2008 Season Conclusions - Ain't Complaning

Had a look back in my diary to see how I did target wise for the season, only 36 seconds out in the '50' a mere 6 seconds in the '10' and an impressive 5 seconds out in the '100' Not surprisingly my 50.46 for '25' was the only target I bettered but I had aimed to beat the Club Record by under 10 seconds so to beat it by a minute more was very pleasing. The one time/distance I was way out on was the 12 hour, (280 miles what was I thinking?) even if I'd ridden a perfect race I'd have been happy with over 270 but I only rode the one and unlike the seven '100's (count them) I guess you can't expect to have the perfect ride on demand
For the BBAR I held out the hope that these rides would give me a top 10 place, my times would have given me 12th in the last couple of years but it was a competitive year with Ian Cammish back in the reckoning (2nd) for the first time since 2004 and two new Turks in the top ten in the shape of Andy Baston (5th) and Bradley Johnson (7th) while there were quite a few other movers and shakers the 25.5mph to get into the top 10 has stayed fairly consistent the last 10 years and I'm not quite there yet. I had to settle for 15th (25.374mph Av.) in the end, I guess I have to be happy with that and knowing I can/could have gone faster especially in the '50' even though I did a 3 minute PB in May I never got another good day, but in a pretty bad summer weather wise I was not the only one in the top 20 this happened to. This always happens Yes you could always go faster on a faster day on a faster course but then so could other riders and the status quo is maintained
Paul Alderson put in some pretty solid rides to end up breaking into the top 40 for the first time, 39th (24.029mph Av.) and I feel the club is to be congratulated in having two riders in the top 40 for the first time in our history. Not many clubs have two 'home grown' riders capable of this and in the results week in and week out Jon Thomas got his fair share of attention and put in some sterling rides especially his PB in the the API '50' only 11 seconds behind Paul's best to become the 3rd fastest SWRC rider ever at the distance, all of us currently riding we should have a crack at the National team in that event next year.
With the VTTA Veterans BAR (Welcome Paul!) I moved into the top ten (from 12th last year) for 7th with +6.394 the winner again 55 year old Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) +8.414 with 51 year old Cammish 2nd here too +8.281 these two were well out infront but as if to reinforce the increasing competitive nature of this competition 26 riders had a + 5 mph, last year only seventeen. I'm still well off the pace On Standard but still up from 58th to 33rd. On straight out time I was placed 5th 6.25.20 from the winner 42 year old Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) 6.04.59 my 50.46 making me the 2nd fastest 25 miler over 40 in the country.
On the track I said a Masters medal but I was too caught up riding '100's to fit those in so the LVRC Gold/Silver while not as competitive late in the season. still the times I posted would have got me in the top four at the Masters (6th in Europe) so plenty to go on for next year. I had hoped to win a 2nd Cat Road Race but this proved beyond my capabilities (both physically and tactically) the best chance I had was in the LVRC Nationals when I was up with the leaders but as with every other RR I had a bad attack of cramp and lost my chance. Busted down to 3rd for the coming season I should be more competitive.
I should have said to win an 'Open' TT which was one of my targets from the year before that never quite materialised (2nd Congleton '50') but this year I achieved that elusive goal, in the N Mids & Herts '100'(13th July) and It was touch and go as I had doggy gears and had to get off and manhandle them at 40 miles knowing that I could not use them in the more challenging second half of the ride. Level with an 'Unknown' rider Andy Stuart (VC St. Raphael) with 10 miles to go I pulled out 30 seconds for my second open win over a quarter of a century after my first, Alan was there getting all excited and I was glad to share it with him as there are too many times when I have done a good ride only to miss out and have that lonely drive home with the thought in my head as to how I could have made my effort on the day be the difference and win the day. On top of that I missed out in a 2 Up bu a single second and another of the '100's by 36 seconds (instant karma or what!)
Targets for next Year? I'm not telling but apart from having a go at the team '50' at the Nationals the VTTA National record for a 47 year old is 1.44.00, that would be something!

