After yesterday blog, today Alex tells us about his National Championship.
National Mens, Womens and Para Track Championships
Three weeks later I was back at the National Cycling Centre this time to compete in my first Para National Track Champs– a daunting but exciting prospect as I would be sharing the track with the Paralympic and World Champion multi gold medallists Jody Cundy, Rik Waddon and Jon Allan Butterworth, who were all really encouraging and friendly. I knew that I would need to treat this as an experience to learn from and do my best in front of the GB coaches who were videoing my races for later analysis .
My events were the Kilo,the flying 200 and the 4k Pursuit, a race I had never done before as youths do not do those distances. I was very lucky to have my coach there to pace me and although it was an agonizing effort I got my time splits right and put in controlled first attempt. It was amazing watching the pros smash their times in the flying 200 and I was inspired by them to put down another PB. As youth rider I have been on strict gear restrictions but now I will be able to gradually increase my strength and gearing so that I will be able to compete on a more equal footing in the future. Again the results were factored but in the mens category I came away with 3rd,3rd,4th but more importantly with an improvement in all my times and another great experience to learn from.
Thank you Alex and great effort.
Very well done from the SD Team.