2 races, one day and painful legs

Today's blog post is a three in one!! Today we raced at Tudor Grange Park in Solihull and there was a 4th cat race a 3rd cat race and an elite/1st/2nd/3rd cat race. The 4th cat race (40 mins + 10 laps) saw three Banbury star riders doing there first race ever, Dave Anson, Roger Foster (my dad) and Tim Hiscocks. This is the first 4th cat race I've watched for a while but compared to the last one I saw this was a lot faster, and being there first the did a good performance unfortunately getting dropped but there was quite a few people who looked strong and could have been 3rd cats. The race did have a crash with a few laps to go and in the end Stratford CC rider Mike won and has now move up to 3rd cat.

The 3rd cat race saw me and Mike Betts from Zappi trying to pick up a few points, this is the first time I raced here in about 2 years and it was less hilly than I remembered and with the big sweeping bend it was lots of fun. After many people tried attacking including me, breakaways where not staying away so I was just going to try and get ready for the sprint and by the time it was the last lap I was ready and legs felt good. As we went round the last bend I was in the top gear 52X14 and sat in the saddle and sprinted as fast as I could. I managed to just pass Mike and I think I got about 9th place but not sure about that, another point to add to the collection.

The race 50 mins +10 laps
Time 01:02:57
distance 26.06
Avg speed 24.9
Max speed 34.1

After quickly stopping changing number and drinking a can of coke I soon found myself on the start line for the elite race. I was at the front and still only just recovering from a sprint in the last race. This race was just go, there was no neutral lap like the last race and the pace went up fast but even though the cornering was faster it was strung out in one line and it was not too bad, I loved it and I kept looking at the time and saying to myself if I can just stay here for 5 more minutes I'll be happy. I spent most the race trying to hold wheels and keep with the main group a breakaway did get away and lap us then another breakaway got away and I was trying to work out how many people were out in front but gave up. Once I got to ten laps to go I kept telling myself hold on for another lap and we got to the last lap and I was still there and I had to just keep myself there and I will have done well. I crossed the line about two or three bike lengths off the back and was not sure how I had done but needed a drink more because half way though the race I finished my water bottle. It turns out I got about 15th and if so that means another point. A lot better than I thought I could do and getting a bit closer to my 2nd cat licence.

The race 1 hour +10 laps
Time 01:11:17
distance 30.57
Avg speed 25.8
Max speed 33.0

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Corley Cycles MKCA summer series race 15

Tonight I raced at Milton Keynes as normal, and it was the normal 30 mins inside and 30 mins on the extra loop. After starting I felt ok and tried a few attacks and on one a squirrel ran across the track. We then got pulled back because no one was getting away. After trying to sit in and recover we then had to do the extra bit so I moved up to the front to get out of any crashes luckily there was none. After a few laps with the pace going up and down I tried to stay near the front and with the last few laps getting closer and closer I could not move up and I ended up a bunch sprint with a zappi rider Chris Boote winning we think. He did look strong during the race. I was sprinting for about 15th place, not what I hoped for but still not bad.

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Banbury star 13 incorporating the midlands women series

Today was the Banbury star 13 mile time trial again, however with this one being part of the women's Midlands series it was a bit like riding an open because there was a hall and how organized it was. I started and it took a few minutes to get into time trial pace but once I did I felt like it was a bit slow, although I could see my minute man (my dad) I then spent the next few miles trying to catch him and once I did ended going up the inside. After getting to the next road I felt good and was on target to PB but when going down the next road there was no tail wind so I did not make up as much time as I have done. Jon Simpkins also passed me on the last road and just went flying donw the road and by the time the road started bending a bit I never saw him again! After going down the last hill as fast as I could I then had to get up the last hill and I did and as I sprinted for the line in the saddle Luke Souter came past me just on the line to be one minute ahead of me. My time was 29:38 not my fastest but not too bad for what felt like a hard night.

As for the women series bit well that was won by Banbury stars rider Suzy Patience In a time of 31:44 to break the woman's record ...again and get a shiny medal.

