Team Corley Crits

Today was another race at MK bowl, I got there to see the last half of the 4th cat race where Dave Anson was keeping a good postion near the front of the bunch untill be was unlucky enough to get dropped. Jered Allcock also did well in his first ever race to stay with the bunch and not get dropped, he also took the photo at the top of this blog post. As I started to warm up I found it was very cold and after a while I went to the car to get some mitts with no fingers so they did not help and came off before the race. On the start line I was right at the front with Nick Baker a rider from Zappi's, and as we started I jumped on his wheel and we went down the hill round afew bends and I looked round and saw we had a gap. I shouted we've got a gap, GO! and we got the pace up and made some people suffer but we got closed down. After flowing a few attacks and staying near the front it was time for a sprint for money! I think this was the second one and with a team Corley rider up the road the guy infront of me started to sprint and I was straight on his wheel and then he moved over a left a long sprint for me so I kept going telling myself I could win that £10! But as I got closer to the line so did the Team Corley guy and just on the line he beat me by half a wheel. I was disappointed but told myself to get over it and get on with the race. With loads of breakaways and many attacks we got to five laps to go after an hours racing the pace went up and stayed up. Crossing the line and hearing the bell was great because we only had one lap left. After getting round all the bend we got back on the bowl and the sprint started and I was staying up there in the top 6 or 7 and we moved across the whole road and as we crossed the line I counted 5 or 6 people beat me plus 3 in a breakaway so i may have got some points. Nick also won the race from the break.



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A5 rangers 5 mile TT and I won!

Last night was the A5 rangers 5 mile TT and after a busy day with an interview in the morning and helping the old man with his garden, I did have some time to relax and get ready but we where soon at the door. We got to the course early so we drove around to my dad could see where to go, after signing on and doing a bit of a warm up it was soon time to pin on numbers and get ready to do battle! after warming up as much as I could I was soon on the start line and getting ready to go. As I started I pushed a bit but not too much as it was down hill but the road soon went sky ward and I found myself trying to give everything trying to keep the pace up and as I went over I got back into TT mode. The next hill was not too far away and I dragged myself up there telling myself to keep pushing and all down hill now but there was a few drags on the dual carrageway. As I got to the turn nearly 8 mins into it I got round the roundabout and could see some one up the road so I hammered it and got upto the and past him who was my 2 min man and kept the legs turning and hurting as much as I could. with finish in sight I pushered harder to the point I could not have gone any faster and I crossed the line in 00:11:40 I tried not to be sick but I had to stop and came very close to puking my gets up on the side of the road but after a drink I was fine again.




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Bill Jinks RR

The Bill Jinks road race was my first race of the year on the road, and it was a nice hot day for it, maybe too hot as I got a bit dehtdrated towards the end. The race started with a rolling start from the HQ to the bottom of the last hill where we had to stop and then get going again. The first lap was the fastest and I felt ok I was keeping near to the front, but not many chances to drink from my bidons. As the laps counted down I kept telling myself to eat but still no, points where it would ease up enough to grab some food. After about 5 or 6 laps (of the 10) I grabed a banana and eat it quick as we went over the line. after about 40 miles I started to feel not so good, the heat was getting to me and the last 15 miles were harder. As the race got to 1 lap to go the pace was up in some parts, but this was our slowest lap by 38 seconds and as we got closer to the finishes it bunched up and I was in the top half but could not move up. On the final climb I was moved up alot as many people could not keep the pace going, but on the last bend I tried to dive though a space but the guy on my right moved over and pushed me into the guy on the left, this slowed me down and made me think oh sh*t but we all stayed up right, and I managed to start sprinting again but I had last off my speed and was trying to hang on and crossed the line in maybe the top 30 or 40. It was after the race I started to feel the dehydration, I had a headahe, sore throat and felt realy bad.

I still don't feel great but am feeling better. Note to self drink more water!




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Results here

Milton Keynes Bowl Season Starter 2

Today was a nice sunny and warm day to race at Milton Keynes bowl and I even got to work on my tan! As we lined up to start I was front and centre and as soon as we started I was in a good place for the first bend. As the race went on I kept drinking but my bidon was full of warm energy drink and there was no taste but after about a lap it would then kick in and I would feel a bit better. As the race went on loads of attacks went but only two riders got away and with attack after attack no one else could get away! As we finaly got to the last lap, the pace was high and I was near the front and on the down hill bit one guy looked around and said "we've got a gap" I look round and he was right it was a big gap. So we did though and off and as we got to the bottom of the hill we sprinted and I was feeling ok and I crossed the line 4th in our group and was 6th! Thats 4 points and a good race.

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A5 rangers hilly

Today was the A5 rangers hilly 31 mile time trial, I had been told all week it was going to rain today and it would be wet but it turned out nice, not too hot and only a bit damp on the roads. After a long warm up I was feeling good and was looking foward to it and once I started I felt ok but as the TT went on I felt even better. As soon as I got onto the A5 I could see people up the road and started to hunt them down. By the end of the A5 I had passed a few people as the route turned round it kicked up hill and I was catching my minute man and I was pushing hard to over take him and I looked at my heart rate monitor as I was in the 180's (above threshold) and as the road went around it kept going up so I had to keep going and as it got flater a few dogs barked and I think that may have made me go a bit faster! I kept the pace high and tried to keep climbing as fast as I could. Once I got to the end of the first lap my time was 38 mins and counting I kept the pace high and knew I could keep going for another lap Once I was at the end of the A5 for a second time I turned left and then got held up by a car that stopped at the tunnels and I had to slow right down but I don't think it cost me too much time. The next hill I had a plan not to big ring it half way up again but to spin up there and as I did I passed about three people. I was feeling good so I had a gel and then not long after number 30 came past me (I think he was 2nd in the end) so I tried to keep him in my sights down the hill and on the next uphill I managed to over take him again but on the flat at the top he then overtook me again. As I got to the last road I pushed as hard as I could to get to the finish and I did a time of 1:18:06 to get 7th and I think this is my second win towards the SPOCO series...

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Banbury Star Hard riders

Today was the Banbury Star open time trial, it was a wet cold day that got wetter and colder! I got to the HQ in plenty of time and signed on and with my start time of 10:32 I started warming up at 10:00 but went back to the HQ twice to get more kit to keep me warm. After a short warm up I felt ok and and not too wet. Once I started I got up to speed and felt good and soon caught my minute man after about 10 mins and soon after I had to go down a small hill and up another small hill with a BIG puddle across the road I got though it ok and soon got to Sunrising hill - A big hill that is worst to go down the come up! I went around the first bend and soon started breaking for the next bend that was a hair pin bend. Once around the speed went up and I got on the aero bars and caught another rider, and hoping I would get to 50 mph like I did the other day down that hill, sadly I didn't. I kept the pace going on the way out and by the time I got to the turn I had passed loads of people and was returning back to the finish with it snowing quite hard in places. I did pass a few more people on the way back and started to ease off as I got closer to Sunrising, this helped but after I got up the first bit it eased off and I was told I was 18 seconds down. at this point my plan was to drag myself up Sunrising and and push it hard all the way back. As I climb up the hair pin I just stayed in the saddle and kept going and by the time I got to the top I was so happy that it was mainly flat on the way home. I drove the pace as hard as I could but I went down the hill to the big puddle and as I rode though it, it felt like someone put the brakes on. As I got nearer to the finish I was catching two more people but a lorry overtook me and then slowed down so I took a chance and overtook it and was luckily Ok and I then crossed the line in 59:01 on a hard, hard day. My time was the fastest so far by a min and 21 seconds but after the fast boys came in I was 4th and very happy with that.



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