OK, whilst these eventualities will never go away with our climate, one thing is for certain, the TT and summer road bikes are out and it’s time to show what a season of training in the cold and wet has done for our form.
Our first race of the year was the City Road Club 3up TTT on the 7th March. One of the few local time trials in which you get to ride with more than one partner.
We also had two HTRT teams entered, with Team A comprising myself, Mark Walker along with Will Thomas and Danny Posnett, alongside the junior team led by 41 year old Andy Carroll (he’s a junior at heart) and the 17-year-olds Matt Johnson and Josh Ravn.
Mark Walker, Danny Posnett and Will Thomas – click to enlarge
Matt Johnson, Andy Carroll, Josh Ravn – click to enlarge
First off was the team led by TT veteran Andy with his new bright red Specialized Evade helmet on show. They did very well by all accounts until Matt got cramp in the last few miles. They still came in with a respectable time of 1 hour 5 minutes and 13 seconds for 14th place on the day. Not bad considering 2 of the 3 were on road bikes and had little experience of 3-up riding. Well done lads!
Around half an hour after Andy’s team set off, we departed from the start, keen on keeping it as smooth as possible for the entire ride. This would prove to be a hard task due to the strong south-westerly wind making it difficult for the final half of the course. We had to try and balance out between making the most of the first flat back wind section without overdoing it. If we could complete the course in under an hour I’d be happy.
I set the pace for the first section after building the speed from a steady start. By the time we were on the road to Driffield though, the pace was anything but steady. I could tell Danny was keen on making the most of this early section as he was going about 2mph quicker than I was when I was on the front. Jeez, the pace was quick at this point. I was breathing out of my ears, mouth and any other exits I had. I was really struggling to find a decent rhythm and couldn’t seem to get any draft, despite having the large frame of Will in front of me. I looked down and saw our speed, 36mph!. We were going so fast that we caught our 3 minute team just before Hutton Cranswick only 8 miles into the route.
By the time we’d hit Driffield we’d averaged 28 mph. I should stress I was hanging on for most parts with the pace been dictated by Will and Danny. The question was could I hang on for the entire route? I thought not at this stage, and wondered if we’d started too quickly.
The wind after Driffield was right in our faces which helped the riders not on the front to recover. I was also fairly thirsty at this point, clearly not used to the balmy temperatures of 13 degrees we were experiencing.
I was feeling slightly better by the time we came through Bainton and led us through the village. We then had our next team in our sights just afterwards. The pace lifted as we passed them which put me back in the ‘hurt locker’ once more. I was suffering so much that I was just focusing on Will’s cassette making sure that it didn’t move no more than a yard ahead of my front wheel. I didn’t even know when we were going uphill at some points with my gaze fixed so much. In short, it was purgatory, but I was inspired that we were only 5 miles from home with 15 minutes in hand to beat the hour.
With 3 miles to go we caught our 12-minute team, who looked like they’d had enough for the day by the time we passed them. I managed to get myself on the front just in time for Mandy Dean to take our photos before the last few lumps before the line.
I took one last turn on the front up to Dog Kennel roundabout. We had still 3 minutes to play with at this point, however Danny was now on the front and powering full gas. I was like a nodding dog trying to exert all the power from my legs just to keep up. I just about did, but when Will took to the front and raised the pace that bit further I had to let the wheels go.
As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t ease up as the clock would stop with me, seeing as I was the third and final rider of the group. I crossed the line about 10 seconds in arrears, to give us a time of 58.39 and 7th overall out of the 24 teams. That I was pleased with. My performance I was most certainly not happy about. Had I been replaced by a stronger rider I’m sure they’d have broke the 58 minute mark. But still, I’d given my all and boy was I a wreck afterwards. I thought I’d have to be carried off my bike and the inside of my thigh was in absolute agony that I couldn’t walk at first. This was one good training session I thought.
After a team photo courtesy of Mandy, we headed home. The season is now well underway, as my legs expressed the following morning, but the buzz is back and I can’t wait for the next event in a week’s time. Now all I’ve got to do is train like a madman and make sure I get the upper hand once more.
Final thought for the organisers, Andy Faichney and City Road Club, and all the riders that rode. A cracking event, well worth a try next year for those that didn’t ride this year’s!
Check out the pictures from the City RC 3-Up (courtesy of Mandy Dean)
Photos of the event from Craig Zad – Good one of Will Thomas!
Mark Walker – HTRC RR Secretary
Winter is officially over. Or at least that’s what the first race of the season indicates in the road cycling world. No more mudguards. No more cold and damp weather. No more lights being used at 10am. And no more cleaning the bike after every wet ride.