It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

With snow on the ground and just 12 days to go, the festive season is well and truly upon us.

However, if you're like me you may well still have some Christmas shopping to do! I love Christmas-time for that small chance of snow, the Christmas lights, bringing the Christmas tree in and decorating it with the (long standing and) extra ornaments that have been purchased from travels throughout the year. It's a magical time of year for those of us who are lucky enough to be surrounded by loved ones and friends, equally it's a time when many of us remember loved ones who are no longer with us.

Wintry wonderland of South Staffordshire

I must confess I am a bit of a traditionalist, I'm not keen on the commercialism of Christmas, carols playing in stores in November or Christmas stock appearing on shelves in October! Our family tradition has pretty much been the 12 days of Christmas; with the tree rarely coming into the house more than two weeks before 'the big day'. 'Bruce the Spruce' is currently sat in the garden under 2ft of snow, so the current debate is whether he actually stays outside this year given the house is marginally warmer than outside...!

Frozen mill pond

Anyway, whether you're in need of last minute present inspiration for the cyclist in your life, or just fancy treating yourself, we have a few ideas to share with you:

Socks are a staple at any time of year but especially at Christmas! We love the range of socks from Seriously silly socks based in High Peak; they have some fabulously crazy designs, including some cycling themed options and you can even build your own gift box. The exclusive bamboo organic crew socks feel warmer than standard cottons in Winter and cooler in Summer due to it's fibre construction, and are a bargain at just £5 a pair! With same day shipping if you order by 2pm and free UK delivery you can't go far wrong. So, that's a pair for you and a pair for your cycling mad friend...! Furthermore, we have a pair of men's and a pair of women's cycling themed socks to give away* to two lucky readers, so have a look on Facebook and Twitter (@FionaSPrew) for the post that you need to comment on.

Gloves, Q36.5 Be Love 0 glove will keep the winter at bay for your hands. An experiment in extreme light weight thermal technologies (best used above 0 degrees) from the iconic Q36.5 who are known for their use of proprietary high-quality fabrics developed specifically for use in cycling clothing combined with the radically essentialist cut and styling of garments. The full range is available from Swinnerton Cycles with the Be Love 0 Glove priced at £79.99 - your hands will thank you!

Unisex Be Love 0 Glove

Base layer, the latest addition to the Stoke based  Pro Vision Custom Clothing range is the Graffiti long sleeve base layer (also available as a sleeveless vest). It delivers superior moisture management and light weight insulation for all year round activities. Long sleeves are ideal for those cooler days (and essential for the UK wintry weather just now)! Priced at £30 it's a bargain. Equally, if you are looking for something really unique for next season, why not get in touch with Steve, Ben or Jason about designing bespoke custom kit to your exact requirements...

Graffiti Long sleeve base layer

Happy Shopping!

*We have one pair of women's and one pair of men's socks to give away! Simply comment on the post on social media to be entered into the prize draw, please ensure you state whether you would like men's or women's socks if you are the winner.

T&C's: closes Sunday 17th December 2017 at 21:00 GMT, the winner will be chosen at random and notified by direct messages. UK entrants only. This promotion is in no way endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. Full T&Cs: http://bit.ly/2zamA1M

Give it a rest!

Train hard, recover harder

As an amateur cyclist with a full time job, as the majority of us are, we are not likely to have covered anywhere near the training distance or hours that the pro riders have this year. However, that doesn't make it any less important for us to embrace that natural break at the end of the racing season. You could say it's more important for the amateur athlete as there is likely to be less opportunity for rest and recuperation whilst juggling the demands of work, family life and training.


Scheduling an end of season break and some quality downtime to relax and refocus, to re-charge the batteries both physiologically and psychologically is key. As we've mentioned before it's an opportunity to take stock and make a plan for the forthcoming season but most importantly it's about giving your body and mind a break.

The term 'end-of-season break' and its associated focus will look different for each of us. I noticed that those who ended their racing season early, for whatever reason, or whose season barely got going, were very quick to start planning for next year.


