Inverkeithing 15/11/09
A very different race this was in the conditions that is, I arrived to have a practice lap and realised that it was going to turn into a bog so just tickled round. Once started young fast man Kenta Gallagher made a break and got away from me although not by much and I felt very good and started pulling him back, this is where I started getting bother with my rear mech.
After having to stop and try and bend the hanger back to get some gears I dropped back to forth and had one gear left! If I had been able to finish in forth then I would have been well happy but as I came round the news was that Kenta had dropped out with a broken mech!

All going fine chasing Kenta on the first laps

Not far off disaster, check the mud on the bike!!

So up to third and wishing for the last lap bell but on the second to finish lap my mech hanger gave up and that was that a DNF! I was well disappointed as I had felt like the win was on the cards. So no points at this round but still looking good in the series as you can drop 3 worst from the 10 rounds. Full report here - ScottishCycloCross.org.uk

Glenmore 02/11/09
On to Sun and the course was on the same lines as Sat but it started wet this time, after getting the holeshot on the Sat I was looking to do the same and as it went I did but just not by the same margin (second day legs!)



After the first lap I was in second with Dan Whitehead pulling a few seconds lead and that was how it stayed till the end with Dan getting the win and myself in second, not a bad weekend and great points for the series. Check out the full report here - ScottishCycloCross.org.uk

Wow 2009 what a year!
Right were was I, yes up to Round 4 of the Scottish CycloCross Season.
Here goes - Glenmore 01/11/09
This was the first of the two rounds on the weekend so staying fresh over the two days was going to be the key. The first race day dawned dry and the course was riding well as the first races got under way. Once the Senior race was ready to go the sky's were threatening but no rain yet.
The race stated and I got a fantastic start getting the holeshot and a good lead going on to the first lap.





After this the rain came down which made the course sketchy in bits but great fun also, there was even a small double jump which was great fun!! I pushed on and got the win which was fantastic and I felt strong throughout. Check out the full right up at ScottishCycloCross.org.uk

After the first CycloCross race I flew out for a week Family/Mini Training Camp which would hopefully set me up for the next few months, below is the next chapter going forward:
Lanzarote - 15/10/09 till 22/10/09
Off to sunny climes at this time of year is a bit weird as March / April is always the usual time I go, but some dry warm miles is just the ticket for getting some form for the rest of the Cross season as it runs all winter. The week I went out was spent doing shorter harder sesh's with a few 3 1/2 hours flung in to. I am a bit fatigued from the week but this should set me up for the rest of the year.
On to Mugdock park this weekend for round 3 of the SCX series and I am sure it will be slightly cooler than the 28 degrees that I have been used to this past week!

Photo from Keijo Teras

Mugdock - 25/10/09
First race back from the holiday was always going to be a shock to the system and I was expecting it to be a suck it and see how the form was. After getting back from Lanzarote I was still in holiday mode till the race because arriving at the race site I realized that I had left my kit bag at home DOH!
I had driven to the race with my warm up kit so at least I had clothes to race in, I then had to find someone to lend me a helmet and gloves. Once I blagged the pieces I needed then the racing was on!

The course at Mugdock is high on Tech so some may say it suits someone like me but I was in doubt as to my form, I might not have worried as I ripped round and bagged the win!! Spot on for my first race back and a bit of a suprise really but great.
One thing that wasn't so pleaseant was driving home in my soggy kit as I had no change of clothes after forgetting my kit bag!!
Full Report from ScottishCycloCross.org.uk

Update time
Well time for an update, long overdue you may say but I have been very busy in the shop and racing / training CycloCross for the last few months so time has been tight!
After the Grass Track season had finished I took a break and did not train till about the middle of September.
Once back in the groove my first CycloCross race was at Plean Country Park Nr Stirling and below is the small report from it:

Lactate Hour is back - Plean 04/10/09
My first CycloCross race has been and gone which was at Plean Country Park nr Stirling, this was going to be a test of my fitness which I have been building heading up to this.
As this was my first race of the year I did not want to be at my best which is exactly what happened, this bodes well for the rest of the season with a cheeky week in Lanzarote and I should race myself into form.

