It has been an eventful couple of weeks since we got back from Italy. It emerged that Jules had not yet sold his Lapierre Pro-Race frame and, whilst I had managed to stoically resist for a good few weeks, the temptation eventually became too great, all-of-a-sudden it became way too easy to justify. Having just shelled-out a bucket load of cash on sensible house, garden and furniture improvements, finances are a bit tight, but even this situation wasn’t good enough reason to overcome the “Good Sense” of “investing”… I had, at the very least, to go and have a look!
Of course any further resistance was futile, the second my eyes fell upon its naked carbon-fibre loveliness, I was doomed… I mean how else could I possibly make a 400 gram weight saving without spending a proper fortune!!!
A couple of nights later and My Lovely Little French Thing (she doesn’t have a name… yet!) is ready to rock, and the first ride doesn’t disappoint. The weight saving is obvious in the way it accelerates and climbs and it feels so much smoother than the Maxlight, clearly, a most sensible purchase.
A mid-day phone call from Piglet and an urgent message to ring back… Thursday night was going to be a big-night, Joe Breeze was going to join us for our Thursday night ride-out.
Along with Gary Fisher and Tom Ritchey, Joe Breeze is considered to be one of the inventors of modern mountain biking. He is also credited with designing and building the first proper mountain bike frames back in the mid ‘70s which he called, the Breezer Series 1.
The story of just how and why this came about is a bit unclear, but it had something to do with with a bike and the promise of a pint (if he were ever in the UK) about 10 years ago!
Joe and his son Tom, riding the first of the current spec Breezer Bikes in the UK, both gave a good account of themselves out on the trails too. Both punctured at the same spot, no worries though, when your Cycling Royalty you don’t have to worry about sorting stuff like that… even the puncture repairs became a race for glory between Piglet and SP!
What a great guy though, it was fascinating hearing about just how inventive those guys were “back in the day”, using a 1930’s factory trolley tyre,because it had an aggressive tread, and was wider than any bicycle tyre that could be bought at the time… is a stark contrast to our infinite tyre choices of today.
Note to self… don’t take your helmet off for photographs after a dusty ride!!!
Its not right having to peel yourself out of bed at 5am on a Sunday. I’m rediscovering my love of espresso at the minute, that helps keep me in trouble, the coffee grinder being one of Lizzie’s favorite early morning noises!
Sadly the lovely quiet sunny morning turned to cold and windy with a distinct threat of rain… but clearly not enough to stop me throwing by waterproof back into the car!
The Lovely Little French Thing all dressed-up for her first date... Kilnsey Main Overhang in the background... I still have nightmares about dangling upside down in a "fankle" of ropes & etriers one wet weekend eons ago, when we couldn't think of anything else to do!!!
After a bit of a warm-up I carefully selected my spot at the start, front & centre (of course) and whilst quietly wondering if I had underestimated my clothing again, memories of Italy still fresh in my mind… I noticed that the commentator was looking at me, grinning, and walking my way….
“What’s your name?”… mind goes blank… don’t think too hard JB it’s an easy question and there’s only about 600 people listening!!!!
“…and have you been training for this event?” I babble something about 24 hour racing or something… fortunately, the only girl on the front row takes his attention away from me and he sets-off to ask her some questions for the benefit of the crowd.
Finally we’re off, and I had decided the narrow gate 100 meters or so after the start could be risky, and lead the charge to it, then half a mile down the road before turning sharp right and start the first of the big climbs of the day. Its not long before the pack starts to string out and I try and settle down into the 85km race.
The descent on the other side is fast but with difficult technical sections thrown-in that, you arrive at going way too fast, there are plenty of rocky sections too, something you don’t get much practice of around Cannock Chase. I get down it ok though and manage to ride the bit that a couple of guys in front decide to carry their bikes down.
Another long and steep climb before being thrown back down the other side and this time, I get it wrong, the front wheel didn’t quite stay on top of the rut and pitched me off into the deepest part of the ditch on my right. Felt like a long way to fall but, ok, I get up and crack-on until, that is, trying to cross a well concealed rut that, simply stopped the front wheel. Meanwhile, forward momentum is converted to perfect rotation around the front axle (!) and over the bars we go... ending-up in a heap in the softish grass. Didn’t hurt… really… but this second crash totally de-tuned me for a while.
By now the wind had really picked-up and the rain had started, a lengthy section of road where, with one of the Clee Cycles team, worked well together reeling back three separate groups in front before leaving the road and heading across the moor, right into the teeth of the weather… a properly “dreich” day as we say in Scotland. The second part of this long-course loop is up a hill that was simply unrideable and became a good 10 minute carry/push, that's fine though, I made a few more places here.
At the end of this loop we re-joined the people on the shorter courses for the last couple of climbs and descents. The last feed station at 65Km and I had no need to stop, still have about half a litre left in my bottles (yes... I know, still not drinking enough!). The final descents start to see my mojo returning a bit and i', a bit of a surprised to catch a glimpse of the campsite in the distance quite so soon.
The course turn-out to be a bit shorter at 77km and for me was 4hrs 47mins.
To be honest I felt like it was a fairly lack-luster performance, particularly in the early-on but by the end I did feel like there were still a good few miles left in my legs, hopefully that could bode well for the 10 Hour race at Kirroughtree next weekend.
The published results are sadly completely haywire, a good number of people opted to cut it short in the rain, so its impossible to define final placings but it looks like it was likely to have been a 30-40 something of the 360 long course entrants.
Altitude data on the Garmin has gone loopy again in the rain!
Joe Breeze Pics courtesy of Al Piggott
Action Shot by Jon Brooke www.rightplacerighttime.co.uk
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