Well I managed to get my first win of the season on Saturday at Hog Hill aka Der Hoggenberg in the second race of the ELV Winter Series (lasty week's was cancelled due to the weather) which is good, just got to win another 4 races to match my tally from last season, but I was pleased as it was a similar field as a fortnight ago, minus Rhys Howell, the previous winner and the race worked out perfectly for me. Fortunately before our race (e/1/2) the 3/4 race was on, with a great tunrout of around 40, however as the course had grit on it to prevent ice forming, many individuals got punctures, but with so many riders it cleared the course of the grit for my race, limiting the amount of punctures my field got to just a handful. So thank you 3/4s, thank you for your sacrifice.
Anyway it was quite a small field of only 12 of us, but what was quite interesting was that there were only 2 riders who were team-mates in the bunch, neither that quality, with all the other competitors belonging to different teams. This made for relatively exciting racing as no one could really rely on any one else. My legs were feeling ok, but nowhere near 100% due to me using these races as training and training very hard up to them anyway so I was wary about using up too much energy. However after about half an hour a couple of attacks were launched by various people and for a lap from the bottom of the hill round to the bottom again it was a bit of a free-for-all and everyone was on the rivet with lots of little gaps forming. One of my best attributes is being able to attack over the top of such efforts (this particular effort lasted approximately 3mins) which is exactly what I did up the climb and all of I sudden, once over the top and coming back down the hill I had opened a big gap of 10 seconds. I increased it to 20 seconds quite quickly however I then got a puncture. You are allowed laps out up until the last 5 laps of a circit race, fortunately my puncture was before the last 5 laps. So once changed I set off again 20 seconds in front of the bunch, they began chasing me a bit more, some attacked to bridge up to me, but to no avail so I managed to hold on for the win, soloing for 30mins by myself, overall it was just over an hour of racing, roughly 45mins+5laps worth. Unfortunately I can not put any link on here to the race as the results are still not up yet, but I will do as soon as I can.
Then on Sunday I raced in the next round of the SERRL Winter Series, even though it was a lovely day, the wind was definately up, however it was really strong West-East and the way the circuit is laid out meant that it would be tough to split the bunch as there would be no cross-wind. It was a disappointing turn-out considering how sunny and warm it was compared to what it has been, there were only seven of us. However this race was going to be harder than the day before as even though there were less people, the race was longer at an hour+5laps, about 1hr 25mins worth of racing, but more importantly, 3 people were from London Phoenix and two were from Redhill CC, with only one from East Grinstead CC. So, as the best cyclist there with no team-mates while these two teams did, they constantly tried to work me over. It came down to a sprint finish and with the tail-wind blowing us the slight uphill drag to the finish I thought I could launch my sprint a bit earlier. This was a bad idea as my legs after yesterday's efforts, let alone from training, could not hold the top-end power for long enough and I was pipped by about two-thirds of a bike length by Ryan Visser from Redhill into second. It was great, hard race really putting pressure on me and my tactical abilites so was fantastic training and not too bad a result considering where I'm at. What also probably help Ryan win was the fact that I was on shallow rims, great for the race's windy conditions, however not in a bunch sprint with a strong tailwind and I reckon if I had of had my deep sections for the sprint, even with me launching it a bit too early I reckon I would have won. All this shows though is the slight differences that varying equipment on the bike brings and I'm not just racing to win this time of year, more importantly I'm racing to train.
Here's the link to the race report http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20130127-road-Road--Visser-and-Hammond-celebrate-wins-in-SERRL-0
Anyway I hope you are all well and I can't wait to see and hear about all thr cracking results people will be grabbing, especially as you won't have beaten me in the process!
Also Aprire Bicycles team is looking really strong this year with Mike Barnes another great addition to the side and soon the new bikes will be coming in with the new colours as well as all the new kit, probably the most exciting thing about being a cyclist is buying and racing in brand new kit. It really is an amazing feeling, speaking of which I have just christened my new assos gloves courtsey of Verity and my new Oakleys courtsey of myself, with both races over the weekend and both were absolutely perfect for me and my needs, winning first time wearing some new gear does not tend to associate bad tidings with these objects.
Monday 28 January 2013
Tuesday 15 January 2013
Swansea Trotters
As a former member of the Swansea University Athletics and Cross Country Club as well as Swansea University Triathlon Club I automatically became a member of the Swansea Trotters, an alumni club set-up for the former members of the mentioned clubs by my good friend Steve Jones. This post is just a big thank you and congratulations to Steve for all his work and effort into creating such a great organisation on all our behalves, he has put in a lot of time and energy into establishing the Trotters as a permanent fixture and it is fantastic to see how much it has taken off.
