High Wycombe 25TT H25/2

[Sylv]

Drove to Marlow on Sunday under a nice clear sunrise on what looked to be a float day, Bonnie Billy on the stereo, and Andrew letting me know he was a DNS. Drove by the start just as the first rider was off at 7.02. By my start time of 8.43 the sky had turned grey with a chilly breeze. Left myself plenty of time to warm up and ride the climb to the start, by which time I was faced with the fact that riding in a skinsuit and having driven on my own left me nowhere to leave my car keys - with another bike in the car there was no way I was going to hide them somewhere. Tried around my HR strap, and inside the helmet, neither of which felt like a comfortable proposition. In the end with minutes to spare I had to put them in the only safe place - inside the drink bottle.

Waiting for my start an older woman barged past thinking she was late. I say older, I kid you not she looked between 60 and 70, and probably more 70. But all the kit and from what I saw from her start, two minutes before me, good legs and a perfect aero position - I didn't think it would take me that long to catch her up though. Minute man was on a standard road bike with pointy hat, he was going well as it took me 20 min to pick him up. Course starts with a long fast downhill, at the bottom of which I realised I'd forgotten to switch on the Garmin - great. I had modified my pad placement - narrower, lower - to try and mimic the Wiggins/Millar ultra narrow arm position and it felt ok, unlike the previous 25 I didn't even get wrist pain afterwards (how you getting on with the bent extensions btw George?). Then down a rolling A404 dual carriageway before taking a right onto a smaller A24, going West. Last few TTs I've done I've found windy whereas people hadn't, so as I was finding it pretty hard going I had to keep telling myself it might not be any easier on the way back! Caught up a few people but still no sign of number 101.

The A road was also rolling with the usual damage on the surface - very hard to find a rythm and put your head down. Thinking of the afternoon's race I was maybe only going 90% and easing off a bit when the legs started burning on the climbs. My average speed, excluding a fast first couple of minutes, was now creeping down towards 38km/h, and at that point I kind of gave up on the thought of trying to go under, just as it started raining. Few roundabouts and then the turning point, by which I finally overtook 101 - and then she promptly overtook me again as I ran wide around the roundabout . All of a sudden I realised the Western wind WAS strong [12mph apparently]. So much easier, and also it seemed more downs than ups - speed hardly dipped below 40 and was often 45-50.

Garmin wasn't set up to show distance just time so I kept going pretty good, trying to keep in chek #105 who'd gone past but was now struggling to gain any ground. Felt I was getting closer to the end but did not overdo it, and was actually surprised when I saw the finish, not being completely spent like the usual. Also forgot to switch off the Garmin so the file's a bit worthless. Estimated my time at around 59.30 and it was 59.16. # 101 finished in 1.02.14, I thought she might get a negative time with her handicap!

So not a bad, neither a great course, especially with the wind. Not sure how the fastest time compares with other course which should be an indication for the specialists.
Sky was still grey but decided to have a go at the Hillingdon GP in the afternoon, which was only a short drive away. On the way treated myself to something I must have last had in Geneva 20 years ago - didn't know they still made them - a McDonald's apple pie. FAT!

1Rob Griffithswww.athleteservices.comSen 00:54.42
2Tony BallTeam Swift AllsportsVet01:06:3011.15+00:55.15
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73Keith GandyVC MeudonVet01:07:000.34+01:06:26
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79David CliffordFarnham RCVet01:08:000.25+01:07:35
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NameCLUBCATSTDStd TimeAct Time
Ralph DadswellAntelope Racing TeamTT 01:04:42
Nicola DadswellHigh Wycombe CC Switch Tech Cynergy PTTT 01:04:42

[Snoop Doug]

great write up - love the keys in the bottle

McD apple pie, FAT indeed

[Toks]

Good ride, good report. Did you find out who 101 was?

[Sylv]

[quote="Toks"]Good ride, good report. Did you find out who 101 was?

[Andrew G]

Good ride Sylv, especially as you don't seem as though you were going all out.

I think the course has a reputation as being quite quick when it's not a windy day as you had, that's part of the reason I'd entered it to see what it was like. I've read someone say that with the rough surface on the A4 section they never feel as though they're going that quick on it but always find a decent time when they get back to the HQ. I have a possible pencilled in for there later in the year which was a choice between that and the Bentley course but having missed yesterday I'll probably have a go at this course.

101 was Carole Gandy. She's not a spring chicken but she is a very good rider.
[quote="Dave Lloyd coaching site about her 2004/5(Ithink) year"]...she finally WON the BBAR.The oldest woman ever to do so at 61 years of age! She also took her first ever National Championship with the 100 mile title! The following year she was 7th in the 10 mile Championship, 4th in the 25, 3rd in the 50 and 2nd in the 100. She got PB's of 56'37" for a 25 mile TT and 22'09" for a 10 mile TT. She was 2nd in both the WORLD'S MASTERS ROAD AND TT CHAMPIONSHIP. Plus she won the National Masters 2,000 metres Pursuit Championship on the track ... SOME YEAR

[Sylv]

And she said she'd been racing the previous day!

[Andrew G]

I and I forgot to say - car key storage when wearing a skinsuit = on a shoelace around your neck .

[Jon H]

[quote="Andrew G"]I and I forgot to say - car key storage when wearing a skinsuit = on a shoelace around your neck .

[Snoop Doug]

I must be a proper chav, I just used a piece of string to tie up my car key round me neck

[Andrew G]

I suspect Jon would look more of a chav Snoop in his chunky "gold" Elizabeth Duke chain .