After landing in Nairobi and posting my first ride on strava I was quickly met with an invitation to sign up to one of the major road races in the Kenyan racing calendar – The Farmer’s Choice Road Race. With just a week to get used to riding at 2000m altitude and make a few modifications to the bike I’d travelled with, come race day I had more than a few nerves. Anyway I made my way to the start line in the knowledge that I had been entered in the elite category, had put some road wheels on my bamboo bike and assessing the probability I would have to pull a Dumoulin soon after the start!
The race began in a civilised enough manner and I thought I’d gotten away with my lack of warm-up. Unfortunately the pressure started to be piled on as we hit the climbs of the circuit. By the end of the first lap I was cooked and gratefully shelled along with several others. Together we continued to make a race out of the day. We came together as a group of 10, placed as the 3rd group on the road, with no realistic chance of chasing anyone down.