A week after my success at the Sledmere race I was keen to get back out and see what I could do on a course that was more suited to my skillset a flat power course... but apparently I may not have paid enough attention about the course....
The course was the O10/5 which is down near Retford, I have always done this race however it is normally on the flat O10/1, but having had a look at the profile it seemed relatively flat, but as i arrived at the HQ there was rumblings of this being a Sporting course (SPOCO) or in other words not flat!
I met a chap from Team Swift who kindly let me follow him in the car to a parking place just by the finish, this was ideal as I could leave all my stuff get a good warn up and after the race be right back at the car for the dash home.
I started to unpack the car and the first thing I noticed was how cold it was, there was a steady northerly wind and it was really biting, I was prepared for this and had legwarmers on courtesy of York Cycleworks, but even with these it felt chilly, I also knew this was a North South course so the first longer leg would be into a headwind, but I would get a nice tailwind back.
I had a speed in my head that I think on any flat course I should be able to sustain this year, that being 30mph, its a big ask but I am hopeful, needless to say that went out the window pretty quickly, setting off you go down a descent with junctions and cross roads, its not a great way to start a race, but it get the heart going, from that point onwards it rolled all the way, at the turnaround point I had averaged 26mph, which meant I had a lot to do.
One thing that is always a part of time trials is the other people in the race, setting off 60secs apart there is always an element of "chasing" down and im not going to lie, catching people who started in front of you is satisfying, depending on the field and the race somedays you may not catch anyone, in this race I could up to my 6 minute man, something I have not done for a very long time, while pleasing they are not really the competition as the seeded riders tend to be set off 10min or 5mins apart again depending on the field, so you never know how folk have gone until you get back to HQ, this race was pretty much full 120 racers, some big names, this was not going to be easy.
Despite the now tailwind I was in a world of suffering on the way back, straining to maintain speeds in excess of 26mph to do anything to get the average up, about a mile from the end the legs started to empty and there was an element of refusal, but knowing I was so close to the end I dug in and pushed, this is were the mental side of TTs comes to bear, your body is screaming to stop, lactic acid seem to have replaced all the blood in your legs, your lungs are burning and your heart is beating out of your chest, each gulp of air doesn't feel like enough... but somehow you convince your body this is okay, blanking it all out and focusing on the sprint for the line.
Crossing the line suddenly you lift off the gas and all that pain comes to the fore, in a lot of 10 miles TT's I used to be sick, now that tends to come after the finish line, the extreme effort and the sudden release of pressure just seems to do odd things to my stomach, not sure why, as i wobble down the road trying to focus and not get run over I stop the Garmin and check out the time, oddly I have no reference point, is it good or bad? I just dont know.
I turn around and head to the car, chatting the the Team Swift chap again he tells his story of the race and his time, I have put over 2mins into him, but I still have no reference.
Quick recovery drink, fight may way out of my skinsuit, load the car and off to the HQ.
Back at HQ I am pleased to see that I am, at that point, winning with a time of 21min55sec, which seems okay but secretly knowing that it wont last. Grabbing some coffee and cake (there will be a common theme of post time trial "recovery" protocols) I chat to a few folk before heading off, going so early (number 40) it would have been a log wait for the final result.
As it was I was 6th overall, but luckily (depending on your perspective) I was beaten by some old blokes (who may or may not read this) which means I was 2nd Senior, beaten by Dan Taylor, kind of a nemesis who pipped me a few times last season as well... I must try and get one over on him soon!
With that its back to normal life of working, being a dad and husband, as well as fitting in 4 weeks of solid training somewhere. My next race is a return to the V910 which was my first race of the season so taking the time to reflect on what I have learnt from these races and see what I can improve for the next, with any luck I will be faster next time out.
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