Photo from Torks.co.uk

So the race itself went as I expected with the usual suspects coming to the front of Kenta Gallagher, James Fraser Moodie, Me and the ever charging Paul "I've not been doing now't" McInally :) Once the race went on I faded a bit, well quite a bit! and still managed third so this is a good start which should see me get better through to the latter part of the season. A full report here: ScottishCycloCross.org.uk

Scottish Cyclo-Cross is coming!

Scottish Cyclo-Cross.com

Get Cross
Well it is just over 1 week to go to the Scottish Cyclocross season starting which I was looking forward to but will have to cool my heels until I get this back sorted. If you want to try a bit of friendly easy to get into racing off road give Cross a try and you might even get hooked.

Dates / Venue / Organising Club

1. 1st Oct /Peebles / Peebles CC
2. 14th Oct / Blairadam Forest / Dunfermline CC
3. 21st Oct / Auchentoshan /Glasgow United
4. 28th Oct / Mugdock Country Park / Glasgow MTB Club
5. 4th Nov / Glenrothes / Kirkcaldy and District
6. 11th Nov / Carron Valley / Glasgow Ivy
7. 17th Nov / Bannerman High School / SCX Association
8. 18th Nov / Gatehouse of Fleet / Glasgow United
9. 25th Nov / Dundee / Dundee Discovery CC
10. 1 & 2 Dec / Cross at the Castle, Mull / Glasgow United
11. 9th Dec / Scottish Champs, Plean / Stirling BC

A definition of Cyclo-cross from Wikipedia:

Cyclo-cross has some obvious parallels with cross-country cycling and criterium racing. Many of the best cyclo-cross riders cross train in other cycling disciplines. However, cyclo-cross has reached a size and popularity that racers are specialists and many never race anything but cyclo-cross races. Cyclo-cross bicycles are similar to racing bicycles: lightweight, with narrow tires and drop handlebars. However, they also share characteristics with mountain bicycles in that they utilize knobby tread tires for traction, and cantilever style brakes for clearance needed due to muddy conditions. They have to be lightweight because competitors need to carry their bicycle to overcome barriers or slopes too steep to climb in the saddle. The sight of competitors struggling up a muddy slope with bicycles on their shoulders is the classic image of the sport, although unridable sections are generally a very small fraction of the race distance.

Compared with other forms of cycle racing, tactics are fairly straightforward, and the emphasis is on the rider's aerobic endurance and bike-handling skills.

A cyclo-cross rider is allowed to change bicycles and receive mechanical assistance during a race. While the rider is on the course gumming up one bicycle with mud, his or her pit crew can work quickly to clean, repair and oil the spares. Having a mechanic in the "pits" is more common for professional cyclo-cross racers. The average cyclo-cross racer might have a family member or friend holding their spare bike.

Don't worry if you have not got a Cross bike as a Mountain bike will get you started.

Have Fun!

Knackered back
Well where to start, I was getting back into shape training for the kick off to the Scottish Cyclocross season when I started getting twinges in my back. The twinges started to happen more frequent about 7 weeks ago, then about 5 weeks ago the pain got that bad I am now off the bike altogether and having trouble walking and sleeping.

So fast forward to today, I have had an x-ray with nothing showing and have just had an MRI scan yesterday which I should get the results from on Mon the 1/10. Fingers crossed that they find something wrong as I am totally sick of not being able to get about properly. Speaking to the Physio he has said that it might be a bulging disc that is pushing on the nerves but until I get the MRI scan results it is guessing.
See the pic below of the strapping the Physio had me wear last week that did give me a bit of pain relief after the first few hours of excruciating pain as my back was pulled into shape.