January 2009 has been crazy. With trying to find a new flat, then moving in on the 24th and afterward trying to settle in, my blogging has been a bit poor.
Getting back into bike racing has been going pretty well in spite of the upheval, I've improved my finishes, learned many lessons about how and when to chase and most critically where to position myself.
Race 7 on the 3rd Jan saw me getting another 9th on a relatively warm and beautifully sunny day. There wasn't much wind and I was feeling pretty strong. I was a little disappointed with the position as I managed to get horribly boxed in at the end and found myself on the back foot heading up the hill to the line.
Race 8 on the 10th was in some of the hardest conditions I've ever ridden a bike in, biting cold with a dusting of snow on the track. I suffered a lot, and the cold took it out of me badly. I found it difficult to concentrate and to make matters worse I found operating the basic controls on the bike difficult as I'd lost feeling in my fingers. I guess us Saffers aren't built for these sort of conditions; winter in my home town of Durban rarely getting below 10°C in winter!
Race 9 was good fun. Despite very nearly getting caught up in an incident on the run up to the line, I managed to keep a bit of momentum and secure a 7th. The race was good start to finish, I rode with my head and I was feeling strong from being on my bike a bit during the week hunting for a new home. Things were starting to come together.
Race 10 I missed as we were moving. What a pain.
Race 11 - what a disastrous weekend! We were in the throes of unpacking, and so I ended up being a bit late getting to the race. I also wasn't feeling great from a hard week at work and a fairly hard new daily commute across London. Whatever the excuses, it was a culmination of things going wrong (I'd also I forgotten my track pump, my gears weren't shifting quite right ... it was just one of those). Enough said.
Race 12 - I woke up feeling positive, I'd got the bike 100% the night before and I was ready to race. I was up for doing something today; trying something new and maybe a bit interesting. There was a sprint prize at 20 mins which I thought would be cool to get stuck in for, but it wasn't my focus. I was keen to stretch myself in some way and learn more about what I could do.
After 20 mins the bell went I and I was feeling nice and loose from a few pulls at the front, so I thought, "Why not?" Heading onto the back straight I rolled up to the front. The pace was surprisingly slow with the tension only just starting to form, "This was my opportunity!"
So hopped out of the saddle and gave it everything. I was convinced someone would be on my wheel so I decided to keep the hammer down all the way - accelerating and not letting up until I crossed the line. Even then, it took a few seconds for it to sink in. I was so surprised when I looked back and saw the huge gap I'd pulled on the group - it felt pretty cool indeed.
Of course, as that excitement ebbed, the flaw in my plan emerged. I had put everything into that sprint, and now I was battling to recover; as one of my mates put it, "Now you've just got to do the same in about 15 minutes."
Getting back into bike racing has been going pretty well in spite of the upheval, I've improved my finishes, learned many lessons about how and when to chase and most critically where to position myself.
Race 7 on the 3rd Jan saw me getting another 9th on a relatively warm and beautifully sunny day. There wasn't much wind and I was feeling pretty strong. I was a little disappointed with the position as I managed to get horribly boxed in at the end and found myself on the back foot heading up the hill to the line.
Race 8 on the 10th was in some of the hardest conditions I've ever ridden a bike in, biting cold with a dusting of snow on the track. I suffered a lot, and the cold took it out of me badly. I found it difficult to concentrate and to make matters worse I found operating the basic controls on the bike difficult as I'd lost feeling in my fingers. I guess us Saffers aren't built for these sort of conditions; winter in my home town of Durban rarely getting below 10°C in winter!
Race 9 was good fun. Despite very nearly getting caught up in an incident on the run up to the line, I managed to keep a bit of momentum and secure a 7th. The race was good start to finish, I rode with my head and I was feeling strong from being on my bike a bit during the week hunting for a new home. Things were starting to come together.
Race 10 I missed as we were moving. What a pain.
Race 11 - what a disastrous weekend! We were in the throes of unpacking, and so I ended up being a bit late getting to the race. I also wasn't feeling great from a hard week at work and a fairly hard new daily commute across London. Whatever the excuses, it was a culmination of things going wrong (I'd also I forgotten my track pump, my gears weren't shifting quite right ... it was just one of those). Enough said.
Race 12 - I woke up feeling positive, I'd got the bike 100% the night before and I was ready to race. I was up for doing something today; trying something new and maybe a bit interesting. There was a sprint prize at 20 mins which I thought would be cool to get stuck in for, but it wasn't my focus. I was keen to stretch myself in some way and learn more about what I could do.
After 20 mins the bell went I and I was feeling nice and loose from a few pulls at the front, so I thought, "Why not?" Heading onto the back straight I rolled up to the front. The pace was surprisingly slow with the tension only just starting to form, "This was my opportunity!"
So hopped out of the saddle and gave it everything. I was convinced someone would be on my wheel so I decided to keep the hammer down all the way - accelerating and not letting up until I crossed the line. Even then, it took a few seconds for it to sink in. I was so surprised when I looked back and saw the huge gap I'd pulled on the group - it felt pretty cool indeed.
Of course, as that excitement ebbed, the flaw in my plan emerged. I had put everything into that sprint, and now I was battling to recover; as one of my mates put it, "Now you've just got to do the same in about 15 minutes."
I tried to find refuge in the group but the pace was going up and shelter from the wind was in short supply. In all honesty I'd run out of juice and just didn't have enough for another all out run up to the line.
So a rather anoymous finish after my moments of glory, but I reckon it was worth it. I really enjoyed charging up to the flag for the Prime, and I know far better what I am capable of. I'm really looking forward to the last race next weekend, but also the 2009 season. I reckon it is going to be a good one!
