The TT Thread

[Karla]

I see that Richard Bideau is off scratch.  Justice at last 

[rob]

There's going to be a massive advantage to going off late as the road will be really quiet at 5:10 when I start, but should be busier for the later starters.   Looking at the riders and associated PBs I expect to finish in the bottom 10%, but hopefully with a PB and a decent BBAR time*.

As for seeding I don't know.    On the last 100 I did I was off 118 out of 120.    It was a very lonely ride despite being 5 * 20 miles.   120 caught me early but 119 never did, although I notice he beat me by about 30 seconds so he must have been able to almost see me at the finish line.




* not that it matters as you never get your fucking certificate....

[hippy]

I'm still debating about entering the National 100. I wish it closed later so I knew if I succeeded at the E2.

I'm sure I've got my BBAR certs when I've done the distances. Do you go to Champs Nights?

[rob]

I'm sure I've got my BBAR certs when I've done the distances. Do you go to Champs Nights?

2015 was the first year I ever qualified.   There's a thread on the TT forum and a load of people haven't got theirs yet either so it's a CTT thing.   I've never been to a champions night due to, well, not being a champion or very fast.

[rob]

Ignore my whining.   I got home tonight to my 2015 certificate.

[hippy]

Yeah, I dropped it round...

[rob]

KCA 100 yesterday.   Wetter and windier than forecast.   Probably went off a little hard but ended up wet and cold for the last hour, finishing with a 4:16.

That's 2 100s that I have paced completely wrong next year.    I feel battered today so will have an easy week in prep for next Sunday's ECCA 100.

[hippy]

I think the Tan Hill 600 might've taken a bit too much out of me. I hope I've not ruined a chance at my club record with the ECCA. Maybe I should enter the National 100? Closes soon I think.

[Pedal Castro]

I think the Tan Hill 600 might've taken a bit too much out of me. I hope I've not ruined a chance at my club record with the ECCA. Maybe I should enter the National 100? Closes soon I think.

It closes tomorrow but got an acceptance email today...

[hippy]

Yeah, I had a look but if I ride the Millie Pennines the week before I'm basically in the same boat as I am now so I didn't bother entering. Thanks anyway guys.

[rob]

I did the EDCA100 in Norfolk last year.   Pretty fast all DC course.   It's a week later than the National so an extra week of recovery ?

I may do it this year if the this weekend doesn't go well.   The only issue is it's a week before the 24.

[hippy]

I did the EDCA100 in Norfolk last year.   Pretty fast all DC course.   It's a week later than the National so an extra week of recovery ?
I may do it this year if the this weekend doesn't go well.   The only issue is it's a week before the 24.

Might be an option, I'd highlighted it but will add it to the diary.

Thanks

[Frank9755]

I did the EDCA100 in Norfolk last year.   Pretty fast all DC course.   It's a week later than the National so an extra week of recovery ?

I may do it this year if the this weekend doesn't go well.   The only issue is it's a week before the 24.

I would be happy to do a 100 the week before a 24.  But not the other way round!

[rob]

I did the EDCA100 in Norfolk last year.   Pretty fast all DC course.   It's a week later than the National so an extra week of recovery ?

I may do it this year if the this weekend doesn't go well.   The only issue is it's a week before the 24.

I would be happy to do a 100 the week before a 24.  But not the other way round!

Agreed.   My diary for August is empty.

[rob]

I have a couple of chances to ride a 50 prior to the 24.   The one near me I know but I'm not a massive fan of the course.

There's a W London event on the H50/1a on the 10th July.   Can anyone comment on the course and how it might compare to, say, the H50/8 that the Charlotteville use ?

Thanks


Rob

[hippy]

I have a couple of chances to ride a 50 prior to the 24.   The one near me I know but I'm not a massive fan of the course.
There's a W London event on the H50/1a on the 10th July.   Can anyone comment on the course and how it might compare to, say, the H50/8 that the Charlotteville use ?
Thanks
Rob

I had my 25 PB on that road. It's 'lumpy' (yes yes relative term) but from memory the surface is much better than H50/8 - lengthways ruts as opposed to sideways.
Not super fast but if it's easy to get to it could be ok. Better than not doing a 50, I guess.

[rob]

I have a couple of chances to ride a 50 prior to the 24.   The one near me I know but I'm not a massive fan of the course.
There's a W London event on the H50/1a on the 10th July.   Can anyone comment on the course and how it might compare to, say, the H50/8 that the Charlotteville use ?
Thanks
Rob

I had my 25 PB on that road. It's 'lumpy' (yes yes relative term) but from memory the surface is much better than H50/8 - lengthways ruts as opposed to sideways.
Not super fast but if it's easy to get to it could be ok. Better than not doing a 50, I guess.

