Q2 2008 - Reading Cycling Club

NickEnglish - Meet the Member2007 witnessed the arrival on the clubtime trialling scene of former Olympicoarsman, Nick English. Nick’s 2007season speaks for itself including anew club record at 10 miles. Tailwindcaught up with Nick to find out moreSignificant others?I got married in August to Liz.It’s generally known that you’re an exrower,but there’s more to it than thatsurely?Well I started rowing when I was studyingat University. After that I worked my wayinto the British team and competed atseveral world championships, winning abronze in the lightweight pairs at Seville in2002. The highlight was competing in the2004 Athens Olympics.What made you start cycling?It is in the blood, my grandfather ranmany tours to the Alps in the postwaryears and I wanted to start racing when Iretired from rowing..So how did your rowing backgroundhelp in your transition to being acompetitive cyclist?My fitness from rowing was a great helpand they are both aerobic leg-basedsports. The competitive aspects are alsosimilar.So it must have been an easytransition to make?Reasonably easy! It was frustrating attimes, as think you should be goingfaster than you are but there’s a lot moreto cycling than going fast. Road racingespecially is a bit of a dark art, timetrialling is a bit more straightforward.Any previous clubs?Only rowing clubs - plenty of those, andthe tandem club!You mainly competed in time trialsin 2007, what plans do you have for2008? Do you think you could transferyour TT speed over to other road ortrack events?I will mainly be doing time trials againalthough I’d like to try and do a fewevents at national level.I did a few road races last year and gotenough points get a 3rd category racinglicence. I may do some more this year,but provided the time trials are going wellI’ll concentrate on them.You achieved some great things in2007, what would you rank as yourmost satisfying result?It would have to be setting my ‘10’ P.B. of19:57. Recording a sub 20-min ‘10’ in myfirst season was very satisfying.What other club records do you havein your sights? Did you know that theclub ‘25’ record is currently 52:09?Yes, I thought that I might be able tomove my PB a bit closer to that! It’scertainly one of my targets for short tomedium term. Saying that, I’m morecasual towards time trialling than rowing.I just do races and enjoy them, Rowingwas my job.Then of course there are thetandem records. Will you and Liz bethreatening any of those?Well as it happens we are doing an open‘10’ at Andover in a few weeks so we’llsee how things go. Liz and I recorded23:43 in a club ‘10’ at Waltham StLawrence last year and we have tri barsnow so I’m hoping we’ll go a couple ofminutes quickerWho is your favourite pro orinspiration?It would have to be Miguel Indurain,not for his time trialing ability but hisperformances in the mountains. Theyweren’t his speciality but he’d just matchthe other riders and keep grinding awayuntil they were dropped.What bikes do you ride?A Giant MCR TT bike, Look KG 281 Roadbike, Orbit America converted to fixed,Dawes Galaxy twin tandem and a Trek1200 as a commuter/winter bikeWhat was your worst ever day on thebike?Riding in Scotland in the rain, withoutenough clothesWhat is your cycling grub of choice?CakeWhat bit of cycling kit could you notlive without?Drop handlebarsWhich climb would you most like tostruggle up given the chance?Mt WashingtonNick’s Year, 2007Club ‘10’ Champion (22:00)Club ‘25’ Champion (55:18)Dave Finch Series – Overall winnerFastest 10-mile TT (19:57)Fastest 25-mile TT (54:29)Fastest 50-mile TT (1:55:25)Short Distance TT BAR(Average speed 27.61 mph)Many thank to Nick, and best of luck for aspeedy 2008.[Photos courtesy of Dennis Sackett]