Highs, lows and highs again

I did say cyclocross is a sport that involved mud! Well on Saturday we got more than our fair share of it. The guys running lower tyre pressures seemed to be struggling more than those running slightly higher ones. Higher pressures cut through the surface layer of mud to find grip underneath. Well, what a race, got gridded again and it was an explosive start with riders quickly sorting themselves into some sort of order. Start of the second lap and the course was starting to really cut up. By this time I had forgotten about my poorly leg and started to really enjoy the conditions.

I could make up time where the course was more technical but was losing time on the flatter sections. Uphill and downhill great, flat - crap, same as when I used to time trial. Hmmm will have to think about that. Penultimate lap a faster rider who was struggling in the conditions caught up with me. We had a friendly chat, gasp, chat, gasp, grunt, snort chat then started to work together. He stuck the knife in on the flats and I demoralised him on the technical bits. Last lap he pulled away, then on a really slippery off-camber 180 degree turn I got past him and held on to sprint to the line, beating someone in a sprint finish (well mid pack moral victory) for the first time in years. We shook hands

after the race and re-lived the last lap and a half a dozen times! Fab fab fab!

Best result so far, just 6 min (under a lap behind the winner!)

So onto the low. Got to the venue where Vintage Trouble were playing that evening,  and the band, they were alright, pedestrian, easy, mundane I don't know but was talking to the bass player of the MLB in the shop where he works earlier in the day  and mentioned how I was aware of how I hadn't enjoyed the last gig I went to. He thought I was playing it safe with my choices and he could have right. It was just - alright. Not what I expected from their music and appearances on Jools Holland etc. Disappointed....



And the final high, my new bike and wheels are ready for pick up this week- great service Infinity!

So,  am looking forward to faffing with that, the next race in two weeks and returning to full fitness.

Catching up with me mate this week who's getting married next year, he keeps asking me how  my best man's speech is coming on, eh it's nearly  a year way so I will have to  be reflecting on that process. And I did mention a reference in my last post about the Led Zep link from 1969, but more of that next time.

And, bloody Billy Bragg!

And my first steps playing guitar with somebody else. Bricking it already and it's not even a deffo!