New PB 23:57
A change from the norm tonight. Instead of the usual Maidenhead & District Cycling Club (MDCC) Thursday time trial, I came on Wednesday and raced with Middlesex Road Club (MRC). Same course, and same rules. It's a rather more low key event - I arrived at my usual time of about 7pm, and got assigned number 10 (last week I got No 33) The total competitors present was only 13, and one of those was riding a (very fast admittedly) tricycle.
I had had a good cycle on Tuesday evening, a good warm up cycling over to the start, and was feeling pretty good. That all changed as soon as I hit the first roundabout and turned left, uphill into the wind. The starting adrenalin rush disappeared, my legs started to hurt, and my breathing got laboured. I decided I would probably stop.
Obviously, I didn't stop. I'm used to this feeling and only three or four minutes later it had passed. The wind was against me on the outward leg, so I knew my average speed at the turnaround would be lower than last week's 40km/h. I tried my best to get it as high as possible, and made it to about 39.4km/h. I had a good turn, no cars, and not long after that caught No 9, which is a good feeling. The tail wind wasn't pushing me hard, but I was able to maintain my speed and not let the average drop. It is uphill a lot of the way back and my lowest point was 39.3km/h - up on last week.
Approaching the last couple of kilometres, I knew I had a chance of a PB (personal best) for this course. I pushed and pushed and my average speed finally topped the 40km/h I needed. I got to another landmark, the pub on the right, which means the downhill is finished and it's a final slight climb up to the stopwatch. The PB was in the bag as long as I kept my speed over 40km/h, and I knew I could do that. But I looked at my time, and suddenly realised my other goal, to beat 24 minutes, was possible.
So rather than a strong and steady 40-42km/h to the line, which is hard enough, I had to try my ultimate. The finish line is always further than you think, there is some kind of odd perspective vortex that shifts it away from you. All that you can do is pedal faster and hope you get there before your legs fall off. Analysing my Strava record (linked below) I can see that going up that last hill I got steadily faster until by the time I hit the line I was going at 46.1km/h. I did it. I beat 24 minutes by a whole three seconds giving me a new record of 23:57, not only for this course, but for 10 mile time trials anywhere. (I did a 24:03 last year on a faster course)
Very pleased.
Results MRC Strava
PS - As my friend Matthew has pointed out, comparing my best time last season with my best tonight, I have improved by approximately 4%. I've made a lot of changes to get here, but it is hard to say which one worked. I am almost sure it is a combination of them all, but also, in the back of my mind, I do still think that it might just be a mental thing.
A change from the norm tonight. Instead of the usual Maidenhead & District Cycling Club (MDCC) Thursday time trial, I came on Wednesday and raced with Middlesex Road Club (MRC). Same course, and same rules. It's a rather more low key event - I arrived at my usual time of about 7pm, and got assigned number 10 (last week I got No 33) The total competitors present was only 13, and one of those was riding a (very fast admittedly) tricycle.
I had had a good cycle on Tuesday evening, a good warm up cycling over to the start, and was feeling pretty good. That all changed as soon as I hit the first roundabout and turned left, uphill into the wind. The starting adrenalin rush disappeared, my legs started to hurt, and my breathing got laboured. I decided I would probably stop.
Obviously, I didn't stop. I'm used to this feeling and only three or four minutes later it had passed. The wind was against me on the outward leg, so I knew my average speed at the turnaround would be lower than last week's 40km/h. I tried my best to get it as high as possible, and made it to about 39.4km/h. I had a good turn, no cars, and not long after that caught No 9, which is a good feeling. The tail wind wasn't pushing me hard, but I was able to maintain my speed and not let the average drop. It is uphill a lot of the way back and my lowest point was 39.3km/h - up on last week.
Approaching the last couple of kilometres, I knew I had a chance of a PB (personal best) for this course. I pushed and pushed and my average speed finally topped the 40km/h I needed. I got to another landmark, the pub on the right, which means the downhill is finished and it's a final slight climb up to the stopwatch. The PB was in the bag as long as I kept my speed over 40km/h, and I knew I could do that. But I looked at my time, and suddenly realised my other goal, to beat 24 minutes, was possible.
So rather than a strong and steady 40-42km/h to the line, which is hard enough, I had to try my ultimate. The finish line is always further than you think, there is some kind of odd perspective vortex that shifts it away from you. All that you can do is pedal faster and hope you get there before your legs fall off. Analysing my Strava record (linked below) I can see that going up that last hill I got steadily faster until by the time I hit the line I was going at 46.1km/h. I did it. I beat 24 minutes by a whole three seconds giving me a new record of 23:57, not only for this course, but for 10 mile time trials anywhere. (I did a 24:03 last year on a faster course)
Very pleased.
Results MRC Strava
PS - As my friend Matthew has pointed out, comparing my best time last season with my best tonight, I have improved by approximately 4%. I've made a lot of changes to get here, but it is hard to say which one worked. I am almost sure it is a combination of them all, but also, in the back of my mind, I do still think that it might just be a mental thing.
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