Photo of the day - 19: Cyclocross season opener at Ardingly

Photo: Dave Hayward

After yesterday's fun-packed day of a hill climb race in the morning and Swim Serpentine in the afternoon, I was feeling a bit tired and not really in the zone to be doing a competitive bike ride. But today was the day of my first cyclocross race of the year, the London and SE League race, organised by Dougie Fox of Crawley Wheelers.

Cyclocross racers wait impatiently and avidly all through the spring and summer for the season to begin. While other folks begin to bemoan the rapidly disappearing summer (or the UK version of summer) cyclocross racers get more excited as the weather turns greyer, colder, and damper!

I had paid up for this event, and had had it marked in the diary for a few weeks, so I really wanted to go. Also, we barely had a cyclocross season last year due to the pandemic. So I wanted to make up for that this year. The only problem was that I was feeling quite sluggish and felt more in the mood to admire the nature as I tootle around, rather than eyeball my rivals through eyes of fierce competition as I pedal in anger.

In any case I went through the motions and got in the car to drive to the South of England Showground, Ardingly, where the event was taking place.

At moments like this when you aren't rearing to go your brain picks up on it and you end up getting things wrong. Firstly, I got the venue too late to be able to do a recon of the course. In fact I got to sign-on 10 minutes after it officially closed. 

Secondly, I failed to put my helmet on. I think the fact that I was wearing a hat led me to falsely believe I was wearing my helmet. When I realised the error, we had less than 5 minutes to go before the 12.30 start. I pedalled like mad back to the car and put on the correct head gear. Looking at my watch as I rode back to the start line I thought I was doing okay for time as it was 12.27 I would be able to reach the start line within three minutes. However, at 12.28 I heard the whistle go and the pack sprinted off in the distance, while I was still 50 metres from the start line! Whoops!

I think that was the adrenaline kick that I needed to get into the race, given that I was well behind the field. I didn't panic, but just rode at a steady high pace, and focused on not getting my racing lines wrong. Thankfully my summer gravel rides had helped improve my bike handling, and I was able to get over the various mounds and drops on this fast flowing course without too much problem. 

As it was a first race I just hoped to get around cleanly and not really focus on the result. I did manage to catch a few women - Monica Zamojska from Brixton Cycles, helped by the fact that she crashed on the hurdles; then Elaine Owen from De Laune CC. There was another De Laune CC woman who I caught right in the finish straight, but she was better at getting over the hurdles than I. In any case, I was pleased with how my race went, considering my rubbish start. 

For me, the main thing was how good it was to see the old faces again - Liz Orr from Kent Velo Girls, Emma Porter from Penge CC along with Wendy, a new Penge CC rider who I also saw yesterday at the hill climb. I did manage to say a few words to Caroline Reuter of Dulwich Paragon, who is still queen of the London and SE league. I had hoped to chat a bit to my old sparring partner, Suzie Wise of C&N Cycles, but she has made so much progress since the last time I saw her that she was way off in the distance. And after the race, we both got caught up talking to different people. Hopefully I will catch her (in the race and after the race!) next time. 

All in all, it wasn't a bad afternoon out, and I am actually looking forward to the next race.

Daily photo - 15: More cyclocross at Crystal Palace

The second part of my double-header weekend took place in my local area - at Crystal Palace Park. Contrary to the previous day where I had to cycle over to central London and catch a train to the home counties, today I just did a 10-minute ride up the hill. It was nice to take things leisurely in the morning.

The sketchy descent that caught many people out 

Where last year the course was based around the upper terrace of the park, this year the area used was lower down, around the area where the Tuesday summer circuit races take place. Given that this section of the park is on the sloping part of the park it meant the course was a distinct step up in terms of skills and strength.

My memory of last year's course was of long fast straights over gravel and a few short sharp climbs and descents, including one descent and climb where many people had to dismount. This year's course had a similarly tricky descent and climb, but it was not the hardest section.

There were some very testing climbs that people ended up walking/running up. There were also a few sections that had loose terrain. One such are was on a steep descent immediately after a steep climb, and contained a couple of tricky bends.