SWRC have a new National Champion

I know I said the Hillingdon was my last event of the year but I had entered the inaugural LVRC National Track Championships at Newport this weekend
Good thing I did my geraniums as we had 3 inches of snow on Tuesday (first time in October in Leicester since 1937) so I had a couple of slippery rides to work in full winter mode. Having watched our Boys & Girls 'doing the business' at the Manchester World Cup on Friday evening I was ready all excited about the prospect for my first competitive outing on the boards since I broke my collar bone (Ouch!) a week before the National Champs at dear old derelict (now not then) Saffron Lane in 1992.

Alan, just back from a week walking in NW Italy (hardly ideal preparation) and I took ourselves along to Newport Velodrome to have a bit of end of season fun. Only to find riders just back from the World Masters Track in Sidney and others taking it very seriously, I cannot lie I had done a session on the turbo on Thursday to try out my 'fixed' TT bike as I had not ridden it since the 12 hour (used as a spare with gears). Adrian (Shaftsbury CC) was there with us all in the same age group (45-49) these two have a bit of history together as Adrian said to me last week "I've got a pair of 'Barelli' pedals with Alan's paint on somewhere at home", old scores were set aside for the weekend and we set about a plan to get bodies on the podium at every opportunity


Plotters Corner

First up the 16km (60 laps) Points race, I decided to put the opposition on the back foot by wearing old kit while Alan had the new. I went on the attack (best form of defence) after the first sprint (every 10 laps) with some stout blocking from Alan and Adrian and a bit of nifty leg work from yours truly I got half a lap, 2 sets of
sprint wins and 15 laps later I sat up not able to stay away on my own any longer. While I was getting myself together Ian Fagan (Paramount RT) an Ex Pro and a useful 'trackie' I had targeted as a likely winner went away with another and quickly got half a lap, he then dropped his companion and bridges the lap on his own to wild applause from the track center, Damn! I thought there goes the win. I managed to get points in the last two sprints 2nd & 3rd to consolidate my position in second place Steve Clayton our representative at the Worlds (Lichfield CCC) 3rd

We left the sprinters on the track at 7 O'clock to finish their programme while we headed to the Holiday Inn for post race analysis and some grub from the buffet. Adrian had brought some old cycling's and the Skol 6 Day programme from 1978 when he and Alan rode the schoolboy omnium. Maurice Burton was riding (with Paul Medhurst) and there was an advert for 'newly opened' DeVer cycles in Streatham (I think It's called synchronicity) Alan found a result in a 1976 edition of the 'comic' with Parky's all plus Steve Gowar winning the WLCA Team Pursuit in 5.17 (for 4000m on Herne Hill) not bad considering Alan was only 13 years old at the time.
I had to be at the track for 8.30 on Sunday to prepare for the Pursuit so the others tucked into a cooked breakfast while I made do with cereal in an effort to not be overcome by my first Pursuit since 1982


I worked out a schedule at breakfast with Alan, 3.40 a bit ambitious (I found out later) but I had no idea what riders do these days. Fagan had not signed on, no bike apparently but that did not stop other riders just bolting on aero bars but I was not the only one to have a dedicated bike and a couple of 'solid' front wheels came out Oh! I thought this is serious, to my surprise I was fastest qualifier albeit by a mere two tenths of a second 3.49.86, I felt that I had been pedalling too fast on my 92" gear and on schedule at half way I could not maintain the high cadence of 120 revs (bit different from my usual 88) so I put my gear up 2" for the final
Felt more comfortable at 112-115 revs although still went out a bit fast at the start, the result was never in doubt, I was up 2 seconds in the first lap and then 4 seconds up at half way. I had my man in sight for the final kilometer but did not quite manage to catch him as I went 4 seconds faster 3.45.88 while he went 4 slower. In fact I was the only rider in the finals to go faster in the second ride only a couple of hours after the first my powers of recovery obviously good. Incidental my opponent in the final Steve Bent (Ludlow CC) one of the Highgate/Hendon riders that beat us in the GHS in 1976 I wrote about several weeks ago. 3rd Paul Lilley (Fenland Cl.)3.54.19


