Sleaford Cyclocross

As another TT season draws to a close, a freash Lincolnshire Cyclocross season opens up, with the usual first date being the Sleaford wheelers race, held again in the grounds of Sleaford Rugby Club.

A reasonablt flat affair, with a couple of offs, a run up a steep bank, some twisting rocky sessions and quite a bit of roped off turning. It had been wet overnight, but by the time we started at 12, it was dry almost everywhere on the course apart from a section that had some light mud.

I had ridden the 25 on the A46 yesterday, so already had an excuse nicely banked ahead of the race. the fact that I'm a terrible technical rider has nothing to do with that I promise !!.

I was gridded on the third row following last seasons results - not that it mattered at all, as I quickly went backwards at the start. I didn't feel tired, however my heart rate was through the roof from the start - it would go on to average 179bpm for the entire race and evertime I looked down it said 180 something !

I lost places on the first lap, and then gained some back throughout the race - on the fletter sections I could see I was a lot faster being a tester, but in the twisty technical sections I knew I was much much slower.

I was lapped on the 5th lap, meaning that my ride time was only 47 minutes or so, and I felt like I had been at it for over an hour.

Results not in yet, but I would estimate my usual lower that midway finish position is unaltered.

Nice weekend of racing.

Time : 47.15
Distance 9.40 miles
Temp : 17c
Wind : 14mph SW
Course : Sleaford Rugby Club
HR 179bpm

VTTA Nottm 25

This is my favourite 25 mile time trial course and is the fastest one that I have ridden on in truth. I have ridden the Etwall and the E2 in longer events, but alas, my current personal best is not fast enough to get a ride on those faster courses.

Instead, I have a task of getting quicker and posting a faster time on one of these secondary courses so that I can get a ride on the premium dual carriageways.

The A25/34 then, is my favourite 25 as I said and the reason for that is that generally it is tough out, and then with a prevailing wind follows the most wonderful backwind 12 miles you can find anywhere before a testing last couple of miles.

Yesterday saw a SSW wind of 17 mph and I knew that it was going to be exactly as I described above. I started at no.112 and the wind had not abated. I went in the end with my zipp 808 in the front, and the disc on the rear as usual. By the time I was up and over the A46 and going South, any cross jumpiness had been dealt with and it was just occasionally twitchy but not badly - at least I gor the wheel choice right !

That first leg I felt I got it all wrong and too many times found myself grinding a small cadence with a big gear chasing power figures, when I should have been spinning a better cadence for the same power.  My average speed at the turn was I'm not joking 22mph ! shocking, but as soon as I was halfway round the turn, I knew that the next 12.4 miles were going to be greasy fast and so they proved, with me knocking out an average speed of 30.4mph at just 231W ! Cadence was good, and I felt fantastic - it's important to note though that I lost a minute and 20 to my closest rival here, so still lots to chew over and train for over the winter.

The final couple of miles back into the headwind were not as bad as I feared and I eroded very little from the average speed which had been 25.9 at the Farndon roundabout, 57.53 was a 25 season's best, so I'll take that, thanks.

A lot to think about then and reflect upon, a better cadence into the wind, pushing harder with the backwind and even better cadence.

NP 259w 
AP 254w
Temp : 19c
Wind : 17 SSW
Course A25/34
HR 172bpm

Stockton Wheelers 50

Four weeks of coaching and some intense sessions and this was my first two wheeled test. I needed to finish todays event in under 2.01 (scratch that, I understand not BBAR counting now, but didn't know that beforehand), and also knew I had to beat last years time of 1.58.47 as I was part of a team of 3 looking to improve on our club 50 team record that we set last year.

I was going to camp, but after the trikey try outs and BBQ yesterday, decided against that and instead got up at four for a long day of driving and racing. It was chilly with temperature starting at just 9 degress, and misty especially at the bottom of the course at Dishforth. the wind though was very still with an estimated 3/4 mph SE, which is one of the reasons that the mist hadn't gone anywhere.

My start time was 8.48 which I think was ideal as the sun was shining through and it was a really nice blue sky day. This was also the first time that I'd be using velotoze long socks and I was interested to see how they panned out.

The race itself went ....

