19.02 for a 10

Saturday was the Bridlington CC 10 mile TT on the V718. The V718 is probably one of fastest courses in the UK. With a good bit of form at the moment, I was hoping to get a ’18′. Last year I did a 19.07.

Last time I raced, I went wrong on the course. This time, I got lost on the way to race. I came off the M62, only to go all the way round and straight back on the M62 back to Leeds. It was a bit annoying as the next turn off seemed miles away and it made me a bit late. It’s much more preferably to be able to get ready with a decent time period, and not rushing through. Anyway, after the nice detour up and down the M62, I rode down to the start on the A63. You know it’s going to be fast, when you touch 30 mph just going from the HQ to the start. Going out was very quick, with tailwind pushing you along the fast dual carriageway. After coming around the turn, I saw I had done an 8.57 for the first 5 miles. Not too far off competition record pace. But, the last 5 miles was into a headwind, and despite making more effort into the wind, it was slower going. When I went past finish my garmin said roughly 18.59.

It was a long wait at the HQ for the results to be posted. It’s about as exciting as time trialling gets. – will he write 18 or 19?. In the end it was 19.02. (av 31.5 mph) Good enough for third place behind Michael  Hutchinson (18.24) and James Gullen (18.58). In one sense it was disappointing to miss out on an ’18′, but it was still a pb so you can’t grumble. Probably a harder day than last year, so it’s good to make even a few seconds improvement.

The next morning was a different kettle of fish. The Oxonian 50 mile TT on the A420. (H50/17) The roads are mostly single carriageway with a few undulations. It’s hard getting going in the morning and there was a stiff wind to the turn. It was a hard race to pace. The first 10 miles was up hill into the wind, and it took nearly 24 minutes. By, the time I went through the 25.3 mile point, I had taken 55.29, so I wasn’t expecting too much. But, the last 10 miles was slightly downhill with tailwind. I did the last 10 miles in 19.40 – a nice way to finish off a 50 making it past the finish line in 1.48.51

Alas, this was my last time trial of the year. I would like to do more time trials and make use of the good form I have. But, I messed up and forgot to enter a race this weekend. Then it’s two weeks in New York, and when I return it’s uphill all the way. Only hill climbs to the end of October.

Hopefully the ‘flat’ speed will translate into quick hill climb times. I still weigh the same as last year, so unless I become obese in the US by stuffing my face with doughnuts and hamburgers in New York, I should be OK.

Bridlington CC 10 mile TT

Men’s Event
1 Michael Hutchinson Gear-Quickvit-Trainsharp RT 18:24
2 James Gullen Team Hope Factory Racing 18:58
3 Tejvan Pettinger Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team 19:02
4 Scott Burns Manchester Wheelers Club 19:06
5 Michael Ellerton Team Swift 19:17
6 Mark Thaxter Huddersfield Star Wheelers 19:31
7 Daniel Barnett North Notts Olympic RC 19:32
8 Benjamin Harvey Rutland CC 19:34
9 John Dewhirst East Bradford CC 19:52
10 Harry Armstrong Berwick Wheelers 19:54

Women & Juniors
1 James Falconer Ferryhill Wheelers 19:30
2 Ben Hetherington Dirtwheels Cycles 19:57
3 Ben McIntosh Crewe Clarion Whls 20:16

Oxonian 50 mile TT