Racing Myself Back to Fitness

Last week was Castle Combe, this week Odd Down.

I am tired, sore and my stomach is churning from the exertion.  This is such a cool feeling.

So, Wednesday last week I had a good session on the rollers and spurred on my the graphic designer I'm working with on Engineered (that is not his work on the current site!) having had a great run last week at Odd Down, I wasn't going to bugger around anymore - it was time to get racing again.

Cue most of Thursday spent with a swarm of angry butterflies in my abdomen and much of my time spent checking the weather report.  It was a terrible day, but the forecast showed it would clear in the evening - just how early seemed to oscillate back and forth during the day; I just love British weather!

Come race time it was lovely.  Cool and clear.  The pre-race routine still felt normal after what must be nearly 3 years since I have done any meaningful crit racing.  My warm-up in the car park was a bit pointless - I'd neglected to take a skull cap so I was just getting colder.  Never mind, this would be fine come race time.

The format of the Castle Combe races has changed since I last raced there.  Before it was a handicap race with the E/1/2s chasing down the 3/4 pack from a lap back.  Now the two races run concurrently and they are supposed to stay separate.  Personally I preferred the old format, as it didn't lead to the two races tripping each other up.  But then again, it is probably safer for the Elites so maybe isn't a bad thing.

In the race I was a bit over-ambitious to say the least - getting involved in a breakaway very early on.  I managed to recover from that and stay in the group, but then a few laps (at about 1/2 distance) later the cramps in my right calf called end of play.  I was annoyed, but happy at the same time.  In all fairness I didn't expect much given my total lack of form, so overall the result (or non-result as it was) was not such a bad thing.

After Castle Combe, a fairly long race at over an hour, I thought that Odd Down today would be comparatively easy.  Only 35 mins plus a lap should play into my unfit hands, I was quietly optimistic.

It was great to arrive at the circuit and meet up with 4 fellow Bristol South CC clubmates.  Despite having been a member for over a year now, my knee injury last year meant I did hardly any cycling so haven't met many people from the club; so it was good to put faces to some of the names I'd seen on lists or heard about in club ride conversations.  It was fun rolling onto the circuit in a group in what must be the best looking kit on the block.  I was feeling confident.

Race time!  My warm up laps were a little too hot and I ramped my heart rate up too quickly.  The start of the race was a little odd.  The first lap was "neutralised" so we only started racing from lap 2.  At first I felt really good, very racy.  I was happy with my legs and I was matching the accelerations out of the hairpins.  I started wondering if I'd have legs left for the sprint ... yeah, I probably would - after all, it is only 35mins + 1 lap ...

But the pace just seemed to be ramping up and up.  And then I just blew up.  I'd redlined and now I was going backwards.  From keeping a good eye on things and staying out of trouble at the front I was now battling to hang onto a small splinter group.  I stayed with them to the end, then bridged the gap to another smaller group up ahead that had also been dropped.  And so it ended.  Certainly no fireworks, but not too bad given poor form and near zero training.

But I feel much stronger than last week and the week before; this is the great thing about being unfit, the gains are massive.

I'll probably skip Castle Combe this week, and then maybe try the double next week if my legs are up to it.  I'm getting addicted again.  It is so good to be racing.

Severn Bridge Road Race Pt. 2

When I posted my blog yesterday, I had not yet heard of the tragic accident that occurred later in the day during the Elite race when the promising 23 year old rider, Junior Heffernan, was sadly killed in an accident with an oncoming car.

This event has shocked and saddened me, I can only imagine the impact it will be having on his family and loved ones.  To them go my sincerest condolences.  May he rest in peace.

Severn Bridge Road Race

I have been looking forward to this season opener for quite a few weeks now.  It feels like ages since I submitted my entry and somehow, despite my best intentions, the date arrived with my form nowhere near where I'd like to have got it. 

My excuses?  This has been a particularly horrid winter.  I had a run of colds (better than usual mind you) that kept me out of the saddle.  The day job and my new bike co. venture have kept me quite busy.  Whatever the excuses, I haven't spend near as much time as I'd hoped to have either on the rollers or actually on the road.

That said, in context, I've been pretty happy with my recent form.  The rollers have helped me develop a nice, smooth style over the winter and I feel far more comfortable keeping a smooth rhythm at a high heart rate.

Last night, while packing my race bag for today, I checked the weather forecast to see that it was supposed to be more or less about 0C at the time of the race start.  This filled me with a degree of trepidation; I don't function well in the cold.  Arriving at the race start this morning the display in the car indicated 3C, hardly balmy, but a good deal better than zero.  It felt chilly but not extreme.

Come the start of the race I was wrapped up reasonably warmly in a few layers and was feeling optimistic.  There was a 3rd lap KOM - I fancied my chances in sprinting for that.  The start was a slightly nervous affair; clearly it wasn't just me that was feeling a bit rusty after a long time off the road bike!  Soon we were at a fair lick and I started to work my way forwards to get into a good position before the climb.

But my chest had other plans.  The huge gulps of cold air caused my lungs to go into an asthmatic spasm and I was battling to get enough oxygen in.  This was less of a problem in the shelter of the group, so I hunched down hoping that I'd warm through and it would go away.

By the start of the climb it became clear that it wasn't going away, if anything it was just getting worse.  Wheezing, I was dropped horribly on the first run up the climb and was unceremoniously spat out of the back of the group.  At this point there was little point in continuing; my lungs were just not enjoying the cold.

So after a few hundred metres of suffering I decided to turn back to HQ.  It felt miserable, but I was happy to recover my breath in the warmth of the Sports Club building.

So, a rather disappointing start to the season, but a long way to go still.  And I'm very happy that I managed to get racing again.  Next time will be better!