2. Form and Function

After the BH excess Fiona & I had a week in Devon visiting friends so this gave me the opportunity to ride the National Championship '25' at Holdsworthy in the SW, notorious for their non flat courses but this will live in the memory as the hardest for years, I've ridden 'Hilly' events on flatter and faster roads than these so my modest time & position reflected my unsuitability for this type of course.
The event itself was top class, the village of Holdsworthy just north of Dartmoor was closed to traffic, I should have taken note when somebody at work mentioned that he had started a hilly hiking weekend at the turn village of Hatherleigh. we had a tour style ramp in the main square to start from and a band in the background, no that I noticed I was too busy trying to stay focused on the event (and upright) as light rain began to fall.

After a perilous decent and left hand er the road (A3072) climbed past the finish and climbed and climbed, I had not done a recce of the course but my minute man James Coleman of the Witham Whs told me "Don't go mental on the first climb" it was good advice and if my PR was not on max already I might have thought about picking it up over the top but as it was I was still in the inner and dreaming that it be over and my holiday begun.


It leveled out a bit but James caught me at 7 miles at the bottom of another climb on his single 65 ring! By the top he was 20 seconds to the good and my moral as well as my speed was gone from the race, up to the high point where a tractor came un announced (and not stopping) out of a side road and I had to overtake it on a blind corner on the now wet roads.
I thought I would be Ok to the finish by a succession of seeded riders (I was in the last 25 after all) caught and passed me as I toiled on the way back now knowing what was in store. Michael Hutchinson was the slowest winner since 1987 in 53:36 despite unshipping his chain and loosing 30 seconds but Matt Botrill was only 36 seconds behind and youngster Andrew Griffiths (Orbea) a furthe 12 seconds back. Julia Shaw (Drag2zero) won the womens race in 59:20

I had a restful few days off only doing a couple of hill intervals as I find the roads down here too tiring for long rides so I may as well as make it hurt but keep it short

On returning I had the VTTA National Champ '25' the next week on the E2 (Newmarket bypass A14/11) Jonathon rode as well although unhappy with his 58:09 time complaining of a phlegm chest and not able to take advantage of the fast return after a drudge out to the Four went ways turn. He did a demon warm up on the turbo and I could hardly keep up as we rode together to the start, I think he put too much into the start. I was quite satisfied with my 53:49 with plenty left in the tank, I was saving a bit for the next morning as I had the Finsbury RC '50' on the A1 at Bedford a mere 12 hours later Kevin Tye (Allstars) was fastest 3 seconds inside 30 mph and Derek Stewart (Deeside) from North of the border the fastest on standard (VTTA Champion) with + 27:01, 57:59 at 74 years of age

Jon (Pic by Sarah Brooke)

Kevin Tye 49:57 (Pic by Sarah Brooke)

I was expecting rain (see Alan's Herts Audax - below) but the morning was sunny and importantly calm after weeks of blustery conditions, I started cautiously to 'ride in' my legs I could still feel the previous days race. The two lap event gives plenty of opportunity to observe your fellow riders as you need to pace your ride without getting caught up in racing the opposition, as the race progressed the wind got up but the traffic also began to flow which tends to cancel this out. I finished with a 1:52:52 after loosing a minute on the final 12 mile leg into the wind as my legs began to feel the pressure of back to back racing, not to worry an excellent time and good to feel solid in both rides.
Ian Cammish (Planet X) was fastest 1:44:46 after 51:29 the day before, I'd broken the club record in this event in 1982 doing 1:57:21 with a double wheel change at 22 miles (broken spokes) and a slow puncture for the last part of the race while Cammish had been the winner that day 1:45:14 also some things never change

Finsbury '50' on the A1 (David Jones)

Making a meal of it

It's been an interesting month, after my premature false start to the year I could tell I would need to reassess my physical condition and my fitness if I was to carry on racing and get something out of the season. I went to my doctor and had a series of blood tests to reject any medical reason for my breathing  problems as I had already diagnosed tiredness or over training syndrome but I hoped if I caught it early I could arrest my intermittent form.

