Phew! back on the flat roads again, time to put the 56/50 back on and see if all this winter training is having any effect on my speed and stamina. Back to the A50 scene of some of my best rides last year and relatively local only half an hour up the M1 to EMA and along the A50 past the Derby's Toyota factory to the HQ at Etwall.
A bit breezy, been out for an hour in the morning as not off until 3.30 so plenty of time to get prepared for the ride, I'm still trying to get my legs over a midweek ride in very windy conditions left my legs a bit dead and body tired so I do 40 minutes of stretching which only confirms to me that my legs are not recovered but no more time just focus on the ride and do the best I can, It's an opportunity to see how everybody is going on a level playing field as many of the top riders are here.
Several riders nod acknowledgement as I go and sign on, not much is said most are in their own world of preparation, some are on the turbo in the car park, I will do a quick warm up on the bike (having been out in the morning) no need to get up too much a head of steam (as the start is fast wind from the N East)you can overdo the warm up and it is a lovely day blue skies and sunshine,brilliant for the time of year, it poured with rain last year and I did a middle 57 (but It was early morning) and almost cancelled because the road had been shut overnight.
I had to raine it in a bit at the start as it was fast but closed in on my MM and caught him at about 7 miles and then my 2MM over the speed bumps to the turn roundabout, my Av. speed 30.6mph I was about level with Ian Cammish (on a fixed) 10 min infront. The return was a different race, I was very unsettled in what gear to use and my speed varied wildly from 22mph on the uphill to 30mph+ on the down, I knew I was loosing alot of time but best to just keep it steady and not put too much effort into any particular place, damage limitation the only way to survive at speed another rider hove into view but the finish came before I had a chance to catch him and it was over, my computer showed short 54 so I was surprised when I saw 53.23 on the result board not good enough for a top ten on the day but better than I expected only just over a minute behind Geoff Platt (De Rosa RT) 52.11 - 6th who beat me by 4 minutes last week. Ride of the day the winner Matt Bottrill(also De Rosa)49.26 from Barry Charlton (Lyme RC) 50.15 and Cammish (Planet X) 50.55 beating the hell out of me on the return and Scott Povey (Warickshire RC) 4th 51.26 also on a fixed (110" he told me at the start).
So a very successful ride for me on my first DC outing of the year, some of these riders have been doing fast times for two months while I have been averaging 23-24mph on the hills so no shame in not being able to turn it on when the going was hard, time trialing is a patient game and I'm in for the long haul, its still April
Next week 'Old Skool' outing #2 the Catford '10' on the Q10/19 Saturday
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