For several years I have ridden my bike and arguably ridden it well. In comparison to other riders in the area I considered myself as an “also-ran” with flashes of brilliance a couple of times a year. Whether that’s a self belief thing or the fact I enjoy helping team-mates more than a hunger for my own glory was always in question. I think the latter in recent years as the reality of that illusive win seems to get further away year by year.
From an overweight (18-stone) “Lard Man” 15 Year old riding in my Stephen Roche Replica short sleeved jersey and cycling shorts in the depths of winter I always enjoyed riding my bike. I never fitted in with the usual mainstream sports at school, always the last person to get picked, mainly down to my size and lack of competitiveness.
Then I Joined Great Yarmouth CC and attended their club rides – my first 50-miler left me crippled for days! The usual order of events was to ride in the group until 10 miles to fo and then smash it with the racing boys home. I was asked by Nick Dye, who’s no longer with us, whether I liked pain. I replied “yes”….and there was my introduction to bike racing.
I rode any event possible, from 10-50 miles time trials to Criterium racing with no real idea on how to train. I just rode my bike and got my butt kicked each Sunday. Simple! Brian White, an cycling veteran was my mentor, he used to take us to every race he did, getting up at 4am on some Sundays just to get to some dodgy time trial a hundred miles away. He used to work for a local sandwich firm so we always had a plentiful supply of food after each race!
From there was a controversial move to Velo Club Baracchi. I’d ridden for GYCC for several years but always (unofficially) chased breaks down and rode for the Red, White & Blue of VCB. One day, at the Redgrave Road Race near Diss I was asked by their head coach, Ian McCluskey, why I should just moved across the following year as I was always riding for them anyway….so I did. I left a cycling club who had faith in me organising and leading their road race contingent, hence the controversy. But I had to do what I had to do to progress my own cycling.
The next few years were amazing, as a lowly 3rd category rider with limited talent I became a contender. With Ian’s training plans followed to the letter I actually had a bit of talent as well. A couple of wins at Eastway (now Lea Valley) and numerous top-10’s I was well respected amongst the local peleton. I could time trial as well – PB’ing every year in distances from 10-100 miles. So much so I made a clean sweep of all the trophies at the VCB awards night one year. 10, 25, 30, 50, 100, Short Course BAR, Club BAR and Road Race Trophy and “Rider Of The Year” award. I think I mayhave got the Freewheeling Trophy too due to my weight which never really fluctuated – still an admirable 14 stone!
With new blood coming into the club I played the team-mate role and assisted those with that raw “Winner” mentality. I would enjoy chasing down breaks and blocking any moves that would jeopardise a VCB result. Whilst still being consistent with my own results I would gain & maintain my 2nd category licence for nearly a decade. This was noticed by a new club in the area and along with several other riders in the area we were all called to a meeting in Wroxham one October evening.
Stradasport – a new version of the Rennrad Cycling Club of old was formed. Several 2nd cat riders with a vision from the manager – David to win the Eastern Road Race League. And a plethora of 3rd & 4th category riders also waiting in the wings ready to wear the Green livery in local races. We were unstoppable, each race that following year was tactically executed and several wins notched by this new club from Norfolk. The year after that the vision was achieved (and ever since then in fact). My role was clearly as support in ensuring a result for Strada was the ONLY outcome.
I was getting older, new faster blood was coming in, the vision was changing from 2nd category riders to Juniors at a National level which I was asked to support. The theory was great but I felt I had another couple of good years in me to race my own races. I had also moved back from Norwich to Lowestoft and had started riding with VCB again and my best mates Titch & Gentry so the decision to quit Stradasport was made. The cloud over this move back to VCB was made worse by people who felt the need to make it worse by suggesting my move was because of something more sinister. But…this blog is not the place nor is this the time to go into that.
With my attention to others’ performances in my last year of Stradasport I dropped my 2nd category licence back to being a 3rd cat so that was my first thing to do with VCB, and so I did with relative ease the following season. The pinnacle of which was my 2nd place at VCB’s promotion which gave me enough points to go back up to being a 2nd cat. I was back, back where I needed to be, physically & mentally, with like-minded friends.
Last year (2017) was all about consolidation, to remain a 2nd cat as if to prove the previous decade was not a fluke. At 45 years old maintaining a 2nd cat licence proved alot harder than I imagined and a few flashes of brilliance (I’m still not sure if it was bravery or stupidity) at the National Masters Champs saw me take 5th place and confirm my 2017 season as successful.
In the whole year of 2017 I had got my butt kicked more times than I could possibly imagine. Both in training & in racing. My first race lasted 3 minutes – blown out the back up the first hill only to trundle around the next 40 miles on my own or in groups of ones or twos. A horrible day out and plenty to reflect on. A week later I was in the finishing sprint to take a top-20 spot – how things have changed in a week! This was how it was all year, one minute being the nail, the next being the hammer. But mostly being the nail.
The Reality.
I’m a year older. More injuries. More youngsters out there half my age, half my weight and twice my talent. I still find myself with the drive to perform but maybe not in the Eastern Road Race League on a weekly basis – i’ll leave that to the youngsters! Instead i’ll ride with my mates in DAP CC – a new club in the area with guys just wanting to have some fun on bikes, do a few local races low-key mind, a few time trials and have a go at the Triathlon Circuit in 2018. Sprints mostly with one or two Halfs in there and an Ironman at the end of the year…..that’ll keep me busy!
