I did my second race of the year yesterday, the Percy Stallard Claydons Spring Classic, promoted by CC Luton, race two of a series by the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists. I have been informed that the ‘Percy Stallards’ as a national series are usually tougher then the average LVRC, the races tend to be slightly
longer and with some of the best age group riders around the country taking part the pace was sure to be high.
So with Thelma joining me on this occasion, and with me a little bit nervous of my lack of training and racing, an early start saw us travelling down to Buckinghamshire on a very bright and frosty morning, and arriving through some pretty villages onto a section of the course. The organiser had been out marking the potholes on the small country road and we took in a small climb twisting through East Claydon to arrive at Botolph Claydon. Here, finding the event parking in a pasture field to the left, we passed the village hall headquarters on the right, seeing that it was once a proud public library. Dry and firm ground in the parking area was restricted after the overnight frost and the marshals were directing cars through the tight gateway, which was delaying traffic trying to pass by on the road. And with a running race passing through, it seemed like a busy morning already.
So with Thelma joining me on this occasion, and with me a little bit nervous of my lack of training and racing, an early start saw us travelling down to Buckinghamshire on a very bright and frosty morning, and arriving through some pretty villages onto a section of the course. The organiser had been out marking the potholes on the small country road and we took in a small climb twisting through East Claydon to arrive at Botolph Claydon. Here, finding the event parking in a pasture field to the left, we passed the village hall headquarters on the right, seeing that it was once a proud public library. Dry and firm ground in the parking area was restricted after the overnight frost and the marshals were directing cars through the tight gateway, which was delaying traffic trying to pass by on the road. And with a running race passing through, it seemed like a busy morning already.
 | Botolph Claydon Village Hall, Botolph Claydon, Buckingham MK18 2LS I looked up about the village hall; it had been built by the Verney family, owners of the Claydon Estate and the four the Claydon villages and hamlets that grew up around it– an agricultural community. The village hall included the library “well-stocked with books at the family's expense.” Now it was being taken over inside by the racing cyclists, and outside by the organisers cars and bikes propped in every available space. |
There were three races on the day, the ‘AB’ race for the 40-44 and 45-49 years old, the ‘CD’ race for the 50-54’s and 55-59’s and the ‘EFG” for the 60-64’s, 65-69’s and 70 years and over – some never stop. The first two races were to be 53 miles, 3½ laps of the 15 mile lap and my race (I’m an ‘E’) 38 miles, 2½ laps - only three times over the hilly bit, I’d seen on the map.
A brief warm up along the course, turning sharp left out of the village into a shaded descent, streaming with water from the bank each side and a 90 degree right at the bottom, now out in the open, thankfully dry. Coming back through the headquarter area to ride up and down the road from East Claydon, doing a few sprints and high cadence to try and be ready before lining up for the neutralised start- we were to be released after the 90 right corner.
Okay off we go, what’s it going to be like? I expected it would go quickly from the corner and yes, you had to be right on it to keep with the wheels and keep safe positioning on the narrow and gently winding two way road. Sure enough, some were already testing the pace, attacking off the front and the gaps being closed again as the front of the bunch pulled hard – I was in the back half trying to work out if I was going to be any good and trying to conserve energy. It was fast, slightly descending in the main, and a tail wind, and we had to negotiate the village of Quainton, so it was difficult to move up. I had little idea what the hilly section ahead, where the road, on the map and graph, took in a series of three climbs in under three miles, starting at 282ft before Pitchcott Hill and finishing at 525ft going through the village of Oving,
We reached the turn onto the road leading over the shoulder of Pitchcott Hill, and were soon on the bottom slope. This was okay, and as the gradient increased slightly I was able to move up, and got over the first brow pretty comfortably. But now on a short flat and descent and another step up, the pace went sky high and I think a number of riders were being split off, I managed to hang with the front group and over the next descent and up again through the final brow at Oving I was relieved to know from studying the map that we were going into a longish decent now and into gently rolling Aylesbury Vale and through the finish point. The classy riders were still going for it, one was out in front alone, presumably confident that he could wait for someone to join or continue on his own, or could recover back in the leading group if he was caught. This rider came back and other attacks were brought back. I spent my time just trying to stay safe and hoping l would get better as other riders used up their energy. I think we were about 25 remaining in the group. I think about 35 started from 39 entered.
