BSCC hill climb

Wednesday was the hill climb once again and I felt good, I did a short warm up and I was soon off.  I sprinted off not too hard and was feeling good and got quite far up and looked down to see on was on 50 seconds and thought I'm going to have to push harder now.  And so I started to kick hard and sprinted up the steep bit at the end and crossed the line in a time of 00:01:17 A new PB by 6 seconds!  I was quite happy with that.

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Results are here

Corley Cycles MK Bowl Race 18 E/1/2/3

Last night I raced MK bowl as normal and I felt a little bit tired before the start but I warmed up and felt a bit better.  The race started off fast with a lot of attacking and it was soon half way though and we where going out the bottom car parks and no one was away but after more attacking a big group went away, I think maybe 7 people and we soon got to 5 laps to go and everyone was pushing to stay near the front.  The last lap was hard and I tired to stay in the right place but was feeling tired and wanted to finish.  As we went round the last bend it was not a flat out sprint but it was fast and I felt ok when everyone kicked and I managed to get 9th out of my group I think with 7 people up the road. 

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BSCC 13

Tonight was the Banbury star 13 and it had been raining for most the day where I was but luckily I got home and it was drying up.  I did a long warm up and got back just with over a min to go.  As it was the 2 up I forgot about my start time being earlier, any way I got to the start rest my computer and put my aero helmet on and it was time to start.  The time trial started off quick and just after the end of the first road I caught my minute man (my dad) and could see a two up pair ahead and I started to hunt them down!  I caught them and then hit a very strong head wind.  I got to the last road and the avg speed was still quite high and though the last road I managed to keep the pace high to finish in a time of 29:14 not too far off my PB so not a bad ride I think.

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Results are here

Coventry CC open 25

Saturday was the Coventry CC open 25 on the hillyish 25 course and it was a bit warm and I started off feeling quite good and managed hunt down someone and pass them then I was soon on the dual carriageway with a good tale wind and felt like I was flying.  And then I started to turn round I hit the head wind and it was up hill but I still felt good and kept it going well.  As I passed the start Matt Clinton was just starting off and so for a few moments I had overtaken him but I found out after that he started in the small ring.  He soon came past me on the downhill bit so I tried to keep him in sight for awhile but in the end he got away.  The dual carriageway was fast again and I felt strong for the last few miles where it was slow but I pushed hard though there to get to the line about 2 or 3 bike lengths behind the old man who started out 5 mins in front of me!  I also did a PB of 56:48 not bad after my PB less than a week ago!!

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Results are here

Corley Cycles MK Bowl Race 17 E/1/2/3

Last night is was nice and sunny and hot at the bowl and it was out the extra loop right from the start and then round an extra extra loop up a narrow road over the A5 to a tight roundabout and U turn back down.  and then a big sweeping U turn back onto the bowl.  The first lap was done at a steady pace just to see what it would be like and then the second lap was taken quicker and I think 2nd or 3rd time round I had to go the other side of the cones on the narrow section as I was heading for one, but I managed to get back over and was a little more careful the next time round.  As the race went a couple of breaks got away with quite a few people up the road the main group was looking small as quite a few were up the road or off the back and lapping the 3/4 race for the 2nd time was abit easier as it was as we where a small group so getting past a big group worked quite well.  The race was hard with alot of sprinting and breaking on the extra bit over the A5 but did make a "nice" change.  And as we got to the bell lap we where ahead of the 3/4 and the pace went up and it was fast till upto the line with a hard sprint at the end and I was beaten for a few in the sprint but got 14th so another 2 points to add to the collection.

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BSCC 13

Last night was the 13 once again and it was nice and warm without much wind making it seem like it could be a quick night, I started off near the back about number 33 out of 37 as there was alot of people who turned up.  I started off and just pushed a little hard but felt ok and soon got to the next road thinking it would be quicker along there but no it wasn't and the next road was the same, I wasn't catching anyone so just kept pushing hard.  On the last road towards the finish I was just starting to lose focus and day dream and all of a sudden Jon Simpkins came flying past me and I tried to keep pace with him but he started to pull the gap out bigger and then he was out of sight as the road twisted and turned.  I kept pushing hard and on the sharp bend I got round there very quick as I was pushing hard and then sprinted out and to the down hill bit to then have a rest.  The last hill was done flat out as normal and I got over the top and pushed hard to the finish and got to the line feeling abit sick from the effort but in a time of 29:07 8 seconds off my PB so not too bad, in fact I'm quite happy with that.

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Leiden Plaque

Yesterday was an 25 mile time trial on the best 25 course I've done this year, the reason it's the best is because it is mostly flat.  I started off without my heart rate monitor as it broke a few days ago, and now only have speed to go by (old school training/racing?) I started off the TT easier than I normally would and unsure how hard to go but soon settled into the rhythm And could see two riders ahead and so I kept my effort steady and closed the gap passed the first and then the second,  and until this point it felt quick as my average speed was near 28 mph then I hit a section of road that felt slow and it was, I thought maybe it was a head wind or maybe the wind had changed direction.  Anyway soon after that it started raining very very hard, so hard I could hear it banging quite hard on my aero helmet, I tried to pull my sunglasses down to see over them but the rain was hurting my eyes too much!  As I got wetter and wetter I was hoping to get to the turn and try and get and away from the rain.  As I neared the turn I could see two people quite close who I thought I could catch, ans so as I went very careful round the roundabout as I know how little grip my rear tire has.  I got back upto speed again and passed the next guy and then another and I would not see anyone else again till the finish.  The rest of the race was spent trying to get round puddles and trying to kep the pace high.  And as I got to the last two roundabout I started to feel happy as it would be over soon.  From the last roundabout to the finish I pushed as hard as I could and the I hit the last hill looked to the time and I thought I could do a sub 58 so I sprinted as hard as I could and crossed the line in a time of 57:51 and I was happy with that as it was a PB and in crap weather. 

Abbeygate Developments/Corley Cycles MK Bowl Races 16

Looking at the photo above you would think is was Paris Roubaix (one of my favorite pro races) but it was Milton Keynes bowl again.  I forgot to take my Garmin with me and the camera so no pics from tonight.  The track was covered in mud and it had been raining throughout the day but warming up it seemed ok for grip.  The race started off and everyone took it easy for the first few laps just to see what the grip was like and then attacks started to fire off the front and I went with a few and managed to get away with a few overs but it was a short lived break and pulled back soon.  at one point as I was trying to sit in and recover the group started to split and the front group was getting away so as some one attacked of the right I attacked on the left and we each soloed to the front split and it took about a lap and I looked round to see that the last group was going backwards and felt glad I went when I did.  We did though and off but as we got to the last few laps it went a bit cat and mouse but we caught the front break within the last 5 laps and as we for the sprint I felt good and was ready and as we hit the hill for the last time the sprint began and I was on the outside and I could see Jake Hales he was a bike length ahead of me and his back wheel just hit the puddle on the left and I saw it sling round like he was going to go down but luckily he held it and I managed to cross the line in 9th place.  I was happy with that and I'm now on 62 BC points so it's looking good.

Results here