Top Spot

The remaining event the 15km Scratch always a bit of a lottery, the 'A' race had been a bit of a procession with a 'wind up' for the last KM and then a bunch sprint, I was getting to know the 'form' riders, Fagan was in there with Clayton and Doug Pinkerton (Halesowen C&AC) who had all sat out the Pursuit series. We had a bit of a plan for Alan and Adrian to try and get away after I had done a bit of 'softening up' in the opening 20 laps but once I lit the touchpaper it was just attack after attack and the bunch blown to pieces by half way with the above three myself and Adrian to make a lead group of five and we lapped the field. Alan pulled out after being up with the leaders but not able to keep in the front split. I decided it wasn't hard enough and attacked several more times and Fagan had a good go at dislodging us but nobody was shifted although Pinkerton not working by now and I told Adrian to only do short turns as he was our best hope for the finish. My legs were beginning to give out and I found myself at the back at the bell as it got a bit confusing with back markers and the lap board. In the end it was all five of us across the track at the line with Clayton getting it and Adrian 2nd over the long way with some impressive speed only back to racing this year and done half a dozen league meetings at Welwyn. Fagan 3rd Myself 4th (Almost doing a 'Wiggins' with Gold Silver & Bronze) I was satisfied with my weekend tally an 'age related champ' at 3000m and 12 Hrs. not a bad spread


Points race Winner the elusive Mr Fagan!

National Hill Climb (Run on the Bank)

The Mills of Matlock World Heritage site in the Derwent Valley


First week off racing so with Fiona's permission I rode out to see the National Hill Climb on Sunday in Matlock after a day in the garden potting up my geraniums for the winter, well I only rode from Derby as it was raining when I left Leicester although the forecast for later in the day was bright and sunny but It wouldn't be the first time they got it wrong this year.
Took me old winter fixed bike to try and blend in, hill climbing is a bit of a dark art, all those anti gravity tablets and riders with less fat than a whippets tail who come out of the dark recesses of the bunch as soon as the roads go uphill. Last one I'd been to watch won by Daryl Webster some time in the early 80's but this year a bit of an open race with it being on a 'climbers' hill (as opposed to a 'roadmans') just over 800m of gradually steepening tarmac that started 50 yards off the main street in the centre of Matlock on Bank Road.


No easy start, a brick behind the back wheel and straight into the climb, it was about 50/50 those that favoured traditional 'fixed' as opposed to 'modern' gears
As soon as I arrived I was accosted by a spectator "I'm in the South Western" a face I did not recognise but up for the day on the train and we spent the afternoon together,. He was a bit of a hill climb aficionado having done a bit of racing and seen quite a few Nationals (yes he'd see all of Daryl Websters wins - 4 in total 1983-86) He knew all the classic climbs Beeley - Curbar - Pea Royd Lane - Monsal Head - Holm Moss and the gearing and quite a bit of the form of the riders so I let him talk me through the event as the last time I rode a hill climb was probably back in the 70's on Ranmore, this 13 and a half stone baby is not prepared to put himself through this kind of pain for public consumption but it does make a wonderful spectacle as the riders grind and puff their way up the hill in slow motion. There was a crowd of several thousand with whistles and horns and shouts to encourage every rider up to the finish line, several riders were caught before halfway and nearly everybody took it seriously. There were quite a few riders out in their 'civvies' hard to recognise without helmet and glasses (if you know what they look like at all) I had a chat with Barry (Baz) Charlton one of the fastest solo/trike riders in the country, we compared seasons, he said he would be getting more into road racing next year, great I thought another potential competitor out the way or until the novelty wears off!!

Chris Myhill 1st Vets 40-45 (1.10.7) 2.46.5


The sun came out and our side of the valley was bathed in a bit of late summer warmth, the early starters (of a field of 150) had gone and I'd missed Bill Bell (Gemini BC) the Southern tip but he was 2nd fastest at half way (58.4) and fastest to the top so far with 2.25.4. His time was to hold out until the final 10 riders as 5 time winner 'Gentleman' Jim Henderson (Southport CC) could not topple him with(1.6.3) 2.26.5, Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughan) made a fantastic finish after being slower at the midway (1.3.2) to record 2.24.2, and all that remained was for defending champion James Dobbin (Artic RC) to blow his chances with a ride outside the top 20 after breaking his crank in the warm up and riding on a borrowed bike (& shoes!) Dave Griffiths was the unlucky one to miss out on a medal in 4th (1.8.0) 2.29.6 Lewis Cowley (Plan B) 5th 2.30.2 the only other rider inside a minute at half way (58.1).Blackburn & Dist.CTC won the team prize led by the first Junior Adam Pinder 8th (1.12.6) 2.34.6