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Result are here

corley cycles MKCA summer series race 14

Last night I raced at Milton keynes bowl again and this week was just on the inside because it was a bit wet and they did not have enough marshals. After starting we had quite a quick race and average 25.2 mph, soon there was attacks I even tried a few but no one was getting away. as we got closer to five laps to go I was feeling good for a sprint and with one lap to go I moved up and then started chasing a group that got away and once I got the I eased off and quite a few people came around me and so I had to sprint from quite far back again but still got 10th and that means another point. And after two bad rides in time trials within a few days of each other I was quite happy to have a good ride again.

Results are here


After last night good ride, I looked at the results today and now that they have posted this weeks and last weeks points from racing on at the bowl I got another two points and am now some how at the top of the central regional rankings with two other riders and we are all joint 1st.

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Banbury star 10

Last night I rode the Banbury star 10 and after Sunday I did a long warm up to make sure I was ready and after starting I felt good and I even made it to the turn in a good time (under 12 mins). I was feeling good and was going well all the way to the last hill then once I got to the top of it I then dropped my chain but not on the inside, as I changed to the big ring the chain went to far over and as I tried to move the front mech over to get it back on, the chain got jammed behind the pin that stops the chain going down between the crank and chain ring. After trying to get it on I had to stop and do it, after getting covered in oil I then had to ride back to the finish but did not push it like I normally would. My time was a 24:29 a lot slower than I would have liked and I do have a idea of how much time I lost but still annoyed about it. Shaun Mullins on his new machine, a Cannondale managed a time of 29:12 ...he asked for me to mention him...

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results are here

Midlands DC champs 10 mile TT

Yesterday I raced in the Midlands DC champs (10 miles on the K33/10D), I felt good but as soon as I started I found out I had not warmed up enough because as I hit the first hill my chest hurt a lot this with the wrong front wheel the blew me all over the road was turning out to be a bad day. Also when my heart rate got to TT effort it hurt more than normal and after completing a very painful time trial that my chest hurt and legs did not feel a thing I was disappointed. I tried not to feel to disappointed till I had seen the results but after seeing the results I was more disappointed with only doing a 23 minutes dead on a slow day and not reaching my goals. The event was well marshalled and I got a bronze medal for 3rd fastest 17 year old.

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Results are here

corley cycles MKCA summer series race 13

Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl and when warming up we found out that the route was different to before instead of going straight though the back we where sent left and around the edge to make it a bit different. Then after that we where sent left thought some gates and straight down to a right hand bend and picked up a route we have done before. We where told on the start line it was half inside and half outside as normal and as we started the pace was not too high bet a bit quick and it got faster and faster I saw the average speed up to 25.5 mph while we where on the inside. After about half an hour of racing they opened up the extra bit and on the first lap of riding it there was a crash, I saw someone riding down the out side and just heard him go down luckily I was not near it so I got away OK. However on the next bend I was following someone who got half way round the bend and then went straight and all I could do was go straight and try and stop before going into the hedge, while this was happening I think heard crash behind me. As I got going again the group split up quite a bit and so I had to get back on and the try and move up. After this there was no more crashes. Thus we get to 5 laps to go and I was still in the group feeling good like I had a good sprint in me and I was holding a good position near the front but with a lap to go I got boxed in as people moved up, so when I hit the bottom of the hill I was quite far back but I started sprinting and held a fast pace up the hill and passed loads of people and I think crossed the line about 7th and with a breakaway of 2 up the road I think I was 9th but will have to wait and see, but another good night racing and slowly chipping away at my 2nd cat licence.

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Banbury star 13

Today was the Banbury star 13 mile time trial and with normal conditions it was going to be good. After I had started I got a few miles up the road (if that) and a cop car stop in the junction on the right and waited and after a car had overtaken me he then pulled out and I ended up about a bike length off his back and if I had done that to him I would have got in trouble for that! Bit annoying but it could have been worst. After getting onto the next road I started seeing quite a few people ahead and one by one I started passing them and by the time I was at the end of that road I was feeling good and got to the last road quickly I felt good like I was going to do a good time. The last road felt quick all the way and once I got to the final hill I though I was going to PB because my average speed was higher than the last time I rode that course but as I climbed it dropped to about the same as last time and as I sprinted for the line I did a time of 29:29 7 seconds off my PB on what I think was a slower night, its looking good for my target events later in the year.

