Not content with a mile warm up before that big race? Try the Colin Fray approach to racing which includes at least an hour warm up over the Col de Kettleshulme before replacing cycle cleats for running flats. Colin tried out this approach to the full before Rudyard where he raced a mere 21 miles to the start. Mike ‘Range Rover’ Cooper offered Lance a lift but Colin didn’t want to mess up the back seat.
All of which inspired me to try a similar tack before the best fell/trail race this side of the Peaks at Bollington Nostalgia. I wasn’t alone either. Joined by Colin Cadel Fray and Ian Indurain Smallwood we made quite a trio as we cycled into the village in some rare Summer sunshine. And who should pass us in the Range Rover…
The warm up certainly did me good and I took over a minute off my best Nostalgia time (although it might have been the Bear’s new Zoom explosion), although a certain Mr Fray still managed to beat us by 30 yards – clearly my cycle warm up wasn’t far enough. And there was no way I was going to try and pass him on the crazy downhill cobbles which end the race.
PS. Please Tony put Nostalgia in the summer series. It’s a travesty.