Reading CC Wessex Cyclocross Race

Round 6 Reading Cyclocross Race

Waking up Sunday morning with a mild headache from the few beers on the Saturday night I was quite excited to race at Reading Prospect park as I enjoyed racing there last year. The weather the night before was really rubbish with it raining the majority of the night and waking up to a gloomy grey sky and puddles on the ground outside I knew I was in for a wet and muddy one. My bacon roll that morning went down well accompanied by some juice to set me up for an hour of hard graft.

We arrived at the race venue with about an hour to spare to watch the final laps of the vets and juniors race, check out the course and even preride for a lap trying not to clog my bike full of mud. Luckily despite the grey and murky sky it wasn’t too cold so was able to race in just my jersey and shorts.

After completing a practice lap at a very slow pace trying to not slip over in the mud and not cape myself with mud I could tell this course was going to be hard and very sketchy. With some very boggy open fields and climbs which were practically impossible to ride up it was pretty much a muddy mountain bike race, which I guess did suit me.

Having not been entered as a team before the start of the reason I was gripped right at the back of 45 riders. Which meant elbows out to try get my self up to the front. The gun went and straight away at the first climb we were up and running up the hill. Round the first corner and into the first muddy section of the course I had managed to get myself into about 9^th position which is where I wanted to be. I was at the front of the chasing group. At the laps continued I was able to hold off this position and battling with 2 other guys for 7^th, 8^th and 9^th. At the top of each of the running climbs I realised how much mud was clogged up in my tyres and breaks which was slowing me down massively. Realised I was already covered in mud and stopping for 10 seconds to clear this wasn’t going to loose me any positions and was the best thing to do. On the final 2 laps I was up to 8^th position and battling with Michael Guildford for 7^th. As we moved onto the final lap I made an attack through the think mud and managed to pull a gap on him. Realising that this was my last lap of the race I didn’t have much to loose and just continued to push through my fatigue and ride strongly to the finish.

All in all 7^th was a pleasing positioning only loosing 1 place from the 6^th at the previous race and was going to have to work hard before the next race next week to try get my 6^th again.

Rnd 4, Sotonia CX, 7th Oct 2012

Round 4 of the Wessex cyclocross league was here. As me and my dad were driving down the M3 on the foggy Sunday morning I wasnt feeling 100% up for racing, but the further south we got the clearly the fog got and the more the sun was shining. My legs were feeling quite good from doing a couple of decent weeks training and i knew i wanted better then  the previous results which were a bellow average 24th and 19th. 

We arrived at the disused golf course, which they had successfully managed to transfer into actually a decent cyclocross course, I entered and went for a couple of warm up laps. The course did kinda suit me so i was now looking forward to getting on with it.. consisting off sand pits, off camber step ups, and long and flowing accents and decents. 

We lined up on the line. Not being entered as a team meant that I dont get a grid position and ended up being about 20th from 30 odd on the line. I had some pushing to get my self up the front. The gun went and straight away it was like 30 egar aged men and me all rushing for that one girl. Elbow were out and people shouting at each other to get out the way. The first few hundred meters were up hill which was good for me and i managed to get my self into about 4th after the first lap. This was an ambitious effort and knew i had probably gone off a bit too fast. I manged to settle down into a pace and was joined by Chris Minter of Pedal On and James Cotty of Wheelbase Cannondale and a couple of others. Chris then rode away and manged to get himself in the battle for 3rd. James and I were joined by 3 other riders. Making us a close group of 5. All battling for the 4 5 6 7 8th positions. The race remained like this throughout. 

The final lap came and still there was 5 of us in a group. I stupidly decided to attack a bit up one of the climbs going to the front of the group which didnt really pay off as they just let me do the work for a mile or so. As the approached the final climb up the finish i could see it was going to come down to a spint, oh joy. We carefully went around the final corner and wound up the speed. I was at the back of the group at this point. Flicking up through the gears and pushing harder and harder through the pedals. I managed to get past one of the riders but wasnt able to put enough speed down to reach 4th 5th or 6th. Finishing in a very pleasing 7th. 

