Summary of my year:
No riding in January... started logging rides properly on Strava in February and I started racing end of April/May time, started off in D/C grade. Found it mega hard to begin with despite having what I thought was pretty good fitness. I was riding 35-40k solo rides 2/3 times a week before I started to race.
Took me 2-3 months before I was upgraded to B grade in the middle of winter, most races in winter are a little longer with more climbing which suited me better. I struggled to keep up on the flats, did a metric century handicap race where I got a really bad handicap and got dropped after only 30 minutes. Just missed out on going under 3 hours which I was a bit disappointed with but rode most of it solo.
I went on holiday in August and hurt my back straight after at work so I went back to C grade as I did almost 2-3 weeks off the bike.
Got back into B grade at the end of Sept time, after 2/3 weeks of suffering I was able to keep up. Got dropped in the Western Div B grade road race in the last 5km
Started riding my rollers more to help build power for the flat as that's where I was struggling.
Bought my Cervelo in October and it was amazing compared to my Giant. Instantly boosted my performance and I was keeping up in B grade OK. Even shaved my legs to celebrate, tanned lean muscles look so much better than massive velcro sticks! Since buying it I've never been outside the top 5 in the club races!
Came back to the UK in November and fell off first time out on the Giant taking all the skin off my leg. Little bit silly really, but healed OK, just have several scars as a reminder...
Raced the Western Div Criterium in December, hoping to improve over my placing in the road race. Ended up finishing 4th in a sprint finish, the three above me have all moved up to A grade now. Had a big handicap race before Xmas, went in with the fast B grade group (with some of the guys who beat me a few weeks before), kept up OK and was happy with how I raced doing more than my fair share on the front, photos below.
Since then been away but kept up riding, 50km this morning and set a load of new PR and improvements, either the week and a bit of easier riding helped, or doing some weights, either way I'm not complaining.
Just over 6500km for the year, if I'd ridden in January and taking into account the other month I took off through holiday/injury I'd have probably done another 1000km. 56500m climbing and 210hrs total on the bike.
Next year I'd like to aim to do 200km+ a week and try to make the jump to A grade, at the moment its closer to 150km on average due to work commitments. To do 200km+ I'll have to do several mornings of 50k and then a couple of evenings of roller work, plus race on the weekend.
I'm not sure if joining a gym to do static weights would benefit me or not. Would be good when I'm back too late to ride, or its too hot etc, not sure I'd get the benefit of the money spent.
Purchase of the year, aside from the new bike as that's a given; probably buying my rollers. I have the Elite AL13 with variable resistance, I've been able to train quite well on them and it's easy to notice improvements and ride a set pace.
Dud of the year for me, probably the Endura 3/4 length winter bibs. The fit was never amazingly good around the groin area, and the zip up the front a little pointless. Ended up ripping them when I crashed in England so they went in the bin and I'll look elsewhere to replace them in winter.
Few racing pictures, I'm in the Garmin jersey (matching the Team to the Bike
)
I make a nice big hole in the wind to follow!
Cresting a small climb.
Coming through to do a turn on the front.