Really swimmingly well to be honest. the out leg, with little in the way of headwind to battle was a joy. I tried to keep my cadence at 90-95rpm, and my heart rate between 160-170. My power was showing PB figures of 310 as an average, but to be honest this will be out as I've noticed that the right hand peddle had slipped. Every time the speed dropped, I said to myself don't worry the figures are good so didn't chase anything.

Got to the turn in a late 56, and then headed back through the mist which still lingered at the bottom of the course. The mist was making my legs cold and initially it felt a bit sluggish on the return. I persevered though, and as the mist cleared and the sun shone and more importantly the course turned Northward, well speed picked up. I must have been tired though, as cadence was dropping slightly.

Off the dual carriageway and just gearing up for a big finish when I got caught behind some farm machinery. I eventually got past and hammered the very last section to pass the TK with a new PB of 1.55.03. Over the moon and a much better team record achieved.

NP 310w (dubious)
AP 311w  (also dubious)
Temp : 9c
Wind : 4mph SE
Course T502
HR 166bpm

Trike National 10 & 25 Weekend at Wolvey. Also known as the Jenny Noad & The Stan Spelling events.

This weekend I camped over at wolvey for my second attempt at the 10 & 25 mile championships for the TA. (Tricycle Association). This was how the weekends racing unfolded...

Saturday.. National 10 - 26.00

Exactly one second quicker than last year on a windless but miserably drizzly day. Had to keep wiping the visor and had forgotten how draggy the out section of this course was. Fast in parts though and with very little wind there wasn't a great deal of resistance to fight other than the surface and the moisture in the air. Went off hard and knew I had to chase down my minuteman. Maybe I was pre-occupied with this as it took me an age and nearly 7 miles to do so. I made another 50 seconds on him in the last 3 years so maybe it was a case of decent pacing. Either way, I won the event with a 26 dead so I'm pleased as punch with the overall performance.

Sunday.... National 25 - 1.06.58

Would you believe it - one second quicker than last year again. This time I lost my minute man with a broken diff, which meant my minuteman from yesterday was now today's two minuteman and I set about chasing him down for the second day in a row !
I checked myself a couple of times just before any giddyness crept in and at five miles made the decision to switch my garmin unit over to heart rate and time only. This way I was able to try and keep my HR between 165-170 and limit any peaks to 173 on the climbs on the A5. With again very little wind I was enjoying the ride and as I was behaving with the heart rate , I enjoyed the climbing as well.
1.06.58, and a second win in two days. with City beating United at the swamp this weekend too, it has been a perfect weekend.

AP 283W (Strava)

Temp : 15C

HR Ave 170 Max 179
Wind : 6mph NNE

Course K41/10

AP 276W (Strava)

Temp : 13C

HR Ave 168 Max 179
Wind : 6mph S

Course K41/25

LRRA 30

So there I was yesterday, all prepped and prepared to ride the V718, which was on, and then called off as I rode to the start with no one there !  I was thinking, ooh, I'll be fresh for the next day....

..... and so, I found myself on familar territory, riding my fourth LRRA 30 event at it's new home at Sleaford, on a variation of many courses that I had ridden. 

There was a bitch of a westerly blowing at 15mph and with an L shape course, I knew that today's menu was serving up, cross, cross, back and then block headwind. I'd been working harder than I ever had over the previous couple of weeks as my coaching had started and I'd also felt ready for the V and felt good for this one too. 

I was second rider off so didn't have much of a carrot as I pelted towards the first roundabout and then turned left for the crosswind section which was five miles up and down the Sleaford C10/10 course. I enjoyed this section as I knew it well, and the trike behaved itself. I was averaging 22.8mph and was leading the riders out by the time I hit the Sleaford turn. When I got back through Osbournby and turned left towards Donnington I was holding 22.6 and still had the super blowy backwing section to play with. 

Was it fast, oh yes, it was like being on the E course, it was a pearler of a leg, and there were a couple of occasions where I could have done with a bigger chainring during this section. I hit Donnington roundabout at an average of 24.1mph and then... 

..block headwind for 9 and a bit agonising miles. It was so hard and I had to work, work and then work just to hit 18mph - WTF !! 

A finish time of 1.21.37 was not too shoddy to be honest and it's all good race training for next weekends Trike Champs at Wolvey. 

AP 296W (Strava)

Temp : 14C
Wind : 15mph W

Course C30/2