It was another cold day, but the conditions were not too bad. Some ice and no wind. We had two groups again, with a couple of A runners dropping down to the B's. We let the A run go off first, but due to some ice on the road they joined our route and for a while the two groups joined up. It did not last long though and we waved them through after a few miles. We managed to gain a couple of them with Tom Kirk and Dippy deciding to stay with us.
We had a good group and it worked very well on the way out. Pairs taking turns at the front and keeping the pace above pottering. It was all very controlled and working as the coach desired. As we approached Honeyborne the pace steadily increased until we turned back to Bidford the through and off started. I had a bit of a do the night before and I was not feeling the best. As the through and off started I decided to sit on the back as I was already close to the limit. Nick Hands had the idea of going for a 30 as the through and off kicked in. This was not the best idea. As the pace increased and a couple of small rises approached then he was dropped. I lasted another 3 or 4 miles and then I went as well a couple of miles before Bidford.
They waited for us there. I got some food and even though I had been dropped I did not feel that bad. We went back through Bidford and up to the Blue Boar, I was dropped again, fortunately they waited for me at the top. Now I was feeling bad. I just could not put any effort in. I thought I was going to be ill at any moment. I just had no energy at all. It was not the usual "blown" feeling. It was much worse than that.
Fortunately I was getting some help. In fact there appeared to be no end of pushers to help me along. Baywatch set the ball going, the Mick Wright and some help from Nick Selibas. On the run to Ullenhall I hardly turned a pedal rev on my own. At Ullenhall Pikachu and Dippy took over and we actually caught Nick Hands up at the top of the hill. Not due to any work on my part though. At the top we had a sort of re-grouping and there was 6 of us going along back to the 435. I was feeling much better now and was actually moving under my own power.
At the 435 I let everyone go as they wanted to have a bit of fun on the way back and pottered in on my own. At Becketts I saw Beans who had survived the A run, but by the looks of things only just. In fact I think he looked worse than I did. The story went that they dropped Linda and Bobbie "stayed to help", Andy Heaney was dropped on another hill and Beans clung on to Wilko on the way back. He had really clung on by the skin of teeth. As an add-on to that I have subsequently found out that he was clinging so tightly that he did not notice Wilko slowing to avoid some horses. There was contact and they both went down. "What Beans falling off, never" I hear you cry, but apparently it's true. Wilko told me. In fact it was the first thing out of his mouth when I saw him.
I must have looked really bad as I had lots of phone calls and emails after I got back to see if I had got home OK. Nice to see so much concern for my health