Over the last few months I’ve come to know a good guy named Howard Botting. Howard lives in England and is like me – a cycling fanatic. We chat fairly regularly over email about all things bikes (debating the merits of Bradley Wiggins and the wonders of an ice cold Coke after a hot ride) and life in general. Howard is doing a lot of racing these days so I asked him to write a race report about one of his recent races.

Thornton Trophy Road Race report

As a cyclist I like to think I’m realistic about my limitations – I’m a 3rd cat club man who rides because he wants to keep fit and races because he enjoys dressing up and pretending he’s Fabian Cancellara on Sunday’s.

Every now and then though I get flashes of optimism, it’s moments like this that see me lining up for races like the Thornton Trophy Road Race, which took place last Sunday 29th July.

The Thornton Trophy is a race for tough guys! It takes place in Northumberland, England. This is Border Country, where England meets Scotland. The scene of countless battles between the English and Scott’s….Braveheart Country!!! It’s run over 60 miles and takes in 3 ascents of the much feared Ryalls. The 2010 British championships was run over this course and it took a certain Bradley Wiggin’s to tame this beast of a climb and be crowned champion.

After a difficult first half of the season I had got things back on track in recent weeks and my form was about where I wanted it to be. So I was hopeful of a decent performance.

Watching the Olympic Road Race on Saturday filled me with motivation. Eating rice pudding made to a secret recipe passed on by a certain Vicki Thomas filled me with energy…I was going to need it!

I got to the race in plenty of time to get my bike ready, sign on, make myself look good and chat to a few old friends. Warming up my legs felt ok. The rain showers that were forecast had held off, but there was a fierce westerly wind, which would make it tough.
The pace was fast right from the off, with a full field of 60 riders vying to get a good position at the front of the bunch ready for the climb. I started towards the back of the bunch (I always do) but was slowly inching my way to the front. The wind was pushing the bunch to the right side of the road, so I ran the gauntlet of sheltering from the wind and using the space on the left to move up. This paid off and after 8 miles I was right up the front, in the first 10 and sitting pretty.

A heavy shower of rain soon put paid to all my hard work. The wet roads were too much for my nerves and I slipped to the back of the bunch where I felt safer – don’t ask me why, I just can’t handle racing in the wet. Luckily it was an isolated shower and we were soon back onto dry roads. Only problem was we were almost on the hill…the dreaded Ryalls.

Taking a few risks I hit the hill about half way up the bunch, giving myself some much needed ‘sliding room’. The hill goes up in 3 sections, the steepest of which is about 1 in 6! Within seconds riders were all over place, it was every man for himself. Some going forwards others going backwards. Luckily for me I was going forwards, but not quickly enough to make the selection. A group of about 30 riders crested the hill together, with another 30 following in 1’s and 2’s.

Lady luck was on my side and the riders I was with soon got organised into a group of 6. All desperate to get up to the bunch (or what remained of it) we chased like mad for about 5 agonising miles. We were all on the rivet, pulling through and off as best as we could. There was no talking, we all knew what we had to do….just nail it until we get back on. As the bunch turned into a headwind section they eased just enough for us to bridge the final gap. Gasping for breath I shouted ‘nice work lads’, there was no reply, just a few nods of agreement for my fellow chasers….job done!

So, it was 1 down 2 to go. Once again we were fast approaching the climb. Enjoying some shelter at the back of the bunch I re-fuelled, taking on water and a gel. Once that was done it was time to get my mind ready for the next brutal ascent….’come on, you can do this, it’s only pain…anything to convince myself I wouldn’t get dropped.

The silence of the bunch was interrupted by the race commissaire who announced that the lone leader had a lead of 1 minute. In all the mayhem of our chase I hadn’t realised that someone had broken away. I wondered how he’d managed to do it…how fit must he be?
Once again I hit the hill about mid way down the pack, but as it was now down to 30 odd riders this was a good position and was holding my own. I glided over the first 2 rises with the bunch, but the gaps were slowly growing. My legs began to burn with pain and in a desperate attempt to regain lost ground I whacked it into the big ring on the short descent, before the final rise. By this time my legs were shot and I was now labouring where previously I was gliding. Within what seemed like a few desperate seconds the bunch slipped away and that was that, I was dropped again and facing another desperate chase to get back.

