Racing Wessex Rnd 6 Cotswold Velijdren Newbury Show Ground

Wessex Round 6 and race three for me. Even though it had been raining a lot in the days leading up into it the day was bright and dry.
I took the SCS wagon up to Newbury show ground and signed on . ( made much easier using Pre-entry.)
. Very shiney and new numbers,and superbly organised by Cotswold Veldrijden .

There was a bit of a nip in the air. so long sleeves on, and knee warmers... hmmm race in arm warmers or not. ( I went without)
The course was excellent. Long and thin, and tucked up next to the M4.
A long tarmaced straight and around the edge of a field. Back along some muddy lanes, punctuated by hairpins, in the middle of the long runs was a Steep mound, a slippy off camber corner. ( I think its may be used by 4x4 drivers)
anyhow out of the woods, through a gravelly gateway, steep 2 foot high bank, a few gates and onto the 'assault course) culminating in a steep run up followed by an immediate drop back in. Great fun unclipped and just bouncing down there.
I rode two laps as a warm up , and then went back to get a T-10 energy gel. This week I over came my mild embarassment and wheeled the Focus down to the pits. There is no point in it being in the van is there.

Gridding started and I was desperate to get as close to the front as possible. the callups seemed to go on for ever as  the comissaire went through the League table. I was disapointingly far back  behind many riders that I have regularly come in front of ...( I later discovered that I can affiliate as an individual ) I did my best to udge forward, but i ended up 2/3 of the way back.
The whistle went and we were off.. I tanked it.. and over the first few laps made up a lot of places. the run up was a favourite, and up that back lane in the squirelly mud seems to be where I picked up places.

I had a good ding dong throughout with Phil Boarer of South Downs, but eventually he got the better of me. My thrity minute nemesis didnt really appear and I managed to keep the hammer down throughout.
I called a line to pass a Pendragon rider,thinking he was a back marker only to find he was still racing.. oops.. I gave him a wide berth and quickly distanced him. Sprinting out of the last few corners to hold on and finish 13th.

A thouroughly enjoyable circuit , best circuit of the series so far :-)and I think a top ten may be possible before the end of the series.

what went well:
New Koolstop brake blocks.. braking was less sketchy. lessons from last week. I am now conciously holding as much speed as I can. " Do I really need to be braking...?"
no 30 minute fade.
good tyre pressure 38psi. felt just right in slightly slick conditions.
I felt rested. 22:30 bedtimes work .

Not so good.
I hung around in my damp shorts too long after the race and now I have a saddle sore.
Not getting gridded. I had to fight through a lot of riders in the first lap. Burning a lot of energy. Not a lot of point in paying affiliation this year, I will just have to deal with starting furtehr back. If I am not in a club next year I will affiliate as an individual.