Unfortunately I have not been able to go to some the events Steve has organised for the Trotters in conjunction with the current members of the Swansea University Athletics and Cross Country Club, but I have seen and heard first-hand how well they have gone, something that gives credit to all of Steve's efforts.
He has now helped to create a 5km run along the beautiful Swansea beachfront and here's the link to this great event, it's a good one to do if you're looking for a fast 5km time as it is completely flat.
http://swanseatrotters.com/360-marina-5k-register/
Hopefully at the end of the year, once I return from France, I might be able to do some more Trotters events in the Autumn, but until then thanks Steve, keep up the great work and I wish the Trotters every success throughout the coming year.
Unfortunately I have not been able to go to some the events Steve has organised for the Trotters in conjunction with the current members of the Swansea University Athletics and Cross Country Club, but I have seen and heard first-hand how well they have gone, something that gives credit to all of Steve's efforts.
He has now helped to create a 5km run along the beautiful Swansea beachfront and here's the link to this great event, it's a good one to do if you're looking for a fast 5km time as it is completely flat.
http://swanseatrotters.com/360-marina-5k-register/
Hopefully at the end of the year, once I return from France, I might be able to do some more Trotters events in the Autumn, but until then thanks Steve, keep up the great work and I wish the Trotters every success throughout the coming year.
Sunday 13 January 2013
The beginnings of all things are small
That is what Cicero said and what smaller way to kick-off my season at Hog Hill and Cyclopark in their respective winter serieses. I will first begin with Hog Hill my first race of the season and a place where I usually go pretty well. It was cold on Saturday as all of you are aware, but this did not deter from 20 people turning up for the E/1/2 race in the afternoon. Not that many, but enough to not simply make the race processional, except if you are Rhys Howells who stormed away from the field on the first lap, who I nearly got across to, but the Wales training camp definately made sure that I was not in any physical form to be at 90% for more than 45secs, so he soloed to a great win. I however was constatnly attacking throughout the race and as one of the better guys there, no one was willing to let me get away or have a free ride. In the end I grabbed third place, second in the bunch sprint which I was fairly chuffed with considering how hard the last week of training has been and how much work I did during the race. I could of and should of got second, but I launced my sprint from a bit too far back and didn't quite have enough to sneak in for second, but nevermind. The whole point of this race is to get used to racing my bike again before heading out to Brittany, because how you handle your bike during a race, espcially on a closed circuit, is very different to how you handle it during training. So plenty to take away from the race.
Today, I was racing in the SERRL Winter Series at Cyclopark, unfortunately there were only 11 of us in the E/1/2 race although there was a great turn-out for the 3/4 race with what looked about the 30+ mark. Anyway, it was the same conditions as yesterday and with so few riding and with 3 of the rivals being from the same team, Dulwich Paragon, I thought what the hell and do what I do best, which is attack. So after about a 2 laps I started my series of attacks, really trying to spilt the group in the crosswind. This worked really well and on my fourth attack I got away with another rider where we gradually began to pull away from the chasers. However after a couple of laps what remained of the bunch caught us, about 4 riders, but everyone was suffering and right on the rivet so I again went on the attack opening up a large gap pretty quickly, fortunately with the next strongest rider there right on my wheel, Andy Betts of Felt Colbornes, a really good older rider. We quickly began to pull away from the pursuers ecking out a gap of around 20seconds, this held steady, for about half an hour (me and Andy got away after 25mins) and by the time we both finished we probably took nearly a mintue out on the three behinds. Anyway, me and Andy worked well, with two laps to go he launched a series of attacks which I held on to, but unfortunately I did not have the legs for the sprint, probably due to the huge amount of training I have done recently resulting in me getting second. Nevermind, I'm pretty pleased with how I rode, using the elements and my strengths to my advantage and it's not a bad way to begin my season with a third and second. The one thing that I was disappointed on was my lack of physical form on the bike today at Cyclopark, my body was just all over the place and was not pedalling or sitting unaware near as comfortably as a) the day before and b) how I really should be.
I'm doing all the final preparations over the next week for France, so it's a really exciting time for me at the moment and it's not a bad way to start my season with these couple of performances. It really shows where I am at in all sorts of ways, just can't wait to start racing on the Continent.
