Thetford winter series Rd2

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

I have loads of them for this one.  In real life though I cannot complain it was a fair result in the end; 10th position, and if I could have been arsed to do another lap it could have been 8th.  I really did not have the verve to even try though.

Excuse 1

I had a weird run up to the event, I missed a cross race and the following week I broke my rear mech before the start so missed another round.  I know it shouldn't, but things can start to nark you after a while.

Excuse 2

My wife has changed her job and this is not a moan but it meant that I had to step up the dad duties, which is no bad thing.  It just affected my riding and I felt I had missed out.

Excuse 3

I just felt crap!! I had mouth ulcers, felt tired and if Jon had said he could not go I would have thanked him and stayed in bed (I am glad I rode the event though).

Excuse 4

I crashed early in the race which knocked me back (I landed on the stem with my soft parts!)  I just could not get back to the group Jon was in.


So there we go.... plenty of excuses

Still a great event though, the course was tough and if I wasn't such a mardy arse I could have done better.......................................................... 

Thetford winter series

It has taken a while but it looks like I will be gridded for the next round of the Thetford winter series.  This will be a novel experience because I usually have to barge my way through most races or get to the start line hours before anyone else.  Indecently on that subject when I have lined up early at races, every now and then the top guys just turn up and stand in front of you.  Rant over but I seriously feel like punching them.

So as most people are taking it easy or training I am racing cross and doing these 4 hour events.  And to be honest I feel like everything is going well for a change.  The cross racing is just mad.  Its flat out full gas and great fun.  The first race of the winter series was really good though.  I convinced Jon Lightfoot to enter from the team knowing that a) he would enjoy it and b) he would be a good team mate to drag me along.

The course and the weather were excellent and the only mistake really was that we started from the back.  When we got going though it was basically wheel to wheel  for the first few hours, I led for the most part and then the penultimate lap Jon went on the front, the plan being that we race the last lap.  Then disaster struck, I got cramp on the last lap! it was also both legs and really annoying.  I tried to put effort in and every time my legs just said no.

1	8	04:21:45		701	Paul Ashby	Mtzoom.Com -
2	8	04:27:04	00:05:19	716	Mark Wingar	Gipping Race Team -
3	8	04:31:40	00:09:55	736	Lloyd Bettles	Clee Cycles / Kcnc / -
4	8	04:33:45	00:12:00	713	Carl Smith
5	7	04:04:45	1 Lap	731	Jon Lightfoot	Pines Cycles/Sram -
6	7	04:04:50	1 Lap	735	Robert Bradley	Pinescycles/Sram -

Fair play to Jon though he hung back until I got going again and our last lap was quicker than the previous two. So the honours went to Jon because I had no intention of sprint finishing the last climb especially after such a good race.


So the next round beckons and now we are top riders the pressures on as they say.  I am actually looking forward to it and I know we can do a good race again if we work as a team. 




 

Dusk til Dawn 2013

Mixed feelings about this one............     I have said this before but cycling is weird because it takes a team effort but ultimately relies on the person turning the pedals.  I personally like the 'team' side of stuff because underneath I am quite a social person, especially after the odd beer or three.

Cycling doesn't like this, and my theory is you have to be anti social in a way, because the aim is to beat your mate and like it.  I turned up at this race in a big group of people who are great and have good team spirit but felt quite alone.  I had no one 'in my corner' as such and relied on old mates and their good nature to accept me and help out.

Don't get me wrong, I was focused and sort of ready, although I did not feel that good the week leading up to the event.   I also had high expectations because of recent form and a confidence (whether it is justified or not) that I can podium this sort of thing.  So I set out my pit and got down to the start nice and early ready to take on 12hours of cycling.


So what happened..... basically I was going well and then I wasn't.  I set off briskly (not mental though) and found myself trading laps with Tom Ward who eventually came 2nd.  We parted company about 5 or 6 laps in and then I settled, but at 8 hours in I started to feel rotten and then never recovered and so at 10 hours I simply had to stop.



Am I down though???? no is the short answer, I got it wrong a) I did not have pit man b) I did not give 12 hours racing enough respect c) I did not feed or drink enough again.

So for six hours I felt good and sure I was good enough to grab a podium.  So lesson's learnt and I am safe in the knowledge that I gave it my all and there was no way I just wanted to top 10 again....... I wanted a podium.

Two things then, shall I lower my goals?  bollocks no.   Shall I train even more and try harder next time?  yes.


Hence the cyclo cross bike and the notts and derby league races entered.

  
So I going to thrash myself around muddy fields for the winter and hope I get even fitter and faster.

What's the worst that can happen.............................................?

Wiggle Mountain Mayhem 2013

Another month, and another 24 hour race.  This one was a team affair though so it should be easy?

