Levels

One of the hardest aspect of my cycling at the moment has to be working out how good I am.  While I don't want to brag but at the same time I do train damn hard and some of the guys I race against are pretty quick.  Simulataneously I look around I know that I am a long way off a top ten in the type of race I did at the weekend.  Trying to explain what level I am racing at to non-cycling friends is proving increasingly complex, especially when you have to make sacrifices. 

Case in point was Sunday's Perf's Pedals race.  While this is a race that no-one outside of cycling has heard of, at the same time, I was racing alongside a number of guys who have spent a large number of years racing abroad professionally such as Magnus Backstedt, 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner and Tour rider.  I had a reasonable race and felt very comfortable in the bunch but then attacked trying to follow the winning break.  I held a gap between the break and the bunch but couldn't maintain it and then went out the back on the climb.  While I knew it was beyond my limits to attack, I wanted to try something and knew that was the move to make.  I got back on and finished in 33rd.  Not bad for the start of the season and glad to stay upright.

Having shown some normal, non-cycling people the Cycling Weekly report on the team, I am still not sure what level I am performing at and I get the impression that some people who I tell about my training think I am making it up.  Looking around at other 2nd category riders, I know I usually perform well but at the same time I know I have a lot more development to do before being able to place well at elite level events. 

In conclusion, I think the answer is to stop thinking about it, forget what other people think and keep training like a savage.  Being back racing was absolutely fantastic, loved just being in the bunch and seeing my heart rate monitor go nuts. A really gritty race with some quality riders, I'm still getting the grit out my ears now! 

Thanks to my parents to driving Matt and I down there! Great race by the organisers! Next race San Fairy Ann Circuits on the 26/2 at Hog Hill.  Got half term beginning this Saturday so will be a hard week building up to this though so its definitely a C race for me but still very much looking forward to it. Team meeting this weekend with the PCCDS all back from Spain!