A Tough Job – The National Hill Climb Approaches
Posted October 26, 2011
It’s a tough job writing about cycling, but someone has to do it. This week has been particularly difficult, riding as I have been on the superbike that is a Scott Foil R1. I’m testing it at the moment, courtesy of bikesoup. It’s a truly fantastic bit of kit: light, responsive and fast – completely living up to all expectations. I will be riding it in the National Hill Climb on Sunday – hoping it will give me a bit of an edge. There’s a hill near my home that has a gradient similar to Long Hill (the Nationals course) if not the duration. Two test rides on the Scott have seen me knock over a minute off my previous best time. I’m hoping that improvement will carry over into the big day.
Fish and Chips
Last week was spent in less than ideal preparation for the race. It was half term in Leicester, so I went with the family to Suffolk. Unfortunately, by the time we’d squeezed everything into the car, there was no room for a bike of any description. The most exercise I got was carrying bags of fish and chips and bottles of beer from the local brewery back to the holiday cottage. Andy Brodziak reassured me that the rest would have done me good (not sure he understood the volume of fish and chips and beer consumed) and gave me a new training plan to take me up to Sunday’s race. Lots of easy pedalling with one turbo session and practice at pacing myself up hill. In the test event, I went off too quickly at the start and faded significantly by the end, something I’m keen to avoid in the race proper.
Aims and Objectives
My targets for Sunday are fairly simple. When faced with a field containing the best hill climbers in the country and the legends that are Rob Hayles and Michael Hutchinson, it pays to set your sights low. Last year I finished 91st and in the open event on Long Hill finished 42nd out of 71 riders. Of the 150 starters, 100 are younger than me! I’ve been studying Matt Clinton’s recommendations in the Hill Climber guide, so trying to stay positive…
My aims
- Finish with a faster time than I managed in the Open Event (17mins 30sec)
- Beat the 91st place I achieved last year
- Enjoy the atmosphere of the event
- Eat loads of cake after finishing
On the cake front, Louise from Patisserie Cyclisme is promising to bring some Chocolate Guinness cake, that and the coffee and walnut provided at the race HQ should keep me smiling whatever the result.
Win a Signed Copy of 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs
Predict what my finishing position will be in the race and you could win a copy of 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs, signed by author Simon Warren. If, like me, you love riding your bike up hill, it’s a brilliant resource for seeking out the best places to do it in the UK. Click here for details of how to enter, or go straight to the competition on the daily cycle facebook page.
Photo by Ian Nutt
