Team Swift Slowest 90 event

A trike event…..on the V718……in the middle of the week……with little wind….. oh go on then…

I travelled up to Newport last night for a midweek turnout on the V718 on the trike. I’d had a couple of recent encouraging rides and had seemed to be going well on the trike for most of the year.

Couple that with my absolute favourite time trial course (sorry A25/34 but I still love you) and 20degree weather and 4mph wind and I felt like I was capable of beating last years best of 24:39 and finally earning my first VTTA standard of the year.

I’d asked for a late start time, and even though I didn’t leave Lincoln til gone 5, I was there far too early for my 8.22 start.

That soon came around though, and I was soon set off in familiar surroundings and enjoying the first couple of miles of the A63. For some reason I was relaxed and riding with no pressure at all. With this being a slowest 90 event, there were no riders whizzing past me and I think that helped. I reached the turn at 4.5 miles in good shape having managed 25.3mph, but didn’t know what the return leg would hold – I soon found out it was no slower and in fact kept a steady fast pace all the way along the return – my pacing seemed to be spot on and a very fast finish gave a PB on the return leg at 27.2mph for a blistering age record of 22:54 (26.2mph).

7 seconds outside of club record but made up with my ride of the year so far.

  

Busy,busy,busy catch up

This is a round up of recent events given the hectic racing schedule that I’ve managed to enjoy just lately…

ECCA 100

This was a first night ever of camping and I managed to get a pitch at Cherry Hinton Caravan Site and had a really good night’s sleep. Felt absolutely fine in the morning and it was only a 10 minute drive of so to the HQ. Weather was still-ish, with anything a bit of a cross wind. My start time was 5.34am so super early but as you know on this course you have to be off the A14 by 9.30ish so that suits me just fine.

The course is new this year and is all DC, so I was expecting it to be super fast !  I was then, disappointed, after the first hour or so, when I realised that it wasn’t going to be a good day and I was chasing down my time from 2 years ago !!!

My first lap had averaged just 23.5mph and when I looked at a power output of 240W, I expected it to be a lot faster. I wanted to give up at the end of both the first and second laps but kept going because well I don’t know why. I eventually trundled home at 23mph and a time of 4.21.14 – not great, but at least it’s a first 100 registered for the year.

Club Newton 10 – 24.16 – a pick me up ride and it went really well – power was up at 290W for the first time this year, and I felt that I rode it well. It’s my favourite of the Wheelers courses – it just seems to suit me, and although it was a time that was 45s down on last year, well that was because the wind was different and the majority was a headwind.

Grantham Road Race

Another round of the Lincolnshire TLI league, this time another trip back to Grantham Cricket Club on Gorse Lane for my third ever Grantham RR.  I started in Group 2 again, and was in my usual comfortable position toward the back. I did alright up the little climbs and tried not to switch off like I had done in previous races. I showed my face at the front on a couple of occasions and then on the third and final lap found that I was on the front with ease – I soon found out that groups 3&4  had caught us. That was race over again, and I think I ended up trailing the main bunch in by a couple of minutes. It’s all good practice though and decent training.

Trike TA Mids 50

A trip over to Etwall for the event on the super fast A50/5 course. Last year I had set a cub record and I thought I could have a decent go at it again this year. All started well enough and I was setting a decent pace. I was riding well, and although concrete mountain was a pain in the backside, I managed to get to the top only half a mile an hour off last years pace. Going back down was bonkers and I hit the turn bang on last year at 22.5mph. The dog leg section yielded and small improvement which meant that I was on the home straight at 40 miles, just ahead of record pace.  That was where my legs gave up the ghost I’m afraid and the last ten miles or so saw a deterioration and I missed out by about a minute overall.

Still, no complaints, I won the event by 15 minutes so can’t complain.

Club Thorney 10 – 24.13

The interclub with Lincoln Tri – again another really good ride, and guess what – my power was again through the roof, this time at 310W for the ten miles – I can only think that my 74 miles in the peak district on Thursday has done me some good. Headwind of 8mph maybe, but not much of a push on the home leg as you would maybe expect.

So, overall, a mixed bag of results and no real consistency – that’s my season in a nutshell !  

LRRA 50

This is basically the county champs over 50 miles and there were 50 or so local riders entered. This would be the first time I would take the trike as I'd ridden 3 years consecutively on two wheels.

I would be going for two gongs - the all time Championship trike record of 2:19:45 and a secondary carrot of the club's 50 handicap trophy. The weather appeared to be pleasant, albeit we had a heavy downpour as we were warming up, but the course would again be altered due to a fete at Osbournby (looked busy lol) as I drove through, and would again take us twice up the slog to Spittlegate roundabout. This is how I got on...I needed to average 21.5mph.......

Osbournby to Spittlegate
Started well with what was reported to be a gentle backwind behind me. Rode consistently, but lost time on some of the drags as I hauled the barrow up. Got to the first turn ahead of the wheelers around me, but the average speed so far was just 21.1mph...

Spittlegate to Osbournby
Wow, mega fast as obviously its mostly gentle sweeping downhill with just a couple of short sharp uns to negotiate..... average up to 22.5mph... back on track !

Osbournby to Donnington
Felt good considering it was supposed to be a headwind, no probs and kept the average speed exactly where it was !

Donnington to Osbournby
Quick again until about 32miles and then ooomph, I think the wind turned as it was now cross head, and I was really struggling - average speed dropped to 22.1 mph.

