...but thats road racing for you.

This week I have been thoroughly outdone by my brother winning the IRC 4 Class at Cowes Week.  Awesome effort.

Secondly, but only as not everything can come first, a few significant thank yous this week.  In Gear have been fantastic with turning my race bike around so quickly and trying as hard as possible to save my race wheels which are currently looking like pringles. Pete, James and Liam have as always been incredibly patient and accommodating. Parentals have been fantastic too: can't not get results now after all the efforts they have put in.

This has been such a bizarre season.  Its hardly as if I haven't been trying to get results recently; having time to be a full time athlete recently has led to a poor run of results even if on occasions my legs have felt good.  Highlights have included a recent 2nd place at Goodwood after riding the whole race feeling really quite unwell but sprinting well. 

Lowlights will include two recent tumbles which have left me with quite a few chainring marks and divots and my back is a mess.  I have gained a great deal of respect for the reactions of Luke Wallis and Nathan Russell after the crash at Bletchingley on Sunday. I went too fast into a corner, trying to take the apex at the bottom of a long descent but a car came round the corner at a pace and sensing someone trying to overtake outside me me had to take some quite drastic evasive action that ended up in a hedge.  It could have have been much worse and it was such a shame that Luke came down as he is one of the nicest and hardest guys I know in cycling but who has had the worst luck this season.  I would say Nathan is probably a bit too crazy (in a very good way) to be given the same title, still hard as nails but certainly one of the most Christian in his behaviour.  Nathan came down after being knocked by a rider at the same incident further back in the bunch.  Thanks very much to Trevor Holmes for the bandages.

So forgetting all that I have had a good week of training.  I can't say I wanted to get on the bike on Monday.  On Sunday I dropped back to my parents expecting some sympathy and while I was exceptionally well fed, heard exactly what I needed to hear which was to get straight back on it and race again as soon as possible.  A good but very sore ride Monday, raced Tuesday night, did 5hrs on Wednesday really trying to work on cornering, especially on descents, 4hrs Thursday including the Eastbourne Rovers TT at Pevensey.  On a slow night, on a slow course, on my training bike and in the middle of a long ride I knocked out a 23.58 which I thought was respectable, especially as I was riding thinking of saving a bit for riding a 26mile TT on Saturday (a lot of excuses there; did I mention I genuinely did get held up the roundabout...?).  After a time trial on Saturday, a long ride on Sunday and then onto an easier week coming up.

So 36 points to 1st cat.  I must confess to having a moment thinking was this all worth it, glanced at the cross-country running winter calendar, considered burying myself in education or playing rugby on Sundays for Lewes Rugby Club but then realised that at every single one of those races I am just going to be thinking of being in the winning break or powering out ahead in a sprint.  I have got good results so far this season but am hoping to finish the year with the form I had at the end of last season.  More training, better recovery, harder racing.