Reading CC 50

[Jon H]

Rode the Reading CC 50 this morning, on the H50/1a course, which is on the A4 road near Aldermaston. I hadn't ridden this course before, and probably would have done, except for the fact that Robert Royle-Evatt had done 2 hours dead on it last year and had said he was going to ride this one.

Got there early enough to drive round the course and suss out that it's almost all single carriageway with some dodgy surfaces, no major climbs, a roundabout turn at each end and two intermediate roundabouts. Three and a bit laps of a 15 miles course made up the 50.

A weterley wind made it hard going one way, and a lot easier going back. I was aiming for under 2:05. First time check I took was as I passed the start to complete one lap, 15 miles in about 37.5 minutes was bang on schedule. Next lap I forgot to check until about 1/2 a mile after the start point, but then was on 1:15 and up on schedule. Next lap felt lots harder as it was getting hotter, I was down to the dregs of my drink supplies and the fatigue and dehydration was building. Felt like I was dying into the wind on the final westerley leg. Turned for the last time and gave it everything for last mile and a half with a tailwind to the finish.

Pleasantly surprised by a new pb of 2:03:51, taking over three minutes off my previous pb. Robert was just 5 seconds faster, with 2:03:46.