Osbournby to Spittlegate
Second time up really hurt and I battled hard to keep the average from slipping below water level. It took all my effort just to get to the top, it was hurting and very slow in places. 21.6mph though and I knew I'd done it when I got round the roundabout.

Spittlegate to Finish
Pressure off, and I was able to enjoy and ride the last leg quickly. Got to 50 miles but was still riding - gor to 50.2 and finished. 3 minutes inside the old record, and winning the club trophy - double job done !

AP 266w (Strava)

Temp : 19c
Wind : 5mph S (fluctuating)
Course C50/2
Pos 28th

Bruce Kingsford 50

A long trip over to Astley in Shropshire on Saturday evening meant that I could set up the airbed in the back of the car ready for a very early start for the days time trialling. I would be set off last in the morning at 7.26 and would have 50 miles to negotiate so went to bed nice and early.

After a really uncomfortable nights sleep, I was somewhat refreshed and ready for the days action. The weather was stunningly good with a very light Northerly wind and from the off I felt relaxed about the whole event. I felt myself into the first few miles remembering that last year I went off far too fast, and the first few miles felt very easy.  By the first time I get to Prees Island at the top of the course, I had a good idea of where I was in relation to the rest of the field and seemed to be doing well and making good progress. 

As it was my first 50 of the year so I didn't go to giddy when I got the backwind and concentrated on going steady. I was held up at a couple of roundabouts, but that was the sum of any complication thankfully. I held up a couple of lorries, but otherwise the road wasn't that busy or too camberous. 

Finishing in 2.18.14 which was four seconds slower than last year, I managed to win both the event which is the TA's National 50 and the Vet On Standard award by just one second !

AP 251w (Strava)

Temp : 12c
Wind : 7mph N
Course D50/3
Pos 1st

Great Limber Road Race

Wednesday evening brought around a trip up to Great Limber to take part in round 4 of the Lincs race League at Great Limber with an event put on by Lindsey Roads CC.

It was a cool night but lovely weather and they were plenty of riders already signed on by the time I managed to find the HQ. I signed on with group 2 again which was mahoosive and is certainly very popular and was in with quite a few fellow Wheelers.

The course was hillier than Brattleby in total climb, but far easier on poorer climbers like me as it was rolling with just one long sweeping mile and a half climb, and, as it was going to be a 3 and a half lap affair only, this meant the drag would have to be negotiated only 4 times., I didn't think it was going to be as much of a struggle to keep in the mix.

Onto the actual race, and I positioned myself towards the rear to avoid the early giddiness and did OK going up the drag first time around. When we got to the top however there is a hairpin turn and as I was last out of this I nearly got dropped and had two miles of furious downhill to negotiate to get back on - you would not believe how hard it is to make up just twenty metres on a bunch !

Next time up the hill I made sure to make a few places so that when we got to the turn I was in the middle somewhere, this plan worked and I was able to get in the middle of the bunch. Job done. 2nd to last time up the drag, did the same, no problem, but we had the bell, so the pace picked up a little.

I must have lost concentration as I was almost last into the right hand turn into Great Limber and just like that my race was done !  I was dispatched by about twenty metres and could not get back on. I decided to wait for group 3 who were behind me, and got in with them, but my legs had gone and I ended up limping back about a minute behind.

Another fun workout and enjoyable event - I'm loving these TLI races at the moment.

Flat n fast sportive

This'll be a quick one - a bit like the Sportive !!

I took part in Sportive HQs 100 miler from Thorne near Doncaster yesterday with the sole purpose of dry running a no stop strategy for my upcoming ECCA 100 event in a fortnight's time.

The weather was dry, cool as it was overcast all morning, with a northerlyish wind of c.9mph. I was set off on my way at 7.20 with all the other time trial bike riders - I wanted to ride solo and rode past a group of six or so - but they latched on and I spent the first 40 miles to the first feed station in with this group. At the first feed station, most petered off and I was left with a bit of a solo effort until at 48 miles I caught up with two fellas from the earlier group.

We worked a bit of a 3 up all the way through to 72 miles or so, I then I spent the remaining 28 battling long boring headwind roads and trying to beat 5 hours which I did comfortably in the end.

That was that - first 100 in the bag, I now know I can do a hundred on 1 flapjack and one packet of jelly babies !

VC Lincoln Road Race

Wednesday evening was a brutally wet one and many decided to stay at home. For me, it was the first day of our GCC step challenge, so I needed to get out and make a good start.

This race is nine times up Brattleby Hill and last year (in similar conditions) I had managed six or so before becoming detached from the group. This year I was to have a good go at staying with the group until the end of the race !

I lined up in group two with plenty of other Wheelers and was set off on our way four mins after the first group. Within the first few miles, we had our first run at Brattleby Hill, and I was very nearly spat out there and then as the group attacked it and I just don't have the climbing ability to get up it that quickly. I managed to get back on and spent most of the lap recovering - and then it happened again !  I spent most of my time at the back of the group either recovering or getting ready for the Brattleby effort.

Third time up, it was a bit easier, as the front were less giddy, and I was able to do a couple of turns on the front. My race pretty much panned out like that until with two laps to go the third group caught us and that was that when we hit the hill - I truly blew up and spent the last lap trundling along until group four came past and I managed to jump on the back of those boys who brought me back to a couple of Wheelers who I managed to go past on the very last climb. 5th Wheeler on the night but 33rd I think overall.