Again it was very fast and furious, right from the start and that was even before I got to the track!!!
I did the usual, come home from work, sort the kids out, have dinner and put them to bed etc.
Then I had to make sure all my kit was in place and my bike in order. Before I knew it, it was already 7.30 and my race was starting at 8.30.
I drove up to the track and got there just in time to see the last few laps of the Cat 2,3,4 race that was on before mine.
I managed to put my bike together, pin on my race number, get all sorted out and then make my way over to the track.
Almost as soon as I got there I then realised I had forgotten to attach my transponder to my bike, so had to rush back to the car to get it and cable tie it on.
Finally I was ready and raring to go. I mixed with a bunch of the other riders all waiting to get onto the track too.
I got talking to one of the chaps that I know from Thursday training and last week racing at the track, Andy Gorton. He managed to come 4th last week and was hoping to do better this week. I knew he is fast but I didn't realise he was that good!
Anyway as we were chatting everyone set off around the track for a few good warm-up laps. I was very aware that having being pressed for time I was needing to get my legs warm so went for the fast cadence at speed approach to get warm. It worked too as I was nicely up and running by the time I had done a few laps.
Start time!
It was a good line-up this week with 33 riders starting (all be not everyone signed on).
Eventually after much conflab the mystery of who had forgotten to sign on was sort out. Quick riders brief, same as last week, then all straining at the leash to go!
GO! GO! GO!
On the whistle blast we all headed out off the line.
This week I managed to get a really good start and going into the first bend I was really near the front of the pack sprinting away in about 5th place.
The big battle into the hairpin forced lots of riders into a very small space and thankfully we all got through it no problem.
I was working very hard and sprinting my eye balls out at this point. I was even finding that I was maintaining position too. WooHoo!!!
This was when I relaxed when I really shouldn't have. As soon as I sat down to get on with the steady work all those behind me took this as weakness and passed me in a savage and brutal pass.
Now I was behind the pace and not able to get back up to the front of the main group. Sergeant Major Matt started screaming "Weakness! I see weakness! Go kill them all NOW!"
The pace was still high and very hard.
I was being dropped from the lead bunch at this point and my body went into shock after such a hard effort over the first 5 or 6 laps.
Now I picked up up on a group that had fallen back too and we started to work together to get back up to the main group. We were making steady progress as we worked together. Working to the front man in a chain gang. Once the front man was feeling tired he would drop to the side and we would all move up one or two places.
This worked for a while but then for some reason we slowed right down and then suddenly all the guys just exploded off not working together at all and burning hard. I was dropped and feeling the pain from working so hard too. Back in the wind on my own now I was trying my best to get back to the group. I felt like I was going nowhere fast at some points.
Lap after lap went by and I heard the inevitable scream of carbon wheels as the lead men came around to lap me.
I pulled over to give them room to pass.
Part of this group (where I had been only 10 minutes earlier) had Andy in it. Not in 4th place however and I could see he was working hard too.
Finally the last lap came in and I was really working my heart out still.
Yes I may have been last in this race this week, but I wasn't going to give up and I was going to finish even if it killed me!
I rolled across the line exhausted but happy. As it turns out I was about 25 seconds faster for the race distance this week (according to my strava).
I came 31st out of 33 starters. Two riders crashed out in the first half of the race (so I am told).
It was a good hard fast race and I enjoyed riding in the pack. Even with the guys grunting like animals and pushing hard it was high adrenaline, aggressive and great fun!
Next week is the last of my 3 races for this month, Hopefully I will be able to improve on my time and position again too.
I am still training hard trying to get my fitness up to a standard that I can compete with the front men. I know I am capable of getting there as I have been bonkers fit before.
This week I have also been out breaking my own personal records, not only on the track but on the ride too and from work as well.
I took a long route to work on Thursday as I also need to think about my endurance still.
Over the next few weeks I will be having a few 100 mile weekend rides, Plus rides over to Doncaster, Sheffield and to meet the wife in York at some point too.
The miles are important and I think that as I push myself on each ride I go out on, the next ride I am stronger and faster. Proof of the pudding with the 25 second gain on the track this week!
I am still enjoying it, all be I do put myself in some real pain some days and make myself suffer on the road. That is part of it in my mind too though as I wouldn't do it if it were easy.
Next week I will be looking at breaking my records I set this week and see how far into Hell I can drive myself!
