Anerley BC Open 10 12/8

[Andrew G]

Forgot to take a pen so don't have the actual results until I get the sheet.

...but I did badly. Horrible early start (4:30am alarm!) I only decided to do this one as it was supposed to be a quick course (G10/57). The other open 10s I'm having a go at suit me much better with a later start as I can't eat anything this early. Got down there to see plenty of yellow as we were due to have 6 starters, also messers Palmer and Kennett out. Plenty of flash TT bikes on display but at least 3 of us were waving the flag for "old school" time trialing on standard road bikes.

The ride itself was a complete non-event for me as there was a strong cross wind. I know I go badly in the wind so knew I wasn't going to get a good time and obviously switched my brain off as it was only approaching the turn that I realised I hadn't really been trying yet. Bit late to rectify anything but thought I should at least push it on the way back to try and make some sense of getting up so early. Finished with a disapointing 28.02, nearly a minute and a half slower than my pb. At least it was all completed in the dry as I passed CSS on the way home and saw some bedraggled CR members waiting in the poaring rain.

Back at the HQ for tea and undeserved cake to see some of the other results come in. Jon and Doug also said they suffered in the wind and weren't happy with their times. Robert had still clocked a mid 23 in the wind, so if your properly good you still set a quick time.

Special mention for Tamar who did a mid 25 and when I left was still the fastest lady. Fingers crossed it stayed that way.

Don't know who won overall but as Sean Yates (arriving in his Discovery car) was last man off I'm guessing he may have topped the times.

Will put full results up later.

[Andrew G]

No, the other one.

Where were you Sean? Got to put this secret TT training of yours in to practice soon.

[Snoop Doug]

Pants!!!

Are you going backwards, or are you going forwards?

So wrote the late, great Joe Strummer.

Well today I was most definitely going backwards.

Alarm clock goes off at 4.44am. Out of bed - croissant with jam, cup of
coffee, bike into the motor and awaaaaay we go.

Wobbled badly at the start, the pusher just kind of let go of me, minus the push.....

Headed off down the side road and swung onto the dual carriageway into a
swirling 20mph wind. And boy - do I mean swirling. The bloody thing was in my face pretty much the whole way round. I couldn't find a gear that I could work with comfortably, I got a stitch just after the turn and by about 7 miles I felt like quitting and having a good puke.

I struggled to the end of a most unpleasant race, coming in at 29mins 29 sec, a full 1 min 2 sec off my PB. Back at race HQ, plenty folk seemed to be about a minute or so off best - not a good day for a time trial.

I'm sure there is something for me to learn from the experience - just havenae figured it oot yet!!

Whatever - yesterday morning was a real test.

Cheers - Snoop

[quote]I'm sure there is something for me to learn from the experience - just havenae figured it oot yet!!

[Jon H]

There you go chaps, the thing to learn is that there are highs and lows in time trialling.

You get the highs when the weather's good, you're on top form, everything just feels right and you fly along and bang out a PB. The feeling you get from a ride like that is just fantastic.

Then you get the lows when it seems like uphill into a headwind all the way round and you just can't keep the gear rolling. Sounds like Saturday was one of those lows.

[Gavin]

Andrew,

I might be riding fixed aswell depending if my 'new' bike has arrived / been assembled.

Cheers

G

[Andrew G]

That's one of the great things with a fixed, hardly any assembly and almost maintenance free . Only issue is getting the gear right for the course which will be a bit of guess work 1st time out.

[Gavin]

Do you fancy doing a fixed course reccy one saturday breaking of the clubrun

[Andrew G]

Good idea Gavin, but...I can only do the next 2 Saturdays as I've got 10s on 2/9 and 9/9. TOSH is Saturday week which I won't be doing but guess you probably are which would only leave this Saturday. Are you okay for this Saturday? If not I can also do either of the next 2 Sundays if you aren't racing / otherwise engaged.

Cheers,
Andrew.

[Andrew G]

The results are in...

10 David Kennett 22:15
16 Robert Royle Evatt 23:21
38 David Palmer 25:09
42 Tamar Collis 25:25 1st Lady
71 Paul Blackburn 27:28
73 Jon Avery 27:31
74 Me 28:02
76 Douglas Shaw 29:29

My guess was wrong Sean Yates was knocked in to 2nd. Full results [url]http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/results.asp?Yr=2006&Mnth=08&ID=51380[/url]

[Gavin]

Ok Andrew I'll be on the club run saturday but not sure if my 'new' fixed bike will be assembled by then!

[Andrew G]

See you Saturday and play it by ear depending on whether you have your new bike / the weather. Can always just do a CR and get an idea from that.

[Toks]

[quote]The results are in...

10 David Kennett 22:15
16 Robert Royle Evatt 23:21
38 David Palmer 25:09
42 Tamar Collis 25:25 1st Lady
71 Paul Blackburn 27:28
73 Jon Avery 27:31
74 Me 28:02
76 Douglas Shaw 29:29

[Gavin]

Andrew,

Have my new handlebars and rear wheel arrived tonight.

Been sitting outside my door for 8 hours.

Will try and get the bike sorted saturday assuming front wheel arrives.

G

[Andrew G]

New parts being delivered, you'll put my old warhorse to shame.

Royal Mail, or whatever they call themselves these days, are great like that. Given up having stuff delivered to home and lug it home from work now. A right pain but at least I know someone isn't going to nick it, and now you have to pay more based on size as well! Sorry slipped into a rant there.