Cadence Road Race

It was the first round of the Junior National series and I was hoping for a win. I was doing everything I could think of to make sure I was at the start of the race at 100%, so much so I focused a lot on of all the little things - like keeping well hydrated three to four days before the event. However, this distracted me from one of the most important things that you must do, before a three and half hour long race in temperatures from five to ten degrees. EAT! I didn't eat enough on the night before or for breakfast. So even though I wolfed down five maxim energy bars during the race, I still blew up spectacularly with twenty miles to go and just about rolled across the line at the top of a climb.

As far the race goes, there was a early break away which had a lead of 1:30 seconds and it hung around there for the duration of its time away. By the time of the hardest climb of the race (twenty miles from the finish) it had too many dangerous riders (good ones!) in it so I tried to bridge across. I was stuck in between the break and the rapidly chasing bunch trying desperately to get on the back of the break to have a rest and gain energy for the final climb. As it turned out, I wasn't getting anywere, so I decided to wait for the chasing bunch as we were only 30 seconds down on them in the closing stages of the race. That's when I hit the wall!

To look on the bright side of things. My tactics for the race would have worked if not for my lack of eating enough. The plan was to sit in and watch the main contenders and if a dangerous break went, go with it and just tap through and save energy. When the race was reaching the 18% gradient climb, I was going to attack and try and get a break-away going. I'm happy to say I did all of this which was good for me because I am known for racing with my legs not with my head amongst my competitors. So I can at least take one good thing out of this race after all!