I took a complete week off racing, a difficult decision when you know the opposition have started earlier and getting stronger by the week, I ride pretty much every day but I looked at it as taking a holiday for a week which I have done without my bike over the past couple of seasons. Doctors (& the internet) are undecided as to the best remedy for over training but we had a good chat about how it affects the body, like most athletes i recon I know myself pretty well but it's still difficult making a balanced prognosis and sticking to what is best as a remedy.  Rest is recommended although there is a debate as to how active that should be, like most situations it depends on the person and how deep the problem, I hoped I'd caught it early and it could be arrested with some restand then progressive recovery. I started with three days complete rest, difficult when you ride every day, then I I took the middle route and just did a couple of little rides but nothing stressful and did stretching every other day and had a full massage on the Saturday instead of a race. I'd decided to make good use of my time and do some DIY plumbing at the house which turned a bit stressful (as always!) and probably negated the good of the massage but a change as they say is as good as a rest, just try to avoid B & Q on a weekend
I then had a week to build up to the Bank Holiday but work was worse than normal so I just rode to work and did one midweek session on 81" fixed, not that impressive but riding a single speed always puts a smile on my face and that was good. I'd already entered a tough double for the BH weekend, as an appetiser the Manchester Whs '50' on the Sat and the main course the Anfield '100' on the Monday, in the past I have only ridden the Anfield as its my first long event of the year and requires special preparation as it can be hard on the Shropshire roads and the weather has been non too kind in the few times I've ridden it , I planned this a few months back before my dip in form to supplement my lack of hard racing,  the Saturday like most of May was very windy so I resolved to ride the shorter and if it went badly give the Anfield a miss

Moody hills in the Dee Valley

I tried not to put too much pressure on myself, no pre race ride only more stretching and with a downhill/downwind start no need for a warm up either I would feel my way back into racing. As an aperitif the outward leg was powerful stuff, I clocked 48mph down the A50 past the JCB factory at Doveridge and got to the turn just 10 seconds over 30mph, so much for the warm up! the h'ordeuvres would be 22 miles of suet pastry not a crisp vol au vent, now I cannot pretend that it was pretty or stylish and when the 'concrete mountain' arrested my speed below 15mph I did relent with the thought of what was to come two days later but I feel I did myself justice and there was no sign of the breathing difficulty I had a couple of weeks before. There were some super fast times despite the conditions, Julian Jenkinson (UTAG) ran out winner in 1:43:15 so god only knows what time he got to half way, I came back at a sedate 23.3mph to record 1:54:21 happy that I would survive the Anfield but just hope for less windy conditions

Telford's cast iron aquaduc

After another breezy de-stressing ride in the lanes around Oswestry on the Sunday past the 'clanging' stage ot Ozfest and a walk in the hills with my hosts Mick & Barbara almost blown off the tops, I also had a close look at Telfords Aquaduct  of 1790 but with my hands on the iron rail at 80 feet up above the River Dee. As it panned out Monday was calm as a millpond but the predicted rain was already falling as the first riders were set off on the Anfield '100' that has been run since 1889, the temperature at 8 degrees was more worrying and I should have put on proper overshoes but I went for the pretty (and ineffective) covers

The first two hours were not too bad completed in under two hours, my saddle came loose at 40 miles and I had to stop to fix it after riding for several miles with it clenched between my buttocks not daring to get out the saddle, this would not have been so bad if I had not needed to re fix the saddle an inch further forward than usual compounded by my bars coming loose as well on the rough wet roads where you could not see a good line to ride. So after 3 or 4 minutes with my saddle forward and bars tipped up I continued which gave me a somewhat cramped position for the rest of the race. As the second half progressed and my ability to generate enough power to ride and keep warm I began to suffer mainly with the cold and my final ten miles I was the slowest. Back at the HQ riders were close to hypothermia white and shivering and some were to be out for over five hours, the winner Andy Bason still felt the cold but only needed 3:41:07 for a new course record as the expected challenge from Andy Wilkinson fizzled out at 65 miles and he climbed off with a bad back and the cold.

New compact position - photographs © Simon J Evans

My final time 4:11:14 with 4 minutes delay was not too bad, good enough for 6th on the day I was pleased with the way I performed and more than pleased with my two events, several who rode on the Sat packed but I felt pretty solid and my decision not to go all out in the '50' paid off. I could plan my next few weeks training and racing with a bit more certainty although my fragile fitness would need to be nursed along until I felt more robust. Back in the Doctors on Tuesday morning I was candid as to the type of rest I'd taken over the holiday weekend but he gave me a clean bill of health and the Nurse syringed one of my ears although I thought I'd had enough of that yesterday.