The top riders were able to ride it, albeit slowing right down to negotiate the turn, but the for the rest of us we were really caught out on it. Some people dismounted from their bikes at the first turn. Then there were others like myself, who very gingerly went around the turn, but had to try and get round those riders who had dismounted and were walking down the slope. Oh, and as if that wasn't enough there was a stake and taping to clear as well. So it was all a bit of a mish-mash. Needless to say this was a popular area for spectators, of which there were many.

The Crystal Palace round of the London and South-East cyclocross league is a popular event as it is a very nice venue, set in the historic park. The train station is right on the edge of the park so it is easily accessible even without a car. As it was a sunny day and many visitors to the park, there was also a fair amount of people out on picnics and curious onlookers. Furthermore, with lots of cafes and restaurants nearby in the Norwood Triangle riders can head up there for their post-race celebrations or commiseration.

On one occasion on the infamous descent I failed to clear the tape and just rode straight into it, snapping it in the process and almost coming off my bike. That probably provided some entertainment for people watching, and given this was my local area people recognised me so I couldn't hide behind any anonymity!

Sharing the podium with Tracy Wilkinson-Begg (1st) and
Elaine Owen (3rd) (Photo: Caroline Reuter) 

At least I wasn't alone in breaking the tape. The course marshals were kept busy constantly having to fix and re-fix this section! But hey ho, when you're so tired and heaving and dribbling you are beyond embarrassment or caring to apologise!

I ended up sparring with a woman called Kath from Dulwich Paragon. She was physically stronger than me, but I was able to pass her on the technical sections. In the end, she got the better of me on the last lap.

I think the combination of racing at Milton Keynes the previous day, plus running sessions on Saturday evening and Sunday morning had begun to take their toll on me. It was a good match though, even if I did get lapped by the winner, Kath's team-mate Caroline Reuter. The pleasant surprise was that I won second prize in the women's vet50 category.

It was nice to win back my entry fee. That money can go towards a sports massage. I damn well needed it after a weekend of putting my body through the mill. Looking forward to the next one!




Related posts
Cyclocross at Milton Keynes

Cyclocross is boss at Crystal Palace

Weekend at Cycle Expo Yorkshire, doing cyclocross and running 

One day one photo - 16: Cyclocross is boss at Crystal Palace

Cyclocross is back for the 2018/9 season (in case you hadn't noticed), and the second round of the London and SE cyclocross league was held at Crystal Palace. Yes, Crystal Palace Park in South London, close to where I live. We are accustomed to seeing road racing on the tarmacced paths there on Tuesday evenings during the summer. But cyclocross on the Crystal Palace turf is something else. I had never thought I'd see the day that Bromley Council would allow this!

Crystal Palace was the site of cyclocross racing in years gone by, right up to the mid-1980s. In fact the World Cyclocross championships were held there in 1973 and you can find vintage footage of it on You Tube.

Addiscombe Cycling Club had attempted to revive the venue for cyclocross racing about 10 years ago. Bromley initially granted permission, probably thinking it would be just another road race like the Tuesday night criterium races, or even the Tour of Britain professional race, which was held there one year. But then when someone in their parks and leisure department looked up what cyclocross actually is, they changed their minds and asked for a huge amount of bond money that the club could not afford to pay. So the plans for a cyclocross race at Crystal Palace were abandoned and venue for the league round was moved back to Penshurst Off-Road Centre, in Kent.

So when we heard that Max and Caroline Reuter had managed to secure the venue this was met with much excitement and anticipation. And the race did not fail to disappoint.

Firstly, the sun came out for us, which is always a good start - even if it's not proper cyclocross weather! But that meant that there were quite a lot of spectators who had picnics while cheering, jeering and heckling us on the tough sections!

Negotiating a tricky corner at Crystal Palace (Photo: Phil Jones)

The course was long, and a real merry-go-round. There were a few series of off-camber zigzags to negotiate, plus a spiral of doom which at times made me slightly dizzy.

The long straight sections where you could bash the pedals hard and get up some speed were pretty bumpy and threw me about a bit.

As with most cyclocross races there were hurdles to run over, but these ones were especially high to stop the showboaters from bunnyhopping them.

