Last night was Banbury star CC 10 again, but this week was wet and with a strong head wind on the way back that did not help on the way out. After staring I quickly caught my minute man Tom Spijkers, he used to be my maths teacher a few years ago. On the way out I caught a few people and not much happened then I got to the turn and started heading back into a head wind and by the time I got to the last hill I was suffering a bit but got up it slowly and once over the top I pushed as hard as possible to get to the finish. I crossed the line in a time of 23:55, not too bad but my legs felt better after the time trial than before and that is annoying me a bit.
Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl and right from the start it was fast! The pace got hammered right from the start and after the first lap the bunch was strung out. After about half the race a few of us managed to get away from the main bunch and took turns at the front and we lapped loads of riders but when we got to the last lap I did not have it in the legs to sprint so I came in in 7th after my first ever successful breakaway. I'm happy with that, a few more points.
Last night was the Banbury Star 25 mile time trial again and this this time there was more of a cross wind than last time and it did not feel like it helped that much. After starting I felt good and felt quick but once getting to the turn at the second roundabout it was all up hill again until I passed the start then there was a nice descent to get the speed up. I was getting near to the next turn around point and had a good idea to eat an energy gel on the down hill bit unlike last where I had it going up the hill. After tuning round I saw the fast guys, Luke Souter and Jon Simpkins coming towards me very quickly and after that my goal was to get to the finish before them. Coming up the last hill a short 10% climb I just sat on the aero bars and passed my dad (the same place as last time) and went passed him feeling very happy. I then got to the finish line in a time of 58:55 a new PB, reached my goal and 2nd place! The Handicap part was won by Suzy Patience who also did a quick time of 01:06:53 for her first 25 mile time trial.
Yesterday was the national 25 mile time trial championships down in Devon. The course was great because it started in a town centre and had closed roads for about half a mile before joining a main road out to the roundabout. At the start there was a start ramp, a crowd and even a jazz band, when I started I was on top of the ramp and when the time keeper said go I sprinted as fast as I could to the end and on the aero bar thought the first bend. On the descent thought the town I hit 40 mph in the 30 zone and sat up to slow down to get around the bend at the bottom. Once on the main road it was out to the roundabout turn around and head back. On the way out I passed the finish on the right and the road was up and down a lot and I don't think any of it was flat and it even rained in one bit in the middle. Once I got to the roundabout to turn around I got held up a bit by a car but got round the roundabout and got going again, it then seem very hard on the way back. On the way back I got to the bit where it had been raining and the road was very wet and I had to go down a hill with a few bends at the bottom with it very wet so I took it easy round the bends and after about a mile it was dry again. By the time I got to the finish I was glad to get there and I crossed the line in a time of 01:02:44 as it turns out it was a very slow course with the hills and so I don't think that was too bad and only and 1 min 46 off my team mate Henry Latimer.
The winner was Ryan Mullen in the junior and in the men Dr. Hutch won in 53:36 and Julia Shaw won in a time of 59:20 with another team mate Chrissy Radon second.
Last night was an interclub between Banbury star CC and the A5 rangers, this year it was on there course again. This looked like it was going to be a fast course however the headwind on the way out mad it very hard. As I was on the start line I think the pusher-offer was showing off by holding me up with one finger on my saddle (I think I need to put on some more weight), After I started I felt good on the nice smooth tarmac but once I got to the first round about I slowed down a lot into the headwind but I did not go wrong this time like two years ago when I first rode the course. The head wind was hard all the way out but because it was not super strong I did not find out till I turned around and started flying back. And once I got to the short dual carriageway bit it was smooth tarmac and a tail wind, if only it was like that for 10 miles. I finished in a time of 23:02 not too bad of a time I think.
Last night was Milton keynes bowl and this time it was wet for a change. We did 50 mins plus 5 laps and in that we did 25 mins on the inner loop and then about 15 mins on an extra loop before returning into the inner loop. It was a strong headwind when going down then hill but I think it may have helped somewhere else on the circuit. The pace was not to high after we started and we even kept the elites in sight for a while. However after a while the pace picked up and got faster. It was then time to go out and do the extra loop and a break away was away, and we got round all the bends safely even though one was a bit greasy and we shortly after caught the breakaway. And while we went back to riding on the inner loop another breakaway went and I found myself chasing it with 3 riders behind chasing me and they caught me so then we tried to catch the front 2 but we did not get more than just seeing them. And as we got ready for our sprint someone kicked and I got on his wheel and then thought maybe I could pass him and on the line it was very close to who got 3rd but in the end it turns out I was 4th, I'm still very happy with that.
