Nedly on his Treadly: 2013/14 Summer Criterium Racing

Here's my annual analysis of my summer crit racing season, which this summer consisted almost exclusively of Kew Boulevard criteriums (run by Hawthorn Cycling Club). Like the 2012/13 criterium season, I attended the racing every week at Kew Boulevard, though this season was slightly different in that on several occasions, the race actually reached the capped number of entries allowed, which appears to be forty. I would ride straight to the race after work every Wednesday, and arrive around five or ten minutes before the race, and on four separate occasions I was denied entry because the race was full. I would usually then ride around in C grade as a race marshal instead.

Missing these four races was unfortunate because it put me out of the running for the Giant Summer Crit Series, which I ended up finishing in 11th place, after coming 3rd last year. I may well have podiumed again this year if I'd gained entry to all of the races. Though over-all, in comparison to last year, my results were less impressive. Average speeds and average power figures were generally comparable to last season, though my finishing positions were generally lower, which may be a reflection of the generally larger fields each week. I still usually finished in the top ten each week, except for that outlying 14th place, but that was because I had a virus that week. I can remember it clearly, I felt horrible, the worst I've felt in a race in recent memory, I had no power, I was hanging off the back the whole race and wondering what was going on!

My best result was a 3rd place, which was in a relatively small field of 24 and after I'd done a stint of touring and raced four stages of Bay Crits (and won overall in the Individual Support Race). So I was in good form, and this had been my plan - to gain some form in Bay Crits so I could come back to Kew Boulevard and win the few weeks following. It was just a shame that the second week after Bay Crits was cancelled due to rain.

So, fourteen races at Kew Boulevard for me this year, as you can see below. That's well down on last year when I raced 22 races. Nonetheless, it was good competitive racing and it kept me fit over summer. Thanks to Hawthorn Cycling Club for doing a great job running the races each week!

Date	Result	Number of racers	Elapsed Time	Avg Speed (km/h)	Max Speed (km/h)	Avg Cadence (rpm)	Avg Heart Rate	Max Heart Rate	Avg Power (Watts)	Max Power (Watts)	Temp (°C)	Strava Link
October 9, 2013	6th	40	38:22	41.8	69.5	98	178	199	299	1328	26	Strava
October 16, 2013	6th	38	42:56	42.1	63.7	97	179	194	326	1284	26	Strava
October 23, 2013	Racing Cancelled
October 30, 2013	?	33	42:38	41.9	62.6	96	173	198	279	1240	16	Strava
November 6, 2013	?	35	45:13	42.1	66.6	96	178	200	327	1276	30	Strava
November 13, 2013	Racing Cancelled
November 20, 2013	Racing Cancelled
November 27, 2013	?	38	35:25	42.3	61.9	97	-	-	335	1352	31	Strava
December 4, 2013	?	27	43:32	41.1	60.1	94	-	-	278	1375	18	Strava
December 11, 2013	Race full	41
December 18, 2013	8th	40	32:26	42.6	60.5	97	-	-	323	1298	25	Strava
January 8, 2014	3rd	24	44:39	41.6	59.4	96	-	-	298	1167	25	Strava
January 15, 2014	Racing Cancelled
January 22, 2014	9th	23	45:45	42.0	60.8	97	-	-	274	1166	23	Strava
January 29, 2014	14th	32	38:26	41.2	58.0	96	177	-	316	1331	22	Strava
February 5, 2014	9th	33	40:10	41.1	60.5	94	-	-	280	1338	30	Strava
February 12, 2014	9th	40	36:02	42.9	58.7	97	-	-	296	1282	27	Strava
February 19, 2014	Racing Cancelled
February 26, 2014	5th	32	45:21	40.2	60.5	95	177	193	300	1317	19	Strava
March 5, 2014	6th	34	39:14	42.9	67	94	175	191	318	1226	18	Strava
March 12, 2014	Sold Out	40
March 19, 2014	Sold Out	40
March 26, 2014	Sold Out	40

After consulting my Strava history, it seems the only other race I competed in besides HCC crits and the Bay Crits was a single Coburg Cycling Club crit at National Boulevard (Campbellfield), way back at the start of the season in October. I can remember struggling in this one, at an hour and 20 minutes long it was longer than I was used to and I got left behind in the last lap. See my Strava link for the racing stats on that one.

Below is a selection of photos that my sister Rosie took when she came to watch one week on November 27, 2013 (she was practicing her photography skills in preparation for a friends wedding the following weekend).

Me before the race.

My sister Silkom who was also along with Rosie to take some snaps.

During the race.

Nathan Haas on my wheel in this one. He only raced once here and unfortunately got quite angry with the Malaysian Track Team riders (orange kit) riding dangerously. It'd be a shame if it put him off from racing here again.