The time has come.....maybe

2014 has been one of those years......after breaking my leg back in late January, I never hit any sort of form until it was too late, so the summer was really about just remaining fit, enjoying myself and recharging the batteries. It was my late friend, Lenny Grayson who said to me about fifteen years ago that some years he clicked, some years he didn't. Lenny was fiercely competitive, but he'd learnt to be objective, measured and mature about his sport. So the road has been about just remaining in the sport this year.

In a rush of blood to the head, I decided to do the British Best All Rounder competition but with just committing to one race at each of the three distances. My 12hour was on a warm and windy day....somehow I kept it together to cover 267 miles and set a new club record. The 100 took place on a day that was thoroughly unsuitable for high sided lorries and men with combovers......gusts of 50MPH were recorded that morning. By adopting the 'shit or bust' pacing strategy, I managed to just break the four hour barrier. Being desperate for a fast 50, I threw caution to the wind and against better judgement rode a 50 in heavy showers to come back with a 1:47:06, another club record. All three races left me absolutely smashed to smithereens......the weather didn't help but a top fifteen place in a season long national competition isn't too bad.  

Other highlights were high speed sportives around the route of the Tour de France Yorkshire stages and a stonking 382w ten on a slow, single carriageway course.

So as I write this, I've got one cross bike ready to go and another in bits with just five days to my first CX race of the year. On a positive note, the Team is absolutely fantastic at the moment and I'm incredibly proud to see my idea of 2012 flourish with three supported riders, a fantastic support network and a brilliant working relationship between Ted and myself keeping the dream alive. In addition to our magnificent sponsors, we have achieved a network of supporters from across the cycle industry and have some really exciting product and prototype equipment testing lined up.

This winter's cross is going to be a low key....but hopefully enjoyable whilst it lasts. I'm presently suffering from a persistent cycling injury that requires surgery to remove the root case thereof. No more detail is required or will be forthcoming, suffice to say that when the consultant operates, I anticipate that my season will be cut short and I won't be on a bike for a the thick end of a month. Short term pain to secure my longer term competitive cycling future.