Photo Finish - First past the post

What does a dead heat look like? Unable to split the leading two ladies in the Hillingdon GP at the weekend Lucy Garner (Motorpoint) and Hanna Rich (Horizon Fitness) are given a dead heat from this photo finish. Lucy Garner who rode the Mallory event with the seniors last week (see below) is a local Leicester rider now with a pro team and a big future ahead of her but she will learn how to lunge properly as it looks like that last push for the line cost her this one.

Lincoln GP - Alternative vote

I'd not ridden two consecutive weekends yet, still feeling a little bit poorly and tired after nearly 1500 miles last month but some way down on my biggest ever 2500 (that was nearly 30 years ago). I rode with a bit more success at Mallory Park on the Thursday evening at the Roger Martin Memorial race , only 28 riders including one lady Lucy Garner (Motorpoint) who had placed second a few weeks ago in on the Thursday (3/4/L/J) but tonight we have the Raleigh pros and a few Elites mixing it with the local warriors

A beautiful calm evening (for a change) and sunny to boot I ride up from work 6 miles away and then ride the 10 miles home to Leicester while everybody else gets into a team car or at least a car. I'm lucky to have it so close so I feel I need to ride even though Thursday is a bit close to the weekend (the Tuesday suited better, a bigger field and slightly more forgiving) but here there is no quarter given and you just have to dig in and hang on. After half way if I'm still in the race I can usually have a bit of a go If I'm feeling good or a group has gone away and its calmed down a bit
That's what it's like today, not hard (windy) enough for the big boys to batter the rest of us into submission as half of us hang on for grim death, it's not a pan flat circuit and depending on the wind and the way we go around (anti clockwise today) there are number of chicanes left in from the cars or motorbikes who have been using it during the day and these serve to slow things down and if you're good on the corners you can make up quite a bit

Lots of splitting and re grouping as the 25 laps (32m) wear on, sometimes we are lined out to breaking point and this happens to fracture as the race progresses and the legs turn to jelly, to be fair the Raleigh boys do chase down the breaks with their men in (sometimes) otherwise it would be very one sided (and sometimes it is) as a group of five get away and 2-3 of those Raleigh pros. And today was a case in point, five away with 6 to go and the bunch split in two (me on the front of the rear group), Lucy still in there, closing the gaps and generally riding a blinder as our average is above 27mph.
I have a go on the last lap after catching the front group with half a lap to go as they play cat and mouse in the build up to the sprint but there is not much in my legs and my attack is feeble and ten riders pile past me on the rise up to the line the group of five just in front. Local fast man third cats! Carl Sturgeon (Lutterworth) and Matt Jennings (Team iOptix) sandwich Matt Gee of Raleigh for the placings.

On Saturday I had a local Melton Olympic '10' on the (famed!) Six Hills A46 latest version, with the HQ at Seagrave, I would have ridden out but it poured with rain all morning and I contented myself with 40 minutes of yoga as a warm up and to try and get some mobility into my creaking torso and legs, fit with miles but lacking in any refinement, I had a good 10 Mlle warm up to so went to the line dripping sweat and keeping my gears low (cadence high) I set about the task of reshaping my fitness into some 'form' I caught my minute man after turning off the A46 on a triangular section (A6006) to Wymeswold (more cheese Grommit!) and then I had to overtake a horsebox trailing behind my two minute man the 'supervet' Ron Hallam (S Pennine RC) who I went past at nearly 35mph (he must have thought I was breaking comp record) but single roads call for drastic action and I don't recommend it for the faint hearted
Coming back into the wind was a bit of a chore as I plugged away in my middle gears trying not to loose too much time, I would have liked to put it in a big gear and push through it but without the form also not to be recommended, so I lost a bit of time but I think the race went OK although I'm still having problems breathing at race pace 22:08 Winner on form Matt Sinclair (Lutterworth) a couple of seconds outside 30mph

On the Sunday I packed my winter bike with a pannier and set off for Lincoln, only 55 miles away along the Fosse Way but out over the Vale of Belvoir to Grantham and skirting Sleaford up onto a plateau that looks down onto the River Trent on the left and the Fens on the right with numerous old and existing RAF bases and villages with names like Croxton Kerrial, Carlton Scroop & Boothby Graffo the latter the name of a comedienne who obviously thought it had potential