"What are you going to target next year?" "I'm going to ride this event/qualifier..." "I'm going to ride X time for X distance at X event..." "I'm going to smash my 10/25/50 TT PB" were all statements tripping off tongues akin to choosing a dessert off a menu (it is the off season after all!!). This made me take a step back and reflect as although, naturally, I had given the 2018 season some passing thought (it's only natural to come away from a race or a training session having analysed things you could/should have done better), I hadn't put those main targets in place or set any stretch goals, or even any serious goals. I started to question my commitment. Was my lack of planning, or more specifically, my lack of a desire to plan a sign that I was lacking motivation and enthusiasm - that inner drive that enables you to give your best?


After much soul-searching, I believe that I just needed a little more time to mentally recover from this year. I came across a great quote from Michelangelo Buonarroti that summed this up for me


"If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all".

There's nothing wrong with some downtime after the relentless pursuit of success. I'm viewing my end-of-season break as not just the physical ten days that I had off the bike but that time since, which has been fairly liberating in terms of 'just riding' without that constant observation of power/heart rate, that minutei of detail for every ride. Don't get me wrong, this is what we thrive off as athletes; seeing those structured sessions and discipline pay off, riding a structured session when everyone else is off for a cafe ride... I've ridden to and from work on a number of occasions, where my diary has allowed, had a couple of longer weekend rides but nothing to write home about. I've been up and out of the door in the dark and cold at 05:30an in order to ride to work and/or squeeze some miles into a busy day so clearly my motivation to ride is just as strong as ever, I've just not honed in on my goals for next year... yet!

I've decided that when the time is right,  I'll think seriously about next season, after all there is plenty of unfinished business where those stripes are concerned, but in the meantime I'm just riding for enjoyment. A tempo session this morning certainly served to remind me that it doesn't take long to de-train but equally that riding 'hard' (yep, I have to admit that tempo felt a little like sweetspot at times) is enjoyable. Perhaps I am addicted to that structure and pushing myself to be the best I can be after all. 


We are only human, with our own barometer for coping, when we've pushed it to the absolute limit it is going to take longer to return to 'business as usual'. So don't feel pressured to be going full gas in the relentless pursuit of 2018 goals already; use your down-time wisely as it's impossible to be on top of your game 365 days a year... Taking time to reflect and really dial in your goals will be far more effective than racing (no pun intended) headlong into an ill thought out plan that you then feel tied to. 

Season Round-up

'Podium Perfection' according to the local newspaper!

Another racing year done and dusted; it's been brilliant but I'm glad of the opportunity to take a break and reflect. In the early part of the year I couldn't get my immune system to the point where I was going more than two weeks without having a cold or some sort of virus to string any training together. The combination of this, along with a stressful house-move right before Christmas, culminated in me throwing my toys out of the pram and saying 'that's it, I'm going to sell the bikes...' A statement that I've been reminded of several times throughout the year!! Clearly my love for the process was greater than the short period of adversity I was experiencing at the time. I really am a believer that setbacks make you stronger and in this case they certainly did. I found myself appreciating when training started to go well and didn't take hitting the power numbers or a weekly mileage goal for granted. The smaller, more incidental parts of training suddenly had a greater focus. I put the end goal to one side and focussed on nailing the training (the process that was going to get me there) - clearly this is something that I should have been doing all along!

Express & Star article, October 2017

Despite being full of cold and feeling under the weather, The Tour of Ayrshire marked a turning point for me. It was my first win in a UCI qualifying event which got the season off to a fantastic start. However, for me, I had executed my race plan to the letter (control the power for the first half, knowing I was feeling unwell and then try to ramp up the second half) and kept the belief that I could actually do this. Not once did my mind wander - for those of you who know me well, I can be easily distracted, especially in a Time Trial when the going gets tough!

UCI World Amateur Championships silver - proudest moment of the year

The Di2 battery played it's little part in ensuring that my ability to deal with adversity hadn't switched off. Not content with spontaneously discharging (on more than one occasion), we then had the 'make a bid for freedom' and leap clearly off the frame incident! If I get the choice I'd rather not repeat the episode of getting off and running up the hill that is too steep to grind up when the only gear that I have is my biggest. However, all of these 'moments' have enabled me to prove to myself that digging in when I absolutely need to isn't a problem. Of course they were all frustrating, especially when you can see what you know started out as a great ride slowly starting to fall apart with every pedal stroke. However, you appreciate the next race or training ride when you do have a full range of gears all the more.