This time round the urgency to regain the bunch wasn’t quite there. A group of 5 of us got together, but where last time we automatically formed a well drilled pace line, we were all looking at each other to do the work. I put in a few big turns which were matched a couple of my fellow chasers, but others were sitting on. I shouted at them to work, hoping a few choice words would encourage them, but I was met with an equally robust tirade in return….I knew the score.

The final lap of the race was purgatory. At times we could see the race cars behind the bunch, in fact at one point I swear we were only 30 seconds down. But it was no good, we just didn’t have it in us. The wind had whipped up and it was murder battling into it. Our lonely group of 5 ploughed on, 4 working 1 sitting on for the ride – ‘team mates up the road’ he said when I challenged him….yeah!

My parents had come out to watch the race, so with a stubborn sense of misplaced pride I was determined to keep racing and try to drop my fellow chasers the last time up the hill. People tell me I’m a ‘diesel rider’ and luckily for me my tank wasn’t quite empty. I’m not sure if it was Vicki’s rice pudding, that gel or sheer pride but I summoned one last bit of energy to get myself over that damn hill. At the top my parents were there willing me on with a cheery smile, clearly unaware of the agony I was going through inside.

Glancing over my shoulder I was pleased to see that our group was down to 2, myself and a young junior rider from the Ferryhill Wheelers – a legendary club who have produced a long line of fine riders. We gritted our teeth and gave it one last blast to hold off the remnants of our group. Working well during the final 5 miles we managed to pick off a lone straggler from the bunch. The sprint for the line must have looked pretty ugly, but we both gave it all we had. The young lad beat me convincingly, but I didn’t mind. I was just glad to have finished.

That evening I watched Lizzie Armistead roar to a fine silver medal in the women’s Olympic Road Race. Sipping a nice cold beer I relived the day’s action, reckoning that even though I hadn’t come away with a medal I’d done myself proud and looked forward to doing it all again next Sunday…….

To read more about the race, visit this link: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/road/article/roa20120729-road-Road–Norris-storms-to-Thornton-win-0

Thanks Howard for the excellent race report! It is always encouraging to read other’s account of racing and to realize that everyone goes through the same things mentally and physically while out there pressing down on the pedals.

As some of you may know I started the season off by doing some BMX riding. Many cyclo-cross racers come from a BMX background and I thought it would be fun to get out on a “little” bike – improving my technical skills and trying out a new sport. I got this and more… What I didn’t anticipate was the amazing Ottawa BMX community. I was welcomed openly and was soon meeting up with the team from TopShelf YESS and benefiting from coaching, advice and friendship from some great guys. I only managed to get out for the early part of the season but the people I met and the enthusiasm these folks have for BMX and for getting people out on bikes is contagious – yes very similar to the cyclo-cross community.

Ottawa has one BMX track located behind the Earl Armstrong Arena just by Blair Road and the 417. Choose an evening or afternoon and you’ll find kids (of all ages) out riding the BMX track on their BMX bikes and mountain bikes. Well, the good news for those of us living in the west end is that we will soon have a local BMX track on which to rip out some fast laps and learn how to “fly” through the air. Work has started on the Nepean BMX track and the plan is for it to be ready for riding in the spring of 2013. I caught up with Elio Marcantonio to find out more about the new BMX track.

Can you tell me where the idea for the Nepean BMX track came from?
I live in Barrhaven and have been racing BMX at the Ottawa track for the past 3 years. It is very well known that Barrhaven is a family friendly community, with LOTS of kids. In 2011, I thought of the idea of bringing BMX to this community.

Nepean BMX Association became an incorporated non-profit organization in June 2012 and the process of building the club began.

What goes into getting a track built and ready to ride?
First is to find the land. In our case, we received tremendous support from Jan Harder, our Councillor on helping us identify the Clarke Field location.

Second is sourcing funding to secure all the materials needed to construct a track. Dirt is the most important item which Minto has donated. But we also need funding to purchase a start gate, electricity source, asphalt, rental equipment, etc.

