Sometimes things happen that you are not expecting, there are days when you just don't feel right, your race doesn't seem to go as you want, you can't put your finger on why but it just doesn't feel great.
For me this was one of those days. The O10/1 is a North / South drag, pretty much flat but with some little rises that when you are on the limit hurt more than you would think, but its my sort of course.
On this day the weather was not a "float" day (or the best conditions for the course) it was pretty breezy, blowing 16/17mph winds with gusts to c30mph. It was always going to be a tough day.
In addition I knew that there was 2 guys who I beat last week that would be wanting to right that, and another Simon Beldon of SSLL Racing Team, who for a number of years has been a rider I wanted to be as quick as, he is always at the sharp end, somewhere I wanted to get, with him here I have to be honest I was targeting 2nd place.
The night before I did my "leg activation" session, as per normal my legs felt rubbish and my HR was suppressed, more so than normal. I try not to read into it too much but it does niggle in the mind.
Saturday morning ritual was the same as always up early and big poopy nappy to deal with, its odd how such things become normal. Erin is amazing, watching her develop and learn every day is something that I struggle to get my head around development is sooo quick, but there is nothing better than seeing her smile.
While she was napping I got all my things together, sorted the bike out and was pretty much ready to go.
In other news I also have a new skinsuit, its still the same York Cycleworks kit but with a NoPinz aero pocket, this saves the pin holes on the back and is said to give an extra 5 watts (although how much you believe that is open to debate).
Getting to the course I decided to drive it, hoping to see the best lines and look for any pot holes etc that might cause me to end up in a ditch.
While its good to drive the course it did make me a shade later than I would have liked, this meant a bit of a rush to get changed and in particular my Velotoze overshoes on, this stressed me out a bit so when I did get on the bike I was not in the best frame of mind.
I headed out and did my normal warmup routine, again not feeling great, but given this was how I felt the week before I was not too worried, I was just looking for a solid ride.
To the start with about 3 mins to go, take off the long sleeve top and get ready, it was so cold I had leg, base layer and arm warmers.
Normal countdown routine as well... then away, with a whoping tail wind it was going to be a fast ride out and a painful horrible slog back.
Also, there are things that you notice on a bike that you don't in a car apparently, they had not used a steamroller when laying the tarmac, but instead compacted it like it was a mogul hill, then there was the bits that were like the Somme battlefield the road was horrendous.
At the turnaround point I had averaged something over 30mph, I needed to maintain as much of this as possible on the slog back, it wasn't as bad as I thought my legs were in tatters no doubt, but I was pleased to be picking off the riders in front and using them as motivation and targets.
Over the line and Garmin stopped, I went to look at my result, 21:02, bummer, its always frustrating to see a time so close to a minute point, but I consoled myself that it might be under given you never stop your stopwatch at the same time that you cross the line, always pedal though the finish, I rolled about cooling down, feeling a little disappointed.
Back at HQ I threw the bike in the car and get changed, heading into HQ I check out the times, I have gone 21:59 (you read that right), which is disappointing, I also note that I have been beaten by at least 2 others that I would normally expect to beat, accepting that I have had a bad ride and there would be no reason for me to stay, I chat to some friends and head off in a grump.
On the way home I am pondering my effort and trying to figure out where it went wrong, then in a moment of, lets say, clarity, I figure out that my average speed was faster than last week, how can I have a slower time? Thats not possible, have they made a mistake?
Once I pull off the motorway I stop and dig out my Garmin, I am right, I was faster they must have my time wrong. I panic message a friend who I am hoping will still be there asking her to check my time, Kirsty sends me a message back saying that it had been corrected, and that the final results were just coming in... a few moments later I get this...
It doesn't get any closer than this
Needless to say I was amazed, I was on my way to Tesco to buy nappies and wine... wine is a key part of both training and baby raising as I am sure most parents will attest to, I then got a call from Kirsty, I stopped in the car and we had a brief chat, I had won and by the very smallest of margins, in fact in this game it doesn't get any closer.
It doesn't get any closer than this
To beat Simon was a big surprise, a rider I respect a lot and hoped to get closer to, I never expected to beat him, there may have been some luck in the weather, and no doubt we will race again, in fact we do next weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment