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 :-*