Only my 3rd 100, the previous two also SCCU 100s, but my first on my TT bike. I was off 6 minutes behind PVT with Rob 4 minutes behind me and Jon near the back of the field nowhere near any of us.
I don't like 100s, they have to be the hardest race as you have to try and race as hard as you can for the full 100 miles. Getting pacing, drinking and eating right is a tricky affair. I can't eat anything early morning either or it upsets my stomach which makes it a bit more awkward than I'd like, just have a pot of rice pudding while putting my bike together and then start nibbling at the energy bars early and drinking the PSP.
Started off and avoided my previous problem of starting too slow and got in to a decent rhythm quite quickly, although not quite as fast as I'd have liked ideally to gain some slip time before the last tough 40 miles it was good enough and my legs didn't feel like they'd like to be pushed much harder this early on. Somewhere in the first 10 miles on the rough roads out past Broadbridge Heath my rear gear shifter was shaken a bit loose. Stayed in place due to the tape around it but rattled rather annoyingly.
I kept the rhythm and pace going pretty well for the first lap of the DC circuit, marked my progress against PVT at the turns (catching him slowly), although I was caught by Rob. I was glad I had Rob a few minutes behind me as he's a good and experienced 100 man so if he caught me too early then it would act as a wake up call. He caught me earlier than I expected but when I checked my computer this was more down to him looking like he was on a good ride than me being on a bad one.
Up to Southwater and then repeat the lap. Thank you to Ivor and Alan Thruston for helping out and marshalling on this first circuit of the course
.On my way to the far turn on the second lap I spotted my Mum and Dad hot footing it across the carriageway to give me a shout as they were out on their way to my first feed mark. Another thank you here to Mummy and Daddy for getting up early and looking after me with bottle and gel hand ups
.Back towards the end of the first section of the course and up the drag to Hop Oast with a very brief pit stop to ditch my bottles (empty of PSP) and collect some fresh ones (1 PSP 1 water), a bar and a gel from Team Green. Then on to Southwater but no turn this time, straight on and head south down the A24 to Washington. This is a bit of a schlep and you have to cross a set of lights, I was help up briefly by these as they were changing so quickly - Frank Cubis who was on duty at them, to make sure no-one jumped them, said everyone had been caught so far as they were just flashing up and down the signals so quickly.
Weathermen lie! Every forecast I looked at said that it would be a northerly wind today which I was happy about as this would mean behind us on the long section heading south on the A24. The 2nd circuit also does about 7 miles going south of this draggy rollercoaster A24 section and last year there was a nasty head wind and I was looking forward to some respite. As I said the weathermen lie though
, it was a bloody southerly again so a headwind three times to slog through. Aggghhh! 
Left at Washington roundabout on to the A283 towards Steyning and now well and truly in the Sporting section, it's probably quite nice to have a gentle ride through but it's horrid to race around it. Then after some ups and dips it's left on to the B2135 which loops back to the A24. Just after the first little hill on this road I caught PVT who was not in his element on this hilly section. I seemed to have picked up a bit though so was managing to hold my average speed despite the terrain getting more "interesting" and dropped and collected another bottle (water) from my folks at the top of a nasty drag.
Halfway through my 3rd energy bar on the way down to the second circuit I just couldn't eat anymore and when I tried to nibble a little bit felt like I was going to throw up so forgot about them and stuck with the gels which were still just about manageable if I took them steadily rather than all in one hit - the TT position doesn't aid digestion. This steady gel intake went badly once back on the A24 when I hit a bump and involuntarily squeezed some gel all over my left hand and gear shifter. Gels really are horrible slimey cack and I squirted some water on my bars and hand to get rid of the worst of it.
Second lap of the circuit from Hell and I was still going okay although my average had dropped 0.1mph since starting on them. Slogged on round again, collecting a bottle of PSP from the folks on the way (all bottles were only 500ml and I didn't always drink all of them just ditched and replaced for a fresh one, just thought I'd mention that or it'll look like I got through gallons
). I dropped another 0.1mph on this lap and then on to the final half lap to end the torture.My legs fell off a touch in to the headwind on the A24 for the final time, but I kept on pushing and glancing at my watch at Washington roundabout. The news was pretty good but it would be tight for my aim of 4h40m. Final left hander was done true crit syle and then drove for the line and sprinted out the saddle to just get it before rolling to a stop, getting off my bike, pouring water on my head, and generally feeling well and truly knackered.
PVT rolled in after a while and I rode back to the HQ with him, he hadn't enjoyed it but he said it was the first SCCU 100 he'd finished in 3 years - he really doesn't like the lumpy stuff
.Addiscombe:
Robert Royle-Evatt 4:23:33 Very good ride on that course, knew he was going well when he caught me early on and didn't expect someone of his experience to blow up later on.
Andrew Green 4:39:53 Worth the sprint to nip inside 4:40 and a pb by 15 minutes. That had been on what I think was a slightly easier course but on a standard road bike.
Paul Tunnell (PVT) 4:53:41
Jon Hemming DNF Must have had an attack of common sense on the way round.
Winner was Rob Pelham with 3:52:40 which was staggering for this course and the only sub 4 hour ride (no-one beat 4 hours last year either) beating Keith Coffey in to second place who just missed sub 4hrs with 4:00:11. Super ride by Rob, not many can put that much time in to Keith.
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