Chelmer CC 25.5, 28/03/10

[Jon H]

A fairly dismal performance from me yesterday in this event. I'd had a cold during the week so hadn't been on a bike since last weekend's SCCU events. There was also a cold wind blowing and it's a tough course. (Plenty of excuses then).

The course is basically one big loop round the Essex countryside on some pretty rolling roads. The first 8 miles or so were OK, then the course changed direction and the next 12 mile were just hideous; either into a block headwind, up draggy inclines, on rough roads, or all three. With five miles to go the course changed direction again giving a tailwind to the finish.

1:12:47 which put me about halfway down the field (and about 4 minutes slower than last year). The winner was the only man under an hour, not far off the course record of 59 something.

Consolation was a nice chicken and ham pie and half an IPA in a nice pub in the HQ village of Finchingford.