There
are a lot of people in the cycling world I would say inspire me. Paul Kippax
and his ability to ride so hard he nearly passes out (this is also massively
entertaining – see youtube), Charline Joiner breaking her back and competing in the commonwealth games in
the same year, my parents who have both had crashes on the bike in the last few
years and continue to get back on, Fred Smith who sacrificed everything to look
after his wife who was ill caring for her 24/7 because he didn’t trust anyone
else to do it properly.
If I had to pick one though, my absolute hero would be Robbie Duncan. Robbie is
67 and rides for Manchester wheelers. I know Robbie from track league – a daredevil
and awesome tactician. Always on the right wheel, bravely squeezing through the
smallest gaps, never out in the elimination and regularly places in the top
three.
One night in November Robbie had a big crash in the devil and ended up in
hospital with a broken pelvis, ribs and other injuries. I didn’t think we would
see him until the new season September 2015 earliest if he ever came back at all.
He was back riding and racing on the track in January - before doctors said he
would have been walking again unaided. This man is unstoppable. He is now back
racing on a Monday night in his opinion ‘slightly off the pace’, but I can
assure you he is not. He is on the front driving the pace, making the
breakaways in fast races. What this man has done is incredible.
When I think of the accident I had two weeks ago (if you haven't heard about it click here) and how I didn’t want to
drive, or ride on the open roads, I thought of Robbie. Would Robbie let the
risk of an accident stop him doing the things he enjoyed? No he would not.
Thursday, 12 February 2015
Monday, 26 January 2015
A hard ride with Planet X
When I agreed to do the Sunday ride with Planet X I had no idea of the scale of things. I arrived to find a group ride with over 20 people - something I've only previously experienced in chaingangs or road races!
The route set seemed ok to me, I assumed it was going to be fairly easy. So I thought it was a good idea about 20 miles in to go with the quicker boys up one of the hills into Grindleford and sprint for the sign. I won. Only because I don't think they knew the game. But I soon wished I hadn't..
After a rather nice cafe stop at the Hathersage Pool Cafe it was a long hilly ride home. I had forgotten how tough Strines actually is and had never ridden most of the other roads at all and already gone too hard. I could barely ride up each climb (and there were many). By the time we got back into Sheffield I genuniely didn't believe I would make it up Jenkins Road. I did. It's a lot easier than everyone makes out - nowhere near as hard as Pea Royd Lane.
Overall a great ride. Very much looking forward to more.
I wasn't much looking forward to track league the next evening however. I got up for the warm up and my legs were exceptionally stiff - I could barely turn them over.
Still, I got up for the first race of the night - a 12 lap scratch. I was barely hanging onto the back of the group and was thinking about going home. I decided to give the next race a try - this time the reverse devil (click here if you want to know what this is). I fared slightly better, this time sticking in with no problem and probably finishing 3rd over the line on the final lap.
It came to the final race of the night - the 30 lap points race and I was really feeling like I needed to go home. The wonderful Mike Farwell told me to man up and persuaded me to stay. We started and I ended up on the wheel of a man who decided to attack two laps in. I went with him and ended up in a break of 5 for the first half of the race, scoring in a couple of the sprints. The bunch caught up to us with 3 sprints remaining and I was fading quickly. I had to try, as I knew I had a chance of making the podium. I sat in for the first sprint, then managed to squeeze out a 2nd and 3rd in the two final sprints - enough for third overall. Not bad for tired legs!
Planet X rides leave every Sunday at 9am from the Showroom in Sheffield - click here for more info.
The route set seemed ok to me, I assumed it was going to be fairly easy. So I thought it was a good idea about 20 miles in to go with the quicker boys up one of the hills into Grindleford and sprint for the sign. I won. Only because I don't think they knew the game. But I soon wished I hadn't..
After a rather nice cafe stop at the Hathersage Pool Cafe it was a long hilly ride home. I had forgotten how tough Strines actually is and had never ridden most of the other roads at all and already gone too hard. I could barely ride up each climb (and there were many). By the time we got back into Sheffield I genuniely didn't believe I would make it up Jenkins Road. I did. It's a lot easier than everyone makes out - nowhere near as hard as Pea Royd Lane.
Overall a great ride. Very much looking forward to more.
I wasn't much looking forward to track league the next evening however. I got up for the warm up and my legs were exceptionally stiff - I could barely turn them over.
Still, I got up for the first race of the night - a 12 lap scratch. I was barely hanging onto the back of the group and was thinking about going home. I decided to give the next race a try - this time the reverse devil (click here if you want to know what this is). I fared slightly better, this time sticking in with no problem and probably finishing 3rd over the line on the final lap.
It came to the final race of the night - the 30 lap points race and I was really feeling like I needed to go home. The wonderful Mike Farwell told me to man up and persuaded me to stay. We started and I ended up on the wheel of a man who decided to attack two laps in. I went with him and ended up in a break of 5 for the first half of the race, scoring in a couple of the sprints. The bunch caught up to us with 3 sprints remaining and I was fading quickly. I had to try, as I knew I had a chance of making the podium. I sat in for the first sprint, then managed to squeeze out a 2nd and 3rd in the two final sprints - enough for third overall. Not bad for tired legs!
Planet X rides leave every Sunday at 9am from the Showroom in Sheffield - click here for more info.
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