Evening Bloggers!!
Today was my first race for a couple of weeks, and after a hard week of training I wasn't expecting much of a result. Again it was a cat 3/4 race over 40 mins + 3 laps and on a very windy day I didn't know how the race would begin...
It began at a ferocious pace with a tailwind up the home straight, 30mph after 5 seconds of racing, then we hit the back straight... The headwind saw us down to ~17mph at times, whilst sometimes cranking up to 28mph into the wind, which almost split the peloton halfway through the race. As it was, the race boiled down to a bunch sprint, although nearly every rider tried an attack off the front during the race, the headwind just killed any potential breakaway.
Going into the final bend I felt rather boxed in, and didn't think I would get any sort of position from which to sprint, however with less than 200yds to go I saw a gap and just went hell for leather!! I passed about 10 riders down the right hand side and launched my bike over the line to just grab 6th place. A good result for the day I think, but still looking for that elusive first win!! 4 more BC points in the bag though, 4 points closer to Cat 2, and who knows what next week will bring!!
Ciao.
Saturday, 26 February 2011
Tuesday, 22 February 2011
February Thus Far...
There hasn't been much to report lately on the racing front, just one race a couple of weeks ago at Ludgershall in the Upavon Winter Series, ended up 13th after getting dropped with another rider.
Training, on the other hand has been going very well lately, with me averging around 12 hours of training per week, a mixture of high intensity and base rides. I can feel myself getting stronger, and am looking forward to my first road race, the spring chicken road race on March 12th, should be a good indicator of where my fitness levels are for the start of the season.
Ciao.
Any clues about conditions for that race?
Training, on the other hand has been going very well lately, with me averging around 12 hours of training per week, a mixture of high intensity and base rides. I can feel myself getting stronger, and am looking forward to my first road race, the spring chicken road race on March 12th, should be a good indicator of where my fitness levels are for the start of the season.
Ciao.
Sunday, 30 January 2011
Weekend 29th/30th January
It's been a while since my last post, been very busy with exams at college, but they are thankfully all done now, until the summer.
Just to update, on the 15th January I went to Hillingdon again and tried an early breakaway, legs just died... Got dropped... Got lapped... Got dropped again. Oh dear.
Anyway onto this weekend now!! Yesterday I headed down to Ludgershall for their cat 3/4 circuit race on a 0.8 mile closed circuit, slightly less technical than Hillingdon, with a more oval shape and a small chicane down the back straight. I was racing with a team-mate yesterday and we didn't really have time to discuss a race plan so we just got on with it! Race started slowly with the first 2 laps at ~20mph, but it soon sped up as breaks started going off the front, however none could maintain a gap and the race seemed destined to end in a bunch sprint. The race was 40 mins + 2 laps and as we got the signal for 2 laps to go everyone seemed to want to get to the front, and it has to be said that some riders do need to learn how to ride within a group, as there was a lot of contact, and a few people were getting very annoyed! We got the bell for the final lap with everyone still together, and I was sitting in the middle of the bunch, I needed to find a better position so I moved out and rode up the side of the peloton, found myself a wheel to sit about 4 back from the front. Going into the final bend, a small group of 5 gained about 20 metres on the rest of us, and stayed away for the top 5 positions, I had found myself pushed wide on the final bend and was lucky to stay up after clipping a pedal going round sharply, but as I kicked for the line I found myself leading the sprint, but I lost my legs in the final 50m and 2 more riders came past. Results haven't been posted yet but I was (I think) 8th.
Overall I was pleased with my ride and I had felt strong, but I just had a bad position going into the final bend, I think I need to work on finishing tactics, nevermind! Live and learn.
In the evening I had the Didcot Phoenix Presentation Night, picked up a couple of trophies and spent the evening speaking to the guest of honour, ex-club member John Paul. John is currently on the Olympic Development Program as a track sprinter, a very talented athlete and it was great to have a chat with him. Had a good night and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This morning was just a ride with a couple of team-mates, I ended up doing just under 80 miles and we averaged 17.9mph, so a good workout, and a nice sunny day along a route I hadn't ridden before. Overall a good weekend!
Ciao.
Just to update, on the 15th January I went to Hillingdon again and tried an early breakaway, legs just died... Got dropped... Got lapped... Got dropped again. Oh dear.
