Time flies!
Its hard to believe, but we're already half way through January. Feels like only yesterday I was updating my blog, but there you go, time flies huh. Anyhow, I left last time with the intention to race New Years Day, and I did, and it went Ok really...
So, another token bank holiday race, and another race thoroughly enjoyed. I treated the race like Armstrong used to treat the early season. Nothing more than an opportunity to get out and give one's self a good hard work out. I know to win, or even score a point at these races is hard, given the quality of opposition. So I choose to use the race as an opportunity to learn and gain experience without the pressure on myself to seriously expect a point ot two. Any result is a bonus in my eyes, today, Christmas nearly, nearly, came early. After the initial flurry of attacks, in which I found myself working with super strong Steve Golla again. I settled back into the bunch and told myself to save myself for the final third of thr race. By then, Golla, Paul Pickup, Colin Parry and Michael Hill had flown the nest... for the day. They were gone, or were they!?
People tried, one by one to get across. Even Elite Jason Streather couldn't do it. Nice guy though, had a chat with him before the race. So I thought why not give it a go. Two laps I spent off the front on my own, man it takes a long time to do two laps on your own. Even with all the cheering of people I don't even know at the side I just couldn't bridge. See thats what I love about cycling, the fact that the people who watch are so in love with the sport that they'll cheer anyone who has a go, even if they're chasing down 'daddy'! As I hit the back straight for the second time I was within about 50m, but it was just too much. So back into the bunch I went. Then with about 5 to go, another group of 4 tried to bridge. I got across to them and they gave up. Then a couple of other guys came up to me and we started working. We got a good gap initially but as we got onto the finish straight as the bell was ringing we were being dragged back. What was I to do? If I sat up I wouldn't have had much for a decent sprint. So I just put my head down and dug deep, very deep. I was holding a good 50 meters right up until the penultimate corner. I looked over my shoulder, and began to dream that I was about to score my first '08 points. Last corner, I could really feel them breathing down my neck. Then I knew, once they start to sprint I'm history. And as I hit 200m to go, sure enough, they galloped. But still, it was a valiant effort, even if I do say so myself! Still had enough to stop 7 people getting past though according to my 31st place! Ah well, a good hard, educational work-out it was. Now I know how they feel in the Tour when the break gets caught inside the final KM!
Since then time on the bike has not been particularly consistent. My trip to Dublin took up the first week. And since then, my group and I have been preparing our presentation on our area of ''sustainability''. I use the '' ''s as the Irony of around 80 people flying to Dublin, emitting around 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the process, to learn about sustainability, is quite frankly, very amusing! Anyhow, we presented yesterday and we were the best. Come on! So now along with 5 other groups we are heading to the head office of the multinational property firm DTZ next Friday to present again. This time, with a thousand pounds on the line... Which would be nice...
So the next week looks packed already with polishing the presentation, not to mention other pieces of course work to be doing. So riding is going to be here and there, again. However, what the past few weeks have done is give me a chance to recover. So even though I havn't done so much lately, I still feel stronger, which is surely a good thing. With my first serious race just 7 weeks away, nows the time to get fit!
So, another token bank holiday race, and another race thoroughly enjoyed. I treated the race like Armstrong used to treat the early season. Nothing more than an opportunity to get out and give one's self a good hard work out. I know to win, or even score a point at these races is hard, given the quality of opposition. So I choose to use the race as an opportunity to learn and gain experience without the pressure on myself to seriously expect a point ot two. Any result is a bonus in my eyes, today, Christmas nearly, nearly, came early. After the initial flurry of attacks, in which I found myself working with super strong Steve Golla again. I settled back into the bunch and told myself to save myself for the final third of thr race. By then, Golla, Paul Pickup, Colin Parry and Michael Hill had flown the nest... for the day. They were gone, or were they!?
People tried, one by one to get across. Even Elite Jason Streather couldn't do it. Nice guy though, had a chat with him before the race. So I thought why not give it a go. Two laps I spent off the front on my own, man it takes a long time to do two laps on your own. Even with all the cheering of people I don't even know at the side I just couldn't bridge. See thats what I love about cycling, the fact that the people who watch are so in love with the sport that they'll cheer anyone who has a go, even if they're chasing down 'daddy'! As I hit the back straight for the second time I was within about 50m, but it was just too much. So back into the bunch I went. Then with about 5 to go, another group of 4 tried to bridge. I got across to them and they gave up. Then a couple of other guys came up to me and we started working. We got a good gap initially but as we got onto the finish straight as the bell was ringing we were being dragged back. What was I to do? If I sat up I wouldn't have had much for a decent sprint. So I just put my head down and dug deep, very deep. I was holding a good 50 meters right up until the penultimate corner. I looked over my shoulder, and began to dream that I was about to score my first '08 points. Last corner, I could really feel them breathing down my neck. Then I knew, once they start to sprint I'm history. And as I hit 200m to go, sure enough, they galloped. But still, it was a valiant effort, even if I do say so myself! Still had enough to stop 7 people getting past though according to my 31st place! Ah well, a good hard, educational work-out it was. Now I know how they feel in the Tour when the break gets caught inside the final KM!
Since then time on the bike has not been particularly consistent. My trip to Dublin took up the first week. And since then, my group and I have been preparing our presentation on our area of ''sustainability''. I use the '' ''s as the Irony of around 80 people flying to Dublin, emitting around 40 tonnes of carbon dioxide in the process, to learn about sustainability, is quite frankly, very amusing! Anyhow, we presented yesterday and we were the best. Come on! So now along with 5 other groups we are heading to the head office of the multinational property firm DTZ next Friday to present again. This time, with a thousand pounds on the line... Which would be nice...
So the next week looks packed already with polishing the presentation, not to mention other pieces of course work to be doing. So riding is going to be here and there, again. However, what the past few weeks have done is give me a chance to recover. So even though I havn't done so much lately, I still feel stronger, which is surely a good thing. With my first serious race just 7 weeks away, nows the time to get fit!
posted by Adam at
16:28
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