Building Winter Form

Wow, I’m really back with a bang to blog writing, 2 blogs in 2 days for you lucky readers!

Following on from the last blog, I said that I was scrapping the idea of having another “off season break” and this was decided by me and my parents along with the guidance of my Former coach (Older readers will recognise from old blogs in 2019) Tim Ramsden. We all looked at the data and decided it would be stupid to dip down now as my form was not high enough to warrant a rest period and it was more appropriate to push on with the training to build a very high base. One in which I can use as a launchpad for the 2023 season.

I decided to go back to my old training methods. Just race. I went to the finale of the Full gas summer series and raced hard and tactically and came away with a 4th place. A huge shock to the system changing from Spanish long racing to English full gas circuit racing. I came off the circuit at Lee Valley knackered but with a smile on my face because above all else, I love riding my bike and especially racing.

Next up in the same week was a big test for me. The Roy Hillman Memorial race held on the Benenden circuit. A rolling 120km race lay ahead with some big hitters in the peloton. The race kicked off early and I was right in the thick of it. Feeling fantastic while fighting at the head of affairs. Unfortunately, on a descent at around 20 minutes into the race. I felt my rear wheel bouncing and it was a puncture which ended my race competitively but I bombed round the circuit in disgust but to still give myself a decent workout until I was pulled out with 3 laps to go. A frustrating one.

The week starting the 3rd of October was one of many positives. I went to Sportslab inside Canterbury Christ Church University to have a lactate test done, a VO2 max test and a body composition test in the “Bod-Pod”. Obviously, I will keep the information confidential but Christian Neal who carried out my test and I were happy with the results of the test as they showed I was performing at a high level even while fatigued.

Then came the weekend with 2 targets. First of which was the first round of the Full Gas Winter series. I was motivated from the 4th place I had the previous week and so I was targeting the win. I made sure I imposed myself early on by attacking and chasing which used energy but I recovered well. Annoyingly, a group of 2 riders attacked and got a gap and with me stuck in the peloton and as a sole rider there was not much I could do to chase as I would have burnt all my matches chasing to be swamped in the final. I kept myself cool in a sketchy final lap and used my knowledge of the Lee Valley circuit well to use other riders to break the headwind sprint and I came home 3rd which was a good result but gives me a target for next time.

On Sunday was a very different challenge but one I always wanted to do. The Thanet RC Hill Climb. This event has been running since 1953 and has seen many rider take it on. I’ve ridden the climb for fun in training but never made an official attempt, so I wanted to put that right this year. A 9:15am start is always fun and with my legs feeling a little stiff from the day before’s race, I had no idea how it would go. Straight from the start I gave it everything, I pushed myself extremely hard for this to give me the best chance of a strong time. I came over the line absolutely spent and had a lie down in a nearby bus stop to recover. I recorded a time of 2:13 for the 730m course which I was told was one of the fastest times in recent history. With my power numbers showing very strong readings I was happy with my time. After the hill climb I took my first escapade into active recovery using golf. While frustrating at times, it gives me and my family something to all do together and let’s me use my off time more effectively.

Hopefully this moral I’ve found now continues for a long while to come because I’m in a very good place and happy on the bike which is always the best thing to be.

Thanks for reading

Lance