January has been a great month for cycling, running, dog walking and of course supporting the world's greatest rugby team. I've had a great time with friends riding for fun and a successful return to bike racing. I don't think it could have gone much better!
Harlestone Firs
Great Coffee Stop
Neckoil with Mike at the Windhover
Early in January and before I'd committed to Dry January I enjoyed a good ride around Harlestone Firs with my good friend Mike. We have a similar outlook on life and it's always good to catch up with him. Coffee in the forest and finishing with a beer at the Windhover made it all the more special.
The best ride of the week is always the Thursday morning mountain bike at Wakerley and Fineshade Woods. We slip and slide and get thoroughly filthy. Occasionally we catch a bit of air but most of all we get stuck into some flowing trails.
A couple of rides ago I broke my chain. Luckily I was nearly at the bike shop at Fineshade Woods and Andrew from the Grounds bike shop came out to help me. It was wonderful service as I needed a new chain. All sorted in the time it took to have a coffee!
He even cleaned my bike...well actually Andrew decided to clean it before fixing it. Don't blame him the bike was quite disgusting!!!
Silly boys playing in the woods
Probably putting the world to rights
We have many unscheduled lie downs
My return to racing coincided with our club, Rockingham Forest Wheelers, hosting a round of the Leicestershire Cyclocross League at our home venue of West Glebe Park. It takes a lot to put a cross race on. We did a lot of prep the day before and were back at "The Wessie," at 6am for final course prep before the racing started! One of the things we were treated to was a great fry up at the Hungry Hossee Now I'll eat avocados on toast and all manner of sophisticated foods but there's something you can't beat about a proper fry up washed down with several cups of strong tea (Corby so best not call it a full English!)
Highly recommended
It's a very full day
Started in the dark on Sunday morning
Grey day!
Getting set up
After barely keeping the kids races under control and cheering on some of the talented youngsters who attend Corby Capers, it was time to get ready for the race. A quick practise lap showed me course conditions could be tricky but as we know West Glebe so well there was nothing too tricky!
I was gridded near the back for the race near my usual rivals Ian and Chris. Then boom the whistle went and I went off like a rocket. By the first corner I'd made up about 20 places. As we passed the pits on the first lap my clubmates were surprised to see me hot on the tail of Phil and Graham. Not sure what was going on but long may it continue. Well it didn't continue because I stacked it a couple of times and then my bike got so clogged I dropped my chain and couldn't get it back on. That meant running about a third of a lap carrying my bike and I lost a lot of the places I gained with my start. No matter, I had a great race for me. My only aim was not last place and I smashed that out of the park! When I finished I had a little cry. In July I thought I'd never ride my bike again, let alone race. After the v50 race we got stuck into supporting the seniors and v40. The team spirit in the pits looking after our mates was even better than the race for me. Then we tidied the whole place up and finished not long before 6pm. A very long, tiring but ultimately rewarding day!
The next Sunday I headed out to Grace Dieu for the final race of the season. I used to have a much bigger car but I will say my Mum's old Golf does a great job with all the stuff I need on race day!
Surprising space
Bikes on the back
The trailer always gets approving comments from the Cyclocross community
25L of water, tools, pump and jet wash are race day essentials!
I won a helmet!
Me in action
I like this so much it's my Facebook profile picture
So in the final race of the season I once again felt super strong. I think it must be all the fresh veg from the allotment. Another good start saw me shoot through the field. In the picture above the rider behind me was gridded 9 places ahead of me at the start. With a bit of luck and probably better tyre choices I could have had a few more places but I have to say I was delighted with 26th out of 35 riders. I think that might be my best result ever. Seems a real shame the season is over. As ever the club camaraderie made my day. To top it all I won a really good helmet in the raffle for our event at West Glebe! Hopefully I won't land head first on this one like I did in the first round of last years Friday Night Summer Series. That's my next race focus, FNSS starts in May!
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Yesterday I managed to get out for a long overdue ride with the Cyclasylum lads. There was only 7 of us so I need to get back soon to catch up with the rest of the lycra legends.
Church at Sywell - typical in every village in Northants
Me and my shadow
Beautiful day
Great coffee stop in Brixworth
Yum
Great to be out on the quick bike
As ever the ride banter was good. Before I met up with the group they'd had an issue with an unexpected patch of ice near Pytchley. Nigel had taken a tumble and ripped up his gloves and tights. However cycling makes people tough and he carried on for the whole ride. At the coffee stop a hot debate commenced regarding chocolate. In a very strange group I was the only person who doesn't like a bounty bars. I thought every Christmas tub of Celebrations finished when only the bounties were left...not for the cyclasylum lads! Andy P and I agreed that the world is poorer for a lack of Texan bars!!!
This morning I got a quick spin in around Pitsford water. I needed 21km to finish my weekly goals so I got out early to get that done. Not before I'd woken the street up by setting off the garage alarm again!!! I drive my parents mad with this...I was sure I'd turned it off...there's a high chance I actually turned it on!
In other news it's been a great month for dog walking. The weather has been typically horrible for January but the dogs and I don't care!
Snow
Kingsthorpe John the Baptist Chuch
Walker's Mill
Brampton Valley Way
Harlestone Firs
Family is incredibly important to me and today we had a lovely Sunday lunch. In addition to my Parents and my Nan we were joined by my son, daughter-in-law and the star of the show my Granddaughter Ted (Ava) I'll let the pictures speak for themselves!
Finally it would be rude of me not to mention that the mighty Northampton Saints playing many inexperienced teenagers overcame a supposedly star studded Leicester Tigers team. If Carlsberg did weekends...
I'll just leave this here!
Happy Pedalling!