Let me tell you though that team events are not easy, but they are however a laugh, never boring and a great test of friendship and teamwork.  Myself, Graham, Mick and Nigel set out on this mini adventure a few months ago when we hatched this plan to enter a team.

One of the first things was to sort out the line up from the members of pines race team which was easy because we were the only ones who were in the others words "mad enough" to enter a 24hour mountain bike race.  So Nigel entered us and pretty much forgot about it until the week leading up to the event when you suddenly realise that you have not prepared at all.  It became real when we had a meeting the Wednesday before to sort out who was taking what to the venue.  This is where who was doing the run at the start was also decided, whereby Nigel begged us all if he could do it (ok he said he runs a bit therefore we decided he was doing it).

My own personal preparation was not great, I don't think I had fully recovered from 24hrs of exposure and I was on antibiotics for an infected tooth which needs work.  However as the race day got closer I started to get excited.  Myself and Mick travelled down on the morning of the race so it was a great that Graham and Nigel had set up base the day before.  Nigel had everything you could need, lights, gazebo, tents and heating!  Graham provided the stove and loads of food (he can tuck allot of food away!) and also the usual encouragement and enthusiasm for all things mtb.

Myself and Mick got there and provided the usual wit and banter that everyone loves us for, then we got our stuff out the car and took over their base camp.

We had fairly high hopes for this event, with the team line up and the ability of all of us I don't think we were being unrealistic in our expectations, but as you can see we were beaten into to fourth and the winners were Jedi knights who are pretty good at most things.

There was lots of incident and little things that went wrong but we kept pushing all the way and put in some pretty consistent laps.  My own personal mistake was going out on the wrong tyres which I have done many times before, but had it not rained then it would not have been an issue. 
               This is what is exiting about endurance events though, you can always make time back and these things happen to the other teams as well.

 

I think that it was going to take an issue with the other teams in order to grab a podium spot so we never gave up and our lap times improved as daylight appeared, but in the end we landed in fourth which is no mean feat at one of the biggest races for mtb.  So a liitle bit tired and weary we took down our camp, loaded the car and headed for the arena to hand our timing chips in and collect our medal.

 Everyone gets a finishing medal but if there was just one awarded to each team then it would have to be Nigel who received it.  Basically he did the run, did a quick lap even when his chain snapped and also posted the fastest lap out of all of us by quite a margin.  The way the running order went also meant that he and Graham did the final 2 laps which put them at 8 laps to our 7.  He basically was rider of the day and all round top bloke.  If we decide to to this again as a team I am absolutely sure it would be a podium next time.................................................................................

24hrs of Exposure 2013

2013 - 24 Hour Open Men	Laps	Time
1st Craig Bowles (GB)	30	22:50:16
2nd Michael McCutcheon (IRE) - The Bike Rack/Avanti	28	23:01:14
3rd Martin Smith (SCO) - Cotic/AQR Holidays	28	23:15:14
4th Jason Robinson (GB) - Four4th Lights	26	23:05:30
5th Rob Bradley (ENG) - Sherwood Pines Cycles/SRAM	25	22:53:40

So I came in at about five hours and was asked if I was ok and told to eat something. The conversation went

"what do you want mate?"

So I replied..............

 "a go bar will do"

 then after a second I was asked.......

 "which is it?"

So I told Tom........

"it is a go bar, it is a bar that says go on it, aka a Go Bar"

 

This caused much amusement in the pits, but why Tom didn't punch me is a mystery. This is the point though, 24hr racing is crazy and this being my first one could not have gone as well as it did without the help support and planning that goes into theses endevours.

Lots of incident throughout the night and stories of good and bad patches, but the turning point was the heavy rain that came down which played havoc with the course and ruined a lot of even the top riders races. I managed to get dry and keep riding which ultimately got me my result.

I have to mention the people who helped me................

Tom Allen ( the best pit man),

Michael Powell,

Pines Cycles

Graham Gee and the SPCC.

For a first attempt at a 24hr race I am quite pleased with my performance, also my preparation and the good freinds who help and support me.  I talk a lot about my little famiy which is awesome, and therefore I have to say that they are still awesome.  Doing things like this takes it out of the family sometimes but I am finding the right balance which is making my life the best ever at the moment.  I love my family, my job and mountain biking and all three are great.  

So what next?   Well I think I will do one again and I still feel I have alot to offer.  In a few months I will be a veteran rider and on this performance I would have been on the podium if I was in that category...........so watch this space because I am inching further towards a podium spot

Lets start again

Finally put a race number on. Was meant to ride at Whinlatter but that got cancelled. So rode down to Sherwood pines for the first round of the British XC.
Got talked into doing the open race in the afternoon because I could enter that on the day. Half way round the first lap I ripped my rear mech off, if you beleive in carma then people who know me probably new I deserved that.










Anyway upwards on onwards as they say.

This is just a blog to get me going, can't wait to start again so I can tell you all about 29ners