9th OVERALL; 1ST STANDARD
Return visit to this rural twisty course, not my forte. Mojo not high, but know I must get races under my belt...2 plus laps, even thought of bailing after one lap, very briefly of course. Felt OK, probably rode conservatively, due to lack of confidence. Finished in 9th place, where expected according to Spindata...and only a few seconds slower than last year in 55-23....won Standard.
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1st Overall; Course PB 19-56
Compared to Saturday, could not have contrasted any more...felt strong, smooth, consistent and increased power in 2nd half to where I would expect. Broke 20 mins for the first time, taking nearly 30 secs off my course PB (from 2017 though) and winning on the night. More importantly I felt good and I got another race under my belt.
8th Overall; 1st on Standard; 1st Team - Lincolnshire Champs
Third race, but first 10 since crash comeback. AND...as we all know, these shorter V02 Max efforts are far bloody tougher than the longer races...like starting the season again, the body was in a right state. By even 5 miles I was unsure how I could finish, and somehow got through particularly the last three miles...really fvckin hurt, like you would not do it again!! ðĪŠ
Finished 8th overall, actually only a handful of seconds slower than last year...but defo down on normal expectation.
Won the team title with Stuart and Andy, well supported by Tony. ð
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8th Overall; 2nd in Championship
Really not expecting to be able to race this event due to the earlier crash and injuries, but somehow got to the start line. Must admit, before the race I was not overly enthusiastic...but had to motivate myself for the start line. Felt like I was going pretty well, power started where I wanted it, but it did drop ultimately to 294w which is probably about 12w minimum at where I should be at least.
Completed in a time of 1-49-09, some 2 mins slower than my slowest attempt (of three previous races) on this course, but hoped in the Standard comp, it would be good enough to steal the National jersey? Alas, no...2nd by just 14 seconds from Chris McNamara who in fairness deserved to win (well...ð) by nearly breaking the course record and breaking 1-40 on his actual time.
Cannot deny I didn't take it well, although, many plaudits for even making the start line...but that doesn't equate to a winners jersey!! ðŦ
Must add that a certain young lady was hot on my heels, barely 15 secs behind me...Angela Carpenter, amazing ride by her...and won the overall Championship, again! Well done that girl ð
FROM THE VTTA WEBSITE
The 50 Mile Championship saw some very fast times on an afternoon that was warm, sunny and dry. A southerly breeze, however, was quite gusty at times, and made conditions less than ideal. The R50/1B course features two laps between Abergavenny and Monmouth, mainly on dual carriageway but with a rolling 5 mile section on a country road that adds to the challenge.
The men’s championship was a very tight finish with the top three within just 31 seconds of each other on standard and Vets Handicap Result (VHR). Christopher McNamara (Nuun-Sigma Sport-London RT) took the gold medal with the fastest actual time on the day of 1:39:54, only 38 seconds short of the course record. Silver went to Keith Ainsworth (Lindsey Roads Cycling Club), a specially commendable ride given his recent return from a training accident, and bronze went to David Shepherd (..a3crg). Their VHR times were 1:37:08, 1:37:22, 1:37:39. A very close finish indeed!
In the women’s championship Angela Carpenter continued her unbeatable form with a stunning time of 1:49:24 giving her a VHR of 1:30:30. This was a new course record and a Welsh record by more than 2 minutes. Angela’s fellow ..a3crg team members Claire Emons and Sarah Matthews took the silver and bronze medals respectively giving them a clean sweep of the podium.
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POST "THE CRASH" ðŦðĨð
5TH OVERALL; 1ST VETS STANDARD
Just 3 days after my last race, whilst training "out east" (12th April) - went flying over the bars, after doing a full bore 10 sec effort as part of a warm up, cleat came out of right pedal. Awoke after short unconsciousness and eventually was ambulanced to the Northern General...X-Rays and CT Scan proved no breaks nor head damage (well, no more than normal) but clearly ligament, joint and soft tissue issues...couldn't sleep laying down for 3 days....after 5 days realised could turn the indoor trainer, and within 10 days was doing some hard sessions....so....
Barely 4 weeks since my crash, and racing already. Went outdoors on the previous Tuesday for a 75 min spin, then did some easing in threshold efforts on Wednesday on TT bike. Followed close advice of physio Rob Leckie, which I thought was rather optimistic, but he proved to be spot on...pain still there, but no chance of regression and manageable (actually more so outdoors than in tuck position on indoor trainer). Also aligned with Richard setting me an indoor programme to keep the fitness levels reasonable.
As expected though, although completed ok...usual numbers quite down at 319w (20w down on last year) and at least a minute down on time...finished 5th overall...but good to get back outdoors and a race under the belt. Last 5+ miles was very tough, when normally I finish strong....won the team prize |(if there was one!). Really did not expect tp race at all in May!
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14th equal overall; 7th Vet; 2nd VTTA; 2nd Team
Suffice to say, the weather was foul...cold but worse, a strong westerly cross wind. As someone stated the only help was the few hundred meters crossing the bridge at the 5 mile turn!! The experience really was "horrid". ðŦ
Gave it my all - which in these conditions there is a pattern of underperformance (is this a rubbish aero position) - and although expecting a sub 21 min time finished on 21-07...amazingly as did Andy, and yes, even more amazingly so did Stuart - ALL three on the EXACT same time!! ð
Very high quality with young pro boys fighting out the podium places.
Great to be back in HQs for that coffee, cake and banter - and great laughter with our equal times! ð
NOTE: JUST 3 DAYS AFTER THIS RACE I HAD A SERIOUS CRASH WHILST OUT TRAINING AND ENDED UP IN HOSPITAL.
