Hi everyone, this is my blog update for July’s riding roundup.
This month ive raced 7 times so you could argue that it has been a fairly busy month in terms of lining up on the start line. These racing ranged from local leagues for ‘points grabbing’ and national standard criteriums.
We know as cyclists, the winter times are about getting long miles in on your trusty old steed. Although, sometimes your trusty old steed needs some TLC as the winter weather does its best to damage your pride & joy. Therefore I had to purchase some new wheels & tyres to see me through the training that I am doing. With the trust fund, I have been able to purchase these parts, so now ive got no excuses not to be out training! Also, as part of being a cyclist, you have to give your body the fuel it needs and after a lengthy training session, it needs its protein! As I had just ran out of my previous stuff, the trust fund was able to help me purchase some more recovery powder, now it means that I don’t get home after a ride and then suffer for the next few days as I didn’t get a good source of protein. As the racing season is just around the corner, I will have plenty more to write about as my calendar is pretty much full for most weekends, all I can say for now is watch this space!
Also this month was the 1st crash that ive had in 2 whole seasons, I thought I was going soft and my luck was sure to run out soon. It was when I was racing in Middlesborough when a lad rolled his tub in front of me at 53km/h. Yes it hurt… but I got back on my bike, which was not damaged at all thank god, and manned it up and got round and picking up 10 points ( which haven’t been put on the system yet and im getting evermore annoyed about). There was also the 3 national circuit series rounds in the month which I rode. You could say that I was the boy in a mens race as I will admit that I had my arse whooped. I had been getting dropped in the first 15 mins of the race when they at their hardest, I think this is party down to the specific training needed but more importantly the warm up. Been at this national series races are hard for people like myself as you can sometimes struggle to get a good warm in as you are generally ‘out of the way’. By this I mean you will be out of the pits area where the big teams get to warm up right next to the circuit and they have the space, with me and my rollers, it can become hard to find a good place to warm up as the crowds make it very hard. My favourite course of the three was definitely Sheffield as it has the right city centre environment for a good race and it also included some cobbles and a sketchy corner on a fast downhill section. Congrats to Marc Etches and the rest of the Sheffield GP organisation team for putting on such a good event and I hope it can be the same next year!
There isn’t many races left for this year and I am desperate to get my hands in the air because not doing so can often knock the long term morale therefore I have now upped the training and getting in some big rides such as the classic ‘moss, Snake, Strines’ ride which is a 90 mile climbing epic which ventures into Derbyshire from Holmfirth and takes in great scenery. Its what makes cycling enjoyable in my opinion as you get to see great sights which can often be ignored if you live in built up areas.
But for now, goodbye
Ashley
