SCCU 100

[Mike I]

I didn't sleep well the night before this one, mainly due to the rain lashing against the bedroom window. It was still at it at 4.30 when I got up and for most of the drive to the start. But in scenes reminiscent of the Dragon Ride it cleared up by my start time of 7.09 and it was dry all the way through.

I saw Snoop on the way down. Off at number 2, he had already caught the trike which set off a minute ahead of him. Looking good he was with just another 97 miles to go.

Funny old wind though, I never knew which way it was blowing; I'd turn expecting it to be blowing in my face, only to get a helpful following breeze, and at other times the complete opposite. When I did this one last year I didn't know what to expect or even whether I could finish it. This year I paced myself pretty well and kept things reasonably smooth all the way through. I was a bit disappointed then to find out that I had gone a few minutes slower, although those who know about these things said that the course was 10 minutes slower yesterday.

I didn't get the full results (I wasn't functioning properly by the end), but they were something like this:

Robert R-E 4:15
Tamar 4:38
Cap'n Snoop (not in drag but on his first TT over 25 miles) 5:30
Me 4:48

[Tamar]

I'd scribbled down the following results:

Rob R-E 4.25.07
Me 4.38.44
Mike 4.48.something
Snoop 5.30.44
RV DNF
Dominic DNS

It was a pretty tough ride. I felt distinctly unwell as I set off on the horrible uphill start into a headwind and I think a large bowl of oats, honey & yoghurt was still lying heavy in my belly. Mike's right that the wind was coming from unexpected directions. There were some brief bouts of glorious speed, but they seemed unpredictable and few and far between. For the first 30 miles or so I mostly felt buffeted and miserable.

I'd also made a big mistake by sticking horrid orange cack in my first bottle (trying to use it up). Was really looking forward to swapping bottles at 30 miles. Joyce was brilliant at passing bottles and I hardly had to slow at all to pick up my eagerly awaited bottle of flavourless Torq. Marvellous stuff. Doesn't make me want to puke, unlike everything else I've tried.

I realised how slowly I was going when Keith caught me for 22 minutes in just over 40 miles. Should've taken him 55 miles at our normal paces, but he was going well and I was going like a dog.

I perked up in second half though and played leapfrog with number 55 who had caught me for 7 minutes at just before 60 miles when I picked up my second bottle from Joyce. We passed and repassed each other a number of times in the subsequent miles which kept my spirits up and gave me something to focus on, especially on the nasty finishing circuit. We ended in a long sprint finish that left me incapable of speech for 10-15 min. Was delighted with my time as it meant Keith had only gained another 20 mins on me in the final 60 miles.

I'd only just recovered when Cap'n Snoop rolled over the line looking rather shell-shocked but mighty pleased that it was over. A fine first 100 frm the Cap'n.

[Andrew G]

Well done that's one hard way to earn a point for the Rawson Shield!

Great stuff Snoop, beat Richard in a 100 too.

[Robert]

Firstman home for me, I started at number 10. Once I had cleared the early riders, I started to notice at the turns that it was a long time before I saw riders coming the other way. I started roughly calculating, and the nearest rider to me was 10 minutes, it was number 20! I held him off all the way round, but he just pipped me by 17 seconds. Recovery mode now in prep for the ECCA 100, which according to Richard Viney, the course is 15 minutes faster. Hope so that would be a potential PB for me.

Well done to those who rode and survived to tell the tale. And Snoop it should set you up nicely for the Anerley 50 in a fortnights time.

[Snoop Doug]

Somebody get me a Doctor. Man that hurt!

The night before I stayed at a mates place near Bolney and Mrs Snoop agreed to do a bottle swap for me at the Bolney turn (67m). I did my sums and reckoned that given I was just back from a 3 week holiday an average speed of around 17.5mph was sustainable for 100m. I fitted some tri bars to me bike for the first time - how would I get on with those...?

In the morning my mate Curly drove me to the HQ where I got good luck from Rob, Rich and Joyce and then on to the start. I was off at 6.02, grey sky and a light drizzle. Rich advised me against a mac and so I went for arm warmers instead. Keep it steady was the advice ringing in my head.

Off I went into the part of the course I had some knowledge of. The first 60 miles is a 30 mile loop done twice (hey great maths there) and I was feeling pretty good throughout this part. I kept to a rigorous drinking and eating regime courtesy of Rich (drinking) and Pearsons (eating). Rob caught me after 40 minutes and gave me a good shout (we passed each other a few more times and he kept up the support) My average speed was 18.4mph after 60 miles. This was more than I had anticipated but I felt fine (although a bit achy by now) and so I didn't worry. Tri bars and me getting on pretty good.

I pushed on to Bolney where I took on new bottles. Being a novice I had to stop and dump the empties. My ave. speed had notched up to 18.5, Mrs Snoop said I was looking good . I carried on. I heard a small twang. That was the first psychological string snapping in my head. As I headed off I felt a strong urge to call it a day and head back with Mrs Snoop . Weird. Anyway on I went.

Hereafter it all started to drift apart somewhat. The terrain became pretty lumpy and like Mike said earlier the wind seemed to vary a lot. Keith Coffey came rocketing past me at about 72 miles and gave me the loudest shout I got all day. He passed me again a few miles later and was even louder, Cheers !!

At about 80 miles I could no longer reach down to the drops or the tri bars. Another string snapped in my head. I was feeling a lot of pain across my shoulders, in my neck and down my back. Oh yeah, and my feet, legs and arms were hurting too . I got loads of encouragement from marshals, helpers and other riders. I guess the number on my back relative to my time showed I was struggling along . Average speed dropped to 18.1mph.