One have-a-go-hero did attempt to jump over the hurdles while in the saddle, but embarrassingly faceplanted right in front of some Dulwich Paragon spectators - much to their amusement.

Another section had a steep descent followed by a sharp right-hand turn at the bottom, and a steep climb which all had to be done all on foot. It's not uncommon to run up a hill with your bike, but I don't know of a time when I have had to run downhill with my bike.

It was tough work, and a bit of a balancing act, as well as taxing on the knees. Then the uphill was even tougher work. This area was known as Penge CC corner, where my non-cyclocross racing club-mates took pleasure in shouting at us, sometimes cheering, but just generally willing us along as we crawled and heaved our way up the hill before tackling and another technical descent on a camber. Oh, and did I mention that we also had a flight of steps to run up as well?

Yes, this round of the cyclocross was not boring! Funnily enough, I didn't crash at all. I had a few moments of brushing up against other riders and somehow managed to hold my space even if it meant leaning into them to keep my balance!

My race progressed in the usual way - starting off pretty much at the back, despite being gridded further up the field, using the first couple of laps to get into my stride, while riding around with an anxious face, and then half way through I become emboldened and begin to catch people, finally finishing mid-pack.

The same thing happened today, except that I caught Les Filles rider Tracy Corbett, aka TC, and just couldn't get passed her. TC seemed to have that 6th or 7th gear, to put on a spurt and stay ahead of me. Perhaps, deep down I had a thing about overtaking her, and psychologically I didn't feel comfortable about passing this rider I have known for many years and have a lot of respect for.

Every time I got close to TC I would make a mistake in my gearing or something and that would set me back. So in the end she managed to use her explosive power to get ahead of me on the straight section in the closing stages of the race, and that was me done. But it had been a nice sparring match. (Mental note to work on my psychology for next time.)

It was a good day out though. London cycling legend and cyclocross aficionado John Mullineaux was there and he captured the day's events in his write-up. Lots of folks were out photographing us too, and I like this one that Phil Jones took of me just when I was negotiating a deceptively tricky spot, on which I am proud to say I didn't stack it! Thanks Phil!

Thanks also go to Caroline and Max Reuter, plus the guys from London Phoenix and all the other volunteers who helped to put on this event, as well as ID Verde and Bromley Council for granting permission to hold this momentous event.
 

One day one photo - 15

Wednesday 24th September

Photo by John Mullineaux on London X League

The cyclo cross season has started, yay! It's one of the best ways to brighten up dull winter days and keep you fit during the off season. Actually, with hill climb competitions in full flow, a number of cyclosportives still to be done, plus various series of track cycling races is there really an off season? As dull winter days - well winter is not quite here, but this autumn has been one of the driest for decades and the cyclo cross races I've done were in warm sunshine! But who's complaining! I, and my bike, don't mind a delay to the arrival of mud!

The rankings for the London League are out and I am currently lying in 5th place (strictly speaking 4th=) in the women's competition. Great news! The thing is, that is after only 2 rounds out of 15. Given that I am not going to be in London every weekend I will not be able to contest for the top spot so I am happy to step back and give the other women a chance of claiming glory in my absence! (ha, ha - if only those words represented the reality!) It looks good to say I am in a top 5 position out of 23, but even if I were able to do the required amount of races I wouldn't be troubling any of the women in line for a podium place. The level at the London League has improved significantly since the days when I started doing cyclo cross almost 10 years ago. A number of the women from London will contest the National Trophy races. A few will even race in Europe and mix it with the heavyweights of cyclo cross in Belgium and the Netherlands. That's a good thing for women's racing. 

So, while I am unlikely to be figuring on any podium at the end of season presentations I still look forward to getting out and enjoying a good old race like I did recently at Penshurst Off Road Cycling centre. I won't necessarily be doing all the London League events but I will get out and ride in other leagues in the North-West, the East Midlands, and Yorkshire, which are all within easy reach of Macclesfield.

