After a couple of weeks off it was time to squeeze myself back into my skinsuit and have a hit out in a race. This was a return to the course that I started the season at, the V910 which starts in Brotherton. Its not a flat course but with a rolling climb to the turn point its my sort of course (other than flat ones which i like even more).
I had been off the bike the week before with a virus of some sort, then had a week of training and with the race on the Saturday, I had seemed to be coming into some form, the 2 rides I did in the week power seemed up for the efforts which was good to see but you can never be sure if that will translate into race pace.
The day before I always have a "leg activation" set, this is done on the turbo and is normally a hard effort but very short. something like 10min warm up, 10min efforts, 10min cool down, just to get the legs going, this Friday they felt shocking, heavy and slow, needless to say I was wondering if I had left my actual legs out on the last training ride, not the best start to the race weekend.
Saturday morning consists of everything that you would expect from a professional amateur, up at about 0630 with the little one, she is now 8 months old, and time to change a very stinky and poo filled nappy, such is the rock and roll life...
The rest of the morning is filled with family time, something I love.
The nerves were kicking in a bit, I am not sure why I am normally pretty mellow before a race but for some reason this time I was anxious, at 1200 I forced a baked potato and beans into me and started to get my bike and kit ready, I was due to start at 1510 which means leaving about 2 hours before the race starts to give me a chance to get sorted when I get there.
I get to HQ pick up my number and then drive to a spot just near the start, quick chat with Ed Nicholson, Pete Nixon and Steve Gore-Brown and it was soon time to get the bike out and think about a warm, not before Steve has had a good feel of my backside pinned my number on, the things you have to ask people to do....
Off for my warm up 25-30 mins efforts, HR seemed suppressed and legs still feeling heavy, but I get on with it, at the end of the day you can only do what you can do.
Heading to the start I know that today could be quick weather conditions are ideal for the course, a slight cross tail for the way out up the hill, which is also the longest part of the course, the turn point coming at over 5 miles, I have also made some minor adjustments to the bike to try and get a bit more aero, but I have lingering doubt given my legs.
Once again my minute man has not turned up, not a major issue but its nice to have something to chase. Quick chat with the starters and its "30 secs" push off person takes control of the bike allowing me to clip both feet it, "20 secs", rear brake released, "10 secs", "5secs" front brake released, take the pressure on the pedal, "4,3,2,1 Go!!", resisting all the temptation to sprint I make a steady start, not wanting to shock my body into early lactic release, building the speed I am soon at 30pmh and off on another 20mins or so of pain and suffering, why do I do this!! oh, yeah its fun!!
Unlike the first time out I have a great run at all the roundabouts on the way out, hardly having to slow at all, I had a figure in my head for average speed, that was 27mph, if I could do that it would be a new course PB for me and I could leave happy, as it was every time I looked down I was over 27mph, reaching the turn point I had averaged on the mainly up hill section more than 27mph, this was great, or I may not make it back before I blow and roll in barely able to keep forward momentum... in a 10 it could either way.
Oddly it was about the turn point that I was sick for the first time, something that has not happened in a race for a little while, its pretty gross, and trying to breath and not choke is an added technique that I had to remember, people say this is when you know you have tried hard enough, I am not so sure its not like you ride the course dodging the trails of vomit that fellow competitors have left behind.
I was going to go off power, but my wife had talked me out of that, I always go off feel, power is still new to me and there was a risk that I blew myself to pieces and in an open race it wasn't worth it, so I will save my first power race for a club 10, as it turned out she was right to talk me out of it.
On the way back I got caught at one roundabout, after a van came past and despite not needing to stop, decided to pretty much stop, which was not ideal, it may have cost me a handful of seconds but not a lot more.
Photo Courtesy of Graham Durkin RCC
Shortly after the penultimate roundabout there is a small climb, nothing really of note but I gave everything, I didn't want to drop a second, it was after this effort that I was sick again, not ideal but I must have been right on the limit, but oddly I felt good, in fact very good.
I kept looking at the speed, a little bit in disbelief, it kept climbing, I was over 28mph and still felt good, knowing the end was coming I dug deep, just wanting to maintain speeds over 30mph, could I get a sub 21? That would have been something on that course, even on a good day.
Onto the last part of the course the speed had edged to 28.3mph, there was nothing more I could gain, shouting my number as I crossed the line I knew that was a good time, but if it was good for me others would be as good surely?!
I cooled down and rolled back to my car, I was speaking to some of the chaps back at the cars and was surprised to hear that I was up on them, and by quite a bit, these are normally good markers for me and people that I am often racing against.
I load up my car, and to be honest I was struggling to stand up, my legs were in tatters, I headed off to meet Fiona and the little one for cake and coffee. Back at HQ I get my official time 21:15, which is pretty good going and nearly a 90 sec course PB, but I am still not convinced it will bag me a win, the results continue to roll in, then the 2 that matter the most Dan Taylor and Mark Thaxter, both considered quick guys and both chaps I have never beaten.... until now. 12 and 16 seconds was the gap back, which over 10miles is a reasonable gap. I couldn't quite believe it, I got my wife to check, it was correct I had won, this was a first, not only because I had beaten some fast guys that I had never beaten before but it was also my first ever "open" win.
Still it seemed odd, I was not quite sure what to make of it, I collected my prize money (to keep me nicely in profit) and headed for home.
Reflecting on the race and chatting with my coach it has not been easy to get to this point, it does take effort and commitment to achieve these things, but they are within grasp, I am not a special talent, I have an affinity for riding bikes, that much is true, but I am a dad, a husband and a Risk Manager before I am a cyclist, I do it so i can look back with pride, so I can say I have achieved things that I wanted to and when my daughter asks I can inspire her to achieve, but mainly as I enjoy love cycling and competition.
My biggest motivation
I wear York Cycleworks kit (you may have noticed?!), because they are a great bunch of guys, and friends, but I couldn't be doing as well as I am without their support. Thanks to my coach Rob and Fraz i have the belief that I can win and I hope that this is the first of many "open" wins this year.
Not wanting to get ahead of myself I need to refocus, another 10 mile TT beckons next weekend a flatter course but very exposed, if its windy its not fast, looking for the win? That would be nice, but I will settle for a PB.
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