Derby National Trophy at the weekend, finished up in 8th. Happy with the ride. As some big players choose to use it as their Trophy season opener.
A photo story from the day can be found on ViCiOUS VELO team site

Set up was:
Mavic Krysium with Dugasts
Condor Terra-X frame with Dura Ace
44t chainring with 11-25 cassette

The course
The course is rammed with off camber turns and off camber straights. I enjoyed the course. It was the same as last year.
I did 3 practise laps with additional practise on 2 tricky bits. I watch some of the leading Vets ride the tricky bits to see how they coped.

Mental rehearsal
Then with that information in hand, I've been doing a mental rehearsal. Something new I'm trying this season.
Sit quietly in your car. 30 minutes before the race or while you warming up on the turbo. Work through the whole lap. Almost saying each bit out loud. Turn after turn. Where to be. When to brake and when to change gear. When to be 120% and when to ease off back to 90%.
I have found it incredibly useful. It worked at Leciester and at Derby. I didn't quite use it to my advantage at Southampton. I knew I had to be 3rd wheel at least into the wooded section, I just went
far to fast and cardivascular couldn't keep up. What it does is just make you be almost like a robot and you forget about you breathing being high etc. You just do what you head is saying.
Initially I used see the things in my head in black & white, now with more practise its become colour.

From my memory this morning.
My list in my head for Derby went like this:

Sprint from start
Move over to the left
Brake at the light green course stake. Turn
Do not be on the front through the tarmac
Through pits
Power through on exit
Off camber 180, choose high line then run wide
Off camber straight.
Stay high. Out of the saddle power
Don't brake for next two corners.
Aim to clip green stake
Easy gear. Into S - go wide to find green
Power on
180 tricky corner. High inside line
Ok to drift out
Power on. Gear down 2
Clip blue stake
Sprint diagonally up short bank
Along the top. Power and gear down
Out wide
Turn at dark green stake
Descend
Enter turn wide, let it drift
Power.
Don't not brake on approach to corner
Clip green stake and ride up bank diagonally.

And so on and so on