SCCU 100

[Andrew G]

[img]http://www.dealbreaker.com/images/entries/comic%20book%20guy.jpg[/img][size=150]Worst time trial ever![/size]
Only my 2nd 100 (well 3rd start but I DNFed the other one with a dodgy stomach) and I just don't get them. I can race a 50 no trouble and do a reasonable time but the step up to a 100 means that pacing, liquid, gel, food intake come in to play and I'm struggling with it. No TT bike today and back on the road bike, I seemed to get the drink/gels/energy bar situation sorted about right today but pacing was a really big no no.

I started out, there's no other word for it, awfully. I literally pootled down from the start towards Broadbridge Heath at CR pace - fine for a CR sh1t for a race. Shocking and a check of the speedo confirmed I'd ballsed up the start. My legs weren't feeling too good either and I was having trouble getting them to start playing ball.

I tried to push on a bit and picked up the pace to what I should really have started at, on the second lap of the top section of the course I picked it up a bit more to try and do something but it was a lost cause by then. You can't make up the amount of time I'd lost early on.

On both laps there was a noticeable head wind that I found a bit of hard work on the run from Hop Oast to Southwater. This was not good as we were using a new course and after these 2 laps we carried on South on the A24 in to the head wind. This was a long slog and I was struggling to keep any semblance of speed up in to the wind, on the plus side my legs had finally woken up so I could at least push a bit in to it otherwise I dread to think what my speed would have been, it wasn't setting the road alight as it was.

We have to pass through a set of lights on the A24 and oh joy I caught them. The extremely nice Frank Cubis was at the lights on watch duty to make sure no one jumped them. He told me the bad news that the phasing had lengthened (he was checking it on a stopwatch to keep riders informed) and I'd have a long wait. He told me to clip in and held the bike so that I could restart when they changed, a one and a half minute wait later.

About 60 miles covered now and there's no other way to describe the next circuit than Sporting (it's used for an early season Sporting TT apparently). It involved 2 and a bit laps of this which was a horrendous slog up a hideous drag in to the teeth of a strong and strengthening wind, and then turning of in to single carriageway which looped back round to rejoin the A24. This was actually quite a nice loop but did have some drags and little lumps which held my overall speed down to fairly naff. Some bits had the tailwind though and you really shoveled along. I was catching some who were going even slower than me by now, and also re-catching some that had passed me in my pootle at the start. in total this 40 mile fairly Sporting section involved 3 trips up the long slog up the A24 drag in to the wind and I hated every bit of it, down to 15mph in places just trying to grovel along.

Back at HQ and the sorry news was confirmed, 5.02.10, not even evens. The course but particularly the conditions really slowed the times with no-one getting under 4 hours and Keith C was 18 minutes slower than he did last year on the old course.

I didn't note times but Dom and Rob did 4.thirty-somethings so much slower than I'd normally expect them to be doing, George did a great ride for 4.16 something when nearly everyone else was much slower comparatively to their result last year. He was certainly shifting when he flew by me. Paul and Jon thought better of it and DNFed.

Thanks to George for the lift, the ACC out marshalling, and the supporter shouts of encouragements on the course. There was a very nice lady with a football rattle who brightened the day with her shouts of support and general appearance brightening the roadside.

All in one to forget, I knew it would be bad once I'd started sooo badly but the wind on the second loop made it a nightmare day for me. I only really carried on as training race miles. The course could be quite nice if the wind wasn't so bad, the problem is that the wind often blows (and sometimes quite strongly) from that direction and having to do so many miles straight in to it doesn't make for a fun day out.

[Jon H]

Oh dear Andrew, a tale of woe

I got about 15 miles in and realised my head wasn't really up for it and consequently neither were my legs. On the return journey from the Broadfield rbt I turned off at the Rusper roundabout and pootled back to the HQ via Horsham and Southwater. I ended up back on the A24 south of Southwater and PVT passed me; he said he wasn't feeling good but had to finish - he must have changed his mind.

[Snoop Doug]

thought of all you nutbars when Ben and I were out today, helluva wind.

Come on the rest of you - times please, we gotta article to write.

Well done to all who finished, to those who didn't I don't blame ya one teedly bit

[Dominic]

I like you Andrew don't really get 100s. My 50 times indicate that I should be able to ride (for me) a reasonable 100 time yet of the four I have ridden my best has been 4.31. My feeding and drinking is fine I just don't think I do enough long rides, or should that be any, during the winter or through the year. My longest ride apart from last weeks 100 was 2.5 hours.

