End of term report

Its the end of August and for the most part, the time trial, track and road seasons are drawing to a close, so perhaps now is a good time to sit back and have a review of how things have gone this year.
In the spring my objectives were to do 220 miles in a 12 hour, improve my 100 mile time, ride the Welwyn track league and hopefully ride l'Eroica. Regular readers will know by now that the 12 hour was a non starter this year following a horrendous 100 and will deduce that I won't be riding l'Eroica this year either, so on the face if it I have failed on 3 out of 4 accounts. I did, however, manage to ride a few track league events, actually getting in the racing and not just hanging on the back as I had expected, so although work ultimately got in the way of a full season I log this as a win. I managed a grass track event as well, gaining my 3rd cat licence in a madison that day. Perhaps I'll manage more next year.
Just measuring set objectives does not reveal the true picture and a few more details will maybe flesh things out a bit.
Taking time trials only as that is what the majority of the season is made up of: This year I have ridden 30 events over a total of 563 miles. Last years totals were 22 races at 368 miles and in 2007 I rode 31 over 863 miles. 2006 totals were 26 and 492 respectively. This year I had 2 wins, one open and one at club level, 5 second places and 3 thirds. Last year I had one win, 2 seconds and one third. In 2007 I had one second place and a third while in 2006 I failed to score at all, although I did win an ECCA medal on handicap! So, I think I'm actually getting better overall results now than I have over several recent years. I'm not too worried about missing my set objectives as success can come in many forms and I guess you have to take it where you find it.
On Tuesday, the cyclo-cross season starts and you'll find me in the laughing group at the back on a regular basis assuming I manage to stay upright and no more trees walk out in front of me.
Objectives for next year? Well firstly there's unfinished business at both 100 miles and 12 hours and a third Paris-Roubaix is definitely on the cards with Ed. Another win a open level would be nice, but lets not get too hasty. Really it all depends on whether work prevents me doing too much and whether I get enough winter training miles in. Watch this space chaps.