Hill Climb's Part 2 and Start of Winter Training

The weekend after the Catford and Bec CC hill climbs I did a 60 mile Surrey League RR at Ottershaw. I was pretty up for the race and desperately wanted a win for the season. I attacked loads and bridged across to every break but it all came together as nothing would stick. I was shattered coming in to the finish after my attacks and did poorly in the sprint. It was my first proper race on my Sigma so the position felt a bit different to my giant but it was ok. My legs felt pretty good.

The next weekend I had the National Hill Climb Champs up in Matlock. We went up a few days before for a half term break and got to see some of the peak district.

The day before I did a recce of the course. It was brutal! The road was so poorly engineered. It just went straight up.

On race day I started off slow on my first split but picked up towards the end. I probably could have gone faster by shifting up a few gears at the finish and sprinting instead of sitting in the saddle. The two guernsey riders beat me as well as a Hill Climb specialist Adam Pinder. It was a consolation though that the guernsey riders didn't even finish the national RR. I really need to work on my anaerobic power!

I will put a video of the race up soon but my dad is processing it.

Afterwards I had an ODP selection camp in Bakewell. I was quietly confident as I hadn't had any time totally of the bike as I had to go to physio appointments and such like. I was in better form than everybody else which made me very happy after being beaten in the hill climb last Sunday. I wasn't crap, just my anaerobic power. I will be doing lots of 2-3 minute all out intervals when I am coming into the season.

Simon Yates and Ben Dunn stood out as the strongest riders out of the bunch (excluding ODP). I don't know whether it means much though as it is november. A few people were out with race wheels and bikes for that extra edge. Selection camps are pretty strange.

I headed up to edinburgh to see my Grandparents. I did a mtb ride around Glentress which was great fun but a bit cold (it was snowing at the top). My descending was abysmal.

The next weekend I did a mtb race for fun (it is off season). I rode the sport section and won! Hooray. It was very muddy by the time we went round. My lap times were similar to the experts so I will go into that category next time. I really enjoyed it so I think I will do mountain biking early season.

picture- http://www.flickr.com/photos/joolzed/2999381270/in/set-72157608615941174/

That makes 2 wins this season. 1 mtb race, and my school cross country race, that I totally dominated.

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