Fifteen races later and I managed to land a podium position in all of them (seven wins, four seconds and four thirds). Contrary to popular belief this wasn't because I targeted races where I thought I would do well, rather I selected a variety of courses that would be good preparation for the UCI Worlds. Fifteen races is far fewer than I did last year, again this was to enable me to keep putting in big blocks of training rather than get caught in the perpetual cycle of tapering and racing because 'every race is important'. Ultimately I saw my fitness tumble last year as I raced more and more. This isn't such an issue in road racing where the distances are longer, or perhaps in Time trialling where you're riding a variety of distances - as long as you can recover from those race efforts.

Thanks to Photographybysimon.com for capturing some great memories

Key results from this year:


Silver AG medal: World Amateur TT Championships, France
2017 Women's National TT Champion, TLI Cycling
Series Title: DB Max/Kinetic One Castle Combe Closed Circuit Champs (CR in events 2,3&5)
Win: Tour of Ayrshire Chrono, UCI GF Series Qualifier 2017
2nd: Tour of Cambridgeshire Chrono, UCI GF Series Qualifier 2017
2nd: Chrono Tre Valli Varesine (Italy), UCI GF Series Qualifier 2018
Win: Midland Women's TT Series (4 events)
Win: Charlie Grieg Memorial 10TT




Whilst I might pedal the bike, some days better than others, the support network I am lucky enough to have around me is nothing short of fabulous. Swinnerton Cycles, Revolver Wheels, Pro Vision Clothing, TORQ Fitness, NoPinz, and not forgetting the sponsors that have supported the race team this year - BlackMamba Gloves, GJC Furniture & Tanita Europe. Paul of Empowered Performance has done a stirling job with my coaching and managed to achieve almost the perfect race preparation for me - not an easy task!  It has all come together to provide a great platform to build on for 2018 and beyond.


I'm really grateful to everyone for their support, patience and interest - let's get the 2018 show ready for the road!

Performance...

... Responsibilities and key indicators

Given it's nearing the end of the road season for many, it seems a reasonable time to consider reflecting back on the season in general terms.

Did you achieve the goals that you set out at the beginning of the year? How did training and racing pan out for you? Perhaps you exceeded your own expectations or just coped really well when faced with adversity. Either way, there is undoubtedly plenty to reflect on with lessons that can be learned for next year and successes carried forward as solid foundations to build on.

A recent article written about triathlon made me think of cycling similarities and no doubt there are cross-overs to others sports as well. It discussed Appearance vs. Performance and the fact that many triathletes would appear to be more focussed on their appearance than their performance and in so doing are obsessed with their body and their weight and therefore with nutrition. You might say that many sportspeople fit into this category; many of us are obsessed about something!



A useful fact to remember!

This article and a recent Power feature in Cycling Monthly raises the pertinent topic of Performance and Performance Goals; just what is our focus and how easily do we get carried away?! The ultimate question might therefore be are we being as efficient as we can be with what we have available?

That same article in Cycling Monthly had some staggering statistics in terms of power meters. Bryan Taylor, president of Power Meter brand Verve Cycling, had shared some data that he had collated from those taking part in the Haute Route (marketed as one of the toughest cyclo-sportives in the world).

• Less than 50% of those riding were coached
• However, more than 50% of the riders had a power meter
• Less than half of those with a power meter had done an FTP test and some didn't know what FTP was

Perhaps of most surprise was the revelation that some hadn't done anything with the data generated from their power meter - it was merely used as a 'live feed', they had never uploaded it to study in more detail. Although power meters are becoming far more affordable, they are still an expensive accessory for the sole use of glancing at an occasional live number.

If riding with power helps to pace a ride in real time then you might say that there is nothing wrong with that... However, arguably to understand using power for pacing, this would be best preceded by an FTP test and at least some data tracking. There is far more to riding with power than just fixing a power meter to your bike! Perhaps this is one of the biggest areas where performance gains can be made - really understanding your power numbers and what they mean. Whether you are coached or self-coached there is individual responsibility to delve into those numbers and read around the subject.

Bryan makes a very valid point that "averages are not good enough for anything in life and certainly not for measuring your power".

In time trialling it is probably the opposite; it can be very easy to get hung up on the power numbers and data analysis and we often need to remind ourselves that it's good to ride on feel sometimes. It's important to have some balance amongst all the numbers and structure and schedule some sessions where the main objective isn't to be fixated on the power numbers displaying on your handlebars!

