Kelly Cycle Coaching athletes, Monica and Mark Kelly (currently residing in Geelong and Horsham, respectively), raced the Frank Long Handicap in Hamilton on the weekend.  They were also joined by their brother Jeremy and father, Steve, who don’t train at all.  Here is how the Kelly family tackled the race……

Race Report – Frank Long Hamilton
Report by Monica Kelly

A very chilly and overcast day was the setting for the annual Frank Long Classic to be contested in Hamilton as part of the South West Series racing calendar. My brothers Markie and Jeremy, my dad Steve and myself were all contesting the race whilst Barb (our mum) encouraged us all from the side lines. Mark contested the juniors race as he is in U17’s and unable to race the seniors. He was the scratch marker with 2 other boys from the south west area, who were in pursuit if 15 minutes to the front markers.  Mark decided that they were not keeping the pace high enough to catch the front markers and broke away from the fellow back markers in a solo attack. He didn’t quite catch up to the front markers but was able to obtain the fastest time of 30 minutes and 7 seconds over the 20km distance. He was pretty happy with his efforts today as he is contesting the Ararat Junior Tour next week, which he hopes to be in the top 5 on general classification. 

The senior’s race was a very short 40km handicap which meant the pace was going to be high and the time intervals between the groups very small.  Steve was on 3rd limit as he likes to incorporate training and racing on the same day. This was quite a generous mark as he seems to be able to pull form out of 3 training rides he has had over the last month. Jeremy and I were both off the 7th minute mark. Jeremy was also conducting his training and racing on the same day as most of his time is taken up completing his university double degree of Engineering and Commerce. Our bunch started really well, averaging upwards of 40 km. At the half way mark we had the 9minute group in site and were catching them very quickly. My race then came to an abrupt end when I broke a spoke in my back wheel. This was disappointing as I was feeling really good after a solid month of training. This left our group down to 7 riders on the closing stages of the race.

Whilst waiting for the ‘sag wagon’ for a lift to the finish line, I got to see the time gaps between the following groups and the scratch markers. The scratchies were closing in quickly and it looked like it was going to be a mass finish. Jeremy was flying along in the group, but suffered a cramp in the closing stages that prevented him from keeping with the 7minute group. This was disappointing for him as the group was closing in on the leaders. Steve, riding in his brand new red shirt, also didn’t make it to the finish with his group as his ‘training and racing on the same day’ caught up with him in the final stages. As the finish line came into sight, the limit markers had just enough time to grab the race win, with the scratchies making up last 5 places in the top10. Michael Kryborg from Camperdown claimed the win, and Darcey Wolley of Port Fairy claimed fastest time and was one of the riders in the scratch bunch.
It was a mixed day of results for the Kelly family, but ended with a clear message to those struggling with motivation as the colder months approach. Training does pay divided ends even though it is very tempting to stay inside where it is warm.

Happy ridings,

Mon