OTLEY 25 - 1st August 2021 - Boroughbridge

 2nd Overall; 2nd Vet; 1st on Standard

So, the second race on the old A1 at Boroughbridge in two days, and according to Spindata I was clear favourite, and accordingly scratch man again....was not concerned that I had raced the '10' the day before, as I had followed by standard recovery protocol (good warm down spin and immediate carb and protein drink (4:1) and good meal later)...so no excuses there, and felt OK in the race...although the double return uphill this time was also including a rather fresh headwind, but finishing again a disappointing 2nd place 😫, but by 2 mins which was rather a surprise...no disrespect to the guy that won, but we have raced a number of times in recent years....just assume he had a great day 🤔

Furthermore it was "Yorkshire Day Weekend" 🙄😜😳😂 - so attempted to write a YD theme FB report, not sure it worked, although I did get some positive private comments - here goes ==>

😜Back in the not too distant murky past, a “weekender” meant something completely different, 🍺 these days, and how I wish I could reverse the eras, it means something a lot healthier! 🚴 A double race weekend, initially not intended, I couldn’t make my mind up between the Yorkshire Cycling Fed ‘10’ miler on Saturday, and the Otley ‘25’ on Sunday…both on the rather challenging old A1 at Boroughbridge, in deepest North Yorkshire…. and as it was Yorkshire Day weekend 🙄😂😜 🙄 I decided I was unofficially representing Lancashire to spoil the White Rose day….anything for motivation - and I’ll go to both battles!🤘

Ok maybe not an outright victory, but I think Henry Tudor would have been “well chuffed” in his Bolton accent, and thought reyt if they struggle against that old git, I’ll send in some youngsters, and that’s what he probably did at Bosworth (although I’m not sure TT events were around then, but it wouldn’t surprise me 😊).

So, those confidence gaining moral victories that would have pleased old Henry, were a 2nd place on Saturday in the ‘10’, by ONE SECOND, one bloody second 🥵….and wait for it, 2nd place also on Sunday….a rather ‘gritty’ course, with a rather ‘dour’ 😊 and ‘tough’ uphill return leg, and on Sunday with an added ‘northerly’ fresh wind (the only direction that was permitted on Yorkshire Day, of course 😉).

Bit mixed in the evening at 2 x 2nd places 🤔….as I caught up on the Olympics, marvelling at the BMX freestylers, the skill and speed of the women’s rugby sevens, the captivating men’s high jump (and that beautiful entente cordial), the sorrow of poor Dina 😢 and that amazing final women’s triple jump 😳….but made slightly better by a rather magnanimous social media posting from JB who won the race on Saturday which included comments about me having 29 years on him, and he hopes that he can just ride a bike at my age, never mind competing week in week out….etc etc 😊👨

But then I thought, yep, I really did get my “weekender eras” the wrong way round! But hey ho….it’s still good fun 🤩 😎