If you have made the investment in the technology, whether that is power, a training package etc. then don't forget that it will only ever be as a good as it's operator/user. You need to know why you are using it, what you are looking for and how to integrate this into your training programme. Otherwise employing the services of a good, understanding coach who is prepared to help you get to grips with the basics is essential.

Measure, Don't Guess

The concept of performance goals and ultimately performance is often driven by spending money. People will part with lots of hard earned cash to shave a few grams off their bike, or buy yet another wheel or wheel combination because it's faster than what they already have. Often with some application and determination far greater rewards can be reaped by honing in on the basics - sleep, appropriate fuel for the training you're doing, good hydration and intelligent training.

By intelligent training I mean not blindly following a programme because you've paid for it but listening to your body, looking at your data and mapping progress or lack of against both your wider goals and what you are doing to get there. Question yourself or your coach if things aren't going as you had envisaged, don't be an idle passenger in the journey towards your own goals. We spend far more time in the process than what we are working towards, if the process isn't right (or enjoyable), then it is unlikely that the outcome will be either.

So, are you firmly in the driving seat? Pen and paper, iPad or any other device at the ready to capture your thoughts and reflections? Great! Perhaps make some notes, in two columns:

• Things that went well
• Things that didn't go so well

You may then find you can further subdivide this list:

• Things that I can solve
• Things that I need some assistance with

Or even:

• Performance I can purchase with money
• Performance that I need to create from within myself

You can probably attach some learning points to these or reinforce what clearly worked for you for future use.

What can YOU improve upon and what do you WANT or NEED help with? These might be subtly different in that you might WANT to improve upon your position but should this be a priority and in order to ride a more aerodynamic position, do you NEED better flexibility or core strength first? You may be better served by spending time on your body rather than money on equipment. It is very easy to get carried away with all the bells and whistles!

Would you be better working on the basics, such as quality structured training to improve your power and eating the right foods to reduce your weight before starting to look for those marginal gains. A good analogy is baking a cake. Do you really need to worry about the icing on the top if you don't have any eggs in the mixing bowl?

Map these areas for improvement against your next season goals and you should be on the way to working out what is realistic... Look to nail the basics in world class fashion!

Championnats du Monde Part II

The day of reckoning...

... The moment of truth to eclipse all others; race day at the Worlds! It was set to be another baking hot day in Albi so I was really glad that the women's field were off first. It wasn't cool but it certainly wasn't the high 30's that would be reached by lunchtime to mid-afternoon. I didn't envy my male counterparts who would have to contend with that too.

Each country had been allocated a trackside garage to warm-up in, so having arrived early it was a case of claim the spot most likely to be in the shade for the next couple of hours. In some respects it was just like any other race with familiar faces passing by, except a lot of those faces were from friends made the other side of the world or back in Denmark in 2015. Amanda & Andrew had flown in from Perth to race for Australia, Lori from NZ, Emily from Canada (it was a treat to catch up with Emily for longer as we were sharing the gite) and many other UK friends - some we see on a regular basis, whilst others ride a totally different race circuit all year.


Trackside garages for each Country

I have my own little warm-up routine which I stuck to, albeit we had decided to tweak it somewhat to account for the heat. I prefer to set up somewhere quiet, away from potential distraction and try and find that flow state nice and early on. The shortened routine was over in a flash and it was time to head down to the start for another bike check. The UCI Commissaires were waiting with their jigs, thankfully it was as straightforward as it had been the previous day; Percy got the thumbs up! They were also checking for motors using an iPad - fortunately (or unfortunately!) none such assistance detected on Percy! All that remained was to stand in the queue for the start ramp and try to keep cool...

5 second countdown...

Eventually it was my turn to hit the ramp and head out onto the Circuit d'Albi. The road surface where the track joined the main road was particularly rough for the first mile or so but I'd picked what I thought would be the best line during my recon. This clearly hadn't factored in the fact that going over the speed bump at full throttle would literally throw me out of the saddle though! Thankfully no damage done and rhythm was gathered once more. The first part of the course was fairly straightforward, a couple of turns but nothing requiring much attention. One of the Moto Commissaires came alongside me around mile 3 - 4 and appeared to be having a good study - I was on my own, pedalling hard, so I just carried on doing just that! I had sight of my '30 second woman' and knew it was just a case of biding my time and ensuring that I was ready to overtake in an appropriate place (bearing in mind the UCI rules of not coming within 25m of a following rider and overtaking with a 2m wide gap). That place was the small climb at roughly halfway. I'd ridden this three times, had studied the GPX file with Paul countless times and felt quite familiar with how best to ride this section.

