Addiscombe 25 25/4/2010

[Ivor]

So the second TT of the season for me up horribly early and down to the familiar Broadbridge heath HQ.
Bit cool, but dry at the start so it looks like it's going to be a pretty good run. Interested to see how I'll do at this one since I've been running all year instead of riding.
For once I'm not in a last minute panic though and I'm all organised and ready to go.
Rock up, get my #24, off at 6.54. Dust off the yellow beak and pooter down to the start.

No-one to chase down the road though - no 22, no 23 - so it's a long lonely start. Notice an annoying metal jingle riding along - more on that later. Try and get into the groove, no speed sensor today though so just a matter of riding by feel and trying not to relax too much.
In no time at all 25 cruises past. Very strange sensation riding today, feels harder than it should. Downhill feels like riding on the flat. Riding on the flat feels like riding uphill and riding uphill is horrible.
Still that metallic jangling sound and it's 1. annoying and 2. bothering me. Quick scan over the bike and all seems well.
come to the turn up towards the motorway just as two cars are coming around the r'bout side by side. hmm. ok speed up planning on just blending in. but one of the cars moves over so there's not quite enough room so I ease up planning on just tucking in behind. but then he seems to have seen me and now slows right down. damnit. ok pull in and up the hill.... just as I'm passed by I think #26. bother.

At about the 12 mile mark there's a metallic clank with something hitting the road and bouncing.
Aha. metallic jangling sound has stopped.
Er.

Scan the bike. Brakes look ok. Front wheel still attached. Skewers look ok. Gears, look fine. hmmm.

scan the bike again. nope all looks fine.
yay, sound has gone. now I'm just fretting constantly about what fell off.

its got very very cold all of a sudden. and then there's a patter patter sound on the helmet. and the rain comes down. oh lovely.
on the way back now. feeling very slow. ponder peeling off and giving up at the slip road. but no. I need to see how just how bad my form is. and press on.

still worrying about that sound. and now I'm concentrating on my bike I notice that my seatpost has slipped at some point. oh joy.

still feels like I'm on the level when I'm going downhill though. up to the turn and back for one last push.

and over the line. in.
1:05:56

sigh. last years time was 01:05:54.

I've got to get some training in.

Oh.. went over the bike with a fine toothed comb at the end and discovered it was the lockring on the crank that had worked loose and fell off.

[Andrew G]

A big thank you to the helpers for today, didn't turn out too great with the weather did it. A very big thank you to Tamar, a tricky one to organise with a full field and a lot of people with no previous time to seed on and must be one of the fastest result sheets out.

Better for me today although I've felt a bit tired all weekend and the legs haven't turned as easily as I'd like, more a case of having to force them round, so a bit of a rest and a free weekend next week will probably do me some good.

The first bit was okay and then after 12 miles it started spitting, umm I thought the light shower was due in the afternoon. 15 miles in and hang on this isn't a shower it's chucking it down like stair rods. Absolutely soaked and felt sorry for the marshals. With the rain pouring down my glasses and the mist on the inside as the temp dropped a couple of degrees in the rain and visibility was not great, oh well just keep going straight then .

Over the line, back to HQ and a quick change as it felt very cold in the wet once I stopped.

Addiscombe:
Paul Tunnell 1.04.31
Matt Chapman 59.35 a great debut at the 25
Ivor Hewitt 1.05.57
Me 1.01.47
Becky Glover 1.05.26 Third placed woman in today's big female field due to the LWCR League round. Congratulations.
Mark McLaughlan 1.00.50
Sylvain Garde 58.11 Storming time
George Brent 56.09 !!! 8th place overall and a fairly big PB I think. Superb ride and a stunning time.
Jon Hemming 1.00.25

Fastest Woman - Rebecca Slack 59.08
Winner - Steve Dennis - 52.14 (also fastest vet on standard)

[tel]

Well done everybody-atleast 3 riders under, was there a team prize.

Terry

[Andrew G]

Oh yes well spotted Terry. I forgot to say George, Sylv and Matt got 3rd place in the team comp.

[Maria David]

Hi, Just wanted to say huge thanks to Tamar and all the ACC team for putting on a very successful time trial today. It was a well organised event, with helpful encouraging marshalls on the road, and friendly staff at the hq. You even organised some rain to alleviate the volcano ash that had been playing havoc with my lungs. Thanks very much!

As this was a round of the London Women's Cycle Racing league there was a significant turn-out of female entrants. We had 23 women riding this, many of whom were doing their first ever time trial.
The women were very positive about the event and had lots of good feedback about it. Some would even like to try... more time trialling - stupid o'clock alarm calls have not put them off!

Well done to Becky Glover on her time. Strangely enough for all my floating around afterwards I never actually got to meet her. Hope to see you at some of the other women's events Becky.

Thanks again team ACC and See you soon!

