It’s a rare day when those three letters are next to my name on a results sheet. A combination of stubbornness along with using decent kit has seen me finish pretty much everything I’ve started. Today’s West London Combine 50 on the H50/4 (A413) put an end to that. 64k of 80k done and my front tyre makes a sound like broken glass and rapidly turns into a very wobbly, very flat thing. Arse. ‘Luckily’ I was quite near the HQ in Great Missenden so walked back. Unfortunately I was wearing my new skinsuit which doesn’t have room for my phone and I’d not bothered to take keys so I had to wait for Mal and Scherrit to realise and return. They got a bit of a fright when I didn’t turn up but coppers and ambos went past. Whoops.

The new Castelli aero gloves and Assos skinsuit (modified by Mal with number loops) worked well as did the Bell Javelin helmet – no fogging and didn’t end up covered in sweat like my sunglasses usually do.

Everyone said I looked fast and a quick calculation reveals I’d have PB’d pretty much for sure but it wasn’t actually a good race for me. Power was all over the place and my shoes were too tight so my left foot went numb again. I think the different style bars on the new bike need further adjustment as I’m sliding forward on them when getting low.

Luckily I had another front wheel for training on in the car so as punishment for my tyre’s failure I tacked on a bunch of hours training after the event and it was actually mostly dry. Yay.

3:56:08

Oof.. 4am alarm in order to get out there in time to start. Everyone I’d spoken to had said the F1/100 was going to be pretty fast so I’d decided to drive out and try for a sub-4hr time and then tack on some training afterwards to keep El Coacho happy. I’m glad I did because it was a nice course and I finally went under the 4hr mark, knocking another 5 minutes of my PB set the previous week. I was pretty close to setting a PB for 50 mile as well with a 1:57:15 split – that will have to wait.

With pre-race faffing I almost didn’t make my start slot, having to go back to the HQ for another pin for my number (thanks to the woman who helped in there – your pinning was lucky!). I ummed and arred about adding more air to my tyres and chose not to with another rider saying “it’s all about the comfort”. I would have to agree with him as I hauled butt over to the start line, arriving just as the starter called out 20 seconds to go for my number! Not quite the smooth warmup I had at the Hounslow. Out of the blocks I rolled, trying to calm my pace down, knowing pacing is crucial.

Once again the faithful Foreigner team were out cheering and replacing my bottles as needed. I’d made some small adjustments to my bike and position before this race and was trying very hard to maintain my aero position. It seemed to be working as I was on pace for a sub-4hr ride from the start. The same thing happened at Hounslow though so I knew not to get too excited as the final hour would be critical. My glasses took a little bit longer to be covered in sweat and salt – presumably due to the 3.5hr earlier start compared to Hounslow – still I found myself throwing them at Scherrit preferring to be able to actually see where I was going.

There were some bad patches during the race but nothing too critical. The key thing was, there was now about an hour to race and still a good chance for a sub-4hr time. Perhaps the difference this race was that I really wanted it – coming close to a goal is a great motivator to actually achieve it and to be honest I was getting tired of 100s and my poor team mates were getting tired of the early starts!

Looking at my power data for the final hour there’s definitely a sharp ramp up in power. Over the course of the whole race it’s lower than Hounslow but the final hour is much stronger. Maybe I could’ve given more, earlier but whatever, now it’s time to put the hurt on. I remember #75 coming past me on the A421 ‘finishing circuit’ so I knew there were faster riders than me but all I wanted was the sub-4hr. This time the finish line was etched into my brain the first time past it. Not long to go now.. what the? Temporary traffic lights in the distance! Argh, they were green and I KNEW they would change to red before I got there. Sure as, the lights changed to red. I was still rolling towards them but had slowed substantially. It was totally clear so I could’ve just busted through them but couldn’t face being DQ’d for it. I was almost on the lights and they changed. GO GO GO! I accelerated away from them and was soon up to the Black Cat RAB where I got some cheers from the team again.

No let up now. I know I’m going to go under 4 hours but how much?