With the rider in front of me dispatched as soon as we made the turn onto the hill I was able to press on. I then had sight of one of the Australian riders in front of me, she was my 'minute woman'. The hill appeared to have taken some of her energy so I wasted no time in passing her hoping that would give me a clear run towards the descent into Rouffiac. It had indeed and the perfect situation had arisen - a totally clear run down the hill and into the 90 degree left hand turn at the bottom. It was between the top of the climb and the descent that there was a time check. If times were displayed on the roadside I hadn't noticed but I later learnt that the commentary was going mad back at the Circuit as I had gone through the first half in the new fastest time. However, the commentary wasn't translated into English so Paul was hearing my name a lot but wasn't certain whether I'd crashed or was in the lead!!

Circuit D'Albi

In terms of sighting other competitors it was a lonely ride in the second half of the course, with just a runner or two out, one of which was a little ill positioned on my line for the sharp off camber right hander. I'm not sure what was most disconcerting, him being in the way or the ambulance parked ready to rescue any casualties of said turn! With this last technical section negotiated it was full gas towards the finish. Except I was beginning to fatigue. Pushing harder and harder on the pedals and feeling that I was going nowhere fast. I knew I just had to dig in, reminding myself that of course being at the sharp end was going to hurt but if, if I could make that podium it would all be worthwhile. I had pins and needles in my right arm from the infamous pot-hole incident and they were worsening, so much so I rode the final roundabout like a total novice and cursed myself in the process.

The headwind on the final road section and into the circuit really wasn't welcome but there was only two or three more minutes to endure, maybe less if I could muster some more power from somewhere. Eventually the final chicane was in sight, rounded and the finishing straight being attacked with what little I had left. The finish marshal tried to take my bike off me but I hadn't the energy to stand up. I just about made the conveniently positioned chair and Esther, who I had met at the qualifiers earlier in the year was kind enough to tip some water over me! Paul followed five minutes later with the news that I was in the lead... I couldn't believe it! I knew I couldn't get too excited as there were some strong riders to come, the last of which was the defending World Champion from Sweden. She'd had a commanding ride in Perth and I expected nothing less a year later.

When silver feels as good as Gold! 

Yep, she'd successfully defended her title. However, I knew that I'd given that course the best I had to give on that day, so I was absolutely thrilled to have come away with a Silver medal, especially as less than a week before I was having serious doubts as to whether my back/neck would actually be up to riding.

It looks like I'm the most pleased with that result... 

The culmination of many months of hard work, perseverance & determination

With many happy memories of Albi that was another World Champs over. In some ways it's a strange feeling; so many months focused on this one goal and it's over so quickly - clearly not as quickly as I'd have liked it to be, otherwise there might have been a gold medal! However, that does leave one nice big goal out there for another year...!

Making memories on the Circuit D'Albi

Championnats du Monde Part I

Dealing with adversity prior to the gran depart for Albi, Midi-Pyrenees

You know that feeling when you've been preparing for something for so long and then all of a sudden it's crept up on you... Yep, that is just how I felt in the final run up to the World Amateur/Masters Championships! Just to keep me on my toes that little bit more I had an altercation with a pot hole the weekend before we were due to leave. Although initially thinking I'd come away unscathed within half an hour it transpired that I'd evidently 'upset something' in my upper back/neck. I struggled to complete the remainder of the ride home, even with Paul pushing me up the hills! I have to confess that my immediate thoughts weren't all that positive and went along the lines of why now, I can't not be at my best for the Championships! However, such negative thinking was not going to make anything better - some rest, ice and an emergency appointment at The Lilleshall Clinic were all much more positive approaches!


