Malsis School Yorkshire Summer Cross

Photo Courtesy of Neil Hendry

Summer Cross is Back.  Whooo Hoooo!

So it's back to fortnightly exploration of my place in the space between pleasure and pain we like to call cyclocross.  And Summer Cross is back with a bang too.  New venue you see - Malsis School - and it a stonker.

Malsis School offered a very varied course.  Something - in lieu of mud - which is sometimes left wanting with Summer Cross.  The course comprised mainly leg sapping grassy slogs and some fast gravel paths - with the sections of the gravel being more akin to low grade MTB tail center stuff than CX!  Oh and also some 'north shore'...  well a little section of wooden duck boards!  Still, made a decent little jump every lap.  Also, some twisty turny bits and a nice narrow section by a pond.  And a log jump and barriers!  Phew!  Plenty of sight seeing could be had per lap to take your mind of the thumping heart, gasping lungs and useless legs.

With the massive field of entrants, I finished outside the points, but there is always next time... Bring on the cobbles... Bring on Tod. 

Summer Kit Order

If you are interested in joining the team the current kit order is underway, closing date 20th May, delivery 6 to 8 weeks later. Buy a jersey and you're in!
Contact me otleyrichatgmaildotcom for login details to buy the kit.

Hit the North 4 - Consistency is Everything

I'm not delusional - I appreciate a lot of criticism can be directed my way with regard to my cycling abilities.  However, I'd like to put the 'lack of consistency' one to bed once and for all.  Regard the below Garmin Statistics from last years and this years Hit the North:

                                                                 HtN 2013              HtN 2012

Time (hr.min:sec):                                       2.14:46                2.18:00
Distance (km):                                              25:50                   26:70
Number of laps:                                              4                          4
Average Moving Speed (km/hr):                    11.9                     12.0
Best Pace (min/km):                                     1:40                     1:39
Position:                                                       174                      174

Bit spooky eh?

Photo: Ed Rollason

Last year I thoroughly enjoyed Hit the North, but this year I absolutely loved it - I thought it was great.  Great people, great course, great atmosphere and great weather.  In addition, and contrary to the above stats, I thought I had a cracking race - much better than last year - and felt much stronger and faster.  

My race essentially started with a lap or so of formation Team Here Come the Belgians riding with Laura Jolly and Belgian Brother Ben.  Thanks you two, loved whizzing through the trees.

Photo: Jonathan Jolly

Although we eventually became separated, and mid race I managed to pull a bit of a lead on them both, I always had thoughts of impending doom, and my mind uncontrollably took over.  With my little couch potato alter ego perched on my shoulder, sowing the seeds of paranoia, I set about trying to maintaining my lead.  Ignoring the taunts of:

"you're not fit enough to keep Laura and Ben behind you..." 

"Don't look now, they are just there..." 

"Those ARE twinges of cramp in your quads..." 

"You're gears are full of mud and skipping, you're going to have to stop and clean them out - oh and whilst you're at it, you may as well quit now because you're a looser..."  

I ploughed on!

I maintained my lead up to the last 500m or so when, glancing over my shoulder, I spotted Belgian Bro Ben!  OH NO!  100m to go he passed me!  I stood and stamped on the pedals but there was nothing there!  Cramp gripped my legs and my mud soaked gears skipped big time with a horrid CRACK!  CRACK!!  Perhaps my little shoulder dwelling imaginary friend had had something all along?

Oh well, after a valiant effort on my part I thought, Bro Ben pipped me to the line.  All credit to him... I suppose??  And anyway, I didn't really want to beat him - No!  What and ruin my consistent 174th placing record?  That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

Photo: Jonathan Jolly

'The Rules', and Their Recent Application

Thanks Jo Allen for the Photo.

I really like the course at Todmorden.  It is great fun with it's famous cobbled climb and generally testing terrain.

However, when the morning of the race dawned, a race that is not only the climax of the Yorkshire Points Series, but also one, if not THE, highlight of my season, I peeped out of the curtains to be greeted with cold, wind and rain!

Now, coping almost daily with harsh outdoor working weather conditions, I have developed a morbid obsession with the weather over the years.  As this obsession has grown, so has the 'fair weather cyclist' in me and, sometimes, I just can't face another drowning! Don't get me wrong - I like mud plugging - it's just the rain falling on my head that I find a little tiresome these days.  Perhaps I'm in the wrong game?

On this occasion, the morning of Tod'cross, the temptation to sneak the curtains back, and slip back into bed was incredibly great...

Then, my mind wondered to to 'The Rules'.  Firstly:

Rule #9

// If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.

Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.

And most importantly:

Rule #5

// 

Harden The Fuck Up.

So I got my act together, tried to be a hard man, loaded up, and got off.  I softened the blow of the foul weather some what with a Bradford Curry Breakfast on route... not perhaps wise, and that is going to have to go down on the 'Things I learned Today list' - ie don't have a curry before a race!

Todmorden was wet, muddy and cold... but, rather strangely perhaps, very enjoyable!  The luxury of a fair-weather ride is going to have to wait.

Happy Christmas

Wishing all the 'Belgians new, old or youthful a Happy Christmas! Keep on riding and see you at the races, Todmorden for me next. Before you know it it'll be time for the spring classics.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Here Comes the Clydesdale...

Rapha Supercross - Broughton Hall

A festival of cyclocross - Rapha seem to do this kind of thing well.  Elite race, fun race, cowbells, food, beer tent, stuff for kids and, most importantly, a Clydesdale Category.

This was to be my time to shine - I was going to win this.  The format seemed simple enough:

1. Weigh over 90kgs - Easy... check

2. Win your race - HHhhmmm?

3. Buy food - Long queues put me off a bit but essentially check.

4. Buy beer - I can drink, and I had a driver, so a big fat check

And that was it basically - The title had my name written all over it.

Due to the franticness of signing on and preparing myself for the start of the Vets, my main goal for the day slipped my mind, and I forgot to make my intentions apparent to the race officials. 

Moving on though, the race passed without hitch.  The technically unchallenging course was very heavy under wheel, and became a slog fest of abject misery!  I tussled with a few back markers and slowly inched my way around to the finish on 82%. The highlight of each lap was passing through the crowd, where the volume created by all the cheering and cowbells was quite overwhelming, and made me quite emotional.  Chapeau to the crowd.

Post race, the first pint passed to me by my pit crew* was gasped down easily - as was the second!  Now it was time to push the pace - no surrender!  Three, four... go go go!

However, my new found eagerness to push the boundaries of human endurance, in the selfless quest to bring glory and silverware HCtB, was short lived - I was informed by the race marshals that there would be no Clydesdale Category today!  A little deflated, I slowly eased down and relaxed.  No need to lay it on the line for the team today after all.  The abuse would have to wait for another day.

So, Rapha, if you are reading - I WILL be back next year, subject to further anticipated failed diets... be afraid... be very afraid!  

I will claim the prize which is rightfully mine...

*wife and daughter - thanks for the support you two.

Lanzarote Winter Training Camp

Managed to find some cobbles 'Lanzarote style' today during our winter training camp. Obviously I use the term 'training camp' in its broadest possible sense!