“Just get over this long rise and then there’s a fast downhill. Tuck in and pedal fat boy”

“Rider ahead, lift it, catch them, pass them, go go go”

“RAB is clear, fast through it, short rise, where’s the bloody finish?”

Team yelling at me as I try a bit harder, desperate to spot anything on the roadside that might be the line. There! Final effort and done.

I’m never quite sure what time I do as I stop my computer soon after the finish. Ditch my lid and ride easy back to the HQ.

3:56:09. Sweet.

Thanks to Tim Davies for letting through my late entry. Thanks to Scherrit for enthusiastically helping out once again and big thanks to my poor girlfriend who hates early starts and driving but did both to allow me to race and ride home.

Icknield 100 TT Forum Thread

Icknield 100 TT Results Thread

photo: chris lovibond

4:01:07

A whole 17 minutes knocked off my 100 mile TT PB and about bloody time too! Still not quite under 4 hours for this distance but given this ride I know it’s doable.

I was the second last rider off, just before last year’s winner Adam Topham (he did a 3:37 last year!) so I was expecting to be caught quickly and Tops didn’t disappoint, riding past me yelling encouragement after only 10 minutes. Thanks for the yell, Tops. He was the eventual winner, riding a 3:41, on a borrowed bike after an accident on his own some weeks earlier!

After last week’s Norfolk 100 where I missed second place by 1 second to Westerley’s Andy Halliday, this race was going to be an interesting grudge match. Andy was off just 2 minutes before me! I wasn’t going to worry about it though as all I had to deal with was pacing and ensuring nothing hurt too much like last year’s glute problem. I think it was 45 minutes in and I caught Andy. We high-fived which was a nice tough and then I carried on, keeping a sharp eye on my power meter to ensure I didn’t blow up and crumble like I did in the Norfolk 100.

I was baulked a few times at the top roundabout – once by some bikers and another time by a stream of cars. Coming to a track-stand mid-race sucks! I tried not to let it phase me as every time I get angry my pacing goes out the window. I was on track for a sub-4hr ride each time I checked my computer so was happy with my pace but I wanted to lift it on the final headwind leg, knowing I’d be all out for the final tailwind leg. The roar from Scherrit and Mal from the other side of the road raised a smile on my dial which was a cool lift. But..

The 100 is still cursed. I knew this as I eeked out the last of my energy and rolled past the finish line. “Why?” You ask. Well, I’d already sat up when someone sitting behind their car said “finished”… only it wasn’t the finish line. I had sprinted for the wrong ‘guy behind a car’ and it wasn’t until I soft-pedalled past the chequered board I realised what I’d done. Angry? Much? I was so freakin’ angry with myself!

Never stop until you see the REAL FINISH LINE!

Anyway after ranting about the brain fail on my part to my team I calmed down a bit and was pretty happy with my new PB. It was roughly where it should be, given my 25 and 50 mile times. Knowing how ‘easy’ most of this race felt to me, relative to the horrible Norfolk ride, at least, it seems pretty clear that on a good day I should be able to do a sub-4hr. So I think I might put the 100s away for a while and focus on 24hr training again.. oh wait.. I’ve entered the Icknield 100 next week. 🙂

Thanks again to Mal and Scherrit for the cheering and flawless handups.

photo: Old Skool Tri? from TT forum

4:18:51

It might be a PB by a minute or so but the curse of the 100 mile is still strong. Last year I recall Adam Topham doing something like a 3:37 in the Hounslow 100 whereas this event’s winning time was a 4:14:48 by Charlie Nurse. It’s a tougher course for sure but not help by the raging wind and late torrential downpour that’s for certain!

www.cyclingweekly.co.uk – Torrential rain affects North Norfolk Wheelers 100-mile time trial

www.bikely.com – B100/9

There were only 36 finishers from 80 entrants! I was off the aerobars and onto the start bars on one of the early descents with gusty cross-winds so strong I was actually wondering if my 808 might be pushed hard enough to rub the brakes and stop me. Seriously!

I missed Mal at the first bottle hand-up yelling “I’m doing sixty farkin’ kay an hour” as I shot past her outstretched bottle delivery system (arm). She was a champion though and drove up the road so that we could try again – successfully this time.

