Closing out the 2025 Cycling season !

This is a whistlestop tour of the end of the season. As I'm writing this in my two week down period in October I will forgotten a lot of the detail.... 

01.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 22.16

08.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.58

15.07.25 Wheelers 10 Champs 22.17

22.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.59

29.07.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.49

The last five weeks of the Lincoln Wheelers TT season. Each week saw a solid warm up in the car park on the stationary roller and then a ride up and down along the top.  Each of these nights I felt I rode well and have really studied and learnt the nuances of the course. The highlight being the 29th July which when coupled with good conditions produced my best ever time on there. 

26.07.25 Pendle Forest 10  21.15

Another trip up to the lake district and the second time on Levens. This performance saw a btter overall power than the visit in May but was 20 seconds slower - go figure ! 

10.08.25 Vive Le Velo 10   21.25

A return to the legendary V718. It has been a long 8 years since the course was decommissioned and we thought we had lost it forever. This was very much a test event and seemed to go off without a hitch. It was like an old glove and I loved every second of being back on it !  It is a slightly slower variation and although it was a great ride from me power wise, the day and the course didn't produce the flyer I wanted.

05.08.25 Torksey 5TT 11.18

12.08.25 Torksey 5TT   10.52

19.08.25 Torksey 5TT  11.01

The last of the Lincoln Wheelers Time Trial Calendar and a course I know well and have learnt over the years. All of these rides went as well as I could expect and again, the middle one stands out time wise.  They are not my favourite distance and I look forward next year to doing more 50 mile TTs . Job done though and the clubs rider of the season award was finally mine after years of trying.

27.09.25 Haus GP

Off to Darley Moor for the Haus GP.  Last year I rode one of their Cat 4 events and finished in the bunch, this year in August I repeated that trick and now this would be a three event day - a sprint race , a TT and an Endurance Race to finish it all off.  This is how I described the day to my coach :

1. Sprint Race - Started toward the rear of the field and quickly got dropped because of this. It was a large pack and filled with all Cats so when it surged, the concertina effect was too much. I rode strongly and picked up four of five more riders to sit in a little group, then, after getting annoyed with the constant inability to come through sensible, I just sat in,  with a plan to wait for the final couple of laps and just leave them. After 30 mins we came across a nasty accident at the chicane and stopped racing - the two lads were a mess.
2. TT -  I was OK with this one - not sure where my watts would be but I figured 270 ish, pushing harder into the headwind up the climb, and saving some in the shallow descent backwind - it felt like a competent effort for a long 24.  Looking at the one lap strava segment, my laps watts ranged in a tight window been 265 to 270W, and lap times within 6 seconds which given my cold legs I thought was consistent.
3. Endurance Race - Spat out early again, and I just wanted to put the 1hr 30 mins away. I think it was a tale of dimishing return and cadence as the cold really got in , and the people that jumped on did not really offer much help. I surfed a couple of groups as I got lapped, but put away the whole 90 minutes to round off 55 miles on the day, which is exactly the length of the bike leg of next years Knokke Ironman.

A return to running after 10 months away!

 This year was an experimental one, as at the end of October 2024, after the Yorkshire 10 mile event, I decided to hang up my running shoes for a year and concentrate on just cycling. Five times a week I trained on the bike throughout winter and by the time late March came around I could tell I was a stronger rider and a little faster than I had ever been.  To get my running fix I'd just watch you tube videos. By the time late August rolled around I'd met the majority of my ambitions for the season and the itch to start again was too much to bear...

30.09.25 Carsington Water 10k -  49:52

A nice day out with Scrappy and a big uplift in distance. Coupled with an undulating course & going too fast = a sore Achilles but a better than expected time !

13.09.25 Doddington Parkun - 23.05

I don't normally note Parkies but as this was my only 5k in anger, it slips in. Started strong, but just not fit enough to hold it into the wind in the last mile. A conservative start back in the field meant a slower first mile and missing a 22 !

21.09.25 ABP Humber Coastal 10k - 45.58

Quicker than anticipated, a very windy howler of a day in Cleethorpes. What I noticed was a good first half when I was ahead of the 45 pacers, and then a horrible return where my form was terrible !

