First One

I thought about recording my cycling exploits for a while, now I could keep them to myself, or have them more viewable.

2010 has been a great year for me, with my time trialling taking a huge leap forward with the help of my coach Ruth Eyles.

The year started with ambitions to go faster than the previous year (don't they all I suppose, no-one wants to go slower), but with very little ambition to do anything Nationally (I didn't think I was fast enough really). The year started of fantastically when myself, and fellow club riders Mike Piper and Ian Sutton won the KCA 3up 25 Mile TT in March, this was a great result for ourselves and our club San Fairy Ann CC, and a massive kick start to the year.

During the year, Ian and I swapped a few club records, and I realised that perhaps the year was going to be alot better than I thought it could be. The KCA (Kent Cycling Association) hold a competetion called the BAR (Best All Rounder), I finished 5th in 2009, and the way I was riding I was certainly in with a chance of winning it. I decided that I would concetrate on the qualifying rides, basically a 25 mile TT, a 50 Mile TT a 100 mile TT and a 12 hour TT.

For those that were taking part in the BAR, I was the quickest in the 25, and 50 mile TT's and 2nd in the 100 mile TT, I will come to the 12 hour later. The season was going excellently and I decided to enter a National event, namely the National 100. I thought I might scrape a top 20 position if I was lucky, Ian also entered it, so it was looking like a little duel between us, with the hope that the club 100 mile record might fall to one of us.

The atmoshpere of a National is different to a normal TT, all the best riders are there. The current best is Michael Hutchinson, and I was starting 24 minutes in front of him, I was looking to try and finish before him, though Iwould need the ride of my life for that to happen. Ian was also off in front of me, so I knew he could beat the record, and I thought a sub 3:50 ride might be enough.

It was a tough old day, nice strong headwind in one direction, making the return leg a bit more pleasent (not that 100 mile TT's are ever pleasent). Each 25 mile split was a good split, and I was quite a bit under my 3:50 target with a great 3:48:24, I also managed to keep Michael Hutchinson at bay. On getting back to the HQ I was advised I had been randomly selected for a drug test, I think my 21 minute PB might have flagged something up LOL.

The thing is that after a 100 mile TT in the heat, means you get severely dehydrated, even though you are constantly drinking during the event. Trying to go for a wee after this meant quite a bit to drink and a long wait. Eventually I got back to the HQ where I found out that I had come equal 9th, to say I was over the moon was an understatement, it was beyound what I thought was possible. Ian had not faired as well though, and was just under 4 hours. This meant I had broken the club record by over 5 minutes, so a fantastic day all round.

It was now I turned my eye a little bit to the National Best All Rounder (BBAR), realising that I was doing very well, I thought I would aim to get as high as possible in this. This is slightly different to the KCA BAR in that it is the average speeds over 50, 100 and 12 hours that count, and not 25 miles. I had done a fairly good 50, but would need better, and although the Kent 12 hour is a slowish event, so getting a good distance is hard, it was the only one I could do, I would just have to make it count.

The KCA 12 Hour was a target event for me, and the whole of August was dedicated to doing well in the event, and if possible winning it. The field this year was a very good field, as one of the other 12 hour events had to be cancelled, so some of the guys that were in that event opted to do the KCA 12 Hour to get a 12 hour in.

My main rival for the KCA BAR was Andy Miles, he had won the KCA 100, so was not an easy rider to beat on the longer distances. I set a target of 275 miles, if I managed this distance, it would be a club and KCA Record. It was a very hard target, but I thought as the season had been going well I had nothing to lose really. I went off quite hard for a 12 hour, first 25 mile in under 59 minutes, and the first 50 in under 2 hours. I slowed once we started on the hillier circuits, but I was always above my target pace even with stops. After 9 circuits of the finishing circuit I had finally broken the record of 273 miles, but I pushed on for the remaining time, and got a new record of 276.532 miles.

With this I won the event, and it also meant I won the KCA BAR, and I have since been told in a new record speed. This also meant I was just outside the top 12 of the BBAR, what I needed was a sub 1:47 50 mile TT. With only a couple left, I choose what I thought might be the best event, but ultimately the weather gods were not with me that day, as I failed and could only manage a 1:49. Still I won the event which was a nice bonus, and I think it means I will be either 13th or 14th in the BBAR, not bad for my first half hearted attempt at it.

Now the TT season is over, I am doing a little cyclo cross as fun events, but I am looking forward to the awards lunches/dinners for both the KCA and the San Fairy Ann CC.