Southern XC - Wasing

The stumble into unchartered territory continues.
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Round 2 of the Southern XC series, at Wasing, was also combined with the Southern Championships so there were a lot of (extra) competitors there. How embarrassing to have my name called out to take a place on the second row of the grid .. only secured because I rode the last race at Checkendon I hasten to add. Second from left and slow off the mark !
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After some advice from friend Sarah (Carter), I had decided on a pre race plan to push (much) harder and see when I ran out of steam. The start was faster and I had seven or eight behind me early on and I overtook two more when they took the chicken run at the steep'ish drop and I just threw the ARC off the edge. 
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[action picture soon ...]
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I was was pleased with lap one and came in a shade under 26 minutes. One guy who had been hanging on behind me came past on the first short fire-road climb and, about the same time, I realised I was losing touch with the guy in front too. Laps two and three were 28:36 and 29:02 and I was overtaken by three of the Elite guys 'bimbling' round on their freakin' warm up lap - I had to smile. I did have a pit stop before lap three to change bottles and grab a gel, so lap 2 actual time was about 28:00, but by this stage I was in no man's land with no one I could catch and no one was going to catch me.
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Even though I am (relatively speaking) slow, I can't help thinking of ways to improve next time. Using 'my finish time compared to my age-group winner' formula I was bit better than last time (only 1% better though). I got there by equal portions of trying harder and failing faster, but that's OK because I really was trying harder. I have missed the quality miles since Checkendon and have some catching up to do in order to register a better improvement next time. Amazing that we can always find a way to justify doing what we want to do !
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A huge thank-you to Molly, my self-proclaimed 'Hydration Consultant', without whom I may have been even slower and who supports me in everything I do - service includes drinks, photo's and regular reality checks.
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I am off to Spain next week for the annual golf pilgrimage. I have two extra bags booked on Easy Jet - one set of golf clubs and one bike for my spare time ! The next race in the series is only three weeks away and I need to get some fast miles in before then. I have miles of undulating coastal path running south from the hotel and the SS will be in action.

In between jobs ..

With the completion of the TCL course, I am back to just riding my bike again.  
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We had a good weekend with my two brothers and managed a couple of rides at Rutland. The first was a 'boys only' trip in order to avoid the Royal Wedding and involved a full circuit but at gentle speed.
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Rest stop at Rutland - me, 'little brother' Paul, Jacko, Stacey and Carl. 
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Jacko and Stacey had a test ride on my ASR5 and loved it. Jacko and Stacey now have ASR5's courtesy of Howard and the guys at Bromley Bike. Welcome to the Tribe dudes !
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We were (all) back there a couple of days later for a social ride with the kids.
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Lucy trying to catch Molly and (other) 'little brother' Dick.
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The following Friday I finally met up with Chris Lamb for a ride on the Downs. We had a great evening out, until just after dusk, exploring Chris's local area around Patcham and Storrington with John Davies, another member of the South Down Cycle Club. 
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Chris, me and John at the Chantry post, above Storrington, before we head home for some Java. I have several Yeti jerseys and need to start wearing some of the other ones for these photographs !
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The next 'race' is in a couple of weeks and, even though I have been out on the bike quite a bit recently, I have spent some of that time practising, some time on very social family rides and very little time pushing it and getting fitter. The venue is Wasing and the event is also the Southern Championships, so I guess there will be a few more people there.