Took a ride through the City and into South London for the first of two VCL late summer cross events at Herne Hill.
From now on I'm going to double check the start time before warming up. Heard the whistle while I was on the other side of the course, 10 minutes earlier than I expected. Just made it onto the back of the pack as they were rolling out, managed to gain a few places on the wide grassy part of the course before it climbed the banking and became more technical. Once I got back to the grass I'd do the same thing again, if I could. It was at least some sort of tactic.
My remount is still rubbish; attracting comments.
-Oooh, smooth!-
Some are worse, allowing me to jump a position every now and then.
More comments: on coming to a standstill while trying to ride up a slope immediately after a hairpin,
-it's not a trackstanding competition-
Tried staying with some of the good riders when lapped, OK on the grass- for a while- followed their lines, learned a few things. Couldn't stay with them on the singletrack (or, of course, at the barriers). Got a month and a bit to sort myself out before the next one.
There's another one next week- Wednesday 2nd September, start is 6:50 pm (not 7:00!), £6:00, a Go-Race event.
From now on I'm going to double check the start time before warming up. Heard the whistle while I was on the other side of the course, 10 minutes earlier than I expected. Just made it onto the back of the pack as they were rolling out, managed to gain a few places on the wide grassy part of the course before it climbed the banking and became more technical. Once I got back to the grass I'd do the same thing again, if I could. It was at least some sort of tactic.
My remount is still rubbish; attracting comments.
-Oooh, smooth!-
Some are worse, allowing me to jump a position every now and then.
More comments: on coming to a standstill while trying to ride up a slope immediately after a hairpin,
-it's not a trackstanding competition-
Tried staying with some of the good riders when lapped, OK on the grass- for a while- followed their lines, learned a few things. Couldn't stay with them on the singletrack (or, of course, at the barriers). Got a month and a bit to sort myself out before the next one.
There's another one next week- Wednesday 2nd September, start is 6:50 pm (not 7:00!), £6:00, a Go-Race event.
