Hillingdon E123-check out who's at the front

[Sylv]

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3281889277_0346860a7f_b.jpg[/img]

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3282709204_a03e308a2f_b.jpg[/img]

No not me - one of the two girls racing there from 100%ME - they were awesome! Some inspiration for you Michelle



Series winners

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/3281890205_c76f13564d.jpg[/img]

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3626/3282711312_1e4c338c54.jpg[/img]

[Phil S]

The girl in the Zepnat kit was very strong. The first pic was when I attacked into the wind to get across to the riders in front. The Zepnat girl then got to me and started taking turns, and they were good strong turns. Unfortunately she didn't provide much shelter from the wind.

[Sylv]

Hey Phil, what did you think of the race - I thought it was excellent and was having good fun, well that's until the "5 laps" flag showed up.

My legs were pretty leaden on the day, so much that I could already feel them burning just warming up on the turbo. I don't know what it is with Hillingdon though as once I got going it was ok. I just felt like having a good workout today without worrying too much about doing well in a sprint. So I stayed near the front, there were some big guns on top of the usual suspects, C.McNamara and a few Wildside team mates, NP had five riders, and some more tasty looking riders I didn't recognize. Oh and Dan Loyd, who thankfully wasn't riding!

There was little wind and so the speed was high - I had 43.2km/h at the end, and the standard of riding, at least where I was, was excellent. I tried to stay near the front and follow the stronger riders, coming to the front a few times but being careful not to blow out. Once again Angus was never far from the front and often 50m ahead solo, also Jon had some good digs, as well as Phil and Kevin (who's got some good pics on flickr). Nothing managed to stick though.

I don't know what it is about the surge for the sprint there, I think it is all the people who spend the race at the back, trying to barge their way to the front, but as soon as we got within 5 laps to the end, everything went pear shaped and there was swearing and elbowing. I felt like Salar the salmon trying to swin upwards current, and was moving backwards fast. Last lap I heard a nasty sounding crash just behind me, and I was so far backwards I considered not even going for the sprint - for the first time ever I think I was properly scared about a sprint! But I had a go, it's all a bit blurry but I remember seeing someone riding 1m into the grass on the left, I was really far back and didn't even see who won.

I hadn't realised Marcus you had been caught up in the crash, sounds like you're ok-ish. Yes I will have lots of pics of the race, maybe tonight or later.

"happy to have stayed upright"

[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/3282710510_fd8e533249.jpg?v=0[/img]

[Sylv]

Fastest lap was #2 - 1"56 @ 47.8km/h (29.7mph) - 170bpm

Average HR was 164 this time

[Michelle]

Flippin eck! May have a way to go.

Bring it on!!!!!

[Sylv]

Just in time Michelle, I finished the rest of the pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/patronchou ... 947569856/

[Phil S]

I enjoyed the race but I was quite wary. I was actually planning on doing Hog Hill but I know they've had problems with ice and drainage in the winter so I rang them in the morning to enquire as to the state of the circuit and was told slippery, and that it would be run on the short 1km loop. That's why I came to Hillingdon. Now, bear in mind this was the last race of the Winter Series, where in the corresponding fixture last season some muppet took me down I knew there'd likely be some dodgy riding and a mad sprint for 14th place or whatever so I planned to try and escape in the first 40mins then if that didn't work try my luck with 5 laps to go. However, it was a really fast race and nothing got away, then with 5 to go it slowed enough for the bunch not to be strung out and it was hard to move up to the front without having slower riders also surge up to the front and then sit up. At that point I decided to slip to the back and just finish safely. Good instinct as the crash happened right in front of me, and very nasty it was too. Avg speed on my Garmin read 26.7mph. Decent workout and glad I'm in one piece. Honestly, Hillingdon is very, very, very low down on my list of objectives this season. It's more like a turbo session outdoors for me.

[Jon H]

Early entry for the 2009 tongue-out competition...
[img]http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/3284877463_095af73b6e.jpg?v=0[/img]

[-Adam-]

[quote="Phil S"]Honestly, Hillingdon is very, very, very low down on my list of objectives this season. It's more like a turbo session outdoors for me.

[quote="Phil S"]The Zepnat girl then got to me and started taking turns, and they were good strong turns. Unfortunately she didn't provide much shelter from the wind.

[Sylv]

D'oh

[quote]20th 63 r Annie Last Zaprat 2W