Anyway onto this weekend now!! Yesterday I headed down to Ludgershall for their cat 3/4 circuit race on a 0.8 mile closed circuit, slightly less technical than Hillingdon, with a more oval shape and a small chicane down the back straight. I was racing with a team-mate yesterday and we didn't really have time to discuss a race plan so we just got on with it! Race started slowly with the first 2 laps at ~20mph, but it soon sped up as breaks started going off the front, however none could maintain a gap and the race seemed destined to end in a bunch sprint. The race was 40 mins + 2 laps and as we got the signal for 2 laps to go everyone seemed to want to get to the front, and it has to be said that some riders do need to learn how to ride within a group, as there was a lot of contact, and a few people were getting very annoyed! We got the bell for the final lap with everyone still together, and I was sitting in the middle of the bunch, I needed to find a better position so I moved out and rode up the side of the peloton, found myself a wheel to sit about 4 back from the front. Going into the final bend, a small group of 5 gained about 20 metres on the rest of us, and stayed away for the top 5 positions, I had found myself pushed wide on the final bend and was lucky to stay up after clipping a pedal going round sharply, but as I kicked for the line I found myself leading the sprint, but I lost my legs in the final 50m and 2 more riders came past. Results haven't been posted yet but I was (I think) 8th.
Overall I was pleased with my ride and I had felt strong, but I just had a bad position going into the final bend, I think I need to work on finishing tactics, nevermind! Live and learn.
In the evening I had the Didcot Phoenix Presentation Night, picked up a couple of trophies and spent the evening speaking to the guest of honour, ex-club member John Paul. John is currently on the Olympic Development Program as a track sprinter, a very talented athlete and it was great to have a chat with him. Had a good night and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This morning was just a ride with a couple of team-mates, I ended up doing just under 80 miles and we averaged 17.9mph, so a good workout, and a nice sunny day along a route I hadn't ridden before. Overall a good weekend!
Ciao.
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Imperial Winter Series @ Hillingdon - 8th January
Today was my first 3rd cat race, and having arrived over an hour and a half early, I had a lot of time to think about the pending race. Warm up was slightly belated due to a few youth races on the circuit, I was surprised at how fast some of the really young riders were going!! Very good to see!!
The race started at a very brisk pace with plenty of riders trying their luck off the front, I tried to follow one of them, but as with all others before, we soon got caught by the fast moving peloton. After about half an hour of the race, we actually lapped the 4th cats and things got slightly hectic as they did not seem to let us go past, eventually however they did drop back and we continued on at an high pace. Another breakaway attempt was launched off the front, and to many peoples surprise, the small group of 3 riders actually formed a subtantial gap on the bunch, and as far as i'm aware, stayed away till the finish. A great ride by those guys, well done.
Back in the bunch though people were still jostling for position and with 2 laps to go I moved to the outside and found a gap on about 6th wheel. I held this position until the start of the final uphill straight to the finish. At this point I moved to the right of the man in front of me and started to move up, so I had a gap in which to sprint. However soon after I had moved, another brainless rider tried to come around me and there simply wasn't room, so he knocked into shoulder, sending me flying in to the rider alongside me. My front wheel locked onto his rear wheel for a second or two, until it detached again, I somehow managed to stay upright and stop myself flying over the grass verge. I stopped and saw that I had snapped a spoke on my wheel, and bent a few more, taking the wheel completely out of true. This however was in a better state than the guys wheel who I had collided with... The spokes had completely come apart from the wheel hub, and his rear mech was destroyed... luckily his frame was unharmed, except for some minor markings. Overall, it could have been a whole lot worse, but amazingly we did all stay upright. I understand that another crash happened just before the line, and a rider had to go to hospital, so I hope he is well and wish him a speedy recovery.
Hopefully next week will be slightly more successful...
Ciao.
The race started at a very brisk pace with plenty of riders trying their luck off the front, I tried to follow one of them, but as with all others before, we soon got caught by the fast moving peloton. After about half an hour of the race, we actually lapped the 4th cats and things got slightly hectic as they did not seem to let us go past, eventually however they did drop back and we continued on at an high pace. Another breakaway attempt was launched off the front, and to many peoples surprise, the small group of 3 riders actually formed a subtantial gap on the bunch, and as far as i'm aware, stayed away till the finish. A great ride by those guys, well done.
Back in the bunch though people were still jostling for position and with 2 laps to go I moved to the outside and found a gap on about 6th wheel. I held this position until the start of the final uphill straight to the finish. At this point I moved to the right of the man in front of me and started to move up, so I had a gap in which to sprint. However soon after I had moved, another brainless rider tried to come around me and there simply wasn't room, so he knocked into shoulder, sending me flying in to the rider alongside me. My front wheel locked onto his rear wheel for a second or two, until it detached again, I somehow managed to stay upright and stop myself flying over the grass verge. I stopped and saw that I had snapped a spoke on my wheel, and bent a few more, taking the wheel completely out of true. This however was in a better state than the guys wheel who I had collided with... The spokes had completely come apart from the wheel hub, and his rear mech was destroyed... luckily his frame was unharmed, except for some minor markings. Overall, it could have been a whole lot worse, but amazingly we did all stay upright. I understand that another crash happened just before the line, and a rider had to go to hospital, so I hope he is well and wish him a speedy recovery.
