Season's Review

I have been meaning to write a review for a while, though I wanted to wait until the results from the National 12 Hour, these came through the other day so it was time to pen my thoughts.

Overall it has been a very good season, with me hitting all the targets I had set myself, but even so I feel a little deflated by certain aspects of went on during the year. My main targets were the CTT TT Series (Veterans on Actual Time), the National 12 Hour and of course doing well in the BBAR (British Best All Rounder), and hopefully winning the team award again.

The year started off well with a win in the local Southborough and District Wheelers 10 on New Years Day, and with it another course record, but then it was a big knuckle down period of training hard for the first proper races of the season. Training this year was not helped by being away with work every week for a prolonged period, though my company were very helpful in letting me cart my turbo and bike around the country with me so I could at least train around work. This meant a fair few 05:00 starts in cold deserted car parks to get the training down, and normally the same again in the evening. It worked quite well and didn't miss many sessions at all.

I started the season a bit later than previous seasons, mainly due to wanting to be near my best for the start of the CTT TT Series, but I decided that the East Surrey Hardriders would be a good warm up event for these. Really surprised I was able to defend my win from 2012, and it filled me with a lot of confidence. In the end we then had a real cold snap and the 1st round of the TT Series was cancelled (as were virtually all the TT's this weekend), it meant a long wait until the 2nd round, but at least it gave me plenty of time to get some more quality training in without worrying about racing getting in the way. I did fit in a early 10 mile TT as well at the Team Swift event, getting a sub 20 min 10 whilst tired from training was a very nice result, and it seemed to provide good evidence that training had been going well.

The TT Series finally got going late April, and I was able to go pretty well in the first 3 events, and win them all. In the middle of these first 3 events the start of the BBAR races were also upon me, and these also went very well, with me winning my first 50 mile TT of the year, the next 2 BBAR events went very well with a 100 mile TT win (and a new PB), followed by another 50 mile TT win. Things were looking good with 7 wins from 8 events so far in 2013.

Around the middle of June I had decided that I would also make a return journey up to the Lake District and contest the National 100, training was now geared around this and the National 12 Hour as the TT Series was now on hold until later in the season. I still had another "fast" 100 to do beforehand however, the ECCA 100 is generally a fast 100, and like a lot of the riders trying to get good BBAR times, it was a must do event. Even more so for me, as it was going to be the last "fast" 100 I was going to do. It didn't quite go to plan however as it was a horribly windy day, and I cocked up my pacing a real treat, so actually ended with it being my slowest 100 of the year.

The National 100 was a chance to redeem myself, and with me being seeded as the fastest rider it also meant a lot more pressure than I ideally would have liked. I rode a very well paced ride, and was unlucky to miss out on 3rd place by a matter of 15 secs, still I won my age group so not a complete disaster. I also missed a cracking day at another fast 100 (it was on the same day), so this was going to hamper my BBAR placing a little. The chance of a National medal outweighed a fast time and I wouldn't have changed anything in all honesty.

Now everything was geared to the National 12 Hour, after coming 3rd last year I wanted to go at least one better, but I felt I was in with a good shout of winning it, if everything went to plan. The build up was quite intense, with a couple of weeks off work to really build the load and fitness. It is amazing how fit you can get when nothing is distracting you, these weeks went very well and I was going pretty well. I did have to fit in another round of the TT Series before the 12 Hour, and as I had got a new frame, this was the ideal opportunity to make sure everything was good with it before using it for the 12 hour. I good win at the TT Series again filled me with confidence that everything was going well.

Getting a taper right is difficult enough, getting it right for a 12 hour can be a real pain. You want to be well rested, but at the same time you are losing fitness. I think I almost blew it, as the weekend before I was due to do my last long ride, due to family commitments I split this into 2 x 3 hour rides, but as normal I did them as hard 3 hours each. This wiped me out for a fair while if I am honest, but luckily come race day I felt refreshed enough, but I think I cut it very fine indeed.

The National 12 went very well indeed, as I had faster guys behind me, I didn't really have the opportunity to ease into the day, I went as hard as I thought I could hold for at least 6 hours and see what happened. During the first 80 miles you are on a dual carriageway, and this at least gives you the chance to pace well, but after seeing a rider on the road after being hit by a car I wanted off the road ASAP, and for about 15 miles or so I raced at a pretty high effort, this could have been a disaster in reality, but in the end it didn't seem to impact me later in the race.

Overall the race was very well paced with power being pretty stable (apart from those 15 miles) throughout and not dipping that much at all by the end. I didn't really know where I was in relation to the other riders, which was good I suppose, I was riding as hard as I dared and to up the effort might have been a step too far. On finishing I was slightly gutted to have lost by a mere 0.8 mile, but I had given it my best effort, and I was up against one of the best BBAR riders, and last years National 12 Hour winner. Overall a very pleasing effort and payback for all the hours spent training in getting there.

As for what happened after the 12 Hour, with the complaints about Nik Bowdlers bike, I will leave my thoughts about that to another post in the future, but the whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth. In all honesty I never wanted the result changed, and thankfully it wasn't, but the CTT rules are so vague and wishy washy that there is no point in them being there I think. Hopefully someone will come along a re write the rules in a clear way where no ambiguity can exist, that way complaints can be handled a lot more efficiently.

I had to put all that aside though as there was still a couple of TT Series events left to go, and I had decided to try the win my Age Group at the CTT Circuit Champs. The Circuit Champs was always going to be a bit hit and miss to be honest, as a week taking it easy after the National 12 followed by a weeks family holiday and no cycling isn't the best preparation really. I also decided on doing a fast ascent and descent of Skiddaw on the second to last day of my holiday as a challenge, this left my legs in pieces for a week after getting back from holiday, so 3 weeks in total of minimal cycling. To finish 7th overall and win my Age Group by a couple of minutes was a real surprise, and a very pleasing one.

The final 2 rounds of the TT Series were all that was left initially of my season, and by this time I was getting a bit fatigued. These did pass without too many issues, though the stress of needing to complete the last in the series, with it being double points, was something I could have done without. Really pleased to have won the Vets on Actual Time, it really does take in some great parts of the country and the courses are pretty good courses as well.

I finished off the season with a late season 2 up with Rebecca Slack, but I will admit by this time I was fed up with training, and really wanted a break. The race was a good end to the year however, and I was glad I did it, it brought some fun to the end of the year. I also had a lot of fun doing a local 2 up with a local lady, this made me think about what enjoyment I got out of TTing, changes afoot for 2014 ;)

Achievements for 2013

Winner of the CTT TT Series (Veterans on Actual Time) with 6 wins out of 6 events
2nd Place in the National 12 Hour Championship with 292.67 miles
4th Place in the National 100 mile Championship with 3:41:47

40-44 Age Group Winner in National 100
40-44 Age Group Winner in CTT Circuit Championship

Winning Team in the BBAR
7th Place in the BBAR

12 Wins out of 17 events