One day one photo - 5

Sunday 14th September

Penshurst Off-Road Cycling (PORC) centre was quite busy on Sunday, what with a large charity downhill race taking place as well as round 2 of the London Cyclo cross league. It was great news for Mike, the owner of the site, who will have received bumper takings on the day. It was also nice for us to race somewhere that had a lively atmosphere, thanks to the music, the extra cheering (even if it wasn't always for us!) and the rather entertaining costumes that the downhillers were sporting. From mankinis to Kenny Everett-style comedy breasts anything seemed to go! I'm not sure that we "crossers" would have provided much of a spectacle for the mountainbikers. They probably looked at us rather bemused that we, wearing our conservative shorts, jerseys or skinsuits would want to do a race that involves stuggling up hills and carrying our bikes for fifty minutes, when all they needed to do was to get an effortless gravity-induced adrenaline rush for twenty seconds! I also wondered why I was taking the tougher less travelled road, and was tempted to even join them. (If only my cross bike had a bit of suspension!) Still, I enjoyed my afternoon out. I didn't ride too badly, and it made a nice change to do this race in dry sunny conditions rather than on a chilly afternoon through a muddy mess! If it had been muddy I would have been thankful to have not been attempting downhilling.

Reed Court Farm - bumpy furrows suitable for all !

Reed Court Farm played host to Round 7 of the London Cyclocross League last Sunday. Last year was the first time this event was being staged here. My recollections of the event then were firstly of how technically easy the course was, and secondly the difficulty of finding the venue - which probably led to the unfortunate incident in which Jody Crawforth (Evans RT) leading the pack, collided head-on with a belated rider, Rebecca Stubbs (CC Giro) while she was hurrying to the start.

This time I was a little more familiar with the route to get there, even if I was still a little short on time. The organisers had changed the lay-out to avoid a collision (though not all were convinced this was an improvement on last year). Jody Crawforth was there again with his Evans team mates, though Rebecca wasn't. As for the course - well, it hadn't changed, but something had changed in me.

With a course that essentially ran around the perimeter of farm fields plus a few tight switchbacks through the odd bit of woodland, this made for something largely untechnical. In fact, last year I found it a joy to ride - no worries about riding up steep banks or tackling fearsome descents. Nothing especially muddy - even the single-track was pretty wide. So really there was nothing to it - just a bumpy Sunday ride around the fields. Great course for any beginner.

However, what made the difference for me this year was that I actually raced it. My mountain bike had been swapped for a cross bike, my smiley face was replaced by a grimace - ready for fierce competition - as I powered my way around the course on the big ring. My pulse rate was close to the red most of the way round, and all my faculties were channeled into riding as fast as I could - no senses to do much else. That will explain why I was thrown off my bike in the start/finish area after failing to see the muddy mound, and the bike suddenly skidded. The medics wanted to stop me and check that I was okay, but in those states it's difficult to stop anyone when they are forging ahead with a one-track mind !

At the end of the race my lungs were burning and I was coughing and panting for several minutes afterwards. I began to realise what people meant when they'd been saying last year that this was a hard course. It's not just how technical a course is that makes it hard. It's also down to how energy sapping it is. Riding over dried bumpy furrows at speed, at times with a head wind to contend with, and negotiating an uphill drag is extremely taxing. The body burns calories upon calories just rolling over every bump and keeping a smooth action on a fast moving bicycle. What the course doesn't request of you in technical know-how, it more than demands from you in speed and power ! And I was glad to have taken on this challenge.

On balance, this is more my type of course, and the result showed this as I crossed the line right behind Katharine Mason (Sussex Nomads) who is normally streets ahead of me.
I would still say that this is a good course for beginners as it isn't technical and the paths are wide enough to allow for easy overtaking by the lead riders.


The rankings have not been published yet, but it'll be no surprise to see Nicky Hughes (Activ Cycles) as the league leader. I might be in second place, but it'll be by a long way - I don't think Nicky will be troubled !
Still, it's good to have a standard to aim for.

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud - Classic Cross !

So today was the first "real" cyclo cross race. By that I mean, the first race where it's damp and there's loads of mud. The riders battle through the elements caked in the stuff - just like in the classic pictures of cyclo cross riders in Belgium.

It was my first outing on the bike since my bout of flu, so wasn't expecting to do anything special. I was just happy to get in a good work-out.