Anyway I was off quite early, nice and calm not too warm. Had my HRM on and it was ticking away mainly at between 75% and 80% for the first two circuits of the Broadbridge Heath course. Overtook my minute man going up past Southwater and then seemed to catch people fairly regularly. Nice as always to get shouts of encouragement from spectators and helpers. The lady in the skirt, high heels and football rattle really did make me grin. Nice to see ACC marshalling the Great Daux roundabout.

Finished the two circuits and quite confidently said to Tamar as I passed her, well that over half of it done. Down the A24 passing more people, through the traffic lights at West Grinstead with no problems, in fact I only had to slow at one roundabout in the whole hundred miles Started to get down towards the HQ again and then felt the headwind, what a slog. Passed Jon as he was heading to the HQ. I didn't feel like I was going much faster and he was on the small ring. Was I trying hard enough? My HRM showed 82% and it was never less than that for the last 40 miles. So think I was. Eventually turned off and onto the finishing circuit.

This gave lots of opportunities to get out of the saddle and rest weary parts and some of it was very quick. However I obviously thought I was superman and tried far too hard the first time round. I should have checked the course map properly because I didn't realise how far up the A24 the circuit came out and when I got on it again I could have cried!!! I knew by this time that any reasonable time had gone. Got caught here by no 40 who was the only person on the same circuit as me to catch me and make it stick.

Grovelled back to the finishing circuit and I was in bits. Got back to Tamar and again got a nice shout from her and Mr PVT( nice shorts ). A little later I was aware of a car behind me and it turned out to be Mr PVT. He gave me thumbs up and thankfully he was behind me on quite a quick bit. I then got caught by no 76 who was obviously on his first circuit. No problem and I just ignored him and concentrated on what I was doing. He then couldn't get more that 10m in front of me and kept looking round as if he had just broken away from the bunch in a road race

Back onto the A24 and am grovelling along into the wind up the drags on 53x17/19, yes that slow I pass 76 and another rider. The only saving grace about the whole final circuit was when you turned into the road that the finish was on it was only about half a mile along. Up a little hill (shouts from spectating children 'one last hill' I was thinking you better be b*****y right) and it was over. Checked my watch 4.37. My official time was 4.37.25.

I have already promised myself no 100s next year but here is the thing. I really enjoyed it. The only downside is I spent all yesterday afternoon feeling like death and if last week is anything to go by it will take me until Thursday to recover. I did find myself wondering on the train to work, now if only I can squeeze in a few longer rides next year!!

[SteveD]

Ah yes, it all reminds me why I vowed never to ride another 100 about 15 years ago. This one sounded like a real stinker.

[Andrew G]

[quote="Dominic"]I have already promised myself no 100s next year but here is the thing. I really enjoyed it.

[Jon H]

Just don't clone the one who was supporting a rider near me; she kept parking at random paces on the dual carriageway, straddling the solid white line with half the car in the lefthand lane.

[Robert]

I know I do not often put up a post race commentary, so here goes. Started out with a new feed regime, aka a George Special, all energy drinks and gels. First lap not as quick as I would have liked, legs were still in the car. Got a nice surprise when I found they had shortened the dog leg section. Fifty miles reached at about 2:10, which I was content to live with. Headed off down the A24 where I got caught by the lights but managed to remain upright and clipped in, though a little frustrated when the nice Mr Cubis ushered a big boned lady San Fairy Ann rider to the front of the traffic, so when the lights changed she held the traffic up even more. Once clear of the lights I shot past her and off into the head wind. Once I turned off the A24, the circuit was brilliant, dropping the gear at the right moment to fly up the sharp left hander at the B12?? something or other, and keep my momentum up the climb and past Tamar declining the proffered bottle as I still had half on the bike. Caught a rider 14 places in front of me, who insisted on making a fight of it. Fool, kicked hard and dropped him. Back onto the A24, thinking to myself I`m sure this is harder than last time, though I was catching riders who were heading into the wind on their first lap. The lanes went very much the same as last time, but by the time I hit the A24 for the last time I thought my legs were going to drop off. Really pleased to see the finish line, and I think the feed regime worked. Got back to see Dominic relaxing in the back of his car, both us glad that we had an early start, so very surprised to hear PVT had pulled out, must have been a pants moment. Finished with 4:32:??, near enough same time as last year, but not the worst for this year, but 10 mins slower than my best for this year. That was my fourth and probably my last 100 for the year. Was pleased I was only 13 mins behind the smiling assassin, though Joyce gave me a ticking off when I spoke to her later, obviously trying to fire me up to try harder!!!

[Andrew G]

Blimey the winner only did a 4.06! Keith C in 3rd, well done.

9th George 4.18.58 - nice one top 10 .
24th Robert 4.32.38
33rd Dominic 4.37.32
56th Me 5.02.10
73 finished from 93 on the start sheet.