Champion Matt Clinton rode (42 x 20) 55.8" fixed gear

Dave Clarke - Lacuna(For Sale) 6th (1.9.3) 2.31.0

James Dobbin 21st (1.10.6) 2.45.3

Medal Winners and Full Result

Time Trial Finale (Waterloo Sunset)

Paul Alderson and I had one final ride on our TT bikes on Sunday in the Hillingdon CC '25' the Handy Cross course on the A404/A4 near Marlow . A chill morning with thick fog over the Thames as we (Myself and brov Alan) descended off the M40 down the starting leg I've heard so much about. (and which prompted Paul to go and buy a 56 chain ring after his last ride here a couple of weeks ago) Paul had done his fastest time (54.06) in this event last year and had tempted me out for one last lung bursting effort.
A pretty decent full field with Paul a seeded rider at number 90, I was off somewhat earlier (at 45) having entered when my PB was still a mid 56 minute ride. I'd been out to meet up with the Saturday run from Cobham and it was good to see all the groups ready to go out but I cut short my ride so as not to overdo it, as luck would have it I had the wrong keys to get into Alan's flat in Wimbledon so I had to pick up some from Judith uptown at Somerset House, that was all I needed another 20 miles in London traffic (on my TT bike!) people must have thought me a courier as I bumped over Waterloo Bridge.
It is cold enough to see my breath, I keep wrapped up until the last moment and then peel away leg warmers, arm warmers I leave on, It is calm, hardly enough wind to rustle the autumnal leaves still clinging to the trees
The start was the closest to the old Q10/19 'ski slope' on the A21 at Tonbridge we used on the 80's devastatingly fast, bikes used to develop a speed wobble in a crosswind as riders approached speeds not usual for a bike. Apparently that has been a problem here and Paul said he could only go down on the 'drops' but I had no such problems and I stopped pedalling top gear when my revs went over 120 (47mph). The course turns off the A404 and goes onto the Old Bath Road (A4) towards Reading a more bumpy affair with numerous kinks in the road, I had to work at the little rises to keep my pace up but I caught my seven minute men by the turn. I began to go better on the return, I think I over geared myself on the way out, that fast start makes you think you can keep that gear going when you should strike the right tempo for the terrain. Back on the A404 I was enjoying my ride, the feel of the pressure in my chest, cold from the air, full lungs but not painful, the arch of my back which lends the power to the legs like a dam holding back the water solid and still, legs pumping, I'd lost a bit of time but not here, in full flight right to the line and then the release as you feel the hotness of the effort push back into your cheeks and your legs, that is a nice feeling the effort is over.

I stop and I get into the car with Alan, we go back up the road to give Paul some encouragement, Police cars are in a lay-by, a mum taking her son to football has knocked off a rider, thankfully the rider is not badly hurt but it makes a bad scene by the side of the road, the boy has missed his match and looks about to cry, the woman has her arms across her chest and stares blankly as riders go past. Paul is doing a good time, not his best but looks smooth and in control, crouched low over his bike in his familiar knee warmers and dark glasses.
At the finish the talk is of the accident and the recently crowned BBAR champion Nik Bowdler of the Farnborough & Camberley CC, a local rider to SW London its a fair few years since the BBAR crown has been a 'Southerner'(1995 Gethin Butler Norwood Paragon) His time today 51.53 for 3rd and I feel better about my ride 53 dead (7th) just over a minute behind him, that was my target for the day, Paul 55.17 in 15th (but only 15 seconds off 10th) in a tightly packed result Winner Baz Charlton 51.14 from Scott Povey 51.31 holding onto their form right to the tail end of the season

LVRC TT Championship (Battle of Edge Hill)

