Crits at the Park #1 (3rds Only) - Saturday 28th March

I was planning to abstain from racing until the end of April, and subsequent end of the squash season, in order to get some decent training done. However, when a team-mate announced he had entered a race at the purpose built Kent Cyclopark, and had space in the car, I couldn't resist! It worked out quite well, as I'd had two tough squash matches Monday and Tuesday, including the world no. 140, so a couple of easy days pre-race were welcome.

Magic KT Tape!

Come Friday I felt a bit sluggish, so I went out for a tempo blast for 90mins or so, with nearly disastrous consequences. The previous Sunday. I developed quite a harsh pain in the hamstring/entry to inner knee, which went away with squash on Monday, leading me to believe it was just a bit tight. However, after Friday's ride, I could barely walk with the pain, not good! An evening of ice, ibuprofen and kinesiotaping followed, in the hope of a quick fix. I also decided enough was enough, and that it was time to abandon my new saddle, which has given me nothing but problems, despite being nigh on identical to the old, albeit with a cut-out.

Saturday morning arrived, and there was a slight improvement in the leg, so I figured I'd chance it, taking the camera just in case I had to pull out. The drive down went well, with minimal traffic, and a crossing of the impressive Dartford bridge (although I've always been crap at structural engineering, I still marvel at such structures!), and we arrived in plenty of time. Sign on done, peanut butter and banana bagels consumed, we set out to check out the track with the womens race in progress. Having watched a few YouTube videos, the track looked a lot narrower, and the hairpins a lot tighter! Being on the Dart estuary it was also windy...really bloody windy!

Getting cold, we decided to go and warm up. I'd foolishly not brought the rollers, as I couldn't be bothered lugging them out of the shed. Resistance rollers are great, but a lot bulkier than regular. A few laps of the car park it was. The first few pedal strokes were hesitant, but something magical had happened with the advent of my new old saddle! Everything felt right, better than 6 weeks of faffing with the new one!

Cyclopark - Top left is the exposed twisty section

Buoyed by this, we headed to the track, where fortunately there was time for a few familiarisation/warm up laps. The hairpins really were quite tight, and the wind was ferocious! 50mph gusts apparently, which was late to be my undoing. Overall though the track was great, smooth surface, plenty of runoff space, and decent straights.

The race was off, and immediately strung out as we tentatively approached the first hairpin, regrouping on the downhill straight. A series of tight right-angles corners at the bottom of the circuit made for tricky riding, as we entered them from behind an earth banking, the full force of the wind hitting us halfway round the first! It also made for a big effort to get on a wheel on leaving the corner. Still, I managed to keep a half decent position. The final straight was nice, with a slight incline and a tailwind, the place to make up ground I thought.

As the laps wore on, there were some...let's say interesting...manoeuvres, with people darting up the inside, into non existent gaps, and a fair bit of resulting cyclocross! After about 5 laps, I decided to try and move up, taking the opportunity on the straight. This went well for the most part, until I got stuck on the inside approaching the first hairpin, having to slow right down and take the inside line. I lost a few places, but overall had gained. I stayed about mid field for a lap or two,or so I thought, until I looked back, to see a distinct lack of people behind! I thought I'd lost places, but it turned out about 20 had dropped off! I'd made a move at a good time.

I'm sure mine was this impressive...

Feeling good, I carried on, near the back, but comfortable. However, I was soon to become victim of the vicious wind! As I mentioned, the first exposed corner led to gusts of wind halfway round, and on this lap a particularly fierce gust blew me off course a little. This would have been ok, apart from someone on my inside was sporting 50mm wheels, which acted like sails, blowing him towards me. Evasive action required, I ended up on the grass. It was possibly the worst section of the course to have a stumble on, with 4 windy corners meaning in was impossible to catch the disappearing bunch. Watching Gent - Wevelgem on Sunday, I can compare my off to Geraint Thomas's...give or take the spectacular acrobatics of his, and the speed, and...well that's enough!

I was a bit disheartened, as I was feeling good, and riding a lot better than the other week, but I figured it wasn't the end of the world. I considered dropping out, but decided getting a position was better, and who knows, a pileup might even mean I could get back on! This didn't happen, but I did pass probably another 10 - 15 other riders, which was a good mental boost, as my endurance was looking better. In the end, it turned out to be 50 odd minutes riding at over threshold HR (avg 179), so turned out to be a decent workout if nothing else!

Race day socks (short of pictures...)

Out of a field of over 60 riders, I finished 31st, not too bad all things considered, and Andy finished
34th after a similar push round. Interestingly, over 20 people dropped out of the race, and comments bounding round on Twitter and Strava suggested the wind had made it a really tough day. In summary plenty of positives!

Next race:

Not too sure yet. Possibly a Crit at Tameside if I head North for a few days, otherwise a month of training and a return to racing in May!