Last night was the Banbury star 25 mile time trial, my first 25 of the year. And after not feeling good leading up to it I was unsure how I was going to preform. I warmed up and was ready to start and soon as I started I went off and felt not too bad but it was down hill, with a bit of a head wind. I got to the second roundabout and glided around fine and then was unsure if it was going to be fast out to the next roundabouts because it was very up and down but there was a tail wind most the way. After passing the starting point there was a nice hill and I was trying to get as much speed down it as possible and then keep it going at the bottom. I spent the fast part trying to get to the roundabout but once there and coming back it was uphill. and by this point I was just hoping for a down hill bit to make some speed up. A few miles from the end Jon Simpkins passed me and after catching a lot of people I did not mind too much. And going up the last hill I caught my dad and closed the gap on Jon a little bit but then over the top he flew off and made up more time on me. I got to the village at the end I went around a bend and got cramp in my right calf muscle and then just rolled around the last bend and over the line quite a bit slower than I wanted to. My time was 59:12 and was my first sub hour ever so I'm very happy with that time.
Today was the H10/181 course again and when warming up I found out that it was going to be a cross/head wind on the way out and tail wind on the way back. This is not good because its a mile longer out than back. I just got going and kept pushing it all the way out and it felt like it took along time to get to the turn around point with the speed dropping a lot. After getting to the roundabout it was then fast all the way back and I think most of the return was way over 30mph and when sprinting for the line in the saddle I hit a top speed of 39.2 mph, and to do a time of 23:03 a bit slow but it was a very windy and hard on the way out. Jon Simpkins won it with a mid 20.
I found out that I was first junior and got a very nice medal and a box of energy gels in my favourite flavour summer fruits.
Last night was Milton Keynes bowl again and it was the normal half on the inside half on the extra bit. And it was fast! After we started we did a few laps and I tried to break away but the first break did not go but the second time went well because there was three of us and we where pulling out a lead but when the elites lapped us the bunch chased us down. Not much happened for the rest of the race till the last 5 laps, after going around the bend onto the bowl a big crash took a few riders down and I ended up going onto the grass. The pace started speeding up a lot towards the end and this was good but on the last lap on the back straight a lot of moving about ended with a few more riders hitting the ground very hard. I got past the crash ok and then got ready for the sprint to take 8th place and 4th for Justin Belcher who beat me yet again.
Tonight was the Banbury Star 13 again, it was hard every where except the last road. As soon as I started it felt a bit like a cross head wind and that was hard but then the next road was a head wind and that was even harder! The second road also had some gravel on it near the end. As I went down a small hill and the road started going up again there was the gravel and it all felt lose so I sat up and got over that bit safely and around the bend at the top of the hill very carefully and still felt the wheels slip a bit. Looking back it was a bit like stage five of the giro this year when they went over the "Strade Bianche". The next road still felt hard but after catching a rider near the end I was glad to see the last road because I knew it was going to be fast. Going down the last road about 6 miles long and I did it in 12 minutes and 12 seconds (avg. 29 mph) and it did feel fast all the way down there and on the last descent I hit a top speed of 46.1 mph and finished in a time of 29:37 (2nd) 1 second off my PB and 38 seconds off the winner Luke Souter Who is just too fast.
Today was a 62 mile road race with 2nd cats and it was fast and painful. The race start and took off very fast and as soon as we got to the descent I was behind someone who slowed down too much for a corner and people just came past us so I got past him and went as hard as possible to make up the gap. The first lap we averaged 26 mph and as the race went on the speed stayed high. There was a few near misses but luckily no crashes. The last lap seemed to ease off a bit and in the sprint I saw people who tried but I think their legs must have gave out! There was quite a few people bunched together on the left and I was catching them, I got around them and just went kept sprinting to try and pass as many people as possible and I think in the end I got 22nd but not sure yet.
Last night I raced at Milton keynes bowl again and not long into the race and I tried to attack but it did not last for long. A little later into the race and someone attacked and I jumped on his wheel and we got away until the bottom of the hill and the bunch got close behind us and so I attacked again and stayed away for over a lap and my team mate Henry got away with another rider a girl form motorpoint marshalls pasta team and caught me up so I jumped on the back and we where working well together and got a good lead but we got caught by the elites and I think that when they past the bunch chasing us they sped up a bit and then we sat in the bunch to try and recover. By this time we where going around the extra loop at the bottom of the bowl. After sitting in the bunch it was time for the sprint and I was in an ok place but bit far back and ended up with 10th place, not bad, so it means I get one point. Justin Belcher from Banbury star had another good week getting 5th place.
Tonight was the Athletes 13 it was the same course as most weeks apart from the fact most people where on road bikes. And as soon as I got there it was pointed out that my wheels where aero but it was a good job I did not have one of these as well, or else I would have been in trouble! As I started I felt ok but I soon found out that its hard trying to get an aero position on a road bike with out my arms hurting, maybe because there as thin as pipe cleaners. I was Lucky to catch 3 riders and no one came past me. Down the last road I was finding it hard to stay aero because my arms kept hurting but I was soon getting to the last hill and going down there was slower than normal but I still hit 41.3 mph. Going up the last hill felt not too bad but I then had to push hard for the finish and that also hurt. I got to the finish in a time of 31:38 just over 2 mins slower than my PB but not too bad for a road bike, Martin Hall also did a good ride and did a PB getting into the 35 mins. Also I don't think the heart rate monitor was working tonight because the garmin said average heart rate was 219 BPM and in the 230s for most of it ...Not sure that's right some how.
