Tag: racing

My enjoyment of the sport, has been amplified by the circuit, and the community and volunteers involved

Leave a comment
Stephen, left, at a Friday training session on the circuit

In the second in a series of interviews with folk who use the circuit, we chatted with Stephen Miles about his journey from runner to seasoned bike racer

I’ve always been an active person, primarily into running and tennis during my thirties, but as I approached the significant milestone of 40 years old, I really started feeling the effects of getting older. I was getting frequent minor injuries, and they were taking a frustratingly long time to heal. A PB in a 10k running race in October 2021 resulted in an immediate and fairly painful calf injury which would persist for some months.

In December 2021, a good friend suggested trying cycling. The last time I rode a bike was as a spotty teenager on a Raleigh BMX but his advice was that cycling might be good for my recovery, and so on a sunny blue-sky morning, on a borrowed 2000’s Trek road bike  (full Postal Service livery, down shifters on the top tube) and my newly acquired cycling ‘haul’ from Amazon, we set out on my first road bike experience. What I discovered was a shocking lack of bike fitness and no muscle mass. I blew up on a climb in Balerno, and wobbled home, but was clearly and deeply entranced by the experience. A new love affair had started.

A few years on and the West Lothian Cycle Circuit  now plays a huge part in my cycling story. The cycle circuit is just a short distance along the canal from my house, so I have been able to practice regularly in the safe environment, as well as gain skills from group riding with the West Lothian Clarion. With no real ambition, I started joining the weekly training sessions, including the Wednesday Chaingang, Friday Chaingang and my favourite early morning Russian Steps workout. These sessions allowed me to hugely improve my bike handling, my confidence, and more importantly my bike fitness, often training with much stronger riders.

It sort of seemed inevitable that having watched the success of the circuit, and some of the Criterium races in the first season, that racing became something I wanted to try my hand at – maybe I could sneak into the Vet 40 category or Category 4 races and see if I could compete? The bug bit pretty hard in 2024 and before I knew it, I was completely engrossed in the ‘scene’. I raced against riders of all ages, and as it turned out, managed to hold my own. At the end of the season I hadn’t managed to get enough points for a Category 3 promotion, but in many ways this only spurred me on. I was delighted, however, to get 3rd place overall in the TCI Friday race series at the circuit, my first prize for cycling.

In 2025 after a good winter, and confident of the gains, I stepped out for the West Lothian Grand Prix at the circuit. I have widened my ambitions and now take part in races at the Fife Circuit in Lochgelly, Carlisle Cycle Circuit, and Salt Ayre in Lancaster, building wider links amongst the crit racing community. 

The season until now has been so much fun. Racing week in and week out at my home track, and gaining the confidence to travel further afield to compete. I’m delighted that my season goal of getting Category 3 licence has been achieved at the start of August, with a few months to spare, and there is no doubt that my growth on the bike, and my enjoyment of the sport, has been amplified by the circuit, and the community and volunteers involved.

As Autumn begins, this means just one thing – we must go again. This winter needs to yield another 20-25w gain so it’s back to the drawing board, back to the training plan, and back to improving the bike craft and racing tactics. Where better to do all those things than at the West Lothian Circuit, which is exactly what I plan to do. Bring on 2026.

Stephen on the front racing in a TCI Friday crit. Photo by Ed Crowley

The female racing community has been super friendly, supportive and welcoming

Leave a comment

Where does the time go? We are so busy with activities on the circuit we forget to update our blog. Our first post of 2025 is an inspiring case study from Alison Kerr who lives in Glasgow. Alison has been using the circuit and sessions run on the facility including Womens’ Hour on a Monday and the TCI Friday race series

I ran marathons for 8 years but then work got busy and I couldn’t fit in the training. A friend said they thought I’d also be good on a bike so when my inherited/very old hybrid commuting bike needed replaced I bought a road bike in September 2019. But the traffic on the Glasgow roads I commuted on scared me (I had to cross a really busy dual carriage way crossroads to get to any routes) so the bike never got much use.

Fast forward to empty lock down roads in April 2020 and I loved the freedom to escape the daily grind of lockdown/homeschooling/still working full time that the bike brought. Each evening in the summer I’d head solo out for some me time. Just feeling free.  I gained confidence on the bike and when traffic reappeared I held my road position much better and felt safe enough to ride irl.

During covid I also discovered Zwift and indoor riding and then racing with the Zwift Riders Scotland team. I love the team aspect and supportive environment.  I gained a lot of fitness riding on the turbo and it was ideal for childcare. With a primary school aged son I could still ride 40 plus km and not leave him/the house. I could even help him with his spelling homework as I rode!

Zwift has brought me a group of super supportive friends and I’ve been lucky enough to meet several in real life in the Pyrenees (twice), in Majorca, on mount Tiede in Tenerife and in Scotland.

I turned 50 in February and decided that I’d love to have a go a in real life racing.  But as an outsider to the racing community I found it incredibly hard to work out how to get started.