The Lincoln GP is a shorter race than in the past at only 86 miles but what it has lost in distance it makes up for in the eleven climbs of the cobbled 1 in 6 Michaelgate on the 7.8 mile lap, bike and rider are shocked & shaken as the race comes alive on this hill and the spectators get a great view of the race unfolding, I have to get out the door before 9.00 to do the 70 miles detour and a lap of the circuit in reverse which always takes longer as there is a rolling road closure and then watch the finish
Youngsters came to the fore with first and third places going to U23 riders as the old guard seems to be swept away and last years winner Chris Newton now retired, I watched past winners Kevin Dawson, John Tanner, Kirsten House and Dean Downing swept aside and it was newcommer Scott Thwaites Endura Racing U23 (03:21:58) from the two Motorpoint riders Ian Bibby & Johnny McEvoy with my old Thursday mucker Raleighs Liam Hoolerhan in 5th
I then had a 55 mile ride home into a headwind, shocker!

160 strong field

Just like the TdF

Natonal 25 mile record holder David McCann (Ireland)

To the winner the interview

Zenith 2 Day - First past the post

After an Easter weekend riding to London & back plus a spell in the North Downs on Saturday going to help in the Club Open '10' at Farnham I was ready for a spell of racing, I rode the Thursday evening crit at Mallory Park and took a right pasting in the wind and finished a lap down (but still not last) and then had to get ready for the Nigel Meason 2 Day promoted by the local Zenith CC at Walton and on roads just South of Leicester

It was a day for kites and not for bikes

Race always starts with short TT (2.7m) but this year non aero equipment ONLY so on your road bike which was fine and democratic but into a gale of a headwind pretty uncomfortable for all concerned, there was much coughing and spluttering in the car park afterwards, I managed 7:25 for 40th place (same as last year) I think my days of getting up in the top twenty gone! Hill climb specialist and fair tester Matt Clinton (Mike Vaughn Cycles) came out on top with 6:42 easily beating Mike Dales (Velo 29) 6:53 a second ahead of Jamie Scott (Colbert RT) and and Darren Bell (Ellan Vannin - IOM) tied for 3rd

In the afternoon a 65 mile jaunt around the lanes Bruntingthorpe/Gilmoreton/Kimcote, always a bit busy with local afternoon traffic and farm vehicles and a small group of nine get away after half distance and finished a minute up on the bunch (me) with several little groups in between clipped off on the last lap Steve Guymer (Active RT) the winner from Russ Falder (Mammoth RT) who took the overall lead as Clinton was stuck in the bunch and Matt Foston (Langdale RT) third, I managed a bit of a sprint for 12th in the bunch which made me 35th on the stage and (still) 40th overall

Conrad gets to flag the race in
on the Saturday


Next day we had a circuit based on N Kimcote/Shearsby/B'thorpe and  I had to start on my super light TT wheels as I noticed my back tyre a bit threadbare and with no glue in the cupboard not able to fix another, sure enough just completing a lap I broke a spoke on the hill up to the finish and had to wait for service, there had been an accident with a rider in the ditch so I had to wait over a minute and then get going. I had a tow behind the service vehicle up to the crash victim but he could not hang on to the car so we set off in pursuit of the bunch, I cannot deny I did hang on for a bit (well alot!) but there was 5-6 cars behind the bunch and I could not get through them all in the cross winds and it took me nearly a lap to finally make contact with a bit of a slingshot from the service car up the feed hill but my legs were in shreds and my careful plan to ease my legs into the second day now gone to pot. I took a caffeine gel (meant for later in the race and lots of drink) I managed to remove my arm warmers in the lee of a hedge out of the wind but the battle continued at the front of the bunch but I was on the back of the front half when the race split, a rider had a near miss when his left crank came off at 35mph thankfully he did not but everybody had to fight around him and the pressure was still on the front again and I was drifting dangerously near the back now as the feed hill approached, the speed went up and the bunch was blown apart at the back as riders sat up, although I carried on for half a lap doing bit 'n' bit hoping that the pace would ease with 3 others but the bunch had gone and I continued after a bit with another rider James Rutherford (SIS) surely the oldest man in the race at 55 as our two younger companions turned off for the HQ

It's the first time I've not finished this race I could see I would not have had the condition to go all the way, as I watched the race progress and the bunch disintegrate in the wind and only 40 risers finished in two bunches a couple of minutes apart. Graham Sumner (GB Fire) won the stage and second in the race clipping off the front on the last lap with Dieter Drodger (Team CF) who is the overall winner. J Shirlaw (Herblife) third o/a