NHRC 25

[Dominic]

It was me and Steve Davies down for this. Steve when I spoke to him before the start was a bit concerned that his single chainring would not be able to get him up the hills on the bottom bit of the course

This event last year I did a pb with a mid 57. What a difference a year and a change of course makes. The original course couldn't be used because of roadworks. The revised course was, well, different. I drove the bottom part before I went to the HQ. If I had been going for a fast time I, like a lot of people, would not have turned up. But I wasn't so I did

For those that have done the 50 on this H course you go to the 50 turn and carry straight on. This takes you to a drag that is a least a mile long then an up and down and then a big fast downhill, then gradually down to the turn and obviously back the way you came.

I was off 111. The first man in front of me was 107 and then 103 infront of him. That is an indication of the amount of drop outs. I was primarily doing this race to get a FTP number that I could work on over the winter (sorry non power people). I had also managed, because I am a numpty, to knacker my TT frame so I was on the road bike with clip ons. I have used this for 100s but for a 25 it felt like I was driving a bus it felt that aerodynamic.

Anyoo went off well and was going at reasonable lick until I got to the big drag and it was down to 18mph. Kept telling myself it would get better which it did eventually. It was then down the big hill to the turn. Now this was a 40mph easing off to about 33/34mph for about 3 miles. Obviously what goes down has to come up and it was slight drag from the turn eventually leading to a hill. Now I am not kidding. Not a TT hill ie a drag, a HILL. I was down to 39x 21 and was still well in the red wattage wise. If I am being honest the bottom half of the course reminded me of bits of the East Surrey Hardriders.

When I eventually got to the top it was whee hee all the way home apart from a couple of little drags, well sort of Eventually finished but as always after a fast last few miles it makes you think you have gone faster than you really have.

Back at the HQ I managed a whopping 1.03.18. Steve D did a 1.03.45. The winning time by the fast boys was a short 55 so that just shows you what it was like.

George, good luck tomorrow morning on the same course in the Houslow event. At least it was warm when I raced

[Antloony]

Bloody hell Dom sounds like hard work...are you sure you hadn't entered a sportive by mistake

[SteveD]

The perfect conditions made the change of course even more disappointing (there were plenty of non-starters as a result of the change). I had thought about putting a double chainring on but in the end I just couldn't be bothered. This was a mistake and 54x19 was way too big for the return loosing me a lot of time on the climbs (there was much heaving and grunting on the steepest bit). All in all it felt more like a training ride than a race.

[Andrew G]

Sounds like it's a tad different from the originally intended course, that must have been a real grovel up the hill on that gear Steve.

[Dominic]

To put this into perspective. Steve Dennis won the Hounslow event the next day with a mid 53 He has been on fire this season

[Robert]

I did the hounslow event on the same course on the Sunday, George was a no show, and I managed 1:04:??. A course best having never ridden that variant of the 25 course. I had ridden the hill before nearly 4 years ago when the Hounslow 100 went to Four Marks in the opening lap with a prize for the fastest last 10 miles.

I was told the cones should have gone, they were only supposed to be there for 3 weeks.