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Results are here

Oakley Village road race

Photo by Steve Avery

Today I raced in the Oakley Village road race a 2nd, 3rd and 4th cat race so the speed was going to be high over the 52 mile (6 lap) race. Thus after getting there a bit early it rained very hard but with a hour and a half till the race it dried up quickly. We all meet in a side road to be told the DOs and DON'Ts for the race and then we started but stopped on the finish line and then started the race soon after. After the first bend there was a few cars parked on the side and everyone slowed down and as we slowed I felt someone hit my back wheel but I did not hear anyone go down. Soon into the race the pace was high and after a few laps I moved up and sat behind Rob Yeatman from Team Jewson and he attacked and I went with him and we where going fast and I did a turn on the front as we chased the break and as I pulled off the front more and more people started to sit behind us so that was that breakaway over. After sitting in to recover we had about 2 laps left and a breakaway went and stayed away with a Zappi rider Roger Prior (who took 4th). On the last lap me and Rob Yeatman moved up to the front and as the bunch got ready for a sprint finish the bunch got a bit scrappy as I sat in the middle and people came around me from both sides! I managed to stay near to the front and as we entered Oakley heading for the finish line the speed was high and getting higher and going for the line I was sat in the saddle sprinting and passed some riders and got over the line but unsure of my position but I'm happy with that it was good training.

Race stats
Avg. speed 25.5 mph
Max speed 36.3 mph
Time 02:04:33
Distance 52.83 miles

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Results are here

Corley cycles MKCA summer series race 12

Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl the first time after a few weeks of not going there. Last night was one big loop from the start with a nice head wind towards the finish line. After a few laps going around the bend in the picture above there was a crash behind me I not sure what happened but I just heard someone going down. After that the race did settle down a bit until the elites came past us and then the pace jumped up a bit but not for long. Getting towards the end and I was starting to feel a bit tired but on the last lap someone attacked and I went after him but the whole bunch sat on my wheel and then up the hill everyone started sprinting and we still had one bend to get round and I thought they where going a bit soon and once we got around that bend it was into the head wind again and then the sprint for the line just went and I managed to just hang on for 9th place I think, not bad after all I was not feeling great but another fun night racing.

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Banbury star 25

Last night was the 25 again and after a ride in the morning I felt good I even felt good riding to the start with a strong crosswind that would be there to slow everyone down. I was trying out my new visor tonight as well and it felt a bit like riding without sunglasses (because its clear) and without my eyes watering so it was great. Thus brings us to the time trial and after starting I could feel the cross wind in some places that where open but after a few miles when we turn around it was a cross wind that helped until the next turn around where it was then a head wind back to the finish. On the return it was again hard and in some place it was a head wind but once getting up the last hill I then got hit by a headwind and just tried to keep going and got to the finish in a time of 1 hour and 12 seconds not a PB but not too bad for a hard night. After the time trial had finished Me and Suzy Patience went over to see a horse that was watching the time trial from his field (I was asked to add that bit).

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Results are here

Leisure Lakes Circuit Series 2

Last night I raced at Leisure Lakes Circuit series race 2 of 2 and it was hard! It was the normal hour plus 5 laps and I was with 2nd cats and there was a short steep hill in it that we went up 37 times. While on the start line they called out every ones names and number while each rider raised there hand, then soon after all 38 of us started and because it was a hill start every one got very tight and I bump shoulders with someone as we tried to get clipped in. However soon after we got sprinting off and the group strung out a bit. After a few laps it started to get less hard but then someone crashed as we was going up the hill and I went off course a bit and headed for my mum (not the first time I've rode at her after a crash) and then there was some more laps some harder than others. Getting towards the end there was 3 of us and a small split happened and we started chasing but at we got to the worst corner on the course the guy leading us round went to fast and ended up hitting the ground and I ran off on to the grass to avoid him and lost more time to the main group so over the next lap I got going and caught them back up just before we hit the hill again. As the end got closer and closer I was starting to get more and more cramp when I got out of the saddle to get up the hill but as we got to one lap to go I held on to the back and as they sprinted and I sprinted too but lost a few bike lengths to the group but I think I finished about 15th. After I stopped at the top of the hill I was in so much pain from the cramp and I felt a bit sick and my head hurt but it was a good night racing.

Race stats
37 laps
Avg. speed 22.7 mph
2,678 ft of climbing
Time racing 1:12:10

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