I saw a post on Facebook about an intro to road racing session being held for women so I signed up… it was cancelled unfortunately but the organiser mentioned in passing the West Lothian Cycle Circuit and an upcoming race… the ‘L’Enfer du Linlithgow.  I had zero idea what it entailed but thought “let’s do it’.

I mentioned at race sign on it was my 1st race and another competitor heard me and she took the time to explain the logistics and what would happen. During the race she even gave me hints.. thank you Diana!

The race organisers mentioned woman’s hour to me and I loved the idea but I stay in Glasgow so didn’t think it would work out… but I managed along to the 1st session of the year and loved it. It’s still a hike after working in Motherwell to get home and then over to Linlithgow but I try to get there every couple of weeks as it’s so beneficial. 

I’m learning heaps and gaining confidence.  And now I’m in the racing loop, I’m hearing about all the opportunities to race that occur in the central belt… wish there were more over in west though! I did a hilly TT, another crit race and had my 1st road race in June. (In a small field I managed 2nd! But more than that I had a really great time meeting the other competitors, especially the ladies. Plus I’ve signed up to the next TCI Friday race.

So far the female racing community has been nothing but super friendly, supportive and welcoming.

TCI Friday Round 7 results

Leave a comment

This week’s race was organised by Livingston Cycling Club, their first event on the circuit but the whole evening ran like clockwork, Thank you to all the volunteers.

The races were run in a clockwise direction and included the acute ‘elbow’ corner between loop 3 and 4, the first time for this direction, producing a route 1kmin length

With a low turn-out the youth races were replaced with a time trial. In the A boys event Lee McQueen smashed round the circuit in a sub-25mph time of 23.53. In the youth B girls Sarah McCormac led home Ishbel Bennett with a time of 13.44 for 5km.

The masters race showed how racers are getting to grips with the track, a much tighter competition for the bunch over the 45 minute event.

After 10 minutes Davie Lines jumped away from the pack and built a sizeable lead. Davie isn’t someone you want to let go, so James Mccallum jumped across and the two veteran competitors worked together to form the race-winning break, almost catching the bunch. Mccallum cruised by Lines in the finale, increasing his race wins on the circuit to four.

The non-series 2/3 cat race played out a calm first 10 minutes until Alastair Easton tested his legs and pulled Joshua Higgins with him away bunch. The bunch didn’t react immediately until the leading duo were joined by James Mccallum, Ross Clark and Andre van, The five leaders increased the gap to the bunch to half a lap.

The chasing bunch didn’t gel so a ‘frustrated’ Oliver Pemberton played his hand and struck out to bridge across to the five leaders. 10 minutes later he was sitting in and recovering from his effort.

The 6 riders remained together until the finale and Pemebrton crossed the line first with a trade mark seated sprint.

Enter the next race on 26th Friday:
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/300849/Thanks-Crit-its-Friday—Round-8

Series supported by https://harts-cyclery.co.uk

TCI Friday Race Series Round 3: Football’s loss is cycling’s gain

Leave a comment

On Friday evening the Clarion organised their second event of the week with the focus shifting to adult racing. The event clashed with Scotland’s game in the European championships but despite that, cycle racing proved a popular and enjoyable attraction.

There were 3 races on the ticket, a beginner 4th category race, a female race and a 2/3 category race closing out the programme.

The first race for men was run under damp conditions, but the circuit’s super-grippy surface held up with no incidents. After 10 minutes of the 40 minute race, a group of 10 riders nosed off the front to form, what would be, the race winning move which included the home club’s Jonathan Hunter.

With constant probing from the competitors the group whittled down to 6 by the last lap. James Burnett (Edinburgh road Club) kicked first and crossed the line in front of the chasers with a Hunter in 7th

After the race, a buoyant Jonathan Hunter said “That was my first race and I was pretty nervous before the start especially with the rain falling but the circuit was super grippy. I worked really hard at the start and managed to hold on to the finish, happy with that, I’ll be back again.”

By the second race the sun had come out, drying the tarmac, so riders started to take the corners more aggressively

In the biggest ever women’s race at the venue, with 19 setting off, 8 of the riders had graduated from Women’s hour coaching which takes place on a Monday evening.

A group of 5 favourites formed a selection early in the contest, and they ticked off the laps until 3 laps to go when Anna Flynn (Spectra Racing) launched a blistering attack that could only be followed by a chasing Daisy Taylor (Solas Cycling). Flynn crossed the line first with a commanding lead on her rival.

The final event of the was a 2/3 category open race which was played out with aggressive tactics. Despite continuous forays off the front by the riders the bunch kept stretching and moving back together like an elastic band.

With attacks out of every corner, eventually 12 riders contested the bunch sprint, Linlithgow’s James Mccallum (What’s Your Meta) was pipped into second place by kier Gaffney (Vanelli-Project Go).

Organiser Barry Speedie was pleased with the evening’s proceedings “All three races were attacking and open, which is a characteristic of fixtures on this superb facility. I was pleased to see a really good bunch of women riding, with many coming along from the women’s coaching on a Monday, it’s a great way to spend a Friday evening”