I have done this race for the last 2 years and was previously a catagory 2/3/4 race. The first year it was tipping with rain and i got dropped after half way. The second year i had a great race and managed 8th in the sprint. This year the race had been upgraded to E/1/2/3 classification and saw the turn out of pro team such as Dan Fleemans raleigh pro team, Orbead-Forgoodnessshakes and Willier RT. This was going to be a fast one and i had no idea what to expect.
This was made worse by the fact i had lost all confidence in my ability after a bad winter campain that lead to me chronically overtraining through silly volume, 4hr turbo session and hard cross racing. I had lost a lot of weight and had no energy to do anything let alone train. I had basically strated again only a few weeks ago so i was my expectations were low for this race.
After riding from home to the race, i got my numbers pinned, spare clothing dumped in ramdom peoples cars and met up with Tom Worvil from the team who was also racing. Thankfully today it was glorious sunshine and plesantly warm.
The race, as expected, was fast from the gun and on the first climb the attacks went and riders were already going off the back. I tried to ride as smart as i could as i had no idea how strong i would be against this caliber of rider. After a while of closing gaps and bridging up to the smaller groups, the race was still together and i was growing confidence, i even went with a few moves off the front.
Soon it got serious and the shapped up with a group of 4 off the front who would ultimatly stay away till the end, then there was anothet chase group of about 10 riders and then our group. There was avgroup behind us but they pulled out on the last lap. The race would finish in the order of those groups with the win been talen by raleigh no less. I tried to attack off the front of our group in the last mile with 4 other riders but we got dragged back in soon after. I reset my self for the sprint which was slightly up hill, i felt good and was in a good position as the sprint went. I moved out from behind the riders and overtook move thatn i could count to finish about 10th in our group.
I was pleased with this and had given me loads of confidence going forward. I am unsure of my overall position but will post it asap. It the Bill Jinks RR next week which is the first race counting towards the Midlands road league so look out for an update after next week end.
Bye for now
Monday, 22 March 2010
North Road Hard Riders 25 Mile TT
Its never fun getting up at 4.30am to travel 2 hrs to a race that starts at 8.00am and is one of the technical and demanding time trial circuits in the UK. However, its even less fun to do all of that when its gail force winds and pissing down with rain, this is the north road hardriders and this year it really did live up to the name.
After trying to warm up on the rollers in the rain i was already soaked before i started but warming up always gets me in the zone and i felt more than ready for my first race, even after some serious set backs that took place a few weeks ago that almost lead to me finishing up for good but more on that in another post. For now i was just happy to be happy and on the starting line.
At 8.05am i set off on my ride, i was off on a mark number, number 5, which means that i was of the favorites or likley to be in the top 10 atleast. I had 4 more riders ahead of me and i quickly caught 2 of them after only 10 minutes of riding. Usually when this happens it gives you a boost, you feel great and you believe you are going well, today however was different due to the fact that i couldent actually feel anything because of how stupidly cold it was and steadily getting worse. As i accelerated out of the corners out of the saddle i almost lost my grip on the bars because my arms were frozen solid. I couldent feel my face, my feet, my hands, my legs, nothing. I was in so much pain it was a joke. Even riding at my max i just could not get warm, and then with 7 miles to go......PSSSSSssssss. Front wheel puncture.
Now things went from bad to an absolute nightmare. As soon as i eased up i went even colder, i was violently shacking and begining to black out. I still had to ride to the nearest marshall which was a mile away. By the time i got there, i couldent move and could bearly speak. Thankfully the marshal took me back to the HQ where i pretty much broke down in a heap at the car. My dad had to actually get me changed cuz i couldent do anything, this was the worst experience i have ever had and a very grim start to the season.
Out of 90 rider that started the event only 30 finished and one poor chap even got taken away with in the ambulance after suffering hypothermia. So to recap on my first race i punctured and had a DNF, developed mild hypothermia, lost my HR monitor strap and lost my £120 waterproof jacket. Not the best start but hopefully things will improve. Dear god i hope they do.
Ta ta.
After trying to warm up on the rollers in the rain i was already soaked before i started but warming up always gets me in the zone and i felt more than ready for my first race, even after some serious set backs that took place a few weeks ago that almost lead to me finishing up for good but more on that in another post. For now i was just happy to be happy and on the starting line.
At 8.05am i set off on my ride, i was off on a mark number, number 5, which means that i was of the favorites or likley to be in the top 10 atleast. I had 4 more riders ahead of me and i quickly caught 2 of them after only 10 minutes of riding. Usually when this happens it gives you a boost, you feel great and you believe you are going well, today however was different due to the fact that i couldent actually feel anything because of how stupidly cold it was and steadily getting worse. As i accelerated out of the corners out of the saddle i almost lost my grip on the bars because my arms were frozen solid. I couldent feel my face, my feet, my hands, my legs, nothing. I was in so much pain it was a joke. Even riding at my max i just could not get warm, and then with 7 miles to go......PSSSSSssssss. Front wheel puncture.
Now things went from bad to an absolute nightmare. As soon as i eased up i went even colder, i was violently shacking and begining to black out. I still had to ride to the nearest marshall which was a mile away. By the time i got there, i couldent move and could bearly speak. Thankfully the marshal took me back to the HQ where i pretty much broke down in a heap at the car. My dad had to actually get me changed cuz i couldent do anything, this was the worst experience i have ever had and a very grim start to the season.
Out of 90 rider that started the event only 30 finished and one poor chap even got taken away with in the ambulance after suffering hypothermia. So to recap on my first race i punctured and had a DNF, developed mild hypothermia, lost my HR monitor strap and lost my £120 waterproof jacket. Not the best start but hopefully things will improve. Dear god i hope they do.
Ta ta.
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