They really make you suffer on this course. You have to pass the finish line with 15 miles still remaining, yup that broke another string. This last 15 miles is mainly country lanes and lumpy roads and it was just awful. Tamar scooted past and I got another big shout. I was cooked by now my neck was so stiff I couldn't find any comfort on this damned bike and I sooooo felt like getting off. No way josé, I'm gonna finish!

Any remaining strings snapped and I got through the last 10 miles by thinking about the bunny sticker that my daughter Keira lovingly applied to my seat post a couple of years ago (what!!!???). When ever there was even a hint of downhill I pushed as hard as I could (I remembered that when doing the maths I'd worked out that 18.2mph would put me on the 5.30 mark). I don't know where I found the energy but I managed to force my ave speed back up to 18.2 and then, there it was, the finish line. For real this time.

I got out of the saddle for a final push and crashed over the line. Hoo bleedin ray I thought the pain will now subside. I've never been so wrong. I was in a state of shock. Tamar helped me off my bike and gave me a well done hug, and I got congrats from Keith. I was exploding with pain. I was with them for a minute and then crawled off to find some hot tea. I was in tears as I limped up to the HQ - I was completely and utterly spent and I just couldn't stop hurting.

Rich and Joyce helped me into a chair and I just sat there agonising whilst they talked to me, got me a cuppa and made sure I wasn't in imminent danger of death. Rob gave me a well done. The next five minutes were a blur of pain. Then out of the corner of my eye I saw Keira, then Carole (aka Mrs Snoop) and my mate Curly who had dropped me off earlier. I slowly started to feel better and after finding out that I'd managed a 5.30.44 (way better than I had hoped for) I hobbled off to the car. We went out for a great big pub lunch - I drank 2 pints of Harvey's Bitter (he was none too happy!) and then collapsed.

The event was very well marshalled indeed and the support I got from everyone I'm sure helped me round. It's amazing what you can do when you put your mind to it and ye've a couple of screws loose in yer heed!!

Cheers - Snoop

[Mike I]

I thought Cap'n was a bit quiet, I was beginning to worry he hadn't recovered .

[quote]I was completely and utterly spent

[Tamar]

You were looking like you'd worked pretty hard yourself Mr Ingram. Top work from all Addiscombe riders who made it to the finish line.

Mr Viney....your excuses please.

[richv]

No excuses, beaten by better people on the day.

Hat off to Snoop. Completing a hundred is an achievement (I know that from experience now ) and 5.5 hours is a top time given the conditions.

Well done to everyone else. I thought everyone's times were outstanding given the conditions.

[Ian A4size]

Superb write up from the Cap'n, and stirring stuff it was.

Well done to all who braved the ride.

Glad to see you all supported each other.

Me- i had only just got to bed when snoop started.

[Snoop Doug]

[quote="Ian Munnery"]Superb write up from the Cap'n, and stirring stuff it was.
Well done to all who braved the ride.
Glad to see you all supported each other.
Me- i had only just got to bed when snoop started.

[tel]

Well done to everyone involved. Huge respect.

Terry

[Andrew G]

[quote]I was feeling a lot of pain across my shoulders, in my neck and down my back. Oh yeah, and my feet, legs and arms were hurting too .

[kieran]

well done guys, absolute madness! 4 hours at around 24mph! I'd be lucky to do that sheltering in the bunch in a race.

[Sylv]

Hey well done all.

I have a question: how much of an advantage do you reckon your TT equipment (bike/wheels/helmet) gives you over a classic road bike? In terms of time, or average speed. Like Kieran I'm struggling with the notion of an avs of over 23.5 sustained for more than 4 hours, but then again I have never tried a TT-specific bike.

And I've always wondered why someone like Rich didn't just enter a road race on a flat/straightforward circuit, ride himself off the bunch and basically TT himself to a win (I know he's tried it before). The club record for a 25 is 51.45 which gives an average of 28.8 - assuming a 4th Cat race at Hillingdon would be about 25 would there be as much as 4mph difference due to bike and circuit? Could it happen one day? I think it would be the coolest thing ever

[Tamar]

Sylv - you're doing the calculations based on the CLUB RECORD for a 25. Just getting under the hour is enough of an achievement for most people, ie 25mph...which is not that different to the avg speed of a road race.

There have definitely been studies done that quantify the advantage gained by having aero bars, fancy helmets, overshoes, skinsuit etc etc and there is a noticeable difference. Don't ask me what...but it's something in the order of a minute or two over 25 miles I think rather than 10 minutes or anything as dramatic as that.

When comparing time trialling and road racing a rider's technical ability counts quite a bit. The nerve & judgement needed to weave your way through the mayhem of a road race and scoot off the front is quite a different skill set to the that used to point your bike down the road and pedal hard with no distractions apart from the occasional brush with traffic at roundabouts.

Pacing is another issue and in a road race you're usually going at someone else's pace, which will either be too fast or too slow. In a time trial you ride at your own pace...albeit at the top end of your own pace. But you're not being blown out by 110% efforts all the time....and in fact as a tester you never bother doing such unpleasant things (unless you're one of those saddos who actually train and stuff). Mostly we just have one pace.

Good testers CAN do well in road races IF they are able to break away...but the sprinters usually know this and don't let them go. Testers traditionally don't have a good enough sprint to make that initial break from the bunch 'cos we never need to do any sprinting in a time trial apart from a final knackered lunge for the line. Thus we gradually haul ourselves up to cruising speed with the entire bunch behind us.

But basically you're right - testers are hard as nails and even with the fancy kit it's still a huge challenge to haul your ass up and down a dual carriage way at 23/24/25mph. Testers rule! (Apart from at Palace where there are uncomfortable things like corners and hills and 4th cats.)