A couple of weeks to catch up on since my attempt to put a decent '100' time on the board failed for the second week running, this time I completed the event but was thwarted by the weather. After foregoing the National '50' the day before in Yorkshire I chose the EDCA '100' covering a 12 mile section of the A11 between Thetford (Forest) and Wymondham in Suffolk. The early start and a two hour drive meant a 3.30am start with breakfast on the way, I would be up at this time tomorrow on my way to Luton airport for a 10 day stay in Portugal as the day revealed itself I am looking out for signs of what the days weather would be like, a stirring tree a limp flag to denote a good or a bad day.
There was a bit of wind but I'm already committed by the time I'm off at 7.15, I park my car on the course with a couple of bottles on the roof to grab in transit, I start fast(ish) on a 3.55 schedule, not a PB but I need something decent to give me confidence after last weeks bad luck, the first 25 miles in 57 minutes is tougher than I expected the Westward journey is into a strong headwind and relentless but I press on to 50 miles in 1.57 this is not looking good for time but I am in the lead and closing in on my 5 minute man(No 80) I follow him all the way to 70 miles closing to 50 feet of his back wheel but then I blow and he gets away from me. I loose 3 minutes on him to the finish and with it the race, I end up in 4th spot with 4.9.57 behind Lee Bark (Stowmarket & Dist) 4.4.39 just pipping Brian Phillips (East Grinstead) 4.5.05 and Dave Green (RAF) 4.7.16 The last circuit was the talk of the result board as riders came in their faces streaked with tears if sweat from the effort, with winds gusting up to 60mph I was down to 17mph in places (on a flat dual carriageway) and the windsock at Snetterton Motor Circuit was as stiff as a frozen orange ice lolly. I paid the price of going for a time, of starting too fast and not leaving anything in reserve trying to beat the force of nature, sometimes its better to save a bit.
Portugal was hot hot hot too hot to do any training (we're talking 40 degrees) so I just rode my bike for an hour or two in the early morning or late evening, the one time I did go for a longer ride on the penultimate day I bumped into a group of Spanish riders who had come across the border to ride in the hills, among them the Andalusian Road Race Champion and Alberto Contadors brother (a bit of a sprinter apparently but he seemed to go up the hills OK), I went with them for 30km but left them when they began to tear it up a bit and I was getting a bit hot under the collar.


Back in 'Blighty' it was a day in Leicester and then down to London to bolster the Epsom Inter-Club team as we were a few light away 'Marmotting' I was pleased with my win in 21.12 on a blustery day with greasy wet roads near Horsham. Paul Gadd was third with 23.11 and Simon Neave fifth in 23.50 It was a short hop across to Loxwood where the club was promoting their LVRC 'Follicly Challenged' Road Races, We had a good representation in the morning events but no riders in the afternoon which was a little disappointing, everything went off well and there was a round of applause and an award for Geoff Redhead stepping down as promoter after 10 years

Sunday I had entered the Axiom '25' on the A3 near Liss with Jon Thomas and Simon Neave in an effort to put up some fast times and have a crack at the team prize, My effort stalled just out of the gate with a puncture in the first 500m on gritty roads in weather a repeat of the day before, It took an age to change the tyre with me not able to let the rest of the air out of the soft tub and valve extenders all getting in the way, I eventually managed it but lost over three and a half minutes, my 4 minute man (No 45) must have wondered what was going on he was 15 seconds behind me the whole ride and then I dropped him at the finish he did a middle 56 which would have been approximately my time. Simon stormed around in blustery and difficult conditions to a new PB of 1.00.23 Jon was a steady 59.32 after doing a 56 on this course a week ago and with my 1.00.19 we managed 3rd team! (only 2 prizes)


I left My brother Phil's at midday on my way back home, I was caught in traffic at Wimbledon (The Mens Tennis Final) Hyde Park (Gay Pride) and The M1 (Silverston Motor Racing GP) I had to stop at one of the service stations (I did'nt catch which one I was so knackered after getting up at 5 o'clock both mornings) for a sleep and I got back to Leicester at 8pm, at least I set one record over the weekend.