Monday, August 11, 2003

And the results;
Event 7 800m Handicap
1 69 Malcolm Coghill Birmingham CC 00:56.31
2 52 Joe Rowe Wyre Forest CC
3 84 Alex Jackson Solihull CC
4 76 Steve Mountford Solihull CC
Monday.
Well I have finally won a race. My first win since winning the club '10 in 1988. It was a good win, the 800M handicap sprint on Friday at Halesowen. I had a 140 M handicap, the next guy was about 10M behind me, and then at 10M intervals, 6 rode. I went off flat-out, I knew if I opened a gap no-one could close on me, and I did win ! Then there was a horrific crash in the next sprint, a guy came down on his face when his forks broke. In the 15 lap points I just dawdled round, didn't feel at all like mixing it, in the 25 lap I had a go at the end but was outside the points, I knew I could have ridden better so went home feeling frustrated, even though I had a win !
Saturday, eeooh, what a scorcher ! 34C max ! I mowed the lawns first thing and sweated ! Then went to watch the Kierin champs at the track, Rob's girlfreind came and sat next to me and we chatted & I had a pint of lager. Very pleasant, but a touch too hot.
Did a short slow spin in the afternoon, Hopwood etc. Then went and bought lots of cheap lager from Kwik Save & drank it in the garden. Well, after the horrible hot day I knew I would be crap in the race on Sunday, so a fill of lager could hardly make it worse.
And Sunday, collected Peter and off to Bredon Hill. sure enough, on the first lap I felt wretched, not only was it damp and hot and very humid, we whizzed through twisty villages with lots of cars etc, I don't like that, I don't feel safe and it seemed busier than last year. I just slowed after 10 miles, carried on another lap, the next 2 races passed me. I stopped and sheltered from the rain, talking to the woman that watches on a mtb with tatoos, then plodded on and picked blackberries when a small group of stragglers came past. I jumped on and we did the last 2 laps. Steady through-and-off, training really. Then at the finish it pissed down, thunder and lightening ! Got well and truly drenched. Took Peter home, then home felt crap after the heat. Had a lie down & did yoga, recovered so out and got a bottle of wine. Ho hum.
Now its Monday moring and the evil reality of work has seeped into my conciousness.