Well it was not really my first time, but it was the first time for 5 years. It brought back memories of times gone by and also why I stopped doing it. For all those who were reading a bit too much into the first few lines, no this is not something between me and Mrs Meg, it is between me and Toddy. No stop it! That is not even more worrying, what I am talking about is a 25 TT.
The last 25 I rode was when I was at Uni. It was an interesting ride back home. That means it was across Dartmoor. Although I knew where the course was, it was not marked as sporting so I assumed it was flat along a valley or something. At the start I was warned, but told I should be all right as I had two chainrings. I needed both. Still I set a PB and also passed someone in a TT for the first time. Since then I have not ridden longer than a 10, except for the 4up.
I decided to remedy this and entered a race along with Toddy in Oxford. It was a variation on the infamous ski slope course. It does not take in the ski slope section unfortunately, but was still supposed to be fast. It was a slowest 120 event so I had no problems getting in.
4.30am the alarm goes off. I have to get up and meet Rich for 5am. Suddenly I hate time trialling. We cruise down in the fog, and by the time we get there the conditions are rapidly improving. The sun is out and there is virtually no wind. I am borrowing a pair of Zonda’s from Richard and there is some hasty adjusting of indexing to ensure that I can get the 12 sprocket (Not that I intended to use it)
I am off at 14 and no.13 had a huge handicap time, so I thought I should be catching him soon. Unfortunately he scratches and is replaced by a junior. The junior looked a bit rapid so I did not expect to see him again. I didn’t. I set off, trying to go fairly hard, but not the kind off effort that I would normally use in a 10. The course is not as flat as everyone believes and the drags put me in some trouble on occasions. My minuteman passes me after 20mins. I not too gutted as I expected to be passed by a seeded rider.
I settle in, but struggle to keep 53x14 going not really settling in. The turn is actually on a hill and is a bit of a bugger. After the turn is one long drag that almost qualifies as a hill and that sees me dropping rapidly through the gears to keep moving. There is a fair amount of traffic and a lorry passes me just near the top and helps me get the momentum going again. There are lots of motorbikers around obviously out to enjoy a Sunday run, but despite being good to look at they are not much help, as you can’t get much of a draft off them as they pass at 100mph. After the turn I feel more relaxed and go better, despite the still conditions I am happily going a lot faster than I was on the way out. For all the spotters I was in 53x13.
I was feeling quite good until I was passed by no. 20 for six minutes. Rich was off 50 minutes after me. No Rob, he didn’t catch me. I saw him just heading out as I got close to the finish. Once I finished I had a wait for Rich, so I wondered back down past the start, watching riders still going off. Then after returning my number I was catching some rays until Rich returned. They have a wonderful results system there and they were going up on the board printed out from computer by the time we went back to the HQ. For the full result online go to www.foutn.demon.co.uk I had managed 1.05.21 a PB by about 7 minutes. Little disappointed as I wanted to break 1.05.00, Rich did 1.00.24 Again he was a little disappointed, as he wanted to break the hour.
We travelled back discussing the race and also looking forward to Majorca next year. It is annoying having a season to get through before we ca start preparing for Majorca again. After that my legs had stiffened up completely and really hurt for the next two days. Then it was only 11.30 and there was still the whole day in front of me.
Notes:
That pesky junior did 55.14
The winner did 54.20
So much for slowest 120, there were 28 riders under the hour.
I was only passed by the two riders mentioned, I did not pass anyone.
I did use the 12, but only twice accidentally when changing down to the 13 and the indexing did not work properly. I hastily changed back up again.
Thanks to Rich for the lift, advice and the loan of the wheels. I intend to ride more 25’s and even a 50, if I am feeling especially stupid.
Meg