Battered at the Bowl! - MK Bowl Spring Circuit Series Race 2

Saturday saw the second race in the Spring Series at the MK Bowl, hosted by Team Corley Cycles. It was my first race of the season, and the designated LBRCC takeover. With an unprecedented number of the club taking part, and loving, racing cyclocross over the winter, people were keen to try road racing, but a little hesitant. I decided the best way to get everyone racing and feeling comfortable was to get everyone racing on the same day. That way, there would be plenty of support, and should a few get dropped, there would be teammates on hand.

The date was set for the LBRCC takeover, and the day arrived. In the 4th Cat race, six people were entered, one dropped out (mentioning no names, but rhymes with Even Hand...), and the solitary figure of myself in the 2/3rd cat race.

4th Cat Race

 

Flickr: AshleyJohnLewis

A monster field of 80 riders lined up, the five Team Green providing the biggest turn out. Lining up were experienced riders Neil Green, Neil Challis and Gareth Kennedy, second racer Miles walker, and debutant, star cyclocross rider Ross Gallacher.

After a brief talk from the commissaire, the race was off, with two neutralised laps behind a pace car. Nerves showed through a little, with three of the five LBRCC'ers lurking near the back as the bunch came round. The car pulled away and the race was off!

Flickr: AshleyJohnLewis

The pace was furious from the start, providing a baptism of fire for the team this early in the season. After the first lap, many riders including Miles, Ross and Gareth were off the back, stung by the initial pace. The two Neils stayed in the bunch, using experience to their advantage, with Neil C in a great position about 10 places back. Unfortunately Gareth had to pull out, an underlying cough providing unwelcome breathing issues.

The race carried on with the pace unrelenting. Riders continued to drop away from the pack including Neil G, who found himself feeling strong in the second group on the circuit. Unfortunately, Neil C, looking in great form in the lead group, had to pull out around halfway, as did Ross after a valiant solo effort. Neil and Miles carried on, picking up groups along the way, looking a little tired, but strong nonetheless, and both battled on. Both finished, with Neil taking the LBRCC honours, with Miles second. Strong rides from both overall!

Flickr: James V Barlow

As the race came to it's conclusion, the strong riders came to the fore, with Team Corley and Matrix riders looking strong. The pace ramped up as the bell sounded for the final lap, and as the riders rounded the final corner, a two up sprint ensued, between Team Corley and Bicester Millenium riders. The sprint came down to the final centimetres, with the BMCC rider taking it on the line, to the disappointment of the host club.

Post race, LBRCC regrouped, weary, but in high spirits. Everyone enjoyed the race, a baptism of fire for the new riders, but great experience,

2nd/3rd Cat

 

Flickr: AshleyJohnLewis

Another full field lines up for the 2/3 race, including a number of last years 1st cat riders who fell just short of the 100 points required to stay there, meaning a fierce race was always on the cards. Add into the mix Hannah Barnes, pro rider for the United Healthcare pro Team in the USA, and it was bound to be tricky. I was the only LBRCC rider in this race, and after much debate about participation at this stage of the year (mid squash season), I lined up with much trepidation. The omens were not good from that start, where I found myself way back in the bunch on the start line.

After a commissaire briefing and two neutralised paced laps, the race was off with absolutely astounding ferocity. Reports are that up the hill coming out of the last corner, riders were hitting 600 - 800watts! My positioning hadn't got any better, and I was playing catch up with a full out sprint before the first lap was up. This was an ongoing issue, as the number of strong and more experienced riders didn't allow for moving up the bunch easily. The whiplash effect of the top riders at the front meant I had to pull out 3 huge sprints per lap, which although I felt good, I knew were unsustainable.

Flickr: AshleyJohnLewis

The exposed part of the larger surface had a strong headwind, and about 6 laps in, I found myself near the back of the bunch through it. As a result, we became completely strung out upon entering the  inner circuit and the climb. A cruel kick by someone at the front exacerbated this, and a number of us lost contact. Despite a lung busting effort, I couldn't quite make up the last 20 metres, which over the next solo lap extended to about 150m, a crevasse in this sort of race.

However, anyone that knows me in the squash world will know that I don't give up until I break, a Moussa inspired 'Heart of a Lion!!!' approach. I decided it was all or nothing, and despite the hummingbird like heart rate and pumped legs, I kicked it up a notch and set in pursuit. I made the most of an empty circuit, hammering the corners, and making ground every turn. I knew I had to make contact with the bunch in the exposed area, which I did on the turn before. The climb was incredibly unpleasant, but I held on.

It was always going to be a struggle from then onwards. Despite my excellent anaerobic capacity, developed from years of squash, there is always a limit. I reached this 2 laps later, after struggling to move up to a better position in the bunch, an acceleration on the climb proved to be my undoing, along with several others. I did a few solo laps, getting some practise in, and satisfyingly catching a few people in the meantime!

