Cheshire Classic Road Race.

I rode this race last year and remembered really enjoying it. I had no pressure and no particular form back then yet I still came away loving road racing and wanting to do more. This year i was hoping for the same situation, but i had a little more form and more experience and knew the course well.

The sun was out which is always welcome and i woke up quite excited about the day. I had done chaingang the thursday before and felt as strong as ever on it so I knew I could hold my own in this race. I knew the girls in the race that were the strongest and set my aims on watching them and making the race fast. I've noticed with womens road racing that most of the bunch are very happy to sit in, take in the sites and have no urgency to actually make the race a race. And today was definately no different.

There was one hill in the race and i knew i could play this as my strength and razz up it in hope of shelling some of the weaker riders. This was working for the first few laps until the hill became my enemy as for the next 7 laps I had to fight off the dreaded cramp whilst climbing up it. It was everytime i got out the saddle i could feel it coming, so i had to sit down and power up it which wasnt good at all. Me and Jenn tried so hard to break away and to speed it up but the nature of the course brought most moves to nothing as there was a nice down hill section after the hill for the bunch to get back together. The race was sometimes so slow it was embarassing!

When it came down the sprint all of us Patterson Training girls were there. Nadine made the 1st move and lead it into the climb but went alittle soon to maintain it. I cramped as i got out of saddle and rolled across the line in the bunch. Jenn finished in the bunch too trying her best to sprint, but her marathon legs dont allow her to go as fast as she wants. I came away disappointed, not at how i'd ridden the race as i know i did my best to make that race more than just a club run. But the cramp had managed to wreck another race for me and it was really starting to hack me off as i reckon for a uphill sprint like that i could go quite fast.

I was frustrated that 90% of bunch sat in the whole time and sprinted and beat me! Personally i couldn't just sit in for a race like that as i wouldnt feel satisfied. Annie Last won which was well deserved as she had a great sprint at the end.

So now i have bedford 2 day fast approaching and im taking all measures to try prevent this cramp. Im now taking Calcium and Magnesium, getting leg massages and drinking the horrid tonic water to try prevent it. Then we shall see how i do. Ill keep you posted :)

Annie