05.10.25 Lincoln Half Marathon 2.08.40

My first and only pacing gig for NPV in 2025. It was a windy affair and really hard to judge. By halfway with the benefit of a cross backwind and a downhill we were 3 minutes up, and by the top of the hill, we were still ahead.  This meant my group had some good time to ebb away at as we had the fierce wind to contend with along the top. A good day out and glad to be back.

11.10.25 Thonock Farm Parkrun 24.31

Likely my best run of the year - nice and relaxed, good form all the way through and really enjoyed running entirely on grass.

13

2025 TLI Races

2025 TLI Lincolnshire Road Race League

23.04.25 TLI Ashby

 First race of the season on my favourite course (only because it has a very short hill and long straights).  I would start the season again in group one which suits me just fine.  This was a great workout, taking my turns as usual, and then when the time came being strong enough to jump on the passing train.  At the top of the hill, there was still a kilometre to go, and as I battled other Wheelers I was able to launch a long kick for home and managed to just about crawl over the line for 21st place.

21.05.25 TLI Brattleby 

Group One which I was happy to see, but 8 laps which meant that I would be climbing Brattleby Hill 8 times (9 with the ride up to the start).  It was a pleasant evening and with last night's TT in the legs I wondered how I would go. All seemed well and on the first lap I found I was particularly strong on the sweeping descent down to Ingham - I also got a scalding for that.  I was better up the climb this year and by lap 3 I had broken away for a lap in a group of 5 only to be reeled in at the bottom of the climb. We stayed together for another 3 laps and then on the start finish straight the scr=tach group caught us. Some of my group got on and they carried us to the bottom of the climb. Regrouping as a smaller unit at the top, the next samll fast group came past and it was all I could muster to ride fast downhill and just get on - I hit 44.9mph doing so and the reward was again being carried along to the bottom of the climb. Comig up that on tired legs for a 20th place finish on the night. 

18.06.25 TLI Skillington

Best result ever - this was the Grantham road race course that I'd ridden around 2015/2016 so I knew it better than I thought I did. It was a crazy warm evening and in group 1 we were given 8 minutes over the 2nd group which was crazy and we took full advantage - the 7 of us working very well and then on the last climb to the finish I found myself toward the front and I managed to hold a good effort to the line and finish 3rd which was my best ever result.

16.07.25 TLI Great Limber

On the baclk of low numbers, and my result the previous race, I was given group 2 to go with (a promotion or demotion - the jury is out).  We worked well for the first lap, and then on the second time up the big long climb, we were caught by scratch and 3, and that was it, I battled back on ,. but another surge emptied the talent meter.  I solo rode for the final two laps making a couple of spots, but the main group was well gone !

13.08.25 Brattleby 2

The last one in the series , and again moved up to group 2 against my wishes and protestations at sign on. In actuality I likely am a group 2 rider as I stuck with the group , and then only got dropped when the faster groups caught us and the group 3 riders that had sandbagged their way into two rode off with them.  I'd say I finished around 20th and around halfway down my group.  In the overall competition, I finished 7th overall and bagged - £20 - maybe that now makes me a paid pro ! 

June 2025 - quieter than usual.... faster than usual too

 Just the four TTs this month as away on holiday in Spain during the first week and some last minute marshalling at the last TT. In between, there was a road race third place and a really fast C2C2C so all was not lost...

10.06.25 Wheelers Ingham TT 21.59 

Good start to the month and a win. Struggled with the wind direction on this one and seemed to be unhelpful both ways, I did judge the out and inward efforts badly and again left myself too much to chase on the return.

12.06.25 Wheelers 15 Champs 40.33

Not really a rec with the following 10 just two days later - this was a VO2 max affair, race done on road bike with 2 x 5 minute intervals thrown in.

14.06.25 Hemel Hempstead 10  20:20

My fastest 10 mile TT since 2017 and my second fastest of all time. I really paced this one the best I could and maturely rode the poor roads and pushed at the right times. Backwind to first turn, then headwind for next stretch with a nice backwind to finish. Road surface poor in places and cross wind down the hill - front wheel behaved perfectly. Another 30 seconds to find for the club record.