Another important factor is volunteers. The construction and maintenance of the track is done by members and volunteers.

What kind of support/involvement do you have from the city?
The city has been very supportive with this initiative. Our Councillor, Jan Harder understands that this will be a big benefit to our Community, both residents and the local businesses.

Have you been able to get some sponsorship/donations from area businesses? Are you looking for any further donations/support?
We received some amazing support from local businesses who provided prizes for our raffle event held in July.

We are proud to announce that Swiss Chalet and Baizana Insurance Brokers in Barrhaven are our two main main sponsors. Their donation will help us to purchase some much needed equipment. If any other businesses are interested in becoming sponsors, there are many opportunities available and we are open to discussing ideas. This will be one of the most exciting sporting activities in the community and it will draw a lot of attention.

When will the track be ready to ride?
Once funding is secured, we will be begin construction. We are hoping to be ready for racing in the Spring of 2013.

How will it work – can anyone just come and ride the track? What about racing? Or lessons for new riders?
We are sanctioned by BMX Canada and any member of Nepean BMX will have access to all race and practice events. Anyone interested in trying out the sport, can do so by registering for a “Free Trial” at any scheduled race or practice night. For those interested in joining the Nepean BMX Association, there will be a few different membership options.

The Association is hoping to run clinics during the season so that new riders can learn tips for good racing.

Why do we need another BMX track in the city?
Another BMX track will make the sport more accessible to the fastest growing community in Ottawa. Barrhaven has a huge population of kids and families.

Making the sport more accessible to more people, will in turn bring tremendous exposure and growth for the sport.

What is your ultimate goal for this new track – what do you think it could do for the area and for riders?
The ultimate goal is to bring families closer together in an environment which engages kids and parents in physical activity. BMX racing is a true family sporting activity for all ages and gender. There is no other sport where all family members can participate in a sporting activity simultaneously at the same event.

Can you tell me how and why you got involved with BMX?
I introduced the sport to my son when he was 5 years old. He loved to ride his bike fast and go off jumps. I did some research and found Ottawa BMX. The following year, my two girls and myself started BMX racing and now it is a great family activity.

What is it about BMX that you enjoy so much?
I love the fact that I can bring all my kids to one location and participate with them in a competitive activity we all love. “No one sits sits on the bench” in BMX racing.

I love seeing my kids racing against their competitors and then hanging out with them on the sidelines. They now have friends from all across the province of Ontario.

Can you tell me a bit about BMX – types of bikes, required equipment, who it is for, etc.
Almost any bicycle can be outfitted to suit BMX. A racing BMX bike is not mandatory. In my son’s first year of racing, he rode a $10 bike I bought at a garage sale.

The most important thing is safety. It is mandatory to wear a helmet, long pants and long sleeve shirt. If the child is interested in pursuing the sport, it is recommended to purchase a full face helmet.

How can people get involved with the Nepean BMX club?
We are very appreciative of anyone wishing to volunteer their time, be a sponsor or provide is with a donation.

Volunteers will be required during the construction phase to help with some minor construction components like raking.

For anyone interested in racing at our club, please keep an eye on our website and Facebook page where we will be announcing our Open House. This is when we will be accepting member applications and information session on BMX racing.

Our contact information is nepeanBMX@gmail.com.

Well, my last post really wasn’t all that positive… There are good days and there are bad days. I think the worst thing is watching everyone I know getting out and enjoying riding their bikes, running, and generally doing all the “stuff” I want to do. This is the first time in many many years that I haven’t planned out my cyclo-cross racing schedule, booked hotels, arranged for a car and bought plane tickets to the early season World Cups.

But you know what – this is okay. It sucks. But it is okay. I will get better. I will be out there again. Just not this year. Instead I’ll be traveling to races with Marc – I’ll bring my cyclo-cross bike and get out for a few laps before and after his races. I’ll be cheering him on and cheering you on. I may not be out there racing and training with you but I’ll definitely be there in spirit.

This week I’ve learned the hard way that I need to rest. Riding seven days in a row is not possible – even seven days in a row at and easy pace. So this weekend, I’m not riding. I’m resting and letting my body and soul recover so I can ride to and from work everyday this week. It is hard to not be riding but I have to look forward. I can’t ride today but I can ride tomorrow.

