First Race of the year

So my cycling year kicks off...

Momentum Health KZN cup series 1 - first race of the year

firstly before my race report; My operation to have my tonsils removed seems to be a success as i have not yet become sick (touch wood). I started riding again on mondy, 26 January. it rained for most of the week so i did not ride much although i did try a style of racing to me, track cycling (in a velodrome) i shall talk about it in another post.

So race day came in an instant and i woke with sore legs and to a rainy morning (this meens the course will be slippery and muddy and therefore racing shall be 'wet and wild' just the way i like it).

I arrived at the Kennith Stainbank nature reserve where the race is held, and as i presumed the course was very wet. After i registered and collected my timing chip (New to kzn racing) i went to pre-ride the course with friends James Reid and Luke Roberts and had lots of time to check lines and think about race tactics as my race only started at 10:30.

So 10:30 arrived and James and i had gone for a warm up on the tar and promptly arrived back at the start and ended having to be second in line on the start grid but adleast our legs were warm!

3...2....1....and we were off and with that there were a few shouts and heated comments shared amongst the faster riders who were being slowed by novice riders who started in the front line but all of this quickly settled and the race was on. After the first lap i was lying in 7th and felt good so as we hit the major climb in the course i attacked and mannaged to catch up to 4th and put a reasonable lead on the 5th position but the pace i set up on the climb was too fast and i managed to hold it until the third lap were the 5th positioned rider caught me on the hill i had previously dropped him on, he came past and we shared a brief few words and he was gone and i was determined not to let my 5th position slip away so i pushed on.

By the time my fourth lap came i was batteling with cramp and chainsuck so ended up running majority of the major climb, but i fought on and held my 5th position.

I was very happy with my result as it was my first race of the season with minimum training leading up, we will see what happens on the 22nd of February.

Junior men results:

Cycling Year of 2008

My year of Cycling in '08

There were two results i was really happy with for the year, but in general my year wasn't the good, i was plagued with flu and injury for most of the year.

• 4th in kzn road race and time trial, i was happy with this result as it was my first road race!
• I also got 3rd in the K.O.M (king of the mountains) category at the National u16 tour, i was happy with this result considering 3 weeks earlier I was only just getting back on the bike after a grade 3 hamstring tear.

I have recently had my tonsils removed (these are what is believed to constantly cause my illness) so we will see what happens 2009....

Life as a teenage cyclist

Cycling itself is hard work, long hours and early mornings....but cycling as a teenager, what a LIFE!!

So how it all works.. I am 16 years old and focusing on cycling as my sport takes alot of commitment...if i wan't a cyclist i would be just like any other teenager out there, living the life, late nights, late mornings and of course partying...but as a cyclist you need to take all of this into concideration, as it hampers your performance!
So this is abit about how i cycle as a teen, this is a general week of training for me.
Wake up 03:30
Start riding 04:15
Get home at about 06:15
Shower, eat and pack for school
Leave home 07:00
School starts at 07:40
Finish school at about 15:00
Rest of the afternoon consists of sny of the following; relax, ride again, gym, squash, run or homework.
Eat dinner at abour 19:00
go to bed at around 20:30

REPEAT>>>

Thats during the week, now we arrive at the weekend...when everyone is going out with mates, to clubs or to parties, now the decicision comes...1) go out with friends? 2) Stay at home so i am ready for tomorrow's ride? My decision depends on when my next race is and how much sleep i have got during the week? So most of the time it's a 50:50 chance of answer 1 or 2.
If i am racing on sunday i won't go out on saturday night, if there is no race it is a rest day for me and i would have gone out on saturday night.

What a life?