17.06.25 Wheelers Ingham TT  21.50

Fastest Ingham TT in god knows how many attempts over the years. Despite a windy night, I was able to find another 10W somehow and this translated into a better margin win. I still don't know where those watts came from or indeed how that night became so quick for me. Series win and maximum points in the season long competition.

May

... and the month started off with...a nice shortened course !

06.05.25 Wheelers 5TT  (4.06m) 9:02 

This was supposed to be a five with wild conditions which would see mostly headwind. Temporary traffic lights on the course which saw the organiser shift to a shortened course that took out the majority of the headwind - it was a fraction over four miles and I was strong enough to take the win and the series by 6 seconds.

17.05.25 West Pennine 10   20:55 

My very first go at the fast 10 course at Levens. It is one heck of a trek from Lincoln taking about 6.5hrs as a round trip - it was worth it though as even though it was a day where the wind was strong 14mph and blew down the course where I would say a light southerly would be most advantagious.  I applied the watts well and think there could be more to be fair - I really enjoyed that one !

20.05.25 Wheelers Ingham TT  22:08

Back on the Ingham and a course I don't think I've ever felt like I've mastered. All of last year I battled to try and get under 22:30 - this year and I'm trying to get into the 21's. I failed tonight, I was slow clipping in off the line and it was a cross - I'm hoping to have some better rides over the remainder of the summer.

25.05.25 Kettering CC 15   32:39

Sleep on the sofa, up at 3.30, drive down to Wellingborough, ride the only DC 15 course I could find this year, get wet,  get a 40 second PB, miss the club record by another 40 - at least I got halfway there, just hope for some more 15's next year.

 

April - We're back !

 The winter of solely bike training has paid off and 2017 Andy has re-appeared....

29.03.25 Coalville Whls 10TT 24:21

The first of the season - the new position is fab, I seem to have a few more watts, and have matured (mostly) with course management. This was as tough as it usually is with the wind entirely in the wrong direction ! Felt out the watts to know where I roughly am over 20 mnutes

01.04.25 Wheelers Road Bike 5 - 12:16

Great first club outing and club win.  One of only a few riders to be faster than the opening weekend last year which tells you what you need to know about the conditions ! 

05.04.25 Kings Lynn 25  - 58:20

The fastest I've been in four outings on this course - brutal cross wind both ways, and likely the only 25 I'll ride this year. At halfway I thought it was slow, but managed a good controlled return leg for a course best.

08.04.25 Wheelers Road Bike 5 12:04

The form continued with a course PB on my second outing on the course !

12.04.25 Melton Olympic 10TT  21:02

The quickest ten I'd ridden since 2018. This one I got wrong though as knew the first 5 miles were wind assisted but I still went too hard to the turn and then suffered on the way back - good indicator that I've got a 20 in me this year...

15.04.25 Wheelers Road Bike 5 12:12

Finished off the three race series with another win and the trophy for the competition overall which was a great start to the season long competition. I have to keep doing well in these as it is my number one focus for this year.

18.04.25 City RC Hull (trike)  27:05

Oh dear - this was the silver trike back on the road, and with this course being so poor, and my handling being ropey, this was an exercise of getting home safely.

22.04.25 Wheelers 5TT  11:05

5 mile TT bike - I'm not a fan of 5 milers but I seem to have done well all year so far over that distance - this was a win on the night but not the 10 something that I craved.

26.04.25 VTTA EMids 10  20:45

.... and there it is - this time I got the pacing right and managed the quickest time since 2017 - it was a great day and so chuffed to have a 20 again.

29.04.25 Wheelers 5TT  10:48

A 10 was received on a stunningly fast 5 course tonight - 4 riders under 11 mins of which I was second behind our fastest road racer on a road bike !  10:48 though - that's a course PB for me and it's still April.

2025 and it's March... and you know what that means !

 A long hard winter that has been , so dark and so cold, but before we've known it, we have bounced into March and does mean that RACING STARTS AGAIN THIS MONTH !! 

TT specific season this year, so the following races will fill the weekend calendar with effect from 29th March :

29/3 Coalville Wheelers 

5/4 Kings Lynn 

12/4 Melton Olympic 

18/4 City Road Club Hull 

26/4 Cambridge CC

That should be a good solid start to the year and should tell me if winter has done me any good or if I need to go out and buy some watts :)