Woolly Mamil round 3

Woolly mamil round 3

Pre-Race
Another miserable Saturday weather wise. I don't know what I've done to the weather gods on Saturdays but the last three have been shit! I had some porridge for breakfast then took my son to the café in Lichfield which has a play area for him to run round and enjoy. I feel bad Saturdays as most of his and the wifes day is took up with me racing, so I try to spare as much time with them in the morning to make up for it. Last week we established I didn't eat enough before the race (porridge & banana), and that's why I blew out straight away. This week I decided to eat a lot more, at the café I ordered coffee and jam on toast, back home I had a bit of pasta and veg not to much though. Travelling to stourport is a bloody nightmare with the roadworks on the m5 so we leave at little early to make sure we have plenty of time when we get there. As usual first thing I do is sign on, get my number and look down the sheet so how many others are racing. I knew the two chaps who blew it apart wouldn't be there as they had moved up to cat 3 and was racing in the E/1/2/3, which I stopped and watched for a short while. There was 24 signed up for the race but only 20 started. Warm up consisted of me riding the bike up and down the road for a short while.
Me and Dave having a chat at the front.



Race
I managed to start at the front this time and after the talk from marshals we were off. First lap I was on the front, I thought was going on back there has there been a crash? I take a quick look behind and Toms sat on my wheel and the rest of the peloton sat behind. This isn't normal for me to be setting the pace. I let Tom come round and he told me to just watch I don't do to much. Around Lap three a chap from wolvo wheelers tried to jump off the front. It was Giulio the man with his own fan club at the one herping bend. I got hot headed and jumped to the front to chase but was told to leave him out there so I obliged. After two laps he was brought back and another guy tried to jump but again he was left out there a few laps and brought back. For the next 20 odd minutes it was a case of some one trying to jump off then been brought back. The 5 laps to go sign goes up, this is a new experience for me ive not been in the main group when the sign goes up. Its mayhem in the group some riders trying to get to the front in the most idiotic ways. The one guy was on the grass trying to find a gap that wasn't there, just silly. Three laps to go and on the climb to where the finish line is, I made sure I got to the front group. By the time we approached the bend at the bottom the group swelled at the front again. It was so hard to get in the front 10. Last lap and I got onto the last bend around 10th, Up the rise to the finish I managed to sprint a made a couple of places. I think if my positioning was better in the last corner it could of gone a lot better.
Lucky me dad turns up to get the great snaps


After-Race
This was my best race by far! I felt good going round and didn't suffer that much. In the peloton there was good banter going on and most riders road with good respect. I come 8th which Is still a surprise now. After the last two weeks I thought I would be lucky to score any points this year never mind after three races. Ive booked on for the last race in the series now so it would be nice to grab a few more points before the summer season starts. I think eating more the day before and on the day really helped out too. If your thinking of getting into racing and want to try it out then try this race out. its organised brilliantly and the course is great.

Double chin at the end! nice


FTP
Quick note on my ftp result in the week, I managed to get my ftp up to 276w a lot better than last time I done it, the training is working.


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