LRRA Middlemarkers

You never really know how well you are doing until you have ridden in competition with those people that you raced last season and on a course that you have ridden before.

The LRRA Middlemarkers event, raced over 25 miles and using our Newton 25 course was an opportunity to do just that on what was a really wet and windy day.

HQ was at the Pavillion in Saxilby and as I got there early, I was able to scout out a dry place to the rear to set up the turbo and carry out my new 20 minute warm-up. That little warm up completed and with drizzle already in the air, I had enough time to get to the start for my 10.07 slot. Abused by clubmate starters, I was away shortly after.

The first section was into a headwind for approximately 4 miles or so, and I just concentrated on keeping a good cadence. It was tough but at least do-able and I managed to keep up an average above 24mph. Turn left at Newton Cross roads though and it was just a pig of a ride, climbing a little and then a bit more past the turning for South Clifton. I thought that I had seen headwind on the first leg but this section really did batter me to the point of the ride average being 22.9 at the Besthorpe turn.

Then, backwind, woosh ! I remember telling myself not to get to giddy as I was keeping a really sweet cadence and managing 27mph, and remembering that I would have this backwind section to finish later in the event. Thorney crossroads and 23.6mph ave. I worked really hard into the headwind sections again and got to the Besthorpe turn in much better shape at 23.5, helped by catching a clubmate at this point who was on his first lap.

OK, back on Sand Lane and hold on - where's that backwind gone from 20 minutes ago ?? It was now a side-back and the free speed I enjoyed earlier was now having to be clawed at. Didn't quite break 24mph in the end, but a PB 1.02.47, and more importantly, the Middlemarkers win ensured that once I had warmed up and got dry I had a smile on my face.