Overall a good race and time to head home, but no time to race as I have expert male to do next week the the Gorrick Autumn classic race next week.  

heres a video of the race http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXj-FwDKD7k&feature=plcp

photos http://www.grahamrobins.net/photos/Sotonia%20Cyclo-Cross%202012/185.JPG.php

Torq 12 12

So it was that time of the year again, 12 hours of riding around Minley Manor woods for the Gorrick Torq 1212. The 8 mile course, a whole lot different from any of the years before was awaiting to be ridden by 500+ riders.

I was in a team of 3 ‘Bob and Beyond’ not the most inventive name I admit. Along with 17 year old Isaac and 17 year old Martin Turton all of us very capable Mtb’ers we new we were in with a decent chance of getting a good position. Not the one we did eventually come though. I was there on the Saturday helping my dad set up the 1stgearcycles trade stand and the rest of the 1^st gear teams pit area. IT WAS PISSING IT DOWN. This put me in a bit of a worried mood thinking that if the weather is like this tomorrow it will suck and be a complete wash out.

My dad woke me up at 6am on the Sunday morning ready to head down the event. Not entirely sure why when we only like 2 minutes down the road and the race doesn’t start until 12. Today though the sun was out and after checking the forecast for the rest of the day I knew the course was going to dry out, fast. Midday came and it was time for the race to get underway. With over 200 riders on the start line out lead out rider Isaac had finally managed to push his way to the front and get on the front line. The perfect place.

The race was now underway and after the first lap Isaac had put us into the lead, up there with the leaders of the ‘team 4’ event. After already having a gap of 3 minutes after just one lap we knew we could push on a bit and build more and try maintain it. Martin was out second for us and built even more of a gap. Then it was my turn. Martin handed over the baton and off I went on my first 8 mile lap of many. The course had already dried out a lot and was obviously very fast with lots of new sections I had never ridden before keeping me on my toes.  

Half way stage of the race came at 6pm. Having now completed 70miles and 9 laps we were still out infront with a large gap, or so we thought. We made the error of not checking out the standings as the race went on, so we thought we had lapped 2^nd place, but the previous 2^nd place were down in 3^rd now and 3^rd had moved up to 2^nd and were 20minutes behind us. This is when we started to panic so had to put the extra effort in for the last 6 hours to gain some time and try lap 2^nd. 10pm came and we had managed to build the gap to 40minutes of 2^nd and lapped 3^rd for the second time. We were flying and we knew it. On my 6^th and final 8mile lap we lapped 2^nd place finally and knew from there on we just had to finish and we had won.

Midnight came, the firework went off to confirm the end of the race and once Isaac was back in from his lap we could celebrate the victory. 12 hours of racing, 152 miles covered between us, it was safe to say we were all shattered. But we still had to wait up to 2am to collect our trouphy and stand on that top step of the podium.

 

1st Gear Cycles Rampage R3

Afternoon, this is my first attempt of "blogging" so I apologise in advance for the lack of creativity. So round 3? Probably could of gone better if i'm honest. After a slow warm up lap with Ben I quickly established that the course was dry and running fast. This was my type of conditions and the slick tyres were going to come in handy.. So I thought.

The race got underway along with the elite riders and the masters. Sitting behind comfortably in second within the first km so I decided to take the lead and make cause a gap and caught up with the back of the elite race. Schoolboy error really. Paul (inverse) had come up to second and sat on my wheel for the majority of the first lap. We had a good pace going causing a gap to third. But then it all started to go wrong and it was like learning to ride without stabilisers again. I couldn't stay on my bike for shit. This was when I realised my tyres need replacing. I was slowly loosing more and more time on 1st and 2nd but knew I had a big lead over 4th, this spurring me on a bit more.

Overall I wasn't too happy with my race as I know I could beat Paul (1st place) who was obviously on very good form recently. Now got a few weeks off racing to train ready for the 1212 team relay at the end of August.


Cyaaaaaaa