It's a bit of a drive for me to be honest.   I have the option of a 50 in Sep, but I was planning to take a break by that point.

Kind of depends how Sunday's 100 goes to see if I chase an improvement in my 50 time.

[David Martin]

Second club open 10 of the year (the first was the Scottish National Champs). Same course, much smaller field, dreich day.
Mark Stewart (100% ME) turned up as it was his local 10 and he was in town for his brother's wedding. He broke the course record with 20:31, only to see it taken away from him less than 10 mins later with a 20:27 by Jon Entwistle. The ladies record was broken by Amanda Tweedie with 24:10. The course has only been in use for a couple of years and never on a good night. New Youth A girls record of 34:13 by Kirsty Stopper - she is the first YA girl to ride. Our club does equal prizes so she got a prize for first YA girl, even though she was slowest on the night.

Field: 10% youths, 10% U23, 10% senior 70% vets, 18% female. The fields are slowly improving.

[rob]

I got rather carried away with my expectations for this mornings ECCA 100, believing that I could get under 4hrs with the right conditions.   In the end they weren't the right conditions (rising Southerly wind) and I'm starting to think that I've overlooked it recently.   The 2am get up didn't help.

I went through 50 miles in 1:59 so had high hopes for the second half.   In the end I crumbled and crossed the line with 4:06:38.   It's still a three and a half minute improvement on my PB, but anything more will need to wait for next year.

Hippy seemed to be flying.   Bideau did a 3:22, for the second fastest ride ever.   Quite amazing.

[hippy]

I knocked 10min off my PB and got another club record with a 3:42:54. The ride itself was a bit crap with my numb leg coming back so bad I had to keep sitting up during the race to get any feeling back into my foot. I rode the middle two hours so easy that the last lap was ridden like a 25 and the last 5mi at 10mi power - way too much left in the tank. Happy with the result but I really want to get to the bottom of this leg thing.

One interesting change is that my leg stayed numb for a good 12 hours after the race which has never happened before. For years I and docs have thought it was vascular but given the duration to get feeling back I'm wondering if it isn't some kind of nerve damage?

BDCA 50 this weekend where I'm hoping to go sub 1:50 and take another club record.

[Frank9755]

Well done, both of you - a good PB, and a club record with one good leg!  I didn't enter this year so it was bound to have been less windy than usual.
Numbness sounds a bit worrying, though - do you get it on normal rides or just racing in TT position?

[hippy]

Well done, both of you - a good PB, and a club record with one good leg!  I didn't enter this year so it was bound to have been less windy than usual.
Numbness sounds a bit worrying, though - do you get it on normal rides or just racing in TT position?

Just TTs and up until yesterday it was only 25s and 50s where the pace was higher. Thought it was vascular but given the duration to come good this time I think it might be nerve based.
Spent £££ trying to work out the problem. Basically I think I'm just crushing something when I'm in the TT position.

[mattc]

...
might be nerve based.
Spent £££ trying to work out the problem. Basically I think I'm just crushing something when I'm in the TT position.

As a total layman, just based on what you've posted that would be 100% my first guess.

(Almost everyone has known SOMETHING go numb if they ride far enough, and it's nearly always cleared by changing position => nerve damage. IMO !)

[hippy]

Yeah, but the weird thing was I could ride 100mi, 12hr and 24hr TTs with no issue. The numb leg only appeared during 25s and 50s which seems to counter the 'ride far enough with something squashed and it'll go numb' thinking.

Yesterday's 100 was different. I've been doing these magic stretches so perhaps they've sorted one issue and caused another or perhaps the 600 the week before did some damage and it was compounded by the 100mi TT? Hard to tell. It's annoying, riding faster because more aero and then throwing a chunk of the advantage away because the human body is too feeble for my needs..

[Karla]

The Yorkshire RC 25 for me, which was the first open TT I managed to finish this season.  56:59, which was actually a PB, though only because a) I've sorely neglected this distance, and b) because I went off course when on for a 56 last year.  Conditions were quite good with a gentle crosswind and lots of people did fast times, so I was left wondering what I could have done on a day like this if I'd been in proper shape.

The good news: my position now feels comfortable (and must be fairly aero if I can ride this fast at my current nonexistent power level) and now I'm finally getting some riding done, I'm feeling better so I should hopefully have at least a pale excuse for fitness for the 50 in a couple of weeks time.