Back out on the road!

View from the back!

Far from fully recovered after my hospital visit I was still determined to get some miles under my belt before a week away in Rome. So I coughed and spluttered my way around the roads of West Sussex for 3 hours; hanging on at the back of the group, desperately drafting to stay with the wheels.

After a week of Pasta and Pizza I should return fighting fit and ready for action. Which is lucky since the first Sunday back will be the second Gorrick Autumn race at Crowthorne.

Break in Proceedings

Just as everything was looking rosey and my training was going well, life pulls the rug from under my feet again! This week I had hoped to put in some good base training miles before a week off on holiday in Rome. 

Monday started out to plan, nearly 40 miles chalked up on the usual commute. That evening I sat down for my evening dinner and a piece of chicken wedged in my throat. After spending the entire night in the Queen Alexandra A&E department I was admitted for surgery and have spent the last few days on a drip unable to eat solids. 

The way this year is going I think I should take out a season ticket with the NHS! 

I am home now and hopeful I might try and get out on the bike before flying to Italy. The past few weeks I really felt I was coming into form.  In the grand scheme of things it probably doesn't make much difference, but it is frustrating to think I will be sitting out two weeks.

Incentive to ride

After such a long beautiful summer it is getting to that time of year when the commute to work isn’t quite as enjoyable. Nevertheless I still find the incentive to step out into the dark on a wet autumn morning.

I find one of my biggest motivators is found on the days I decide to take the car. I experience a really strong feeling of guilt and also a pang of envy as I drive past the cyclists who have made the effort. Seeing the familiar faces I normally nod too as I pedal the other way, is enough to ensure I am out there with them the next day.

It might sound counter intuitive but I have far more energy on days when I ride to the office. I arrive with vitality, ready for the day ahead. I use the time on the bike to plan my day so I arrived prepped and ready to go. The cycle commute gives me time alone with my thoughts with no external pressures. In comparison the commute by car is a stressful and frustrating experience. I have been working in Portsmouth for nearly 8 years and the increase in traffic means the car journey is taking noticeably longer than it once did. The choice of 45 hectic minutes in the car is starting to lose its main advantage of extra time in bed, when compared to 60 minutes on the bike. In truth there is still a 30 minute difference once you factor in the shower and change of clothes, but I’d rather sacrifice those 30 minutes in bed for a better state of body and mind.

Apart from the personal enjoyment I get from riding a bike, my competitive nature means racing is an important outlet for my personal ambitions. Chasing improved results is a constant objective that can only be achieved by spending time on the bike and maintaining my fitness. Maybe it is my age, or fatherhood, but this has become less important to me recently than it was a few years ago. I have now reached a point where I ride as often as is feasible, while maintaining  a happy home life balance. Increased or more focused training would undoubtedly lead to improved results, but at the moment there isn’t the desire or commitment to make the sacrifices this would require. I am happy knowing what level of cyclist I am, without constantly proving it on the race track. Perhaps in a few years when I hit the Veterans (40+) class I might find the drive to focus again on specific racing goals. 

The final challenge and targets for me are personal cycling achievements. I have recorded every ride I have done since my teenage years nearly 20 years ago. Every month this provides me with a target to beat. During 2014 I have bettered my previous best totals of miles and ride time for six of the nine months. I am currently out on the road and trails chasing down my highest total annual mileage of  6770 miles and 450 hours. Can I make it to 7000 miles?

Other ‘bucket list’ cycling objectives are a multi stage mountain bike race and I still dream of reaching the Mediterranean under my own power. Staying fit and in the saddle is a step towards one day making these dreams a reality.

In truth I don’t really need motivation to ride a bike. The simple pleasure I get, when I am fit and healthy, of powering a bicycle across the countryside is incentive enough.

South Downs Bikes Club Ride

On the first Monday of every month South Downs Bikes host an off-road ride. It is open to all, and has recently been attracting in excess of 50+ riders. I can remember a few years ago, when on a rainy night it might just be 5 or 6 of us ducking out into the gloom from behind the old shop. 

The social aspect of the ride makes for an enjoyable evening. It's a chance to catch-up with other club members or meet new riders. We share stories of recent races or rides, discuss training, talk bikes and very occasionally we might mention non-cycling topics too!

With such a big peleton we usually split at the top of the first climb into three sub-groups and head our different ways. This month the fast group thrashed around the Whiteways singletrack before a team timetrial back to the shop! A stream of headlights blazing a path through the woods.

When we get back to Storrington Martin lays on food for everyone free of charge. In the summer months this if frequently a BBQ, sometimes a curry and occasionally fish 'n' chips! This month however it was pizza, cooked freshly onsite in a mobile Pizza oven. Fantastic!