Overall, I'm not really too disappointed. There's a massive, massive gap between this race and the usual 3/4 race at the bowl. I'm sure this was exacerbated by the former 1st Cat riders looking for easy early season points in a bid for promotion. There is simply no room for error in this race, the accelerations out of the corners are unsustainable at the back of the bunch, you really need to be in the top 20, gaining the most benefit, especially in the exposed section. I was pleased with my fitness considering a lack of riding, and my cornering skills gained last season have remained/come back quickly. I simply need to learn how to hold my position in the bunch, as it's necessary at this level, whereas at 4th cat I could get away with it. The only way to get better is practise, and happily, there is a whole season ahead for that!

Review - 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson

As soon as I heard about multiple National Time Trial champion Michael Hutchinson's new book, I was eager to get a hold of it. I am a huge fan of his columns in Cycling Weekly, and of cycling science, so the two together were a highly appetising concept. I planned to save Faster... to read on holiday over Easter, but I read the first few pages and ended up devouring it in a single afternoon.

The overall aim of the book is, as the title suggests, to examine all of the factors behind the speed and success of the world's best cyclists. It is not written as a training manual, such as The Obree Way, but the investigative side is interlaced with Hutchinson's (highly successful) personal story.

For example, we are told about his personal history with Team GB (which I'll speak more of later) and his brush with professionalism. I think the 'obsession' part is mostly contained within this section, at least personally, disclosing that he has slept in an altitude tent for the past 10 years!

Hutchinson reels off his personal stats, which are for want of a better word - superhuman. Although he still manages to apply his characteristic self depreciating humour, stating that despite this, he still manages to be inefficient, both physiologically and due to his un-aerodynamic huge calves! These enable comparisons between himself, as a rider on the cusp of professional riding, professionals such as Alex Dowsett, and ourselves. Hutchinson's recovery rides are above 200 watts, a figure I'm quite happy to achieve for any non-race ride!

Much of the book focuses on British Cycling/Team GB and their phenomenal success over the past 8-10 years or so. Hutchinson gets unprecedented access to the British Cycling system, the science and the techniques behind their success, presumably due to his close connections and history with the establishment. This comes to a head when he finds himself in an unwelcome situation during product testing, stating the 'No Admittance' signs were directed at absolutely everybody!

One of the key things that comes across is the attention to detail, and willingness to research every little thing. This took place in the 'secret squirrel club' under the watchful eye of Chris Boardman, a pioneer of aerodynamics in cycling whilst riding and since retirement. A fine example of this comes with highly developed skinsuits, to which Boardman's wife casually remarked, 'but have you tried them wet?!' to deal with inevitable sweaty riders. On the subject of skinsuits, Hutchinson recounts a tale of riding naked round a velodrome in order to determine if bare skin was faster! It wasn't, thankfully.

The riders are also obviously a prevalent area of investment for British Cycling, both in terms of selection and training. Specificity is the key in both of these, with a rigorous selection process for the team, tailored to each event. For example, there was a definitive time of 4:30 for a 4km time trial, with no exceptions no matter how close. The selection of riders went even further than this. For example, Bradley Wiggins was apparently slower than other riders for the team pursuit, yet he was able to put in a longer effort, allowing the quicker riders to recover more.

Once selected, the riders were given specific training plans, focusing predominantly on their weaknesses, with a low percentage of work on their strengths. For example, Rebecca Romero, former Olympic rower, had endurance but not so much speed. Therefore, she was given a training plan of riding on rollers with a low resistance in order to increase leg speed.

Throughout Faster..., it becomes evident that whilst the science is a huge factor in their success, the overall system clearly pays dividends. For example, Team Sky take the riders favourite pillows to the hotel each night during a stage race, and Team GB riders live in the same house behind the velodrome rather than having to travel to train, and enabling them to recover, beating the monotony of rest days together. Soft drinks are also banned, in order to encourage riders to hydrate with meaningful liquids, i.e. protein shakes or fruit juice.

Attention to detail - the now legendary marginal gains policy - is obviously the key in all areas of business.

The style in which Hutchinson writes 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World's Fastest Cyclists' is also a huge contributor to my enjoyment of it. His characteristic self depreciating humour comes across constantly, sure to be a hit with fans of his column. I also think the level of detail he goes into is just right. Despite obviously having reams of information from his research, Hutchinson keeps it at a level that will entice both cycling fanatics looking for an edge, and others that have witnessed British cycling's meteoric success, and are curious to find out about it.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book, to cyclists and non-cyclists alike.
Review: 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson
Review: 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson
Review: 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson
Review: 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson
Review: 'Faster: The Obsession, Science and Luck Behind the World’s Fastest Cyclists' - Michael Hutchinson