Finsbury CC 50

[Dominic]

Set off at 4.30am for this as I was off at 6.42am. When I got on the A1 there was fog, quite bad fog. I did consider turning round as I thought it would not be on. But after having two DNF's in my last two races I went to the HQ just in case. Everything seemed to be go and I had had a quick chat with Jon and Rob.

I had decided to ditch the HRM as I wasn't paying attention to it anyway and do it by feel, fnar fnar

Set off steady to the first roundabout (further than I got last time) and pretty much stuck to the plan of putting it in 53x15 and pedalling. This took me to the next turn at 22 miles and I expected it to be a lot harder that it actually was. The wind was slightly head but mainly side and there was a shelter for a lot of the way so it wasn't too bad.

I had gone past the mid way point in the next leg (Black Cat roundabout) when somebody shot by me. It took me about 30 secs to register that his number was 102 so he had only just started (two lap circuit you see). What a carrot he was. I kept him in sight until about a mile from the top of the course (32 miles) when Geoff Platts who was off 8 minutes behind me, came rocketing past.

Up to the turn and with 18 miles to go, now was the the time to go like it was a 25. After about 2 miles I saw a figure in the distance, put it in 53x14 and give it some. Bloody hell this bloke is going well I couldn't put much time into him. Was putting so much into it I felt sick. Strangely though I felt sick at this point in the Charlotteville 50 aswell.

Anyhoo, chased this figure to the bottom of the course 44 miles for me, made the turn and chased him back up. I finally caught him and had to sit up at the Black Cat roundabout, it was bloody 102 on his first lap and I was wondering why he was going well.

The finishing mile wasn't too bad as the wind was behind and a blast to the finish.

Back to HQ and saw that Mr PVT was a DNF. (Was it those Vittoria's again?) After a long wait my time was 2.01.10 so a PB by 2.18. In a perverse way I was pleased and disappointed as apart from taking it easy for the first 8 miles I gave it my all. I suppose that is all you can ask for. Winning time I have heard since was around a 1.46

I do have so say though that it was 10 degrees warmer in sunny Merstham than it was in overcast Tempsford when I got home.

[Andrew G]

Cracking stuff, bloody quick time and an excellent read.

Don't know if it's Paul's tyres or the fact he rides out to the events and picks up loads of grit and flints enroute.

[Jon H]

Well, Dominic was the top Addiscombe rider yesterday, getting the better of me & Rob by a minute. I finished in 2:02:18, and Rob in 2:02:41.

Seemed to be quite a tough morning, despite a weather forecast which promised low wind. Heading north into the breeze, I had an average speed of about 24.5mph at the first turn. With the tailwind on the next leg, I was up to 25.5 by the second turn. If I could maintain that I would be on for goal of going under 2 hours. But, it was not to be, by turn 3 I was back down to 24.6, then couldn't pick it up for the rest of the race.

Well, anyway it was a good recce of the course for next week's national 50, which is on a slight variation on yesterday's course.

[Tamar Collis]

Great ride Dominic - congrats on pb - you're getting very close to the magic 2hr mark. Sure you'll go under before the season's out.

Good rides from Jon and Rob too.

Sorry to hear DNF from PVT.

[Snoop Doug]

well done all, 2hrs and a few mins is mighty, mighty impressive in my book. But to be fair the book I'm reading at the moment is My Life and Times, by Brian the Snail

Congrats

Snoop

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

Sorry about the DNF guys, but my legs punctured at around 30miles. I guess I hadn't recovered from my French trip. Max HR was 149, and average speed was only 23.7mph at point of passing HQ and thethought of heading back into the "breeze" that was turning into a gale was not too appealing.

Looking forward to doing it all again next week - National Championship 50.