H10/10 23/04/2015
My first official TT of the year, with Maidenhead Cycling Club out on the Drift road circuit.
I had a very fast training session on Tuesday, and my legs were still a little painful from that, but I was feeling fit. I cycled over the the start line, signed up as number 8, then went for a mini circuit that included some of the course (I didn't want to do the whole 10 miles as warmup)
Conditions were very favourable, not too warm, not too cold, and not much wind.
I had a good start, it's mostly downhill for the first 6-7 minutes, but I didn't go crazy as the main Hawthorn Hill climb was next. I was hoping to see number 7 ahead as I turned the corner to go up, but she was nowhere in sight. The climb went OK, and I passed number 5 who was doing her first TT.
After 18 minutes my mouth was dry and I felt a little sick. I think the Isogel+ I took 30 minutes before the start was not agreeing with me. Not long to go though.
Finally onto the Drift Road again, and the home straight, but my legs were not feeling good. I pushed hard, but not as hard as I should have been able to. Number 10 passed me. I looked at my time and wondered if I could beat 25 minutes (I hadn't checked, but my record on this course is 26:02 from 16 August 2012.
The final stretch was longer than I remembered, but it was downhill, and I managed to get a bit of extra speed hitting nearly 56km/h. It wasn't enough, my finish time was 25:16 in the end.
I'm pretty pleased with that; it's the first TT of the season, and I am on course for better things :)
Official Results Strava
My first official TT of the year, with Maidenhead Cycling Club out on the Drift road circuit.
I had a very fast training session on Tuesday, and my legs were still a little painful from that, but I was feeling fit. I cycled over the the start line, signed up as number 8, then went for a mini circuit that included some of the course (I didn't want to do the whole 10 miles as warmup)
Conditions were very favourable, not too warm, not too cold, and not much wind.
I had a good start, it's mostly downhill for the first 6-7 minutes, but I didn't go crazy as the main Hawthorn Hill climb was next. I was hoping to see number 7 ahead as I turned the corner to go up, but she was nowhere in sight. The climb went OK, and I passed number 5 who was doing her first TT.
After 18 minutes my mouth was dry and I felt a little sick. I think the Isogel+ I took 30 minutes before the start was not agreeing with me. Not long to go though.
Finally onto the Drift Road again, and the home straight, but my legs were not feeling good. I pushed hard, but not as hard as I should have been able to. Number 10 passed me. I looked at my time and wondered if I could beat 25 minutes (I hadn't checked, but my record on this course is 26:02 from 16 August 2012.
The final stretch was longer than I remembered, but it was downhill, and I managed to get a bit of extra speed hitting nearly 56km/h. It wasn't enough, my finish time was 25:16 in the end.
I'm pretty pleased with that; it's the first TT of the season, and I am on course for better things :)
Official Results Strava