Thats me sitting with my back to the camera tucking into a slice of Pepperoni Pizza

Gorrick Autumn Classic

After a summer on the sidelines recovering from my accident in June, I was feeling extremely nervous as I tied the number board to my bars on Sunday. At least the weather couldn’t have been kinder. Despite it being the last few days of September it was seriously warm in the autumn sunshine, as the Indian summer continues! A late change of venue meant a return to the sandy arena at Hungry Hill on the outskirts of Aldershot. 

All smiles on the warm-up lap. I was still smiling after the race!

On my warm-up lap I kept waiting for the hill that never came. Instead the course was a relentless, undulating, singletrack frenzy, that required full concentration and commitment. The dry, sandy soil sapped strength and lead to some sketchy cornering! Although there was no ‘hill’ in the true sense of the word, after a few laps there were some drags that really got the legs burning.

I’ll admit to serious butterflies in the pit of my stomach after an extended period without racing. Would I still be able to cut it? Perched on the end of the front row I looked along the grid and was further freaked out about the shaved legged youngsters, looking keen and focused. Unusually the course leapt  almost immediately into a narrow twisty section so I knew with nearly 70 riders fighting to be first in the queue, the start was going to be crucial. I choose my a line through the first few corners, put my head down and waited for the hooter.  

It was the elbows out fight I had expected, but down the first heather lined path I was 3^rd and hanging on nicely to the wheels ahead. Emerging after ½ a mile onto the first fireroad I waited for the surely inevitable stream of riders to come charging past. Out of the saddle I could hear the crunch of gravel under tyres and deep breathing, but cutting the corner I dived into the wood still in 3^rd. Charging through the tight confines of the lap was hugely rewarding , especially the swoopy bombhole section towards the end. Four of us broke away from the rest of the field, I surrendered 3^rd, but still felt comfortable. I’d probably have liked a hill, as on any incline I would surge back to the tail of the group. 

Traffic was a major problem when we caught the tail end of the ladies races and the Grand Veterans. With such a tight course there were very few opportunities to get by and this worked to the advantage of the leading pair who got a small gap before the end of the lap. I could have done without the U-turn here, rushing down a trail only to see the red and white tape disappearing up over the crest on my left! It was 15-20 valuable seconds squandered.

Into the second lap and chasing 3^rd, I became confused amongst all back markers about who I was actually racing. At the side of a trail were several riders with punctures and I thought one of them might have been from the leading pair in my race. However, I couldn’t be sure and assumed I was in 4^th and was pushing hard to get back on the podium when the rider ahead completely wiped out. The path crossed a little stream and he sailed over the bars, front wheel stuck resolutely in the water. Dodging to the left I went down too. Scrambling back on, the pain in my leg only slowly becoming apparent, I was more concerned that further precious seconds had slipped away.

Into the final lap I gave everything I could, out of the saddle to keep the power down whenever I could. My rear wheel had worked loose so the bike was selecting gears at random, but my final lap was still quicker the one before. Crossing the line I stopped and waited for the commentary............”Ben Connor finishes 3^rd in the Open male category”. 

A broad smile stretched across my face like a Cheshire Cat on the way back to the car, after a glorious day of racing. It was fantastic to be back out competing again and see all the familiar faces. Plus I don’t know how many more rides we can get in this year with weather like this. Surely the mud and cold lurks just around the corner!

Rotor Q Ring

I've had Rotors oval Q rings on my mountain bike for several years. The Spanish manufacturer advertise their rings ability to reduce rider fatigue based on all kinds of scientific lab results. My personal experience is based on feel; they help me keep the pedals spinning and stay on top of a harder gear for longer.

Rotor sponsor a growing number of elite riders, which means they are notching up an impressive list of race successes. The Tour de France and World Championships are one thing, but success is now feeding down to local races like the Brighton Big Dog.

Oval rings on my mtb might help race day performance, but the majority of my miles are chalked up on the road. So I've purchased a 50 tooth Q ring for my Trek Madone. Training on the same rings will I hope encourage my muscle memory to learn an eliptical rhythm before it comes to race day.

South Downs Bikes Shop Ride

Summer returned for the September shop ride tonight. A huge gathering of a staggering 78 riders set-off up Chantry Lane. It is a long tarmac climb, quite steep in places, which is used to split the riders into groups. Last month I was left hanging on at the back of the fast group, so I headed off a little tentatively with the first 20 riders up the hill. I was relieved to find the pace more sociable tonight, and I was able to enjoy catching up with some club members I haven't seen for a while and natter with other more familiar faces. 

Riding round the hill top at Cissbury Ring, an ancient circle of trees, we flicked on our lights as the sun started to set. The orange setting sun bled beautifully into the distant mist. The sea glistened on the horizon to our left as we twisted across the grassy Down, the lights of Storrington twinkling below us.

On the decent we met some walkers sitting on a stile admiring the view. The distinctive smoke hanging in the air might have explained their relaxed attitude. "Wow, your lights were like alien spaceships coming over the hill" they marvelled.

As ever Martin was waiting for us back at the shop with a tower of burgers and buns!

Riders gather at the shop - BBQ poised ready for their return in 2 hours!