Starting in the fog

My second event over the weekend, I had the LVRC National Time Trial Champ's on the Sunday, based at the lovely village of Warmington at the base of Edge Hill in Warwickshire, this village is one that I pass through many times on long rides South of Leicester usually after battling down the Fosse Road into a headwind and then return cross country in the direction or Northampton.
Scene of the first decisive battle on 23 October 1642 where Charles I won the battle but lost his chance to retake London because he was too cautious to move against the Parliamentary forces plunging the country into a four year Civil War.
All I had to do was ride my bike down and back along the B4100 and up the Fosse Road for 22 miles as fast as possible on a beautiful sunny day with light wind and a bit of fog which lifted as the sun which has been absent for much of the summer burned off.
The LVRC do not run many time trials so it's difficult to assess the field, having done some fast times this year which would have put me in line for the position of favourite, and still in good form, it all depended on the day. I knew the course and it was hilly, for a TT course, but would it be too hilly for me to put my time trialling skills to use over a field that consisted of mainly roadmen?
My main opposition would be Paul Stubbs from the promoting club (MI Racing)and the 40-45 road race champion the 'runner up' Andy Eagers (Derby Mercury) who I'd beaten the last two weekends and top 'Tester' Kevin Tye (olds racing.com). The latter of these was a DNS so I went to the line knowing that it would be me upholding the 'Testers' art against the pure roadmen.

The profile does not look made for me!


After the day before I could feel the result in my legs but with a decent warm up and the first five miles was fast and I could 'ride out' some of the effects, I swept passed vintage motorcars going to the Heritage Motor Centre (on the course) at 30mph comfortably. Onto the Fosse it was a different matter, the Romans built them straight (the roads!) but to the detriment of the contours and although I'd ridden this way plenty of times racing along it was another matter, I was into the red too often to be happy with the way I rode but when the road goes up and your speed goes below 12mph all you can do is pray that It doesn't go on too long and press harder.

Charging along the Fosse Road

At the turn I was about 10 seconds down on Eagers 4 minutes behind me, I tried to pull out a bit of speed on the more rolling sections and I was going well but I still had the finish. As with all fast starts there is a price to pay, and we were all due a tough finish. I had kept a bit back but climbing to the finish if a TT just adds insult to injury (a RR finish maybe) but It was the same tough climb for everybody and it hurt like hell, a bit of a sprint as it flattened out over the top to the finish, and my effort was over, I sat at the side of the road and recovered my composure in time to see Eagers come through in three and a half minutes my effort had not been good enough, how many others would beat my time? As it turned out none, I was 2nd after all the other 'B' riders were in. Eagers the winner in 51.34 myself in 52.10 and Mike Donally (Stourbridge Velo) another 14 seconds back, close enough to be respectable but not close enough to feel that I could have done any more under the conditions (and having ridden yesterday) Stubbs was back in 6th proving that It wasn't purely a roadmans event and that 'Testers' do have something to give even on hilly courses.

Receiving my medal from top lady 'Tester' Ruth Eyles


Honary SWRC member and club run stalwart Dave Worsfold was riding under the LVRC banner in the 'E' cat race and managed 1.02.56 on a startlingly modern road bike (Look & SRAM) but still with Binda and Christophe I'm confounded!
After the event the winner confessed he'd been riding more TT's because he'd got his 1st cat licence and the road events he would ride were no longer available to him, It had given him the practice necessary to beat me on the day, no mean rider against the clock under normal circumstances unlike the King of England he drove home his advantage and the course just gave him the edge.

The Winners
A.(40-44) Andrew Meliak olds.com racing 51.03
B.(45-49) Andy Eagers Derby Mercury 51.34
C.(50-54) Phil Bill VC Elan 53.23
D.(55-59) Peter Greenwood Clayton Velo 52.46
E.(60-64) Barrie Mitchell MI Racing 54.02
F.(65-69) Mick Ives MI Racing 59.38
G.(70-74) John Dixon MI Racing 1.01.17
H.(75+) Trevor Fenwick Bournmouth Jubile 1.12.22
Lady Ann Stanley Plan B Racing 1.02.29