Maria

[Marcus]

Great guys and congratulations to one and all. I rodeinvthis morning to marshall and was freezing and shivering by the time the rain came.
I thought George was on for a good time, hecwas going quickly and giving it everything. Andrew you did look tired. I did try to tell you your minute msn had pulled out another 10 seconds on you.

At times shivering too much to see other ACCers, sorry for not cheering you on.

Great to watch and next time I'll listen to Aunty Joyce and wear appropriate clothing.

[Jon H]

I'm pretty pleased with my time all things considered.
Got up at 4.15 to get down to Tollgate for 5.30 to start putting the signs out on the course. As I was off right at the back of the field I had plenty of time to kill at the HQ, watching the rain and wondering whether it would stop before I had to go outside. It didn't, and I left it to the last moment so my warm up consisted of riding down to the start in the cold rain. It did ease off a bit just before I started, but the roads were awash and I soon had a soggy bum and squelchy feet. Took it really easy on all the roundabouts, as rain after a dry spell can bring all the oil and rubber to the surface making things slippy.
I felt as if I was on top of my game and after Tollgate watched my average speed gradually pick up from 23mph to the top end of 24. I thought a sub-hour might have been on the cards, but there weren't just enough fast bits before the drags at Southwater sapped the speed again. Still, heading in the right direction.

Thanks to all the marshals for their sterling work in the horrible weather, and for bringing the signs back to the HQ afterwards; it made my job of sign collection afterwards a lot easier.

[Sylv]

Big thanks to Tamar and all those who turned up to help. With my limited TT experience I had a quick re-read of Joe Friel's "TT pacing" the evening before and accordingly decided to take it easy for the first 15 min, having bad memories from the Bletchingley TT where I almost killed myself on the first long climb. I was feeling good on the day except slightly sore quads, for which I'll blame Bryan Taylor on Thursday night's ride. The change of weather was quite dramatic at around 7.30am as already said, one minute I was sweating so much after warming up on the turbo that I had to get out of the skinsuit, and the next I was shivering in my shorts and bare hands, with the rain drops on the aero helmet making a pleasant tic toc noise like hearing the rain from inside a tent.

I really wish I'd used my power meter to analyse the ride. After 7 minutes of taking it fairly easy I was having itchy legs and started uping the pace, just as well as my minute man (eventual 2nd place, who also did the JBS race) went flying past. I kept him in sight for the next 5 minutes or more. Must be a weight thing, as people didn't seem to be bothered by the wind, but I thought it was noticeable - especially on the second to last leg going Westwards. Up the long climb to Pease Pottage I put some power down, and passed my first few riders. Down the hill and #95 pushing hard was now out of sight, I was mainly concentrating on my aero position and saving energy for when the road levelled again. It was raining quite heavily and I could literally feel my feet getting heavier with the water trapped inside the overshoes.

Was now in a good flow and having fun trying to go round the wet roundabouts without leaving the extensions. My HRM was not working and the watch screen only showing time and distance, so I was having to work out average speed at the 15", 20", 30" etc mark to see if I was inside the hour. After 15" I'd been outside but was now inside and making good progress at every split. At about the 40" mark I thought I was having a rough patch, but it was just the climb into the wind where speed seemed to be very low. Saw George after I'd passed the roundabout and realised he'd been going well (having started 7" after me). Was glad that no-one else had passed me and continued passing more riders. Last leg and a good blast down the hill, when I saw the yellow of the marshalls I gave it all in a seated sprint.

Was quite happy with my time (2" faster than last year, which was my only other 25, but was not feeling good that day) until I saw George's! And of course the winning time. Very impressive time from first woman too, and well done to Becky. Planning to do some more, 10s and 25s soon, think I can improve on that time. Rushed off to watch the women's MTB world cup in Dalby on freecaster.tv, with great commentary from Jenny Copnall and Nick Craig, Kalentieva the reigning World Champ taking it from Huw's friend Willow Koerber. Then LBL with Pastis & Peanuts ©, and finally the last lap of the men's MTB race, with a sprint between Absalon and Shurter, won by the latter by about half a wheel.

Stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/31163976

[Toks]

Great write ups and some excellent rides Under the hour in just your second attempt? brilliant! Oh and blimey well done Matt, amazing!

[Ivor]

Forgot to add the most important bit.... The cake was superb.

[mark mclaughlin]

Excellent atmosphere yesterday, I always enjoy our ACC’s promotions. Big thanks to Tamar and all. Great to see so many woman riding too….. did manage to catch a few!!

My ride was ok; felt I was going quicker than a thought in the end? Pity the weather went a bit pear shaped.
Great to see George is breaking through, this weekend has shown he can be up there with the best and the season’s just begun!
Well done to Sylv and Matt, taking TT’s in there stride.
All credit to Becky’s ride if that’s her first 25?

See some of you tomorrow at CP

[Toks]

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