National Champs

So this weekends training suffered due to me wanting to go to watch the National Cyclo Cross Championships in Derby.

Saturday was spent doing family stuff, taking the boys to and from Tennis and work, interspersed with tidying out the garage (Again!) and putting some more shelves up.

Then Sunday was the day to go to Derby, it was a 3 hour drive to get there and quite a muddy walk around to see what was happening, I arrived in time to see Helen Wyman warming up on the course and Roger Hammond riding round the course. Maybe he is thinking of a comeback? The last time I saw him ride was when I was a schoolboy riding and he was just starting out, even then it was obvious what a rider he was going to be. Fortunately I was old enough to be in a different age group despite him riding above his and still beating everyone! Ah the good old days of ESCA (now BSCA).

I wandered round whilst the Junior race was going on to see what was happening, it was all quite different from when I used to ride all those years ago, pressure washers to clean bikes each lap? I remember finding big puddles and using them to clean my bike when I could, pits? I used to swap bikes or wheels anywhere on the course that my dad could get to. It is much more structured now, in a good way!

Then it was time for the elite women to start, this was actually the main race that I wanted to see. I had met Helen Wyman a couple of times due to my involvement in Ride London (see earlier posts) and was keen to see how she raced.  Well she went off from the start and led until the finish in a very impressive display of cross riding.  I spent some time near the pits to see what happens in them and saw Stefan bolting back and forth between the pits and the pressure washer area with Helen's bike to make sure that it was cleaned and working well at each change, he must have got soaked!

The event itself seemed great the course looked very slippery and challenging, I thoroughly enjoyed watching if a bit jealous that I wasn't riding but now I am a Vet I would have had to be there on the Saturday, nothing to do with not being fit enough! Congratulations to everyone who competed especially all the new National Champions and also to the organisers and marshals.

I did stop to watch the start of the men's race and the first pass of the pits but then had to make a move to get home in time for more fatherly duties, number 2 son needed collecting from work!

Well having missed a weekend of training I need to make up for it over the next week so will have to fit some swimming and running in alongside my regular cycle to work but it was definitely worth the trip to Derby to watch some very inspiring bike racing.

Maybe after the Ironman in July I should make my goal being fit enough to take part in the National Vets Champs next year? Actually after my last ride out at Didcot I may need a more realistic goal.