The second 30mi/50k lap is where I fell apart. Mentally I kind of quit and got very angry with myself for not being able to go fast enough. I had some stomach issues and my glutes were starting to flare up in protest at the effort. I was handling the windy conditions better now but my pace had slowed considerably. I’d started too hard. Not good in a 100mi event.

The last lap was when the rain storm hit. I copped the bulk of it on the worst bit of road, the A148 into the crazy wind. It was very painful as it lashed my exposed arms and face. I actually thought it was hail it stung so much, although I couldn’t actually see any of the ground to be able to tell if anything was bouncing or not. The road disappeared and it was impossible to tell the dirt from tarmac so I tried to ride as straight as possible and hoped for the heavens to quit it before I was washed away. It did ease up eventually and I ditched my glasses to be able to see and carried on through very soggy countryside. It was quite close to the finish when I actually realised I might still be able to get myself a PB and finally dug out some motivation to lift the pace. Thankfully my fast finish got me that PB although I lost 2nd place by 1 second to Westerley’s Andy Halliday.

The best thing was.. it was over! Cake and coffees and once my body had some warmth and feeling back in it we could head home. What a race!

Thanks Malcia :-*

55:45

Pretty happy with what turned out to be my second fastest 25 mile time ever, especially given the pretty crappy conditions. Yes, that’s hail in the picture above. Windy as a windy thing too.

5th place out of ~64 entries is pretty good, given my preparation consisted of a massive hangover from Harvey’s leaving do on Thursday. Urgh.

The finishing order matched the seeding with Nick English (#70) winning in 53:30, followed by Ian Greenstreet (#60) in 53:45, William Girvan (#50) in 55:36. Phil Brown, rider #40 and my minute man came in 5 seconds in front with 55:40. Power was almost the same as last year’s best for that distance which is nice considering the TT bike has only been used once before during this season.

After an extended winter, with only one weekend spent on the TT bike, it’s off to the Newbury Road Club’s Pete Jarvis Memorial 25 today. It should provide a nasty shock to the system! It will also provide some idea of where I’m at compared to last year. The only bike changes from my 24-hour setup are the Specialized aero bottle, skinnier front tyre and a slight inward twist of the extensions. Oh and the 53T is back on.

youtube – Cycling Time Trials – Champions Night 2013

I make a few appearances, including winning the auction for a Stephen Roche cycling holiday to Majorca after Eurosport’s David Harmon bullied err encouraged the bidding.

Great night, most of which was spent with the other 24 hour medalists, Ultan and Basia and Ishmael, later joined by RAAM-racing mentalist Hoppo. As expected, the 24hr riders outlasted everyone else in the drinking endurance stakes as well.. *hiccup*.

If the weather stays like this (dry and cool) these events will provide some great early season riding. Willesden’s Reliability is on Sunday 17th February.

https://sites.google.com/site/westerleywinterwarmer/

http://www.facebook.com/WesterleyReliabiltyRide

http://www.hemelcycling.org.uk/events/chiltern-classics

Another year and another horrid, rasping, coughing fit whilst trying to ascend a short, sharp hill as fast as gravity will let me. 2:05 as it turns out.

I’m pretty happy with 2:05.71 (I think) which puts me in 3rd or 4th overall and 1st Willesden CC rider. It’s only 4 seconds slower than last year on a bike that hasn’t been used all year other than as a spare. Although faster at all TT distances this year I thought the midfoot cleat position might hamper me more on the ‘all out’ hill climb. Actually, I don’t think it was the case at all. Motivation for this hill climb was low, having met all my goals and so I was a few kilos heavier this time around. Last year, can you believe, I actually stopped drinking for a while before this!

The coolest thing about hill climbs though is that people come to watch (you suffer) and cheer. I love that. So, thanks everyone who yelled or clapped and I will see you again next year, Windsor Hill. *shudders*

I’ve been meaning to post this for a while. Frank’s report from the 2012 Mersey Roads 24 Hour.