Today, I was racing in the SERRL Winter Series at Cyclopark, unfortunately there were only 11 of us in the E/1/2 race although there was a great turn-out for the 3/4 race with what looked about the 30+ mark. Anyway, it was the same conditions as yesterday and with so few riding and with 3 of the rivals being from the same team, Dulwich Paragon, I thought what the hell and do what I do best, which is attack. So after about a 2 laps I started my series of attacks, really trying to spilt the group in the crosswind. This worked really well and on my fourth attack I got away with another rider where we gradually began to pull away from the chasers. However after a couple of laps what remained of the bunch caught us, about 4 riders, but everyone was suffering and right on the rivet so I again went on the attack opening up a large gap pretty quickly, fortunately with the next strongest rider there right on my wheel, Andy Betts of Felt Colbornes, a really good older rider. We quickly began to pull away from the pursuers ecking out a gap of around 20seconds, this held steady, for about half an hour (me and Andy got away after 25mins) and by the time we both finished we probably took nearly a mintue out on the three behinds. Anyway, me and Andy worked well, with two laps to go he launched a series of attacks which I held on to, but unfortunately I did not have the legs for the sprint, probably due to the huge amount of training I have done recently resulting in me getting second. Nevermind, I'm pretty pleased with how I rode, using the elements and my strengths to my advantage and it's not a bad way to begin my season with a third and second. The one thing that I was disappointed on was my lack of physical form on the bike today at Cyclopark, my body was just all over the place and was not pedalling or sitting unaware near as comfortably as a) the day before and b) how I really should be.
I'm doing all the final preparations over the next week for France, so it's a really exciting time for me at the moment and it's not a bad way to start my season with these couple of performances. It really shows where I am at in all sorts of ways, just can't wait to start racing on the Continent.
Friday 11 January 2013
Wales training camp
Unlike some of my more illustrious contemporaries and competitors I'm as hard as nails, therefore, rather than being a sissy like the bunch of pansises at Team Sky, Lotto-Belisol and many others I decided that I needed to go on a training camp in the Brecon Beacons instead, using my friend's family home as a base, situated just outside of Bridgend. My mate by the way is called Graham Howell who is a decent cyclist who hopes to have a similarly succesful year in 2013 to the one I've just had in 2012. So on Saturday night I boarded the train to my destination, unfortunately this was quite late in the evening and I did not actual jump into bed till about 1am. After such a long day and late night me and Graham had a bit of lie-in and went out for an easy cycle on the Sunday all round the lanes of South Wales, quite a knobbly route with some decent climbs on, probably did a few equivalent to Toys Hill, no mountains unfortunately, covering 72miles in about 4 and half hours.
On the Monday me and Graham went on an epic ride through the Breacon Beacons including the Bwlch and Rhigos mountains, as well as the mini-Bwlch and Banwen/Glyn-neath clmbs that are pretty major in and of themselves. We then descended into Swansea, not before stopping for Graham to repair a puncture that he got from unfortunately keeping right behind my wheel as I was drafting a Ford KA that decided not to point out a massive pothole in the middle of the road. I was pretty lucky not to puncture myself and we were both fortunate that something much worse didn't occur. Once we reached Swansea we headed round to Verdi's where we met up with Graham's dad Tony, after refuelling on milkshake, coffee and cake we headed straight back home. To be honest my body was half-guiding me back to any one of the places I occupied during my time in Swansea, I didn't really till I cycled through it, how much I missed the place and wished in many ways that I was still there at university.
Tuesday was a really tough and intense ride, where me and Graham rode 3 laps of the Betty Pharoah course with an aim to average the whole ride at 20mph, we managed riding 105km at 20.5mph. The circuit is a cracking fast course going through some lovely lanes and up some pretty short sharp climbs. What was mpst pleasing is how fast we averaged considering that included the warm-up. Suitably knackered after some pretty tough riding we did what we had done and continued to do over my time in Wales, sit and eat, watching rubbish on T.V.
Graham was feeling very much worse for wear and decided to seat my session out where I went for an easy 2 and half hour spin meeting up with Tony and Graham for a coffee in Porthcawl, a town that I had never before been to and it was or seemed at least, to be, a lot more pleasent that has been made out to me to be. This was on the Wednesday.
Finally on Thursday I did a series of intense circuits on a series of road that run outside the Llandow circuit, where crits are held reguarly throughout the year. Again Graham was feeling like a man that had been trampled by a herd of ramapaging buffalo so instead he decided to wait for me and Tony at Forza Bike shop as I did the efforts and Tony escorted me. After the efforts we dropped into Forza, a lovely bike shop that sells some proper top notch gear, where you can grab a free and proper Italian espresso. I declined, but I got chatting to a man called Dave who had cycled for a number of years in Brittany when he was younger, telling me about all of his experiences and offering me plenty of advice. After that we headed to the beach cafe at Llanwit Major, not before Graham fell off his bike for no apparent reason. Thanks to some more coffee and in Graham's case a massive lump of pie we headed home, where Graham absolutely smashed it dropping his dad within a few miles... what a lovely son.
