It’s taken a while, but I have a book coming out on June 10. It’s called “A Corinthian Endeavour: The Story of the National Hill Climb Championship”. It’s published by Mousehold Press. There is a talk and preview at Roll for the Soul in Bristol on June 10. You can find out a bit more here.
As cycling books go, it’s vaguely literary and reflective. It focuses on people, places and the esoteric nature of the Hill Climb championship. I have been lucky enough to interview Vic Clark, Eric Wilson, Peter Graham, Daryl Webster, Graham Sydney, Jim Henderson, Lynn Hamel, Chris Boardman, Tejvan Pettinger and Gareth Armitage, amongst others.
If you like Tim Krabbe, Kuklos, Roger Deakin, Nick Hand and Philip Larkin, then with any luck you’ll like this. If you don’t know these people, then you’ll hopefully like it anyway. If you like obsession and the madness of riding really fast, then it should do the trick. And if you like reading about strange people doing strange things in strange places, then you’re also in luck.
“You are so beyond the limit, way beyond your ordinary experience. It’s torture physically, but you get some kind of joy from it, and you look back and think, ‘I really lived in those three minutes. I don’t quite know what went on, but I was on the edge and experiencing something different’.”
Good luck with the book, Paul!
Awesome, well done. I almost don’t want to ask this, but is it deliberate that you’ve called it “The Story of the National Hill Climb Championship” in your piece above, but “The Story of the National Championship Hill Climb” in the picture?
It was a slightly earlier draft.
Webo on the front page from the Buxton champs is a good call can I get mine signed from a local champ?
Of course. What does ‘webo on the front page from the Buxton champs’ mean?
Congrats on completing the book. Good luck with it
Well done P.J. got mine on order. Oh yes, can I play the lead role when its made into a film.
Excellent book P.J. well thought out and a very good read. Didn’t know that had happened to Granville Sydney (not as fortunate as Obree) or about Tejvans beliefs.
Whats next? maybe a hill training book using some of the veterans methods and theories, I dont suppose the current boys would be so keen to give up their ideas, other than Tejvan.
I have a few ideas, not really hill climb related but in a similar vein. Glad you liked it.
Hi Paul,
Me again. Any news on the 2019 nationals course? Hope you’re well.
Best wishes,
Nick
It’s definitely on a hill somewhere.