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