As we come to Christmas it brings to the end a long season, with characteristic ups and downs.

Its been the first season of the new SSLL racing team, proudly supported by lead sponsors and SSLL Business owners Simon Fearnley & Keith Davey who have been strong advocates of ‘giving something back’ to grass roots sport.  The support given to the teams riders has been immense to ensure they have been able to focus on the sport to the best of their ability, and compete with the best utilising the best technology and kit.

On the cycling side the team have been fantastically supported by the below.

From a team perspective I am really proud to be associated with a  great bunch who have achieved some stellar results…

1. Over 50 Open race wins & multiple course records
2. World record – Masters 1hr Women’s            Clarry Chunghouse
3. National Silver Medal – Men’s TTT                  Andy Jackson / Jon Wears / Ali Wareham
4. Winner CTT Junior BBAR                                    Eugene Cross
5. CTT Junior Champion of Champions              Eugene Cross
6. Silver CTT Junior National 25                            Max Mcmurdo
7. Scottish Junior National 25 Champion          Max Mcmurdo
8. Age Group 10m record                                         Simon Beldon
9. Age Group 25m record                                         Simon Beldon
10. Winner Yorkshire Short BAR                             Andy Jackson
11. Winner Yorks Junior BAR                                    Eugene Cross
12. Winner Yorks  Short team BAR                         Andy Jackson / Joel Wainman / Jon Wears
13. 40-49 Age Group winner National 50             Andy Jackson
14. UMCA 6hr World Championships Winner     Andy Jackson
15. Circuit Champs Age group winner                   Simon Beldon
16. Winner Yorkshire SPOCO series                       Alastair Wareham
17. Welsh 25 team title                                               Jon Surtees / Andy Jackson / Jon Wears
18. VTTA 30 overall winner                                       Andy Jackson
19. Silver Women’s BUCS 10m                                Sophie Household
20. 4th Women’s CTT BBAR                                     Clarry Chunghouse
21. SSLL racing team were the organisers of the FASTEST 10m TT EVER producing a new Mens & Womens Competition record
22. Various wins overall and age group from Blair Buss, Jon Surtees, Mel Wasley

When its put like that I think we can say a pretty successful first season!

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Personally it was a season of mixed fortunes for me, with some up’s and a fair few downs.  My season ended well with my main ‘goal’ achieved of winning the UMCA 6hr World Championships in Borrego Springs California.

November 5th – Well mission accomplished! UMCA 6hr World Champion and new course record holder of 145m.
Some UK testers get a bit snobby and look at ‘ultra’ racing as some odd side line.. but when you see the likes of Christopher Strasser whack out 550m in 24 hrs… a world and by far UK record… in this heat, on a single track, sucky course with absolutely zero traffic you should have renewed respect. Its a fab scene. Some amazing guys and was great to meet a bit of a ‘hero’ of mine in… Marko Baloh who did a great ride for 3rd overall.
Great to meet UK stars Catriona Archer and Jasmijn Muller. Jasmijn, desite having to finish at 19hrs still was 3rd overall. #respect.
Overall I have to be happy considering the start!  3 secs in I snapped my chain. The stupid mechanic (me) didnt put it on properly 😲😲. 6min20 down before we started. Great. But i knew i was on a ride. I did 7 big laps.. averaging 44.40… which meant most were strava KOM laps 😁😁🏁🚲🚲.
The heat was mental 33 degrees average and topping 42 degrees celsius near 2pm!
My helper was amazing! Helen Hall kept me going and a bag of ice down the neck every lap did the job. We had a plan of what to have each lap… Helen had it sorted, ready and was always bang on time… and the screaming at me to pick it up the last laps, when I was still pushing close on 300w was almost funny 😂😂🤔😲🚵
The last hr was a blur… 11min short laps and on 5hrs 52 I was stopped to finish..
It took AGES to get the result but job done. A win by near 4m, despite the small issue of the bloody chain 😂😂

Outside of the above I had a much more disappointing home season against my main targets that were:

1. CTT National TTT – Defend GOLD last year – RESULT Silver – Great team effort!
2. National 50m TT   – equal / better last years 4th RESULT – 7th / Age group win
3. National 100m TT – equal / better last years 4th RESULT – DNF puncture
4. National 25m TT – equal / better last years 10th RESULT – Awful!
5. National 10m TT – equal / better last years 6th  RESULT – DNS Illness

Although I was pleased to record PB’s over

1. 25m – 47:05 – would have been a n illusive ’46’ if I’d not gone round the turn twice!
2. 50m – 1:41:05
3. 10m – 18:11 – 2nd fastest time for me since 2014 PB of 18:02
4. 18 individual race wins from 29 starts

So in reflection?

1. I race too much, my fitness tailed off mid-season and only came back when I started to focus on the end of season goal and stopped racing
2. I am tired of traipsing up and down to boring DC’s on wet Saturday’s to hope for a favourable wind or traffic to gain a few seconds!
3. I like training and riding LONG
   1. To demonstrate this on ‘holiday’ I decided to aim for the ‘Hells 500 High Rouleurs club’ – you climb 10000m in one ride – see write  up posted before High Roulers Club – 10000m in one ride! and that was after completing ‘Everesting’ a couple of years ago … yes you guessed it climb the height of Everest 8848m in one ride.  See write up
      Now for something completely different.. Everesting

So what does all this mean?

Well maybe a change of focus in 2017… I have really enjoyed the longer races and I feel it as a draw, although I am also enjoying loads of swimming at the moment – Great cross training and breaks the monotony of the ‘pain cave’ and @ZWIFT (I am becoming addicted to this bloody computer game!)

Then the really exciting plans come along in 2018,  along with Multiple UMCA world Champion  Chris Hopkinson  at sometime in 2018 we will be racing the 2-man Race Across Europe aiming to smash the existing record
http://www.theraceacrosseurope.com/The_RACE/RACE_Home.html
It looks amazing, taking in some iconic roads and climbs across Europe.
We’ll be going for it so I am honestly not sure I will appreciate it – especially Alpe D’Huez and Ventoux after (probably) 6 days on the go pretty much …non-stop !
We’ll be hopeful for some like minded nutters to come for the ride and help crew with us too…