ESCA 100

Every time there was a 100 that I fancied doing, the event clashed with something else that I wanted to do. I fancied the London 100, but that clashed with Outlaw Half, I liked the look of the EDCA 100, that clashed with Outlaw relay, and then the National Trike 100 clashed with the Stockton. Running out of options, I decided to go for the ESCA 100 which is run by Eastbourne Rovers Cycling Club on the South coast.

It was a long drive down and I managed to book the smallest hotel room in England at Crawley ! It was a warm night, but I couldn,t open the window because of the planes ! needless to say, I woke the next morning rested ????

50 minutes in the car and I'm at the HQ! First decision - start oil of sun cream on the legs - could I do both ? No, I decided there might be some catastrophic chemical reaction, so used the sun cream as was expected a warm day. Got ready and rode out to the start , no 45 was a no show, so I rolled up next and chatted about triking to the start guys. I wasn't late, so when I got a 1min 10sec time penalty against my time at the end, I was a bit shocked ! ( I have sorted this out although my time stands !) .

6.46 and I'm away ! I knew the course was rolling and had 3000ft of rolling climb on it - so I set myself a target of 4 hrs and 30 mins for the day.  An average speed of 22.2 miles per hour would be needed if I was to beat it. Having figured that out, I set about the first of the three laps of the course.

I previously hadn't been able to find a GPS of the G100/861 course, but eventually came across this map  https://evententry.ctt.org.uk/Local/2015_ESCA_100_Course_G100861.pdf

The course profile says it all really, nothing steeper than say 200ft, but continually up or down ! .....and this is how it proved to be out on the road. The first lap of the course was enjoyable, as I held 22.6mph, but everything was fresh and for the first time. It was chilly sure, and there were parts of the course covered in early morning mist which cooled the legs down and misted the visor - in fact, I felt fresh as a daisy, and wondered if I had gone off a little conservatively.

The second lap soon put paid to that, as the climbing began to irritate, and getting back on top of my pedal stroke at the top of these 'ups', seemed to take a fraction longer. Second lap though, done, bang on schedule 22.2mph.

Third lap, and I took advantage of the drinks station and changed my bottle ! I also had a massive wobble between miles 70 - 85 where I flat out began to hurt, and the climbing was really getting on my tits !!  At 85, somehow, I came out of the other side of this flunk, and got it together for a final push. the hills didn't bother me anymore, and I was fully focused on getting to the end. 22.0mph for the third lap - by my calculations I'd done it - a time of 4.29 was surely mine.

Back at HQ and my time shown as 4.30.52 - gutted, but accepted the course may have been long. Official results have me down as including a 1.10 late start penalty, which would concur with the feeling I was under. I called the timekeeper, and although he agreed it wasn't me who was late - my time of 4.30.52 was accurate.

It is what it is then, and to be fair, If I can get in to the BDCA 100 in September and get a good slice of luck, I should better that time in any case.