First job is to walk pupski round the park, so out the door and into the mist... and boy its freezin', the car is completely iced up.
A quick walk around the park- I had a chat with a few brass monkeys who were moaning about their lot- looks like a great day for a spin in the lanes.
I pitched up at HQ at 7.50 and it had now reached a balmy 3 degrees- some brave souls were going for the skinsuit option
- I went for the full rug on mode.There were a few DNS's due to the conditions and one guy even pulled out at the start because he couldn't stop shaking.
My ride guide today was Robert R. E, who only had one long fingered glove- so it's mitts then- and to top it off a pair of the most worn out leg warmers that had no elastic in them and kept sliding down.
Due to various reasons - a 3 week holiday- 5 weeks CBA-I haven't raced for a couple of months, so I was in for a treat!
The pusher off had a little difficulty fitting the toilet seat at the start, but it was all soon fitted and off we went.
Great big lungfulls of freezing air had an almighty shock to the system and I was soon gasping up the first drag, I wasn't cold now except for my fingers, I dread to think what Roberts were like.
The first part of the course is the "club 10" to the turn- then straight on and first left down the hill to Rusper, all good stuff and nothing too hard here HR a steady 165 and about 220w avg.
At the bottom of the hill the party finished and it's a short sharp uphill then a long 3/4% drag, at this point we caught our 2 min and our 4 min men.
Robert starts the climb in the big ring... I'm already in the 39
I hate all hills... the toilet seat is really flapping now as I make all sorts of faces and contortions just to keep going at the pace.I had expected to see
at about this point but sadly he had to stay indoors with his trainers on, and a loose pair of jogging bottoms and he had contracted a nasty dose of the brads Top of the hill, left turn and its a reverse clubrun route as if you were going to box hill.
Last 200m and then I had to sprint for the line.....it wasn't happening and I rolled over it face gurning and wheezing like the shadow in feb.
No one has seen a face like that since I asked Williams to get a beer in at the last club dinner
43.11- I wasnt too displeased with the time, seeing as it is an "S" course. Something to beat next year.
Top flapjack, OK coffee.
Legs shredded.
Back home - walk dog- write report and have a recovery drink- SIS "trappist"
Thanks to Robert.
. I had indeed intended to catch you towards the top of that nasty drag with some helpful shouts of "dig in" and the like