Happy cycling :)
I did the usual, come home from work, sort the kids out, have dinner and put them to bed etc.
Then I had to make sure all my kit was in place and my bike in order. Before I knew it, it was already 7.30 and my race was starting at 8.30.
I drove up to the track and got there just in time to see the last few laps of the Cat 2,3,4 race that was on before mine.
I managed to put my bike together, pin on my race number, get all sorted out and then make my way over to the track.
Almost as soon as I got there I then realised I had forgotten to attach my transponder to my bike, so had to rush back to the car to get it and cable tie it on.
Finally I was ready and raring to go. I mixed with a bunch of the other riders all waiting to get onto the track too.
I got talking to one of the chaps that I know from Thursday training and last week racing at the track, Andy Gorton. He managed to come 4th last week and was hoping to do better this week. I knew he is fast but I didn't realise he was that good!
Anyway as we were chatting everyone set off around the track for a few good warm-up laps. I was very aware that having being pressed for time I was needing to get my legs warm so went for the fast cadence at speed approach to get warm. It worked too as I was nicely up and running by the time I had done a few laps.
Start time!
It was a good line-up this week with 33 riders starting (all be not everyone signed on).
Eventually after much conflab the mystery of who had forgotten to sign on was sort out. Quick riders brief, same as last week, then all straining at the leash to go!
GO! GO! GO!
On the whistle blast we all headed out off the line.
This week I managed to get a really good start and going into the first bend I was really near the front of the pack sprinting away in about 5th place.
The big battle into the hairpin forced lots of riders into a very small space and thankfully we all got through it no problem.
I was working very hard and sprinting my eye balls out at this point. I was even finding that I was maintaining position too. WooHoo!!!
This was when I relaxed when I really shouldn't have. As soon as I sat down to get on with the steady work all those behind me took this as weakness and passed me in a savage and brutal pass.
Now I was behind the pace and not able to get back up to the front of the main group. Sergeant Major Matt started screaming "Weakness! I see weakness! Go kill them all NOW!"
The pace was still high and very hard.
I was being dropped from the lead bunch at this point and my body went into shock after such a hard effort over the first 5 or 6 laps.
Now I picked up up on a group that had fallen back too and we started to work together to get back up to the main group. We were making steady progress as we worked together. Working to the front man in a chain gang. Once the front man was feeling tired he would drop to the side and we would all move up one or two places.
This worked for a while but then for some reason we slowed right down and then suddenly all the guys just exploded off not working together at all and burning hard. I was dropped and feeling the pain from working so hard too. Back in the wind on my own now I was trying my best to get back to the group. I felt like I was going nowhere fast at some points.
Lap after lap went by and I heard the inevitable scream of carbon wheels as the lead men came around to lap me.
I pulled over to give them room to pass.
Part of this group (where I had been only 10 minutes earlier) had Andy in it. Not in 4th place however and I could see he was working hard too.
Finally the last lap came in and I was really working my heart out still.
Yes I may have been last in this race this week, but I wasn't going to give up and I was going to finish even if it killed me!
I rolled across the line exhausted but happy. As it turns out I was about 25 seconds faster for the race distance this week (according to my strava).
I came 31st out of 33 starters. Two riders crashed out in the first half of the race (so I am told).
It was a good hard fast race and I enjoyed riding in the pack. Even with the guys grunting like animals and pushing hard it was high adrenaline, aggressive and great fun!
Next week is the last of my 3 races for this month, Hopefully I will be able to improve on my time and position again too.
I am still training hard trying to get my fitness up to a standard that I can compete with the front men. I know I am capable of getting there as I have been bonkers fit before.
This week I have also been out breaking my own personal records, not only on the track but on the ride too and from work as well.
I took a long route to work on Thursday as I also need to think about my endurance still.
Over the next few weeks I will be having a few 100 mile weekend rides, Plus rides over to Doncaster, Sheffield and to meet the wife in York at some point too.
The miles are important and I think that as I push myself on each ride I go out on, the next ride I am stronger and faster. Proof of the pudding with the 25 second gain on the track this week!
I am still enjoying it, all be I do put myself in some real pain some days and make myself suffer on the road. That is part of it in my mind too though as I wouldn't do it if it were easy.
Next week I will be looking at breaking my records I set this week and see how far into Hell I can drive myself!
Happy cycling :)
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