Rutland

On the friday afternoon before the race dad and i went down to the track at owston just to check it out, looking all pro in my normal clothes, helmet and shoes. The ciruit was great, it had a reasonable sized hill, a gravel section just like the real cicle classic and should be interesting in the race!



The next morning we were up brigh and early and set off again for Owston, i was feeling abit tired but i was hoping this would wear off when i got on the bike. After a warm up and a few laps etc. it was time to race, and for the longest race i have ever done. From the start i was well down as i had got a bad start because i was about 4th row back on the line. After this to make matters worse, a few laps in there was a crash which i got caught behind and then the whole race split up in to lots of small groups.

I chased for the next 7 or 8 laps just to get into a group which half killed me. Then the rest of the race was just chasing and chasing. I think a this point we were just under a minute from the front of the race due to the race spilting up. I managed to stay on to this group until about 3 laps to go when i dropped off and died completely. I was kinda happy with my race, i need to get a better start so i'm able to stay out of trouble and then end up out the back.

First race of the season. 03/04/11

After being ill for the start of the season and missing the first few races, my first race ended up being a national, brilliant. This year i moved up from u14's to u16's, where i am one of the youngest, so i knew it was going to be a very hard race! So we set off to Bristol on the Sunday morning for a lovely 3hr drive. When we got there things only got worse, the races were running about 2 hours late due to terrible organisers. The circuit was terrrible as well! a whole section of it had roots breaking through the tarmac so that there we big bumps all the way down the back straight. So finally after a further few hours of waiting around and a big down pour my heat came. There was around 40 in each of the heats and 20 would go though to the final, so that was my aim, just to get through. The pace wasn't a high as i thought it was going to be and about 15 of us got away in a group and then took it easy til the end because we knew that all of us were going to get through anyway, so i was quite relaxed after it and didn't see what all of my worrying was about! The final on the other hand was probably the quickest and hardest race i had ever been in. I only got about 1 hr after the heat to get recovered and warmed up again for the final because how late the races were running. The final was quick just about from the start right to the finish, with quite alot of unsuccesful attacks going away all time. I managed to stay in the front group of about 25, and staying up towards the front. On about 4 laps to go, there was a touch of pedals, or something between me and another rider which sent me further to the back of the group. Down the straight i then came round the outside back up towards the front. Unfortunatly was then on the outside of the track for the first corner, then got some one came of line, pushed me out onto the gravel and then down i came. First race, first crash again, brilliant. I didn't come away too badly, just with mashed up hands, and a few big grazes on the left side of my body, bike was fine though which i was very relieved about! But the day wasn't all a failure, i now know were i stand in pace wise to the other lads which is good, i just can't wait for ilse of man where theres hills which is what i love the most! :) i cant find any photos of my at the moment but when i can i will upload them with this. :)