High Wycombe Good Friday 10 TT
It is a truth universally acknowledged that when more than one Willesden rider enters an event, there will be hurricane conditions. Well done, therefore, to all four of us who braved the elements (which included a sleet shower in the car park beforehand) to ride the High Wycombe 10 out near Oxford on Good Friday
As a long-term student, I am becoming somewhat of an expert at blagging – for this event, I managed to obtain the use of Richard Jerome’s ‘famously comfy’ sofa bed and also get yet another lift with him (‘you really have to learn to drive, Ed’ – this is from a man who has seen how badly I control my bike…). I also managed to cadge some energy drink from Adam Pawlikowski (‘Hello Adam, I’m Ed, can I have one of those Lucozades please?’), who I’d managed to convince to ride this event, and who didn’t look too happy with the weather, but nonetheless put in a respectable performance. I am also trying to convince Derek to provide me with some aero wheels, but he didn’t seem too convinced with my argument. He did get me a cup of tea though, good man.
I had ridden this course once before, and had done pretty badly, so I was looking to prove a point today. There was a decent tailwind for the first 4 miles, so a cruising speed of 28-30mph was possible; then a drag up to the turn, then a reasonably quick, sheltered 2 mile section…… then pure suffering. Straight into a brick wall headwind, had to push so hard I felt sick. Wasn’t looking too clever when I pulled back into HQ, where Gill and Richard were waiting, looking fresh as daisies. I’d managed to go 43 seconds quicker than I did on a slightly nicer day on this course last year, though, so it was worth the coughing fit and aching thighs.
We hung around for the excellent cakes and the prize presentation, given there were large quantities of Easter Eggs on offer. Gill won 4th lady, which involved some cash as well as an egg. In the prize raffle, I managed to snaffle a pair of Rudy Project sunglasses. Richard, already enraged by my use of blue armwarmers, helpfully pointed out that the glasses were the ‘wrong colour’. A good HQ atmosphere, a well-run event and times on the day were very respectable for the conditions: fastest was the impressively tall Richard Prebble with a 21:03.
Adam Pawlikowski: 26:22
Richard Jerome: 24:49
Gill Reynolds: 28:09 (4th lady)
Ed Packard: 24:19
Full results: http://www.cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/Results.asp?ID=52686Ed Packard
West London Combine 10, Knowl Hill, 2 March 2008
Although it was a bit chilly and breezy to be lurking round the Knowl
Hill village hall car park in our new skinsuits, the unseasonal sunshine
led to a carnival atmosphere and a large Willesden CC turnout at the
first West London Combine time trial of the season. Indeed, Richard
Jerome almost whipped out his portable barbeque from his well-stocked boot.
Meanwhile, Jayne Paine was telling anybody who would listen about how
she had beaten Gregarios superstar Mike Diggins the day before. While
Mike Diggins hovered sheepishly in the background.
After usual comparison of new kit and shaved legs, the serious business
began and we all set off to warm up. I felt a bit rubbish, and was
wary of Richard, who had shown some decent speed taking fourth place at
the Finchley Crits at Hillingdon the day before. He’d also kindly given
me a lift out to Knowl Hill, so I took the opportunity to destroy his
careful nutrition plan by offering him a pastry. Mwahaha!
Ron ‘I-ron-man’ Purdy, possibly a target of the Hillingdon Triathletes
given his gruelling regime in the swimming pool, advised me that I
would have a ‘bad day’ if I didn’t catch him by the first mini-roundabout.
Alas, I’m quite superstitious and therefore knackered myself trying to
achieve this goal.
In the end, the wind was not particularly troublesome and the Willesden
put up some respectable times, which will hopefully convince them to
enter some opens as the weather improves. Richard and I finished in the
top 10 overall out of 80 or so riders, and Jayne and Ludovica were the
two quickest women. Suzz Patel also showed some decent form, over a
minute quicker than he was at this event last year – he was also lethally
efficient in collecting the £2 entry fee, keeping an especial eye on
certain students who managed to run up considerable WLC debts last
year…
Most importantly, Willesden CC also won the competition to eat the most
cake afterwards, largely because the club run turned up to see how
things had gone. Gladys, Jayne and myself shared hair styling tips and we
forced Mike Diggins to buy us all tea and cake (prolonging his weekend
of suffering).
Alys Mathew: 29:42
Ludovica Bruno: 28:00
Chris James: 28:17
Ron Purdy: 36:00
Ed Packard: 24:07
Richard Jerome: 24:16
Jayne Paine: 27:39
Brian Moon: 30:34
Joanna Austin: 29:21
Suzz Patel: 26:32
Ed Packard
