A largely positive spin on a day in Kielder Forest, yes indeed sports fans a positive report from an event. Verity and I travelled up the night before, we had discussed camping but on waking Saturday morning we were very glad that we had stayed in a hotel as it was -1 and I had to defrost the van. The drive to the start was an easy hour from the hotel and everything was fine until in the traffic waiting to get on site. Small issue really and easily mitigated by me walking up the hill to sign on while Verity parked the van. Having tested the bike well on Thursday and given my luck with valves ..read more

sadly I’m not really. However I did have a great weekend down in Marlborough for the Salisbury Gravel event. I use the word great but challenging may be better. Got done on my booking.com booking with no contact from the agent and then had to get a hotel. I don’t even want to try to explain this but I seem to have lost my money. We got a hotel and met up with Matt L and Kathy for coffee where once more we fixed the world. Nah we just talked rubbish for an hour. Verity and I had a good few hours on the bike going to visit the Avebury Stones. This was fun some of which was caused by my navigatio ..read more

Sadly it’s been anything but good. I’ve followed up the chest infection with a couple of cracked ribs and a cold. Add to that bad news in the family, challenges at karate and all in all 2024 can do one. That said, I did promise an update, so here we are in mid-March, and this is what things look like. No running goals, being ill or injured, I didn’t rejoin my club or Welsh Masters. Run less than 100 miles and all with my dog. The bike is where it is for me, at least until mid-May. Mainly, this will be gravel with focus on the UCI Gralloch event May 18th. To support this, I’ve entered 2 gravel ..read more

the blog that wrapped up the Cyclo-cross season with stories of great results at Nationals instead it’s going to be a rapid update of racing while ill, thinking I was better and how it all ended with a trip to Scotland to watch the racing. We started with a trip to NWCCA for Betley Court and not being called to grid but managing to ride from the back row to 10th, sadly this is the highlight of the blog and I am so disappointed with it that I don’t want to dwell on it beyond saying I won’t be signing up for this league next for personal reasons. The day after I thought I had a bit of a head col ..read more

I’ve just arrived at my season break point. When I say arrived the simple fact was due to a Christmas party and no local races due to it being a National trophy weekend I was presented with an opportunity to get the bikes serviced and just spend some time just training. There is lots to talk about and I shall try to piece it all together through this blog. This blog will cover Novembers races ending at the West Midlands Champs which were early December but whose really minds that ? First up was another trip to the NWCCA for round 5 , due to my inability to do the early rounds and their approac ..read more

I’ve waited until now to do my first CX proper CX blog of the year as I wanted to get a good selection of races under my belt and Saturday was the first of a handful of National Trophy races I plan to do before the Nationals which are in FALKIRK of all places. It wasn’t the best start to my season with an array of Mechanicals and a body failure in my first 2 races which saw me struggle to get inside the top 30. It is early season and I am at the back of the grid but safe to say this was not the start I was looking for. I remember sitting at home after more bike issues and my calf going pop at ..read more

First things first, I was as has been the norm for gravel events under trained. I have just failed time and time again to do the longer weekend rides. To be clear I am not saying I was out of shape, I am just saying I was not in 2 to 3hrs of hard charging shape. Why does this matter? It doesn’t really but during a crazy period I had decided that as I wouldn’t win the Masters I may as well enter the OPEN event and have a go at avoiding being lapped by the pro riders. This made my race nearly 50 miles so most likely 2.5hrs of racing. It was a glorious day and I was most amused as I put on Suntan ..read more

I know, how did that happen ? So , there has been planning. Entered 2 leagues West Mids and North West I also plan to do a few rounds of National league and Nationals which are in Falkirk. For anyone who doesn’t know, I went to High School in Falkirk. It is not a place I travel to on a regular basis. There has been preparation. Old Crux upgraded to 12 speed Sram Axs to match my Northroad. New mud tyres, these spend a lot of time getting used so the same on both bikes. Tyre prep, all wheels looked over, valves fixed, cassettes replaced. Currently there are 4 wheels sat with their first coat of ..read more

My blogging struggles continue, with work not being great and me not racing much blogging about random stuff isn’t my style. That said, I rode a good 10 on the North Road Ares which now has road bars on it. Had great plans to ride it more but a holiday and crap weather means I have another TT tomorrow and haven’t ridden the Ares at all in-between!! As a family we went to Gran Canaria for a week, anyone who knows me will know what a big step this was. No car, no vast selection of bikes and spending time relaxing sitting on a beach, playing in the sea etc. You know a family holiday ! However, I ..read more

Yes you read this correctly I was back in Scotland in the same forest I had been in for the Gralloch. This time it was a Glorious Gravel Sportive and I had signed up for 77 miles. Yes a sportive it was NOT a race. That said I was here with a plan and wanted a hard effort. Northroad CX bike with 35mm Pirelli Cinturato gravel M at 30psi. 1.5litres of lucozade. Front bag , waterproof, arm warmers and long fingered gloves, rear bag had the kitchen sink guide to spares. Our model is in a Gabba and Rivelo gravel bibs. Fuel carried was 12 gels, a bag of protein ball nibbles and an OTE bar. My plan wa ..read more