Hopefully next week will be slightly more successful...
Ciao.
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Imperial Winter Series @ Hillingdon - 1st January
Happy New Year!!
This morning saw the New Years Day winter series race at Hillingdon, having been off the bike for the best part of three weeks, and training mainly on the gym bike, I wasn't expecting great things!!
I arrived unusually early so had plenty of time to get everything sorted and gave myself a good half hour to warm up around the circuit. At 11 o'clock we started the race.
A rider from Inverse RT immediately launched himself off the front and gained a small gap, but he only managed to stay away for 3 laps before the peloton reeled him back in. A few riders tried to attack, including myself, but all these attempts were futile as the bunch closed down any breakaways before they could threaten.
I moved up into 2nd position as we saw the 5 lap signal and followed an Inverse RT rider who kept the pace high all the way into the final straight and as another rider came past i caught on to his wheel and followed him up the climb, i got round him with about 100 yds to go, but almost immediately got swallowed up by 6 riders as my legs just ran out of energy, I held on for 7th place.
Overall I was a bit disappointed with my finish today, perhaps it was due to an interrupted training schedule in the last 3 weeks, maybe I used too much energy in my earlier breakaway attempt. Either way I now have over 10 BC points so I am now a 3rd cat rider!! Very happy.
Until Next time!
Ciao.
This morning saw the New Years Day winter series race at Hillingdon, having been off the bike for the best part of three weeks, and training mainly on the gym bike, I wasn't expecting great things!!
I arrived unusually early so had plenty of time to get everything sorted and gave myself a good half hour to warm up around the circuit. At 11 o'clock we started the race.
A rider from Inverse RT immediately launched himself off the front and gained a small gap, but he only managed to stay away for 3 laps before the peloton reeled him back in. A few riders tried to attack, including myself, but all these attempts were futile as the bunch closed down any breakaways before they could threaten.
I moved up into 2nd position as we saw the 5 lap signal and followed an Inverse RT rider who kept the pace high all the way into the final straight and as another rider came past i caught on to his wheel and followed him up the climb, i got round him with about 100 yds to go, but almost immediately got swallowed up by 6 riders as my legs just ran out of energy, I held on for 7th place.
Overall I was a bit disappointed with my finish today, perhaps it was due to an interrupted training schedule in the last 3 weeks, maybe I used too much energy in my earlier breakaway attempt. Either way I now have over 10 BC points so I am now a 3rd cat rider!! Very happy.
Until Next time!
Ciao.
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Mistletoe & Wine...
Merry Christmas bloggers!
Hope everyone had a great christmas, and wishing you all the best for the new year.
My training has been on and off in the last 2 weeks due to a few things, weather, christmas, work and college mainly! However I have discovered the joys of my local gym! The spinning bike is almost exactly the same as the turbo, but I find myself more motivated seeing others working out aswell, and can remain concentrated for longer. The result being that in the last week before christmas I did 4 sessions of an hour on the spinning bike, just to start to bring a pattern back to my winter training schedule. I've also decided to give weight training a go! 4x25 reps @ 80kg after each spin session is a good follow up and tough on the legs, hopefully this will give me a 'kick' in the sprints next season!
Anyway, wishing everyone a happy new year and best wishes for 2011!!
Ciao.
Hope everyone had a great christmas, and wishing you all the best for the new year.
My training has been on and off in the last 2 weeks due to a few things, weather, christmas, work and college mainly! However I have discovered the joys of my local gym! The spinning bike is almost exactly the same as the turbo, but I find myself more motivated seeing others working out aswell, and can remain concentrated for longer. The result being that in the last week before christmas I did 4 sessions of an hour on the spinning bike, just to start to bring a pattern back to my winter training schedule. I've also decided to give weight training a go! 4x25 reps @ 80kg after each spin session is a good follow up and tough on the legs, hopefully this will give me a 'kick' in the sprints next season!
Anyway, wishing everyone a happy new year and best wishes for 2011!!
Ciao.
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Imperial Winter Series @ Hillingdon - 18th December
Nevertheless the training will continue and hopefully I can go for the win next time!
Ciao.
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