I couldn't do the club run today as my wife was out gazing at art in galleries in town. Didn't matter as a friend who lives down the road from Hog Hill offered to keep the kids entertained while I raced.
I haven't raced in the wet before and after a lap recce was in two minds about pulling out.
The first bend at the top had me feeling I would crash (that's just on my own at 20mph) then the long descent into the bottom half of course with the spray coming up and a crosswind made me really nervous and the steering twitchy. Should do some more offroad riding to fix this.
Still gave it a go and stayed with the bunch. In fact I was on the front for a bit. With 7 laps to go the elastic finally snapped sprinting out of a corner.
Didn't fancy riding around on my own so inidicated right after the hill and pulled over. When the 5 laps to go board went up and I had got my breath back and did have regrets pulling out but had a great workout nonetheless.
Saw Paulos Fandagos over there who also raced in the 3/4s. He pulled over not long after me. I think he had fun too
Never been to Hog Hill before but was always told I'd like it.
It a great course. There were a couple of riders coming off but was probably more to do with the wet conditions than anything else.
Seemed like a middle ground between the 25 laps tickling contest followed by a 200 meter gallop at Hillingdon in the 4ths and the all out on your limit at Palace.
Can't wait to go back there again now I've mastered those corners. Hopefully will be dry next time.