What to do in 2018?

Several people have asked me if I plan to race again next year.

Truth is I haven’t had a reply for them. Until now I've not had the head space to consider it. Now things are a bit more settled I've finally started thinking about my cycling goals for 2018.

Although the closure of City Cycles might mean more opportunity to race, fitting in training with a young family will still be challenging. My fitness isn’t what it was and I can’t see I’ll get close to the 10 hours a week in the saddle I regularly clocked up a couple of years ago. A month into the new job and 7 hours is proving a challenge. So I'll need to make more efficient use of the time I do have.

What I need is a goal and focus but what should my target be?

I turn 40 in February making 2018 my first year as a Vet. The Vets are fast! It is frequently a faster and more competitive category than Masters or Open where I have spent the past 10 years. Looking at the lap times from last years Gorrick Spring series I’d estimate I would have been on the outskirts of the top 10 in Vets. So not chasing the podiums like this year!

The national XC championship is back at Hadleigh this year which is a challenge I really enjoyed in 2015. Unlikely I will better the 14^th place achieved 2 years ago however.

At my preferred marathon format events like the Brighton Big Dog where I finished 14^th overall this summer, I’d have been 12^th in the Vets class. So again little new to ride for.

However, with time to sit and contemplate, even if I don’t know where, I'm excited to say, “Yes, I will be racing next year.” I look forward to returning to the Brass Monkeys next month after a year off. I'll follow up these three events with the Gorrick Spring XC races next year.

However, I think the truth is I’m struggling for to find real motivation from the events I would normally have entered in the past. It’s a case of been there and done that. I’ve achieved everything I think I can while maintaining a work/life/cycling balance. So over the next few months I'll see if I can find something new to focus my attention on.

I won't be racing in the blue of City Cycles next year.

British Cycling allow disc brakes in road races for 2018!

Just as I was mulling over what events to enter next year, British Cycling announce that they are going to allow disc brakes in road races.

Tip toeing around Goodwood in the bunch

I entered a closed circuit race at Goodwood last summer, but I had to break my old Trek out of retirement, as it was the only bike I had that was eligible. I wasn’t feeling particularly confident about the experience of bunch racing anyway, given the hospital visit that followed my previous road race! So not being on my usual bike didn’t help. Also the Merida Scultura is undoubtedly a much better weapon for racing. I know “it’s not about the bike” but it would certainly help psychologically at least.

Race legal this year!

So I am delighted that BC have seen the light. I know others will not be, siting the discrepancy in braking ability within the bunch as dangerous – not an argument I understand. The aim of the announcement was to make the sport more inclusive and accessible. For me at least it has worked. I wasn’t planning on adding any road events to my calendar for 2018, but now I’ll definitely give it some consideration. (Just don't tell Mrs C!)

Well done British Cycling!

If it ain't raining, it ain't training!

As mentioned in my previous post, it has been a busy few weeks. We’ve closed the shop, which was the most manically, busiest time I've ever experienced. I then immediately started my new job the very next day. The new commute ride is under 3 miles if I go direct, so it will need some extending if the journey is to provide any kind of serious training.

With no more workshop I've also had to migrate my cycling kit back home. Evenings are once again spent beavering away in the shed! Talking of the evenings, now the clocks have changed it is dark early. So it can take extra motivation to get the bike out at the end of a busy day.

As an example, the weather forecast was terrible for Tuesday, with heavy rain moving in around 6pm. I dropped everything at 5pm and was out the office door in my cycle kit by 5.15. A light drizzle was already falling and immediately fogged up my glasses as I cruised out of the car park. If I rode straight home I’d beat the worst of the weather and be home and dry in around 15 minutes.

However, my extra motivation to stay out came in the form of the weekly club ride which was due to meet outside the old shop at 6.30. I was out and kitted up - what was a bit of rain! So with over an hour to kill I cruised through town and out into the lanes north of Chichester. The rain became heavier and heavier and I got slowly damper, but the effort kept me warm. With over 20 miles in the bank I rolled up to the shop just as the heavens really let rip. 

The rain pounded the road, drumming on my cycle helmet as I waited. I was aware it was madness, but I felt compelled to hang around to see if anyone was as bonkers as me. Amazingly Scott rolled round the corner and joined me in the torrential downpour.

The two of us had just decided that nobody need know if we slipped home instead of committing to the route published on the Whatapp group, when Colin drove up in a sea of spray. For some reason it felt wrong to pack it in now there was three of us. Damn Colin!

So off we set on roads that were more like rivers. The spray from Scotts rear wheel filling my shoes and the wind chilling my hands inside sodden gloves. It was horrific and to any sane human being we were utterly mad. But that sense of camaraderie meant we slogged our way through the darkness to the top of Selhurst. I lost all sense of feeling in my hands on the descent, so we did indeed cut things short, but we’d been out. Together we'd ridden our bikes which I'm sure we'd never have contemplated left to our own devices. We were committed cyclists and proudly posted a photo on social media to prove our dedication to those who had (sensibly) stayed at home. They'd missed out! 

Wet & frozen but we were out riding our bikes!