2 x 50 (+ 25)

A last chance to improve my BBAR standing before the end of season with the last couple of 50 mile time trials, last week in the Team Swift '50' on my 'local' Etwall course on the A50 near Uttoxeter there was a full field of top riders with all top twelve BBAR contenders entered always fast and the competition always seems to bring out the best in riders. This week three in different parts of the country Yorkshire, E Anglia and the S. West so riders could pick and choose but the Swift event came first.

Fi - No 1. Helper

I have a problem with saddle sores after the 12 hour, never this bad before and do no respond to the usual treatment (antiseptic cream and walking like John Wayne!) require a visit to the doctor who confirms ulcers. The nurse is helpful and applies padded waterproof dressing to wound. The next day (Thurs) I'm able to ride for 30m carefully but I don't need to do much in the intervening week as I'm trying to get over the physical (& mental) damage of the 12 hour, Lack of sleep and hot and cold sweats all week leave me feeling a bit of a wreck but come the weekend I'm ready for a battle.

I'll have a McFluffy!

It's a late afternoon event and pretty windy so those with fast times are happy that it's going to be difficult to improve, wind will present the biggest obstacle to a fast ride today I have 1:50:38 to my name over 2 minutes down on my best so I should have a chance to go faster, I start cautiously and my legs feel good but try and hold a bit in reserve for the final push up to the turn, the "concrete mountain" they call it and with the wind it slows me to 58:00 at 25m. The return is a dream, the first 5m back covered in 9:13 but then a tricky leg out to Rocester from the McDonalds roundabout see me outside 22 minute for the next 10m then disaster! avoiding the 'rumble' strip (Ouch!) on the lead up to the Uttoxeter roundabout with 12m to go I puncture, straight down! I wait for Fiona who is out supporting and handing up a bottle to a friend (Mark on a three bottle strategy while most of us make do with one for the whole race) she has stopped to pick up another puncture victim and no space in the car and I want to finish the race anyway. 9:36 and 10:13 my final two 5m splits with the wind taken out of my sails by the puncture but I've done the hard (slow) bit so why not enjoy the fast (hard) bit, time would have given me a seasons best but I have to make do with 1:56:22 one of my chances taken.

Puncture victim (pic by Placid_casual)

When I see the times come in some are spectacular, Julian Jenkinson (UTAG- Yamaha) BBAR leader wins the event with seasons best 1:41:27 Joel Wainman (Swift) who has been consistently fast all season 2nd 1:42:48 and BBAR 2nd settles for 3rd Andy Bason (Pedal Rev) 1:43:06 What must they have done into the wind?

Another week of rest and my sores are much improved and I have the Stone Whs. '25' on the Sat PM, again on the A50 but this time starting at Blyth Br. at the '50' turn, unfortunately the wind has also been mirrored for the day but we have a blindingly fast start and excruciatingly hard finish up the 'mountain' 10:05, 8:31 and 10:04 splits put me at 31.4mph and I'm still above 30mph with 5m to go but nearly 13 minutes for the final 5m give me a final time of 53:12, good enough for 12th place. As I warm down the rain begins to fall, I have asked for an early start as I'm racing on the Sunday and to my disappointment the rain becalms the wind and the late starters gain the benefits, scratch man Barry (Baz) Charlton (Lyme RC) wins in 48:52 with Charles Taylor (S. Pennine) sneaking over 30mph with 49:59 Alf Hilton (Congleton) 3rd in 50:54

Baz (in the rain)


I have chosen the Severn RC '50' on the A419 between Cricklade and Cirencester as I resolve that I'm likely to get a faster morning than the Yorkshire RC event on Saturday afternoon (I'm right) and my attempt to ride both last year ended in a bout of cramp and me missing my target in both. A more selective approach here, I suppose If I really wanted to target this event then I should have not ridden on Saturday afternoon but I'm as fit as I will ever get and most of my racing is predicated on being able to 'back up' your rides I just make sure I have a 20 min warm down after the '25' on the rollers (25 min warm up!)
Sunday morning is colder than of late and a bit breezy from the West across the course but see where that got us last week! start is 5m from the HQ so I just ride there and watch the riders come and go on this two lapper. I'm a late starter (they have collected all the 'fast' men together to avoid bunching and the pacing that marred last years event. I start 'full gas' there will be no further chance, 11 min 5m splits should do it and I'm only 3 seconds shy at the beginning and then 10 seconds inside. A tricky hill up to the far turn drops my average but 40mph payback and 10:57/10:34 sees me bang on 55:00 at 25m. It's not warmed up and a rider crashes on a side road into a turning car, next to a man taking photographs, he is walking wounded but has a bad gash over his eye, the race continues. Lack of concentration costs me 40 seconds and I'm in & out the saddle urging a bit more speed out of the dead conditions and although my style is not altogether laboured I don't seem to have 'it' today, two splits at 11:13 and Adam Topham (High Wycombe) catches me for 5 min at 40m and takes the wind out of my sails, I had not been tracking other riders only Jon Shubert (Verulam) 10 min in front and we are pretty level. Lack of concentration costs me 45 seconds on the penultimate split 11:46 and I only have the final 5m (10:23) to give me 1:51:25 good enough for equal 5th with Shubert. Scott Povey (Warwickshire RC) wins with 1:43:54 on a 'fixed' a near minute in front of Jenkinson 1:44:47 and Topham third 1:45:05
It's been a difficult few weeks and in a way I'm glad its over, a few more races to finish off the season and I can reflect fully on what I got right and wrong. Fate can be a cruel master and if luck is his lady companion is against you then your destiny can be in the balance. In the week when the Pope called for more faith in society you know superstition won't be far behind, you can try to outwit them both but it leaves you precious spare to do your best. It's difficult getting to the end of a season knowing that you didn't get the best out of yourself (or your fitness) , what I have learned is these two impostors have played their part in the things I have achieved so far, and coming to terms with the more negative role they play in sport is something I have not experienced since my comeback, I have the belief that I did my best, I will have to be wary of them in the future.

Team Swift '50' result here

Stone Whs. '25' result here

Severn RC '50' result here