Anerley 50

[Dominic]

There were a few Agreeables out for this. Myself, Robert, Doug, Mike and Tamar.

I was off 6 from the end so it was quite nice that straight on to the first lap there were people to chase. Saying that I had passed both my minute and two minute men within about 5 miles. This was with me starting easily!!!

Had my new Planet X carbon 50s on with the tubs pumped up as hard as my cheap Halford track pump would get them (must get a new one so I can reach 170 psi ) They were very nice and seemed to make a rather odd whistling noise but felt very quick on smooth tarmac. My only problem was that I had raised my saddle. Mainly after measuring my road bike and finding that the saddle on my TT bike was about 1 inch lower. This I thought would be okay as I had previously raised my tri bars by about 0.5 inch. It wasn't and I was in pain for the first lap until it went numb. I will dwell no more on this other that to add that you know things are not good then there is blood in your shorts at the end

Anyhoo, I basically sat up on the drags to ease myself and spun up and tried to blast the other bits. The second lap was better as I was able to concentrate on what I was doing and just pedal the gear. Don't know what speed I was doing as I don't use a computer on my TT bike, but I was mainly on 53x15/14, so a fair old lick for me, must be the wheels

I will be honest and had resigned myself to not doing a very good time. Due to the aforementioned undercarriage problems, all most going off the road twice, getting held up at roundabouts and it being my first race for a month, god the excuses were running through my mind towards the finish. Got passed by a tractor up the last drag and chased that all the way to the line.

After getting changed, to the HQ, coffee, chat with Robert, time posted 2.00.44. A PB for me so musn't complain, a lot better that I thought but of course the inevitable starts running through your head, if I hadn't stopped at that roundabout, freewheeled there etc etc.

Will not spoil the suspense of the other Agreeables times and because I can't remember them but I think all in all it was a pretty good morning.

[Snoop Doug]

Nice to see you out Dominic, sorry I couldn't hang around to congratulate you but I whizzed off to join la famille for a Sunday mornign swim @ Dorking.

Any road up - my first 50 hot on the heels of my first 100. I had a good feeling about today and I knew my recent endeavours would prove to be useful. I managed to keep focussed for most of the ride although I abandoned my tri bars in favour of the drops. Note to self, I need to ask Santa for some bendy power .

After averaging 18.2 on the 100 I figured I could push on up to around 19 (and a bit...?) who knows, I might even manage evens (well you can dream).

In the end I got round in 2.26.37 averaging 20.5mph. Chuffed - you bet!! That means I get a qualifying time for the SCCU BAR competition . I've exceeded my expectations and these last two rides have got me fired up for the last SCCU event (a 25) in mid Sept. Bring it on .

Also - I think we will finish well in the SCCU BAR team comp. When I say we I mean Robert RE, Tamar and Mike - excellent work folks.

Yahooooooooo - Snoop

[Dominic]

Snoop,

That's a great time especially when everytime I saw you, you were making it look like the easiest. most casual ride ever

[Snoop Doug]

He he - that's just my smoooooth riding style mate . Robert has made similar comment in the past - I guess the fact is that when you're as slow as wot I am it must look pretty casual to y'all fast peeps . Trust me - it doesn't FEEL casual to me.

I forgot to mention that the valve on my rear tyre gave out just as I was racking up my bike after the race - close one .

Casualsnoop

[Andrew G]

Cracking times.

Dominic that sounds a very painful, and quite disgusting ride . A PB and so close to beating 2 hours is superb if everything's going well so with your ahem, problems this morning it makes it all the better. Maybe the rest for a month had your legs well rested and raring to go?

Quality ride Cap'n Casual. Well done on beating evens in your first 50 - no mean achievement - and your SCCU BAR (if the Rawson Shield comes home it's in no small part to your recent efforts). Take the parrot off the bars and you'll go even faster.

[Toks]

[quote="Dominic"]. Don't know what speed I was doing as I don't use a computer on my TT bike, but I was mainly on 53x15/14, so a fair old lick for me, must be the wheels

[Mike I]

A 2:12:17 for me. Not quite as quick as early morning conditions might have promised, but a season's best, less than a minute shy of my pb and an improvement on my plus time against vet standard (for those not from the dark side, this basically means the years are not getting to me too much).

Odd experience when I was caught after about 22 miles by the rider one minute behind me. I was quicker going uphill, and he was quicker descending. So we kept swapping places for about 15 miles. The first time I re-passed him (and failed to pull away) he shouted "P*ss off then if you're going to overtake!" Really, standards have slipped abominably since the days when Eddie, Joyce et al were taking the TT world by the scruff of the neck and giving it a good shake.

[Snoop Doug]

Good time Mike, as for the rudeness that's simply not on! You should've pointed the cad out to me and I could've tin tacked the road ahead of him, or at least made him walk the plank. There are some right blighters out and about and no mistake.

Victoriansnoop

[Tamar]

Errr...if he had already passed you Mike, then perhaps the onus should have been on him to have stayed ahead when he overtook you. Sheesh!

I was involved in a little back'n'forth in the 100 (for about 40 miles) but luckily the chap I was playing cat'n'mouse with was much more civil about things....and when we overtook each other we managed to do so with enough speed to put in a good gap....which then lasted until the next hill/descent/feed.

Yesterday as I was approaching Southwater on my first lap, I was overtaken by 33 and 31....but they never pulled away and I felt like I was drafting them. After a few seconds I put the hammer down and overtook them, only for them to retake me on the climb to the turn. They were together until the finish with 33 never quite pulling away from 31...if I were a more suspicious minded person I'd have wondered if 31 was drafting....but at no point was there any unnecessary rudeness.

And then on starting my second lap, I had number 92 in my sights (I was 94) but I couldn't quite catch him so sat about 10 m behind him for a few miles until 97 overtook us both as we approached the turn at Crawley. 92 was then on 97's tail, pulling away from me, until 97 finally dropped him on the climb up to Southwater. Again...if I weren't so generous I may have though 92 was drafting.....

Anyhoo, nowt to do with me. If the marshals and checkers, or number 33 and 97, want to raise it with the organiser it's up to them.

It didn't affect my ride and I was pretty pleased with myself for working consistently hard all the way through. I had a couple of blips where I stopped concentrating and my hr dropped below 160, but mostly it was 165 - 180....even going downhill I pedalled hard and kept it at 168. Finished with a season's best of 2.08.10.

[Toks]

Impressive stuff well done Tamar

[Robert]

Tamar, 31 and 33 were in the same club, as I found out after I had finished when 33 apologised for yoyoing me. I had the last laugh though , I got fed up with him and his yoyo, and on a straight flat eased past and then kicked leaving him to seek out your wheel. At least when I passed you I made sure I passed and cleared in one smooth action. (See what you would get in a JacknJill) On a technical note, I believe the passed rider is expected to ease back which I think is pants. I generally work on the principal if the rider who passes can get not clear by a couple of lengths he/she is fair game to be over taken, though when doing so I aim to keep clear.

[Tamar]

Yeah, I'm not easing back for anyone. If they've caught me, they should damn well be able to pass me.

To be fair, the organisers normally go to great pains to try to separate riders of a similar ability so these situations don't happen too often. I guess it's more difficult to prevent in longer distances....if it's taken perhaps 40 miles for someone to gain a minute then they're not actually going that much faster than the person they've just caught. No need for rudeness though.

[Andrew G]

If he could shout insults he should have been putting more effort in to his TT, wouldn't have had the problem then would he.