January 2026 - Great start to the year and a successful return to racing

 

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!

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!

Starting 2026 as I mean to go on

This blog will from now on focus on my outdoor activities. Mostly cycling but also running, my allotment, walks and maybe a bit of fishing. I will not be discussing personal events of the last six months. If you're curious DM me and I'll fill in the gaps!

In May I was in a Friday Night Summer Series Race at Northampton bike park. As is traditional in these blogs I wasn't fit enough to keep up with the other super humans...I was having fun though and was sending it as hard as I could off every jump! Then I cased a table top, smacking the far edge with my rear wheel...it might have helped to have my dropper down but I never remember to do that! I landed on my head at speed from height. I got straight up to witness people absolutely shitting themselves running at me and telling me to sit down! After a few minutes of being checked out they allowed me to walk to the first aid station. The look I was getting from people suggested I looked worse than I felt. I drove myself to A&E where they assessed the living daylights out of me and with much puzzlement discharged me with nothing more than gravel rash. There's quite the scar on my left leg. I got away with one here! I think my POC helmet did it's job so well I was saved from either concussion or a serious head injury! I'll be buying another one of those. Pictures below of my wrecked kit!!!

I got back on the horse and did a couple more races before I got ill in July. The love and support from the local cycling community was immense. "Great to see you back so soon Rich!" I want to particularly mention Will Gell here. That young man is an awesome cyclist. He is wise beyond his years in terms of supporting others. In short he is a credit to the local cycling community!

Then I got ill. Like I said it's not for discussion here but if you DM me I will use my discretion and share as is appropriate to our relationship.

I got back on the horse in September. I started with running, got back into parkrun and then built up my cycling. The weird thing was when I started sharing my story at least half the people I talked to had similar experiences. I know I should know this as a mental health professional BUT there's a lot of it about!!!

My first ride back was to go to the Rockingham Forest Wheelers Thursday mountain bike ride at Wakerley and Fineshade woods. These rides were started by Alan Brown and I've barely missed a Thursday within 3 years. We have a core of regular riders meaning there's usually at least 4 of us and it can grow to 8 or so. Not bad when you consider most people are at work! I've kept up with this since and it's the ride I look forward to more than anything else!

I haven't done a Cyclocross race yet. I intended to make my comeback at Kenilworth Boxing Day Cross but didn't get in. About half of the RF Wheelers got a starting place...so the rest of us...armed with Belgian ales, made camp on a hill near the bomb hole and had the time of our lives supporting team mates! 

We were loud and proud. Others around us got involved. It was the perfect way to spend Boxing Day. I'm so proud to be a member of this club which encapsulates the best of the nearby Corby spirit: family, friendship, and "in it together!"

Another club I have reconnected with is the Cyclasylum. The Kettering based lads, whose name mean that collectively we are a sanctuary against the stresses of modern life. They are more fun than a box crammed full of concentrated fun! They keep me entertained via a whatsapp group and in my health care dominated work world I get a needed dose of boy time. It's like the middle aged Inbetweeners at times!!! I joined them for a great off road ride! Big shout outs to all in Cyclasylum - I love you lot!!!

Traditional Inglorious Basterds picture!

I have competing demands but one of my New Years resolutions is to get out with this lot at least once a month. You will never laugh more than with the Cyclasylum on an off road ride. The road rides are pretty special too!

One of the best rides of the year was the RFW away day to Cwncarn. Huge thanks to Steve Coombs for organising, providing technical expertise and riding advice AND for driving us all down there. The place is great. Horrible hard climbs followed by a glorious views and exhilarating descents. 

In Octber I took part in the C.A.L.M. (Campaign Against Living Miserably) 5K every day for October. I ran loads and on the 31st I decided to go out with a bang and run from Market Harborough to home, around 25km. I was supported by my Thursday morning MTB buddy Gaz. He rode alongside me all the way home. It was too far for my running ability! I got to 18km no problem and then my feet fell apart! They haven't been the same since. I've just got back into Parkrun, just in time to get Malcom, who I've been friends with for 46 years into the weekly 5K runs. I'm a huge fan of Parkrun. It's way much more than just running. I'm also proud of my Mum for doing her first Parkrun on Christmas day!

The stars of the show are the dogs. These fluffy heroes are my world. I love walking them every day. 

So going into 2026 I'm keen to get back into racing; both cyclocross and cross country mountain biking. I want to maintain my connections. In my darkest hour the love from my friends and family was overwhelming! There are 3 young people more important than anyone else...my kids! I also have a Grandchild. At the other end of the scale my parents and my Nan have been amazing. I think we have some great memories to make.

Out of these very Lemony Lemons I hope to make champagne standard Lemonade.

Happy Pedalling!!!