I went into this one knowing I was lacking any form, based on last weekends performance but really excited still as it was my first national level race in some time!
Understandably my gridding placed almost dead last in the Sport pack and with such a big field, the inevitable crash happened. Right in front of me. And of course I got tangled up in it and went down hard!
Despite eating gravel, I really enjoyed the course at Sherwood, there was a really great atmosphere and such an awesome day weather wise!
Looking forward to Dalby and hoping to find the form I had earlier in the year.
Big shout out and thanks to BikeShed Wales and Priority Express for the support and another to George at Cyclecoachingwales.com for his many words of wisdom.
Monday, 26 March 2012
Thursday, 22 March 2012
Southern XC Rd 1 Checkendon
I turned up to Checkendon with an open mind, not overly bothered about placing high. This was just an exercise to get my legs moving fast before the first Nationals race. And move fast they did. A small group shot off the front of the pack: An action to which my long lumbering limbs had to reply! Still, 4th place in my opening race of the year is not something I'll turn my nose up at.
The support of my sponsors, even early on in this season has been greatly appreciated and I doubt I'd be able to race so much if it wasn't for the awesome assitance I'm getting: Big thanks to Paul and the crew at Priority Express Couriers
The rest of this week has been planning for Sherwood Pines and juggling the Couriers with the Bikeshed (not an easy task this week!) but I have had a good rest covering the operators role for the past few days.
Obviously I was massively dissapointed at the news of the demise of the Welsh XC Series. There's very few (if any) genuinely local races for a Cardiff based athlete. The Midlands and Southern's are all quite a drive away! Rumour has it that we'll have something in Wales and I'm super excited for the Welsh Champs!
Back to work......
The support of my sponsors, even early on in this season has been greatly appreciated and I doubt I'd be able to race so much if it wasn't for the awesome assitance I'm getting: Big thanks to Paul and the crew at Priority Express Couriers
The rest of this week has been planning for Sherwood Pines and juggling the Couriers with the Bikeshed (not an easy task this week!) but I have had a good rest covering the operators role for the past few days.
Obviously I was massively dissapointed at the news of the demise of the Welsh XC Series. There's very few (if any) genuinely local races for a Cardiff based athlete. The Midlands and Southern's are all quite a drive away! Rumour has it that we'll have something in Wales and I'm super excited for the Welsh Champs!
Back to work......
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
It begins
The phrase "Cleanliness is next to Godliness" has stuck with me for years so while I'm melting the oven with a variety of pretty nasty smelling cleaning agents I'll turn the vacuum off and keep my blog TIDY and up to date.
Training has been OK, just making sure that horrible bug has gone! I had a nice ride on Sunday taking in some big hills, covering most for the first time on the Superfly. I'm still blown away by just how different a 29er is compared with a little wheeled bike. All good. Especially when the going gets properly fast. Those oversized hoops inspire so much confidence.
I've entered this weekends' Southern XC race; there doesn't seem to be too many other entrants in the male Sport cat so far so it'll probably be a good chance to see how far behind the properly fast guys in the upper categories I am. And also a good warm up for the first British XC race the following weekend. I'm excited about both races, I love racing but nervous already for the biggy at the end of the month!!
Priority Express have kindly lent me one of the Transit delivery vans for use at both races. Massive thanks again to Paul and the crew for the ongoing support!
Training has been OK, just making sure that horrible bug has gone! I had a nice ride on Sunday taking in some big hills, covering most for the first time on the Superfly. I'm still blown away by just how different a 29er is compared with a little wheeled bike. All good. Especially when the going gets properly fast. Those oversized hoops inspire so much confidence.
I've entered this weekends' Southern XC race; there doesn't seem to be too many other entrants in the male Sport cat so far so it'll probably be a good chance to see how far behind the properly fast guys in the upper categories I am. And also a good warm up for the first British XC race the following weekend. I'm excited about both races, I love racing but nervous already for the biggy at the end of the month!!
Priority Express have kindly lent me one of the Transit delivery vans for use at both races. Massive thanks again to Paul and the crew for the ongoing support!
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Slow start!
There was a few months a couple of years ago where we used to joke in the office about having a 'slow start' to the day.. Even half an hour or an hour in the morning of not much phone ringing activity would warranty the 'slow start' call. Well that doesn't happen too often at all any more. It's usually all hands on deck, or rather feet on pedals, and go fill up them backpacks, crew!
The only slow start I've had over the past couple of months has been my race season! I had a couple of blinders in Surrey with the excellent Brass Monkey 4hr races and now it's all gone a bit quiet, what with the cancellation of Welsh XC1 and me missing Welsh XC Take 2 due to some horrible debilitating man virus that, might I add, almost everyone I know has crossed paths with this Spring / Late Winter.
I've just now completed my pre entry for the 1st Southern XC of 2012 to try and get some racing in before we all head off to Sherwood Pines for the opening British XC round at the end of March. I had a good day on the road today and put in some super fast runs (22mins from POB to POD, Culverhouse Cross to Old St Mellons was one of them) and all was well, surprisingly good actually! So all is looking good for this next race. Fingers crossed I make it / no cancellations / disaster / end of the world / etc...
More updates soon...
The only slow start I've had over the past couple of months has been my race season! I had a couple of blinders in Surrey with the excellent Brass Monkey 4hr races and now it's all gone a bit quiet, what with the cancellation of Welsh XC1 and me missing Welsh XC Take 2 due to some horrible debilitating man virus that, might I add, almost everyone I know has crossed paths with this Spring / Late Winter.
I've just now completed my pre entry for the 1st Southern XC of 2012 to try and get some racing in before we all head off to Sherwood Pines for the opening British XC round at the end of March. I had a good day on the road today and put in some super fast runs (22mins from POB to POD, Culverhouse Cross to Old St Mellons was one of them) and all was well, surprisingly good actually! So all is looking good for this next race. Fingers crossed I make it / no cancellations / disaster / end of the world / etc...
More updates soon...
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