Going slightly better.
Still haven’t really ‘trained’ this week, just been out on a series of
long (3-4 hour) recovery rides averaging a HR of 100-110 ish.
Had a crack at the
Earsham 10 on tues evening, the first time I’ve ridden it this year. Went fairly steady really, didn’t exactly
turn myself inside out. Fair bit of
speed still missing but considerably better than last Tuesdays effort. 23:12, 3rd place I think.
A few more steady
recovery rides saw the arrival of my ‘Double Saturday’! A 10 in the morning and a 25 in the
afternoon!
The 10 was my real
target, the 25 just a bit of a form lifter for next weekend really. Was really cooking in the 10 – I spanked it
on the headwind leg out to the turn and was well up on time, probably on for a
‘podium’! At about 6 miles, I came to a
roundabout and took it really fast so as to nip in front of a van that was
bearing down from the right. Holy crap!
Before I knew it, the bike completely crossed up and even the marshal on the
roundabout braced himself as headed straight for him (Sorry about the scare Mick!!).
I gathered it all back together though and put it down to a spot of
diesel or something, but bugger me exactly the same happened exiting the
RAB. Uh-oh…. Soggy back tyre… Arse, the disc wheel had punctured!
Well, that was
that. There followed a 4 mile slow speed
limp back to base with a flat tyre. I wasn’t anywhere near as hacked off as
you’d expect, I was just so pleased to be going okay again.
Anyway, did a few
rough calculations back at the HQ and, based on the times of a few people I’d
caught, I reckoned I’d have got 3rd, perhaps even 2nd. Never mind.
I now had a 90
minute drive to the other end of Norfolk
for the Kings Lynn CC 25. I had plenty of time to inspect the punctured wheel
when I got there and I was amazed to find that the tyre had survived almost
totally unscathed. So had the homemade disc wheel too, despite lumping along on the rim for 4 miles. Tell you what, my equipment may be cheap and
cheerful but it’s certainly bombproof!!
So, new inner tube
and it was good to go!!
Fond memories of
this particular course – I won an Open event on it in the 1990’s in 57:30
something. It was far too windy to even
contemplate getting anywhere near that today plus my legs were feeling a bit
stuffed. I’ve done back to back TT’s
before but five hours between races is a bit too much I think, my legs had gone
into that sort of ‘rigor mortis’ mode and no amount of warming up on the turbo
would shift it. Not too bothered – this
was just supposed to be a 60 min threshold training ride after all.
Blimey, it
certainly was windy…. And hilly! Can’t
remember it being that ‘sporting’! The
first leg out to the turn was really hard, not helped by the fact that my legs
just weren’t interested. Coming back was
a blast though, 35mph for long stints.
About 5 miles from the finish I first got the feeling that I was going
to struggle to get under the hour.
Bugger! I tried to pick it up but
my body just didn’t want to know. Ah
well, que sera…
Sure enough
60:14. Slowest 25 for a long time. But then the other results came in and,
remarkably, it turned out I wasn’t far off the pace really. Cheered me up considerably!
Still hoping to
continue resting up this week but with a club ‘10’ somewhere midweek to keep
the speed…. Because….
I’ve finally got
myself a ride on the V718 course near Hull. It’s one of the fastest courses in the universe and people travel from all over the country to have a crack at it. It’s mad really – I’ve entered before but
events are generally so oversubscribed that even my reasonably respectable 21:43 doesn’t
even get me on the startsheet! This time
it was a ‘middle markers’ event and I was v-e-r-y nearly too fast to get a
ride!! Can’t win!!
Anyway, now that
the form is creeping back, plus a quiet taper week, plus a fast course, I
should finish the year on a respectable 10 PB. Fingers crossed for a nice warm,
calm day….
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