Clearly me and Graham had the gods on our side as it was unseasonable warm all week and every time we cycled it didn't rain, or on us in any case, really, a massive blessing. It was a fantastic week's worth of cycling, where I probably clocked around 570km over the past couple of days, I can not thank Shirley (Graham's mum), Tony and Steph (Graham's sister) enough for their outstanding hospitality and generosity over the past few days, definately need to write a review of my time at theirs on TripAdvisor. I should also prehaps thank Graham for doing this all with me and helping get some cracking training in, by extension I should probably thank his girlfriend Rae for letting Graham off the leash and allowing him to come out and play.
I am going to wrap things up now by saying that tomorrow and Sunday our my first races of the season, hopefully there ain't too much ice and snow around for these, a bit different to the guys racing Down Under, but there you go. Hairs on the chest and all that... Anyway I wish everyone else the best of luck with their seasons and happy racing.
Also, before I go, my girlfriend, Verity Ockenden, has decided to start her own blog about her many culinary ventures whilst she is out in Italy, not a bad idea to share her experiences of such an amazing place by describing and showing their many impressive dishes. Here's the link to the blog
http://lavitaockenden.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=2
Enjoy!!!
On the Monday me and Graham went on an epic ride through the Breacon Beacons including the Bwlch and Rhigos mountains, as well as the mini-Bwlch and Banwen/Glyn-neath clmbs that are pretty major in and of themselves. We then descended into Swansea, not before stopping for Graham to repair a puncture that he got from unfortunately keeping right behind my wheel as I was drafting a Ford KA that decided not to point out a massive pothole in the middle of the road. I was pretty lucky not to puncture myself and we were both fortunate that something much worse didn't occur. Once we reached Swansea we headed round to Verdi's where we met up with Graham's dad Tony, after refuelling on milkshake, coffee and cake we headed straight back home. To be honest my body was half-guiding me back to any one of the places I occupied during my time in Swansea, I didn't really till I cycled through it, how much I missed the place and wished in many ways that I was still there at university.
Tuesday was a really tough and intense ride, where me and Graham rode 3 laps of the Betty Pharoah course with an aim to average the whole ride at 20mph, we managed riding 105km at 20.5mph. The circuit is a cracking fast course going through some lovely lanes and up some pretty short sharp climbs. What was mpst pleasing is how fast we averaged considering that included the warm-up. Suitably knackered after some pretty tough riding we did what we had done and continued to do over my time in Wales, sit and eat, watching rubbish on T.V.
Graham was feeling very much worse for wear and decided to seat my session out where I went for an easy 2 and half hour spin meeting up with Tony and Graham for a coffee in Porthcawl, a town that I had never before been to and it was or seemed at least, to be, a lot more pleasent that has been made out to me to be. This was on the Wednesday.
Finally on Thursday I did a series of intense circuits on a series of road that run outside the Llandow circuit, where crits are held reguarly throughout the year. Again Graham was feeling like a man that had been trampled by a herd of ramapaging buffalo so instead he decided to wait for me and Tony at Forza Bike shop as I did the efforts and Tony escorted me. After the efforts we dropped into Forza, a lovely bike shop that sells some proper top notch gear, where you can grab a free and proper Italian espresso. I declined, but I got chatting to a man called Dave who had cycled for a number of years in Brittany when he was younger, telling me about all of his experiences and offering me plenty of advice. After that we headed to the beach cafe at Llanwit Major, not before Graham fell off his bike for no apparent reason. Thanks to some more coffee and in Graham's case a massive lump of pie we headed home, where Graham absolutely smashed it dropping his dad within a few miles... what a lovely son.
Clearly me and Graham had the gods on our side as it was unseasonable warm all week and every time we cycled it didn't rain, or on us in any case, really, a massive blessing. It was a fantastic week's worth of cycling, where I probably clocked around 570km over the past couple of days, I can not thank Shirley (Graham's mum), Tony and Steph (Graham's sister) enough for their outstanding hospitality and generosity over the past few days, definately need to write a review of my time at theirs on TripAdvisor. I should also prehaps thank Graham for doing this all with me and helping get some cracking training in, by extension I should probably thank his girlfriend Rae for letting Graham off the leash and allowing him to come out and play.
I am going to wrap things up now by saying that tomorrow and Sunday our my first races of the season, hopefully there ain't too much ice and snow around for these, a bit different to the guys racing Down Under, but there you go. Hairs on the chest and all that... Anyway I wish everyone else the best of luck with their seasons and happy racing.
Also, before I go, my girlfriend, Verity Ockenden, has decided to start her own blog about her many culinary ventures whilst she is out in Italy, not a bad idea to share her experiences of such an amazing place by describing and showing their many impressive dishes. Here's the link to the blog
http://lavitaockenden.blogspot.co.uk/search?updated-min=2013-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=2
Enjoy!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)