Fast forward a few days... I was still struggling and in quite a lot of pain, hadn't been able to ride my bike but had secured an appointment with Gill at Lilleshall. I'm not entirely sure she was aware of the weight of expectation placed on her shoulders as I walked in! Thankfully after much crunching & even more discomfort it looked like any damage was purely musculoskeletal and would hopefully be overcome with continued rest and stretching. I hadn't lost hope yet I just had to keep a positive mindset, be patient and not dwell on the fact that the final week of training had slipped away. All the hard work had been done; I couldn't add to my fitness now but I could easily throw it all away by trying to train whilst injured.


Firstly, thanks to NoPinz for designing a fabulous skinsuit designed specially for the team heading to Albi. I'm particularly proud to say that I've been fortunate enough to receive some support from, GymGear, Black Mamba Gloves and Pro Vision Clothing, as well as the unwavering and constant support from Swinnerton Cycles throughout the year - if it wasn't for their goodwill, patience and expertise, there would have been more than one situation this year where I wouldn't have been able to race. Discharging Di2 batteries, a punctured tub two days before a major race, chain ring swapping... you name it it's never any trouble and thank you doesn't come close. Alan and Jenny Matthews of Fortress Distribution/Black Mamba Gloves & Richard Lambert of GymGear thank you for believing in me enough to sponsor my race kit, it really is much appreciated. Steve, Ben and Jason at ProVision thank you for the fabulous off the bike kit - it turned a few heads!

Kit Sponsors GymGear & BlackMambaGloves

Harry from Revolver Wheels kindly added a special touch to my Asymm Disc and 60 front for the occasion and both have shiny new tubs on (hopefully this will help to prevent any punctures on the day, fingers and toes crossed).

Spot the GBR decals from Harry

Accommodation was booked a while ago; a lovely gite in the Florentin countryside about 10km outside of Albi shared with some friends also travelling from the UK and a Canadian friend who I met at the Championships in Australia last year (who also happens to be defending World Champion)! This was our bolt hole, training hub and place of quiet contemplation for ten days; it was far enough out of the hub of Albi but close enough to easily recce the course and attend the rider briefings etc. You'd think there weren't any supermarkets within a 100 mile radius given the pre-emptive shopping that I'd done, however I think it's important to try and keep as similar a diet as I would back home, until after racing has finished at least. Clair - you did brilliantly in finding this place!

Welcome gifts from Francois at the gite

Having eventually arrived and settled in to the stunning gite in Florentin attention turned to getting our bearings, finding race HQ, the course and all the other important race related tasks.

Circuit D'Albi taken over by the UCI

Permanence was set up in the expo centre at the famous Circuit D'Albi race track, which was a hive of activity three days prior to the Championships starting - testament to not just the size of the event but all the work, by volunteers, which goes on behind the scenes. The TT course was already signed, so this made an initial recon easier, although we were grateful of the GPX file as a key directional sign was missing!


Initial thoughts on the course were positive - it was a reflection of what the UCI have presented at the last two World Championships - a challenging course but with something for everyone. By this I mean it wasn't a straight power course or a climbers paradise! It had technical elements; a short climb, a nice descent with a 90 degree left at the bottom, a tight off-camber right hand bend, some mildly undulating sections and a couple of turns with road furniture. There was plenty to keep your interest with the three technical elements to think through and the climb and associated descent - not paying close attention on these sections could easily prematurely end your race! After my first ride around I was feeling positive. The surface where we were to leave the circuit and join the main road wasn't the best but given this would be the same experience for everyone it would be about picking the best line.


After a couple of recon rides, on both the road and TT bike, it was time to take advantage of an early opportunity to have my UCI legal set up checked. This is always a nerve-wracking moment, even when I know that 'Percy' is 100% UCI legal and nothing has been altered since he was checked at the Worlds last year...

UCI Commissaires reporting they are happy with my set up (still on training wheels here)

There were plenty of people who were having to make fairly major adjustments. This always comes as a surprise as it is the one thing that you can check many months in advance in preparation. Indeed in our case it is check, check and check again! The relief when the Commissaires both indicated that they were happy was tangible, not only had Percy passed, I had 19mm clearance at the front (mostly to prevent any discrepancy between our measuring and their jig).


Now the focus was on race day...

Breaking records...

... and puncturing tubs at Castle Combe

Between April and August the contest for the best race series has to go to the DB Max/Kinetic one TT series at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire. It has everything you look for in an event - excellent chip timing, friendly organisers which in turn creates a great atmosphere, a beautiful racing surface and this year some largely brilliant weather! Given this was my second year riding the series it was also nice to see the friends I'd made last year, as the series is generally the furthest south I travel to race on a regular basis, it's mostly the only time I see this group of racing friends. 

