Don't Look Back

Some of the serious racing cyclists I know can provide a pedalstroke-by-pedalstroke commentary on the races they've done. I, however, am only ever left with a hazy impressionistic view. Today's race was hard and fast and I loved it.

To be fair, I can recall a few specific moments:

1. The start. Someone set off like a bat out of hell. They were dropped on the 2nd lap.

2. Finding my groove. It was a pretty good group of girls, and with the pace much faster than last week I couldn't afford to be timid and have to play catch-up out of the corners. Pretty early on I nailed a tight inside line to move up a few places through the fast left-hander just after the short, sharp hill and suddenly remembered what it felt like to get that weight down on the outside pedal and really lean the bike. Warrick would've been proud.

3. With 3 or 4 laps to go, I was on the front of the group just coming to the end of the start/finish straight when my team-mate Jenny launched an attack from what must've been 4 or 5 places back. I wasn't strong enough to jump away with her - my acceleration would've just dragged the whole group along - and the nature of the circuit plus today's wind made a successful solo-effort nigh-on impossible. If only someone (ideally another Dynamette) had gone with her, I was in a perfect position to delay the organisation of a chase.

4. The last lap - coming over the hill for the last time, my mate Charlie (who's a 1st Cat. female racer and was one of the experienced riders "chaperoning" us around the course) encouraged me, "C'mon Kim, get up there! You can out-sprint all these girls!"

But the rest of the race is a bit of a blur.

There were about ten of us (of 17 starters, I think) still together entering the finishing straight on the last lap. Part of Warrick's advice for racing at Chersey was just to "try something"! It's not like it's a championship race that I've been preparing for all year; it's a season-opener Surrey League race, so why not just try something? If it works great, if not, I've learned something.

So I tried something and started my sprint - earlier and with a more definite purpose than last week when I only sprinted because I couldn't believe that the girls in front of me weren't pulling away as the finish line drew near. But if I left it too late last week, I went too early this week.

Or did I?

I have to admit that I thought it a doomed effort and so came around the group and back to the left side in front of them, thinking that another Dynamo might get on my wheel if I didn't last to the line. But I got a gap to begin with, and then when I thought, "I wonder if I still have a gap?" and looked behind me, of course the group had closed-up and I eased off thinking, "What's the point?"

Replaying the finish in my mind a couple of hours later, I realised that, at that point, I should have instead gritted my teeth, got out of the saddle, and really sprinted for the line. I feel now that I could have, but in reality the fact that I didn't even register where I finished, let alone who came first after all, makes me think that I had been riding out of my skin and just went pop. Or in another replay scenario, I think about how it might've been much different if, when I first went, I'd really committed to the sprint and switched out to the right instead. That would've been a proper sprinter's move!

So the last race I went too late, this time I went too early, next time I'll get it juuust right! And I might actually get good at this if I do some specific training.

I'm not looking back!

An unexpected result!

My very first cycle race ever was in February 2006, one of the Surrey League beginners' races promoted by London Dynamo at the MOD Chertsey/Qinetiq test track. Every year, the Surrey League racing season begins with these 2 weekends of racing where, alongside the main E123 handicap race, they run a beginners' 4th Cat. race and a race for 3rd and 4th Cat. women. Two years ago, the women didn't have a separate race and there were only three of us among 50-60 novice men. I was off the back before the first corner and just rode around on my own, practising cornering and attacking the hill, until it was time to stop.

Chertsey - Then

Last year, there were 10 women and we had our own race. I managed to keep up with the bunch for 2 laps until I was dropped and then rolled around with a clubmate until it was time to stop. A couple of others had punctures or mechanicals and dropped out, so I managed to finish in the points.

This year, 13 women started and I was pretty sure I would finish near last. But I managed to keep up all the way 'round and then sprinted to 3rd on the line - my best result ever!

Chertsey - Now

On reflection, I inadvertently rode a pretty smart race. Thinking that I wouldn't be in contention for even a top-half placing, I just hung out in the group and stayed away from the front. It was only on the last lap that I shifted into the big ring, thinking I would need it to have any chance of keeping up when the pace lifted. Around the final corner and into the long finishing straight I got onto the wheel of one of the girls I thought would win it. My two clubmates, who I knew were strong, were sprinting away ahead of us as the finish line approached and, waiting for the rider in front of me to kick, I feared I was going to end up boxed in. But a little look around revealed there was no one in sight to my right, so I went out, overtook the fading remnants of the group I'd been cruising behind and, somehow, incredibly, missed 2nd place by a tire-width.

If only I'd believed I could do it, I might've won it.

I've already asked Warrick about the best place on the circuit to launch an attack. Now if I can only get him to stop making fun of the way I "corner" and give me some useful advice, I might have a chance next week!