Today I raced at Milton Keynes bowl again and after finding out about this race last night I thought it would be a good idea to do it. The website said a 12:00 start, so we got there just over an hour early and found out that the race was at 1:30 so we had to wait around for 2 and a half hours. However the race was good, it was the standard hour plus 5 laps on the inside and as soon as we started we had attacks. I kept trying to get away and jump on to breakaways going but nothing stayed away. I even when away for about a lap and a half caught and passed the guy in the lead but then someone jumped across to my wheel and would not help me so that breakaway failed or else I would have kept going. I did try getting away a few times but the bunch did not want to let anyone go. After sitting in the bunch and getting nearer towards the end I was starting to recover from attacking and was getting ready for the sprint. When sprinting for the line I was keeping myself on a wheel and just went as hard as I could and in my top gear (52x14) I was strating to spin a bit more than I would have liked but managed to get a top 10 placing not sure yet.
Thanks for reading Will post results soon when I find them
Last night I raced at Milton Keynes Bowl again and it was a nice night for it again. The race started slow and stayed slow for the whole race, we only averaged 24.6 mph. Not much happened in the race we got lapped by the elites many times. when we got to 4 laps to go Justin Belcher from Banbury star broke away and managed to stay away until the end to get 2nd place. I however just was waiting till the sprint and then did not even get top 10 so I must try harder next week.
Tonight was the Banbury Star CC 10 mile time trial on that course that everyone hates ...although I do like that course. It felt like a fast night when warming up but once I started and got going it felt like I got to the turn around point very fast even with that bit being the slower part of the course. After taking the roundabout quickly I looked down to see the average speed and was surprised! On the way back I was just going over the small hill in the middle and was starting to get a lot of sticky saliva in my mouth so I turned my head side ways and tried to spit it out but it did not go very far (all down my face) and so I tried to wipe it off but ended up just getting it all up my arm-warmer, not good. Any way I then hit the last hill a nice 10% climb and over that in the saddle and then a bit of a dip and then more uphill. After dragging myself over this last hill it was all flat/slightly down hill towards the finish and at the point I was pushing as hard as possible towards the finish. I did a time of 23:23 a PB and 2nd fastest.
Today was a 10 mile time trial on the H10/181 course again. After getting up at 5 am I was on the bike warming up at 6:30 the earliest I have been on a bike this year. I had just started off and got up to speed quick and even saw the average up to 29 mph 3 minutes in to the TT. However as I got closer and closer to the turn around point the average speed dropped, but coming over a slight rise I did catch my 2 minute man and that helped me push a little harder. Going around the roundabout on the aero bars and my average speed dropped even more and then I found out it was going to be a head wind back. I was heading towards the finish and my average speed was below my target and no matter what I did I could not get it 0.5 mph faster to get my target average. Coming over the last small drag I was pushing hard and could see number 1 ahead but the finish came up too soon and my average speed was too low so in the end I did a 22:42 but everyone else was slower because it was a harder day so its not too bad.
Today was a ten mile time trail by Stratford CC, it was two laps and flat but a bit windy. I started off and it was a tail wind and this was good until I got to the end of the road and turned left and started headed into a headwind. After I tuned off that road it was a nice cross wind that helped push me along heading towards the start, ready for my second lap. The second lap was the same as the first one but just hurt a bit more. On the last road heading towards the finish a fast rider James Wall was starting to get closer and closer! I pushed on the pedals as hard as I could and passed the line and he was not too far behind me but I managed to hold him off and I was happy with that. My time was 23:31 and I think about 4th fastest.
Tonight I rode the Banbury Star 13 mile time trial again, after missing out last week to marshal and everyone did very fast times any way tonight felt like a normal night. I started off in a lower gear and sprinted away faster and got in the aero tuck quicker. It felt fast on the way around and having trouble remembering alot of the TT. The last road that is the fastest on this course felt very quick going over 30 mph a few times and getting my max speed down the last hill of 46.3 mph and this was enough to push my average speed up to get my personal best time of 29:36 and 4th fastest.
Last night I raced at Milton Keynes bowl again and this week we went the opposite way around. We had just started and some one looked like they where trying to up the pace so I jumped on his wheel but the bunch just sat there behind us. At the end of the flat bit at the bottom of the bowl there was a bit of cold water across the road and getting near the end I was getting warm so this was a bit refreshing... Half way though we turned off to do the bigger loop and the bunch was a bit twitchy around the bends, at one point there was a crash and it was not that far ahead of me. I think about 2 or 3 riders went down and I had to try and jump back onto the bunch. After this I just sat in the bunch and did not try to get into the sprint and just speeded up to keep pace with everyone, I think I was in the top 25 but not sure. Justin Belcher from Banbury star got in the top 10.