The 5 race series starts in April and this was to be my first outing of the year. There is always plenty of nerves associated with that first race - how has the winter training really gone, have I forgotten how to pace myself, how much will it hurt...? You get the picture! All of those emotions seem a long time ago now, although as the tempo increases towards the business end of the season the pacing question comes to the forefront once more - to what extent and how early can I actually put the hammer down and hold it?!

Round 1 in April unfortunately became a DNS as this was the start of my Di2 woes. I arrived at the circuit to find that my battery had discharged itself. This threw me into all kinds of disarray given it was totally unexpected (and I like to plan to the nth degree). I went to ride my usual recce laps in the one gear that I had (mid cassette, big ring) which was ok for riding relatively easy but I knew I would be spinning out for much of the downhill/tailwind and grinding on the other sections. The warm up wasn't going to be easy either as I could hardly keep jumping on and off the turbo to alter the resistance accordingly! Thus, regrettably I decided to withdraw and drive home. This turned out to be a fine weather night and my course record (CR) was broken - just to add insult to injury.

Nice little set up by the track

Round 2 fell a few days after Round 2 of the Midlands Women's series (A10/19), where despite trying to shake off the cold that I'd caught in Ayr I'd had what is still my best '10' of the season. Sometimes a couple of races in close succession work well for me and other times they don't! Thankfully this was one of the former occasions and in producing my best 10 minutes of power, I took the win and reclaimed my course record, shaving a substantial 17 seconds off it. 

Powering towards the chicane

Round 3 fell in mid June and followed a few days after my win at the Charlie Grieg Memorial 10TT. It was a beautifully sunny evening and the wind was set to drop so I was hopeful that I might be able to make a further dent in my CR. June is generally a busy month of racing with the Janet Kelly Memorial, ToC, and Charlie Grieg Memorial all within the same three week period. With my focus purely on putting out even power laps it was mission accomplished as I dipped under 23 minutes for the first time on this circuit to take the CR down to 22:53. This was accompanied by a new peak heart rate as well as a 20 minute power pb! I have to admit that I was really pleased with this ride amidst so much racing, where inevitably training suffers.

Fish aren't the only things that come battered - my legs were here!

Round 4 in July came off the back of a three week training block (I was due to race on V718 in Yorkshire the week before but it was cancelled due to roadworks). My mission was a hat trick of CR's as I had designs on a mid 22 by the end of the series. Unfortunately the weather conditions weren't quite as favourable as they had been but more unfortunately there was quite a lot of debris on the track and I managed to puncture the tub on my disc on lap 3. By lap 5 it was pancake flat! I just slipped back over the 23 minute mark, had I not punctured I think it would have been close for another CR! However, I still banked a 10 minute power pb and the win so it was a good workout. Not forgetting the enjoyment factor - there is something about riding as fast as you can around that circuit, it flows really well, even when there is a huge head/cross wind hitting you as you leave the first chicane.

Paul came as well, finishing 1st road bike

August seems to have come around far too quickly and marks Round 5, the last of the 2017 series. This is really quite a depressing thought as to me the end of the Castle Combe races is synonymous with the end of Summer! This event also doubled up as the South West Team Championships, which was more for fun than a serious event on the calendar as composite teams were eligible. A few of us 'regulars' entered as a team with Caitlin, Jon, Ben and myself teaming up as 'Rule #5' (see the Velominati Rules). Ben had an absolutely storming ride to take the individual men's win in 19:51, Caitlin won the junior women's category and I broke my CR once again - only for Rachael Elliot (Drag2Zero) to come along and lower it further for the win! Jon, however had a terrible attack of cramp and had to pull up. Sometimes bike racing just doesn't go to plan!

Jon looking happier after R4 where he'd won V40

Despite having to withdraw from Round 1, three wins from rounds 2 - 4 and a strong 2nd place in the final round meant that I had secured the win for the women in the 2017 series and had come so close to being undefeated for a second year running. Rachael has certainly set a target for the CR in 2018!

Focused on the job in hand

Thanks to DB Max, and Rich Lewton Photography for an excellent series and brilliant action shots.