A quick mention of today’s Sam Robinson Road Race and a few photos from the Top Of The World climb.

I was on managed to combine my duties as a father with my hobby today: we pedalled out towards Kippen, feeding some animals on the way. I’d calculated that at the 40mile point, at an average of 20mph, the riders would be on the Top of the World by 12:30. Pegging it along the A811 with a toddler on a bike seat is probably not the most responsible, but the traffic was quiet and all the drivers sensible. Despite being on a hybrid, with a child on the back and a bag with camera, picnic and other accoutrements round my neck, I still managed to catch and pass some cyclo-tourists. A bit of childish inner gloating, before being put back in my place by a couple of clubmates who whizzed past leaving me for dead.

I had cut it fine, and got to the climb with only a few minutes to spare. I only had time to fling down the bike, make sure my first born was safe, and whip out the camera, but didn’t have time to choose the right setting, so the shots of the lead group and 3 chasers are irretrievably overexposed. A real shame, I’ve included them anyway for interest but it won’t do my reputation as a photographer any good.

Let’s call it ‘creative license’ shall we?
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I raced Falkirk BC’s May Day Gallop on Monday, taking full advantage of a Bank Holiday off work, but with my older kid in nursery. Balancing family and racing is not an easy thing! I’ve been training hard recently, albeit short sessions, but have noticed the difference after hanging in with the scratch group at the Stirling BC chaingang last week.

It was raced over 5 laps of a 10 mile circuit, around roads familiar to anyone who has ridden the Falkirk Thursday night wheelabout. I was in the 4th group of 6, with groups setting off at 2 minute intervals, apart from the 1st bunch and the last one (the ‘scratch’), which had a 4 minute gap to their nearest group. The groups start off fast with everyone wheeling about and taking a short spell at the front. I find this much less stressful than mass start races, where you are fighting with 80 other riders to be near the front, usually on narrow roads with a motorbike marshall’s horn in your ear!

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The Kelso Youth Criterium was a big race for youths held on Sunday 4th April at the Borders Union Show Ground. This was a weekend where I gave senior racing a bit of coverage, so thanks to the people who pointed out the youth scene I had missed.

Thanks to Bryan Donnely for pictures. Click through for more on flickr or follow him on twitter

There’s a bit of a delay in publishing this post but it’s still worth putting out as the race was part of The Skinny Tyres Series, which is a British Cycling Go-Race series of events, designed to encourage youths to try racing on safe, closed-road circuits. It is the brainchild of Mark McKay, who was formerly Scottish Cycling’s talent scout and is now British Cycling’s Olympic Talent Coach. Mark is supported by another Mark- Young- who is Scottish Cycling’s Regional Development Coach.
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