I hadn't expected conditions to be so challenging, and with the amount of mud there was, I am surprised I didn't get into more trouble - like falling over in the really gloupy sections, getting my bike clogged up, or even snapping my chain - something that happened to quite a few people - including Stan.

The course at the purpose-built Penshurst Off Road Circuit, often criticised by cross riders in the past for being too geared towards mountain-biking, had been specially adapted for the London League round. This year (and last year) it was set up as fast and only mildly technical to make for an exciting race.
Last year the race was held in sunny conditions with the route being 100% rideable. However, this year, in the rain, the course became a sliding around match !
Ironically, the turn-out was still pretty high.

Maybe it's a sign that riders do find the whole mud thing quite a draw. Why would you do a cyclo cross race in warm sunny conditions, when you could opt for the tough option ?! The race then becomes even more about strength of mind and stain power, than about cycling ability speed, and not minding skidding off course into the good old brown stuff. These added dimension makes for a much more exciting contest. I get a real sense of achievement when I complete such races. I've pushed myself that bit further, and I'm glad I made it through.

By the time today's hour long race was over my bike and I were a muddy mess, I was ready to keel over, and I had developed an acquired taste for mud ! It had been great to have so many people cheering and shouting me on as I hauled my frame round the course, and I was happy with my efforts (even if I let a schoolgirl pip me to the line right in the last metre).

I don't know if I would want to do races as muddy as this every week. It can very quickly wear down the, bike mechs, brakes and wheel rims. It's also hard work for the washing machine !

But it is good to do a real muddy, sodden affair of a cyclo cross race every now and again - just to really test yourself, to get a taste of the real classic cross stuff - just like it is for our neighbours in northern France, and Belgium.
Thanks to Addiscombe CC (the promoting club) for arranging that for us today !


photos by Sylvain Garde and Cyclingnews.com

Knobblies, Grass, Mud, Dips, Banks, Planks - Cyclo Cross is ON !

It's that time of year when you feel less worked up about your racing. You turn up an hour or less before your race. You enter on the line. You're not that pushed about sizing up or psyching out the opponents. Then your off.

One hour of high intensity racing, over narrow dirt tracks, weaving through the trees, dropping down dips, up over steep banks - sometimes carrying your bike. Then you've gotta leap over planks of wood - the special ones can bunny hop them, while us lesser mortals are compelled to dismount to haul body and bike over them. All done on a "road" style bike with knobblies (even a cyclocross bike !). Sometimes done in thick, sticky mud.

Anything can happen. You might be dropped, but then your opponent may pack in due to a mechanical. You might even get stronger as others blow up. Or your opponent might fall down the banking, never to be seen again - at least for the next 45 minutes ! After an hour you finish. You're all sweaty and salty - fatigued, but with a big smile on your face. knowing that you took up the challenge as best you could. You may not have finished as high up the field as you wanted, but who cares, you had fun and did something to maintain your autumn/winter fitness !
That's Cyclo cross - it's on from now until February, and I love it !


It's the one type of cycling where I have fun regardless of how well or badly I do. I get to make new cycling buddies as we meet up for the weekly battle in school fields, parks and woodlands, of the South East. I don't get pre-race nerves like in road races. I don't worry about how/when I'm gonna get fed like in cyclosportives. I'm not even that bothered about crashing, as you generally fall on something soft. It's pretty care free compared to what I do during the Spring and Summer months, and it's the best way to get me out on my bike when it's cold and dull outside. In fact the purists may argue that it's not cyclo cross unless it's cold, and rainy - or at least full of thick mud !

I've done the first couple of rounds of the London Cyclo Cross League. Both of them took place in glorious sunshine and on dry terrain. That probably explains why I rode relatively well (Two wins in as many weeks.) ! The next one, at Deers Leap Park, East Grinstead may be a different matter. This course is known for being pretty wet and sticky, so it'll be interesting to see how my road racing fitness will fare in these conditions.

It's been great to be the ladies' winner the last couple of weeks. However, I know I will be put in my place when the fast girls turn out at East Grinstead and future rounds ! Either way, I look forward to it and I'm sure it'll be a good craic !


Photos by John Mullineaux (londoncyclesport.com)