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 approach to gridding I was on the 2nd back row however I made a remarkably good start and managed to ride/run myself up to 11th. I had as I do made some early calls on where I would run and making a choice rather than dismounting when it goes to shit seems to work well for me. As the mud built I made the call to change bikes. With no pit crew this is never smooth but I do my best and was rapidly heading through the mud. I made the call ahead to 2 riders I was lapping and 1 didn’t move got it wrong and took me out. Once moving again I went to push hard and my chain snapped. It was a long run back to the pit to collect the dirty and very used Northroad. Issues changing gear due to mud had me distracted and I crashed heavily. I brought it home in 16th with a real feeling of what might have been.
Thanks to Ian at Northroad the Specialized Crux was fixed and the Gobi was given a sprucing as well.
Next day I travelled with Nick Popham to West Midlands league round 8. Another muddy day out where decisions on running Verses riding were needed as were off camber skills. I had brought both. I like West Midlands as they grid on average finishing position and even though I had a really bad start to the year I found myself on the 3rd row. Of course I moved smoothly backwards off the start but I was soon into my routine and making progress. However, as seems to be my way something goes wrong. On one of the harder ground sections I thought I may have a puncture but as I paddled in the mud it made no difference. I then hit the path and yeap the front was pancake flat. Fortunately this wasn’t a long section and once back in the mud the bike was very rideable. I made the pits, pulled my bike off the rack then set off, it was time to see if the repaired chain was up to the job. Turned out it was as were my legs as I ran an rode myself to 5th place. Finally some reward for my fitness even in the face of a little adversity.
Confidence was high as I headed to Torbay for another round of the National trophy and thanks to reasons unknown to me the grid was small and I found myself on the 3rd row. The goal at all National Trophys is to finish above my gridding so instantly I had put myself under pressure as this meant I needed to beat my best ever finish. The unpredictable element is local riders who don’t travel. Onto the race…… I started no worse or better than normal and selected smart enough lines before the first run. The pre-ride had told me I should wear trainers 🙂 Have to thank the lads from Rotor who pitted and cheered me on. Even with all my running the bikes were struggling. I was racing 2 guys and every run section I either caught them or got a gap but sadly I wasn’t riding well and after the last bike change I never got back. I finished 15th, ranking points were mine, I was above my gridding. I should have been over the moon but although happy I was disappointed as I just never seemed to get going. Everything is geared towards the National Champs in Falkirk so to come away for the weekend and actually get points was a real bonus.
With the Sunday the 19th being my wedding anniversary I was not racing but chatting to Nick we decided to make a trip to the Notts and Derby League on the Saturday. a 3rd league and a 3rd approach to gridding. They respect national ranking here so Nick was number 1, I am outside the national top 50 so was on the back row. We did laugh. Conditions were so bad we didn’t do a pre-ride but instead warmed up on the road. I don’t think it had any impact on my day as a shocking start even for me followed by total carnage of V40s and 50s ahead meant I had plenty of time to look at the course. The course was muddy with a very hard climb, I rode the climb lap 1 but ran it the other 4 time, I was faster running. There were 2 mandatory dismount points, 1 made sense the other didn’t. You just went with it. Ironically unlike trophy the previous weekend I had some bike skills, picking good lines in the mud and making progress everywhere. Come the 3nd lap I had top 10 pace and rode my was to 18th overall and 11th V50. More points which made the trip worthwhile.
Over the last few weeks travelling with Nick to races we have chatted quite a lot and I made the choice to move teams and join Nick at M.I.Racing Team Enable giving up the Orange for the green and a little blue of Team colours. The last round of the West Midlands League was to be my first race in Team Colours, of course I still own all the rights to my accessories. This means clashing with myself will be justifiable EVERY week.
So round 11 of the West Midlands League and I found myself on the front row, this had not happened since 2014 which research tells me is the last time I was actually competitive if we are being honest. A good pre-ride told me I could ride all of this course except for the big barriers. There were no hills which meant just lots of head down and ploughing through the mud. This hadn’t gone well for me in Torbay but that was a few weeks ago. To the race and you guessed it I went backwards off the start AGAIN ! However, the joy of row 1 meant I didn’t drop far and by the end of the lap I was up 6th. Now if the race had finished there and then I’d have been happy to debut the kit with a 6th but not today. I was soon in 5th and could see the podium group ahead of me, only the leader had got away. Turns out Nick had overdressed and overheated and soon I was with him. For half a lap he pushed me before I moved away now in 4th. Each time over the start section I could see I was catching 3rd and with just under 2 laps to go I made contact and then the huge call to change bike. Again I had no pit crew so knew I was losing time but it was smooth and after a couple of turns I was back on his wheel just in time for the long soggy mud drag past the start. I kicked hard and flew, got a good gap and then I focussed on smooth lines and staying ahead. In the end 2nd was only 16seconds in front but I never saw him and had no idea if I could have found anymore. I was on the podium(if there was one) for the first time in a decade. AWESOME!!!
Welcome to M.I. Racing Team Enable
So December the 3rd and there I was at the Regional Championships, my target was top 10 but having hit the podium last weekend I was if honest hoping for something a little better. Pre- ride again showed it was a mud bath but not for the first time it was a largely rideable mud bath but with a number of banking that would require running up. No complaining from me then :¬) I wasn’t sure how gridding would work but I did get the call and find myself for the 2nd week in a row on the front of the grid. I had dressed for the weather but I think took my layers off too early as I was cold and thats never great for me. Poor start, obviously and then not helped by a few over enthusiastic starters. It was a strange day, certain parts of the course I felt good and was strong but there were also sections I just couldn’t get the right lines. On one of the descents I realised my front brakes were not really working and this brought challenges and the reality of needing a bike change. I did have a little support thanks to Nick’s friend Corrina and got a bike change. You realise it is not your day when the change bike refuses to hold certain gears and obviously they are gears you need. I just got my head down and ploughed the mud. It was weird as due to the start I had no idea where I was in the field but on the last lap I passed 2 people, felt for Andy as he punctured but was very pleased with my race craft to get the final position. Turned out I was 4th and 7 seconds from the podium. It was beyond my dreams a few weeks ago but I was disappointed to miss out on the podium.
That’s the race update done for now, lets push on to BMCR and then BC Nationals in the new year.
Have fun
Gobi
Dark Lord Speaks 
Great racing and really chuffed for you.