FORTUNATELY THE X-RAYS AND HEAD SCANS WERE ALL CLEAR, ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME PRETTY DEEP SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE...WRITING THIS ON 22ND APRIL, AND BACK ON INDOOR TRAINER, BUT SOME WAY OFF OUTDOOR RIDING AT THE MOMENT...ðŦðĪ
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1st Overall
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First race of the new season. And the first time I had raced on a "J" course, basically the Cheshire area...a classic rural course around Jodrell Bank. Twisty, narrow, villages, dips, sharp climbs etc - typically does not suit me for an optimum ride...but enjoyed to a point! Was originally scratch man, but asked to start earlier, but unfortunately no 20 start point was right on the heels of 15 novice riders. By the second lap, I was speedily catching them up in numbers, and as I had been previously warned, I got held up quite seriously by cars that had passed me but then got stuck behind the slower riders ðŦ....at one point there we 3 riders in front of me....not good! I also did this course as a recce, because the National VTTA 15 is on here in 2 week...anyhow, finished 4th overall...just 40 secs behind the winner, and smashed the vets standard and first vet. Power sort of meaningless on such a course....in the 320s - sounds low! Good start though!!ðŠ
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Generally very pleased with a typically solid and consistent season although some disappointed with the four Silver National VTTA awards...mitigation certainly in the 50 (borrowed wheel was a mistake) and the 30 (defo under the weather)....but that's simply the bar I set myself...enough waffle - the highlights:
In total 23 races:
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11th Overall 1st male on Standard - National Age Record 50:00 mins
Unusually drove all the way there (near Cambridge) with no apparent affects in the race....and yes, felt good! Averaging over 340w from the start, which is as good as it gets....and maintained it, in fact increased my output and speed on the 2nd lap....
Coming close to the finish line I could see I was bang on 30mph average, so very close to a sub 50 mins - and crossed the line on.....exactly 50 bloody minutes! Could not believe it, did put a little challenge in (as I caught just after the line a tandem that started 5 mins exactly in from of me and were given 54-57 - so where was that 3 second gap! ) but it was upheld - bottom line is I could not have produced anymore in the last mile or so...and even still, a 50 minute 25 mile on only a moderately fast course was rather a good way to finish the season, and 11th overall on a course that typically attracts a quality field, and 1st man on standard, but pipped to the overall by Jackie Field.ðŠ
Better still though was the very amusing and erudite report from Andrew Grant - see below ð
7th Overall & Silver in National VTTA Championship
Confident too after my course PB for the 25 on the same course last week, so looking good...BUT....did feel a little 'queer' these last 48 hours....ðĪ
Well, it wasn't to be, in fact was almost a minute down on my target and recording my slowest time on that course since my very early start up days...friggin rubbish, in fact slower than the last 10 miles in the '25' last week...really do not know why? ðĪ
Still good enough for 2nd in the Championship, but a few places behind where I'd expect to be in the actual results?
Richard did get close to that 19-20 (19-25) and again the mercurial Angela Carpenter smashed the women's Championship, and actually finishing equal with Richard on Vets standard for overall....and if it was not for a hold up due to a car turning right, Angela would've broke the course record of Sarah Storey....she will next time....ðŠ
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1st Overall - 1st Vet - Course PB
Rescheduled race from a cancellation earlier in the season, not my favourite course, but as my own club 25, felt loyal to do it....really small field, and rather hot favourite to win (according to SpinData predictions!).
And so it proved being nearly 4 mins in front of 2nd place...but more importantly, produced my performance of the season....with a power PB back up to above 340w, and a course PB in pretty basic conditions...with a strong westerly headwind on more than 50% of the course...just a shame I could not have repeated this performance on one of the bigger races!ðĨðĨ
Covered the last 10 miles too in a rather scintillating sub 21-20 - which on that sketchy course is usually good enough for a top 10 spot on a straight '10' (see next week! ð)
4th Overall - National Silver on Standard
There was always a risk on racing back to back days...and so retrospectively so it proved....felt ok whilst racing, but on completion my power average was down over 10w, on a course so similar to Hatfield (see next week!)...however still good enough for 4th place overall, but 30 seconds down on standard to the mercurial Richard Oakes for silver (again!) in the National VTTA Championship...but the performance of the day was that amazing Angela Carpenter, who was 5th overall and 2 mins ahead of even Richard on Standard....she's breathing down my neck so closely, I'll have to watch her, very closely! ð
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1st Overall - National Age Record plus others - 19-23
7th Overall; 1st Standard
Always want to do well on the Rutland CC races, as the rivals of sorts, of Sheffrec CC. so keyed up for this, and felt great in the race...really strong...holding really high wattage - and proved to be finishing in a PB 20min average wattage of 370w...but on stopping the Garmin, was rather surprised to see a pretty slow time (on a course where I regularly break 21 mins) - confirming at the HQ the I had done 21-12....and worse still, finished 7th, with all my peers having decent times...on a pretty decent day...in the race I really thought a PB was possible (20-31)....very bizarre.ðĪ
Drove home rather perplexed which extended into the week...the only thing I'd changed was the skin suit, could that really make a difference? Well, yes! First contacted Mr B - who confirmed it can be "Massive" either way! ðģ
Also my pal in the N Mids - who has a Phd in Computation Fluid Mechanics, sent me a very detailed email...this is part of it:
The power required to do work against a force, F, is F x V, where in the present case V is the velocity over the ground.
The bottom line is that a skin suit can make a negative or positive impact...and the only way of really knowing is by controlled testing!
Anyhow I won't be wearing that skin suit again. ð
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