Coming back around through Botolph Claydon and through the fast roads through Quainton again, it was still full concentration and onto the climb the pace went full on. I noticed I was pretty much on my max heart rate, (what I think it is these days) and eventually the attacks saw my group split, eight or ten going away, and I was in the wrong half. Some brave efforts saw us nearly pull it back. I couldn’t contribute, and I was sure I would lose contact if I did force my way through.
Coming through the finish for the last lap we continued to fall back gradually from the leaders, but we were still working hard. I began to go through and do stints on the front, knowing that I would probably lose position later, but for pride or for whatever reason I continued leading up to and partly up the slope to East Claydon. I had to work hard to hang in and recover as riders came past over the top. If I wasn’t going to make the race, I might as well get some work done, and much harder than any training I have done in recent weeks. I found myself on the front again for a long section through Quainton and knew it was going to be very difficult quite soon, some of the strong riders had missed the split and would go hard this final time on the climb and go for the finish. When the pressure went on I couldn’t doing anything about it and just slipped back. Riding in as hard as I could I realised I was pretty much burnt out, not by the last lap work I did but by the pace throughout the race, totalling nearly two hours. - So work to do, some hard training needed; over two hours duration with big efforts within it I think.
Seeing the results online today, I finished 16th ‘E’ out of 25 entered.
Peter
A brief warm up along the course, turning sharp left out of the village into a shaded descent, streaming with water from the bank each side and a 90 degree right at the bottom, now out in the open, thankfully dry. Coming back through the headquarter area to ride up and down the road from East Claydon, doing a few sprints and high cadence to try and be ready before lining up for the neutralised start- we were to be released after the 90 right corner.
Okay off we go, what’s it going to be like? I expected it would go quickly from the corner and yes, you had to be right on it to keep with the wheels and keep safe positioning on the narrow and gently winding two way road. Sure enough, some were already testing the pace, attacking off the front and the gaps being closed again as the front of the bunch pulled hard – I was in the back half trying to work out if I was going to be any good and trying to conserve energy. It was fast, slightly descending in the main, and a tail wind, and we had to negotiate the village of Quainton, so it was difficult to move up. I had little idea what the hilly section ahead, where the road, on the map and graph, took in a series of three climbs in under three miles, starting at 282ft before Pitchcott Hill and finishing at 525ft going through the village of Oving,
We reached the turn onto the road leading over the shoulder of Pitchcott Hill, and were soon on the bottom slope. This was okay, and as the gradient increased slightly I was able to move up, and got over the first brow pretty comfortably. But now on a short flat and descent and another step up, the pace went sky high and I think a number of riders were being split off, I managed to hang with the front group and over the next descent and up again through the final brow at Oving I was relieved to know from studying the map that we were going into a longish decent now and into gently rolling Aylesbury Vale and through the finish point. The classy riders were still going for it, one was out in front alone, presumably confident that he could wait for someone to join or continue on his own, or could recover back in the leading group if he was caught. This rider came back and other attacks were brought back. I spent my time just trying to stay safe and hoping l would get better as other riders used up their energy. I think we were about 25 remaining in the group. I think about 35 started from 39 entered.
Coming back around through Botolph Claydon and through the fast roads through Quainton again, it was still full concentration and onto the climb the pace went full on. I noticed I was pretty much on my max heart rate, (what I think it is these days) and eventually the attacks saw my group split, eight or ten going away, and I was in the wrong half. Some brave efforts saw us nearly pull it back. I couldn’t contribute, and I was sure I would lose contact if I did force my way through.
Coming through the finish for the last lap we continued to fall back gradually from the leaders, but we were still working hard. I began to go through and do stints on the front, knowing that I would probably lose position later, but for pride or for whatever reason I continued leading up to and partly up the slope to East Claydon. I had to work hard to hang in and recover as riders came past over the top. If I wasn’t going to make the race, I might as well get some work done, and much harder than any training I have done in recent weeks. I found myself on the front again for a long section through Quainton and knew it was going to be very difficult quite soon, some of the strong riders had missed the split and would go hard this final time on the climb and go for the finish. When the pressure went on I couldn’t doing anything about it and just slipped back. Riding in as hard as I could I realised I was pretty much burnt out, not by the last lap work I did but by the pace throughout the race, totalling nearly two hours. - So work to do, some hard training needed; over two hours duration with big efforts within it I think.
Seeing the results online today, I finished 16th ‘E’ out of 25 entered.
Peter
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