North Middx and Herts 100 -F1/100

[Dominic]

Jon and I were down for this. He was off 15 minutes before me and I saw him at the start. He told me that he had done a PB last night at the API 50 and I told him I was a little nervous.

Nervous because it was my first 100, I had been ill (man flu) all week and had only had two hours sleep the previous night. Another story but nothing to do with wine, women and song.

Started off very easy, in retrospect too easy but there was a head wind up to the first turn. That really set the tone for the 50 miles on the A1 slog to turn, wind behind to bottom turn. I did the first 25 in about 1.08, I realise now too slow. My second 25 was in about 1.04 which really surprised me as by mile 30 I was ready to pack. By ready I mean I was near the HQ I was freewheeling and had basically talked myself out of the whole thing. Oh woe is me, yes, I was feeling sorry for myself.

Anyhoo I thought as I went past the HQ that Jon's car had gone but I was not sure so I talked myself into riding to the turn and then the next turn which was just past half way and would be good training. While carrying out this cunning plan I realised while I was having another whinge to myself that I was not actually trying that hard and amazingly things started to get faster and better.

Just after the turn you were then taken off the A1 onto a bumpy country road. This again took the wind out of my sails and led onto a two lap up and back on the A603 , I think, I was past caring by then. This again was slog to turn, 20-21mph,and whee back to the other turn. The only downside was there was a bloody hill in it. By hill I mean hill in TT terms ie steep drag, but by now it felt like a hill. It was a good opportunity to stand and stretch which I found I was doing a lot. Thank god I wasn't riding my TT bike I don't think I would have made it.

The last 5 miles was back along the country road towards the A1 and this was just grovel, and boy did it feel like a long grovel. Finally finished in just over 4-31. If you had told me before that I would have done that time I would have been disappointed but going on how I was feeling it was fine.

It must have been difficult day as the fastest time I saw when got back to the HQ I was one of the last to get back the fastest time was a 4.01.
I am chuffed to bits that I managed to talk myself into finishing and will do the SCCU 100 but I can say categorically I am not doing a 12hour this year, oh no

All in all glad I made the effort. Still don't like the F1 courses and will probably avoid them next year. Lots of DNS's including Mr Cammish and a lot on DNF's. One final observation, I have never ridden a time trial where I has passed by so many people without me catching very many.

[Jon H]

Well done Dominic, that's pretty good for your first 100.

My plan was to go fast on the A1 part of the course, suspecting that the 2nd half would be on slower roads. However, the plan went pear shaped in the first 20 miles when I discovered I had nothing left in the tank after yesterday's 50 and was really struggling to make any decent progress. So I climbed off, packed up and went home.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]I had nothing left in the tank after yesterday's 50

[Tamar]

Nice one Dom. That's a fine time given the preparation (man flu and no sleep) and it doesn't sound like a fast day if no-one got under 4hrs.

Congrats for sticking it out to the end.

[richv]

Dominic that's a top ride for your first 100 when you're not particularly well and haven't had much sleep.

Don't give up on the 12 hour just yet, it's only a couple of hundreds and then an extra bit stuck on You need to do one to get your CTT BAR certificate as well

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]You need to do one to get your CTT BAR certificate as well