I must admit I’m not sure what I will do with this space… Normally I write about my training, my racing, my crazy brain, and all the bits in between. Now I’m not sure what I should do here. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions? I’m thinking of getting some guest writers – do you ride bikes? do you race cyclo-cross? do you race road? do you do epic road or mountain bike rides? do you want to write a blog post and have it posted here? do you have photos of a race or ride and want to show them off? do you have a rant about cycling that you want to share? do you have a story to tell? Let me know – I’m serious here – this is a community after all and it would be great to have more than one voice heard…

Alright, time for you to get off the computer and get out and enjoy the day. I’m going to finish reading the newspaper and then hit up the yoga mat for some strength building. Tomorrow I’ll be hitting up the bicycle paths bright and early for my commute to Kanata – if you see me on the Corkstown bicycle path wave and say hello! Have a great day. I know I will.

Thanks so much for the kind comments, emails, posts on Facebook and Twitter in response to my post last week. To say last week was a hard week would be an understatement. I’ve had a feeling for a while now that the 2012-2013 cyclo-cross season would not be happening for me but until I emailed my sponsors and posted on my website, it just didn’t seem “real”.

I’ve had days when I’ve felt sorry for myself. Days when I’ve been downright angry at the world. Days when I feel super good and decide to take up trail running or register for the BC Bike Race. Yes, a roller coaster is what I’ve been riding lately. For so many years now I’ve self-identified as being an athlete. And now, well now I’m not sure who I am. Yes, I know that deep down I’m still the same person but without having my cycling goals and dreams driving me, I’m struggling to find something to get me as equally inspired.

Going through this helps me understand why many athletes keep competing well past their prime – it is hard to know what to do when the bike is put away or the hockey stick is finally put down. Now I know that I’ve got so many other awesome things in my life and of course many other interests but for so long, these have really taken a back seat to my driving passion – racing my cyclo-cross bike. From what I ate to what we did on the weekend to how we planned our “holidays” to the job I had – everything was centred around cyclo-cross.

It is strange I have lots of free time now since my evenings are not spent pounding out intervals on Malakoff Road and my weekends are not spent on four and five hour rides or hours spent in the woods working on cyclo-cross technique. You’d think I’d be super busy now and be filling up my time with other interests. Sadly this has not happened. I feel like I’m in limbo – secretly hoping that I’ll wake up tomorrow and my ulcerative colitis will have gone into remission and I can get back to my life. I’ve got things I want to do but they’re all on hold until I’m healthy again. Yes, I have some interesting writing projects that are almost done – but frankly there is only so much time I can spend in front of the computer.

This is where I would normally write something like “well, no more of this wallowing and waiting for something to happen (remission) which I know isn’t going to happen anytime soon – it is time to get busy and take action”… Well, guess what I’m not going to do this. I don’t think I’m ready. I’m learning that I actually need to go through a few stages mentally and emotionally before I’m ready to get “busy” again. I’m through the anger stage. I think I’m through the grief stage. I’m not sure what the next stage is – maybe false hope or disbelief?

For now, well I’m going to head out on my road bike for a nice and gentle road ride. I may look at my power meter – I may not. I’ll be listening to some of my favourite music (likely my 2011-2012 cyclo-cross season warm-up playlist) and podcasts. On Sunday I’m heading out for a ride with a young whippersnapper of a rider – we’re taking our cyclo-cross bikes out for some trail riding in my favourite training grounds – I hope I can keep up with this young speedster.

I’m going to be okay. It is tough. Damn tough. But it will work out. Life is not all about the bike but darn if it isn’t a huge part of my life. Everyone should be so lucky.

Frankly I’m at a bit of a loss for words, so maybe it is best to simply include the email that I sent this morning to my sponsors:

This is a hard email for me to write and I am writing it with a heavy heart… I will not be racing in the upcoming 2012-2013 cyclo-cross season. Unfortunately I’ve been battling with a very rough bout of ulcerative colitis and based on my doctor’s recommendation – I have had to stop training.

Thanks so much.