Gorrick 6

This weekend was a free weekend from ranking races so an ideal opportunity to really hurt myself during the week without compromising performance in important events. Following on from the national at Wasing on Sunday I rode to work on Monday incorporating spin-ups and sprint intervals, Tuesday I went out with a local road club for a couple of hours after work and pushed myself on the climbs and pretty much dragged them around the west Oxfordshire country side, Wednesday was the Burford TT which I blogged about last time, Thursday I played a hockey match for a mixed team from Oxford Hawks and Friday I rode to work again. Friday night was a work leaving party leading on to a college party so got in at about 1.30. With a sore head and very little sleep I dragged myself out of bed to go out with the Witney Grupetto. We did 65 miles with some pretty serious hills (I know, I didn’t think that existed in Oxfordshire either, but apparently the do!) My trusty Garmin 305 said I burned over 3000 calories! Not bad on a bowl of crunchy nut corn flakes, a piece of toast and 750ml of Bikefood energy drink!


Sunday was the final round of the Gorrick Spring Series, because of the timing of races I entered open rather than sport. That way I could be at home before I would have finished the sport race, and still got to see terminal pot hunter and fellow Witney Wheeler Neil Jonson on the series podium in the masters cat. The race started on tarmac but quickly dived into the trees for miles of very sweet singletrack interspersed with fireroad and a few knee bursting climbs. I got a slow start and got through the first section of singletrack in about 15th, the pace wasn’t epic and I was getting pretty frustrated being held up. I finally got some clear air in front of me and spent the rest of the race chasing down the riders who got a clean start. I ended up 3rd and only 22 seconds off the winner which left me feeling frustrated rather than happy because I think I had enough left to have caught them both.


Still, a reasonable performance considering the work I have done this week and my first ‘podium’ of the season despite dropping down to open and there not actually being a podium! My lap times would have put me 4th or 5th in sport too so definitely improving! I am looking forward to a relaxing end to this week in preparation for Sundays Midlands Champs.