, no team to carry you along or mask a bad performance, no bunch to hide in only you and the elements and the open road stretching out ahead. Illness and injury are the achilles heel of belief and since coming back from his convalescence even with all his experience I felt Jon has just lacked that little with his confidence
You do all the exercises after the injury in the belief that you can come back as strong, you commit time and effort to getting up to fitness but still it does not seem to be working. Your belief in yourself is severely tested and you can begin to wane and you tell yourself its the best you can do.


Jonathon shows how pleased he is with a new best time at 50 miles of 1.53.45

We are all looking for that elusive quality of form that will transform our riding from the mere ordinary to 'super' form, experience plays it's part in keeping our expectations grounded and we are constantly looking for that one thing which will move us up that extra level. A new pair of shoes, a slight change of position or diet, there does not seem to be one factor that works for everybody, it is a constant search but it's a relief when it 'clicks' and great when all the elements that you have worked on for so long come together
Jonathon has shown great determination and fortitude to come back from his injury and this is his reward, a personal best and a vindication of all those hours and months of training, Jon has won his battle and I think we can look forward to some exceptional rides from him in the rest of the season. Well done Jonathon
For myself this was the first opportunity to pit myself against some of the best in the country at one of the BBAR distances, after the gruelling Anfield '100' only 5 days before I had a complete rest (although I may not have fully recovered)I went out on the morning of the race and could barely raise a gallop, until I realised my front brake was rubbing on my front wheel.
The race itself was fairly controlled, I went through the first 10 miles (out and home) at over 29mph or 20.40 which showed the speed of the day only a couple of seconds off my ride 3 weeks ago. I held a little back as I could not believe the return was going to be so easy but after a 'bumpy' dog leg at the turn I was trying to peg back the little I had given up, my dad always said "you never gain time in a time trial only loose it" and so it proved no matter how hard I tried (and my speed was above 30mph alot of the way) my average speed did not improve and then in the last 10 miles I began to suffer. I had held off my flying 4 minute man the 56 year old 'supervet' Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) until 40 miles when he passed me but I could not 'lift it', the finish is the usually the strongest part of my ride but not this time, he took 2 minutes out of me to the finish. I finished with 1.48.39 or 27.6mph
Who cannot be pleased with a 3 minute improvement and a Club Record 'to boot' the biggest improvement I have managed thus far in the '50' but there were some rides done that day, The winner Nik Bowler (Farnborough & Camb) recorded 1.39.03 the 4th fastest of all time a mere second off Graeme Obree's (Competition Record at the time), Ian Cammish (Planet X) who I felt had not done himself justice in terms of times over the last couple of seasons, sure we expect these guys to win events but he almost managed a personnel best(admittedly his P.B. was done without disc or tri bars!) just 26 seconds off 30mph, not bad for a 50 year old so there's something to aim at

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.