RTTC National 25 Championship - J2/9

[CCS]

Where: J2/9 (that’s wayyyyy oop north; just next to the big Jodrell bank telescope thingy… can’t miss it…)
When: 2nd August 2014
Organiser: CTT / Seamons Cycling club (calm down, Kevy)
Course details: http://www.strava.com/segments/1109778
Distance(s): 25 miles
Marshalling: Loads (for a TT) – even a half way split time; and lots of cheering (OK, politely clapping) marshalls & spectators on the way round
Facilities: village hall; toilets, cafe
Technical: manual timing
Freebies: Cup of tea: it’s a TT – what do you expect

Pre-race

Feeling pretty good going into this one – massive PB on a 10 on Thursday night, so I guess I was as ready as I would ever be.
Unfortunately, packing up the car after the 10, I managed to loose the end cap that covers the USB charging stick on my rear light. Cue mad Friday morning rushing to LBS to try and find another (had rather resigned myself to having to buy a new light – and it needs to be a particular model to fit MTB’s amazing bespoke light mount) – huge thanks to Brad at Pure Motion Cycles and the UK Lezyne distributor for sorting me out with a new part free of charge.

On race morning, BAT announced "you should have told us you were heading up to Cheshire - we could have come up for a family weekend"... grrr... had explained repeatedly my plans... don't want to impose my hobbies on the family more than I need to (anyway, where would Fluffy sit if the back of the car was full of kids... don't think he has ever had to ride outdoors to a race!)

Set off on race morning for the drive oop north. Soon started tipping with rain; sky was very dark; motorway obscured with spray. Stopped at some services in oop northshire to procure my usual pre-race breakfast (bucket of black coffee and a granola bar from Costa) and took the opportunity to get changed from cutoff denim shorts (which didn’t quite feel like suitable attire) into warm tracksuit (yes – I did remember to pack some warm, dry clothes this time).

Went for a quick course recce in the car – not looking good! Loads of standing water; heavy traffic; cruddy road surface... seriously starting to doubt the wisdom of this trip! Figured it looked like a 1:05 course for me.
Got to HQ – loads of fancy bikes; never seen so many people turboing and looking dead serious in a car park in my life! Met a few friendly faces from the SEWTTS ladies. Headed off for a pre-race pootle/equipment shakedown (just to check I hadn’t messed up my gears with a little idle re-indexing when I loaded the car). Weather was rapidly improving – sun came out, though was quite windy.

The race

Standing waiting in line... 2 ladies in the queue were making snide comments about triathletes and their need to have all the gear.... then they moved on to how people over 40 were a bit past it.... pulled down my visor to hide the wrinkles, and stared nonchalantly into the middle distance....

No minute man to chase; got a nice friendly push off from the starter: “release your brakes” (sitting there with only the support of a willowy grey haired gent always induces a death grip) – “go on, release the brakes; then I can give you a really good push off; promise I won’t drop you” – and I was launched off down the lane.
The course had dried out really well, and I think I got pretty lucky on the traffic front. Definitely lost quite a bit of time on the turns and junctions though – improvements to bike handling skills still needed. Pretty lonely ride. Got overtaken by my minute man near half way; overtook my 3 minute man near the end; and got whizzed past by the eventual 1st (Dame Sarah Storey) & 2nd on the last lap. Otherwise uneventful... the usual for a TT... lots of wheezing along, thinking “are we there yet”. Finished in 1:04:09 – about as good as it could have got on the day, I think.
Just as I came through the finish, the wind started gusting around massively, and the heavens opened (to the point where I pulled over to the side of the road, and stood looking pathetic next to a small tree on someone’s driveway. Got very wet; then the thunder started, so decided to pootle back to HQ before I drowned / developed hypothermia. Slightly surreal moment coming back into Goostrey, where I got caught in a convoy of steam traction engines moving even slower than I was – they did give off a good heat though!

Packed up; got on some warm dry clothes (which then got very wet carrying all my soggy race gear back to the car); got some caffeine into my system (and a nice slice of lemon drizzle cake); and got back on the road a.s.a.p for the long trek home (urgent cooking matters to attend to for BBQ today).

26th of 50 starters on the day, so didn't disgrace myself - very happy with that, and as JH pointed out, a couple of minutes ahead of my TT nemesis (rather than the usual frustrating couple of seconds behind).

Overall, a good day out – a bit intimidating, but can’t be that bad, as I just put in my entry for the national 10 at the end of the month in a fit of post race euphoria.

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Well done Clare. Sounds like you had a pretty good race. Beat your nemesis by a good margin and placed well in the National Champs! And you beat the weather

[IanM]

Nicely done Hope you fared well against the 2 you were standing behind in the queue?

[kfjatek]

Well done!

[ris]

Fabulous, well done CCS

[jonathon.e]

Great result, well done Clare

[Tritans]

Very, very impressive, well done.

Goostrey


Penned in the finest quill from The Royal County.

[Bopomofo]

I am utterly amazed by how much you have improved. I am already making winter plans and poring over the 'CCS Plan' on TrainerRoad.

Great racing, Clare: great time and a great result.

[King Sad]

Well done Clare Hope you kicked the arses of the two sniders

Over 40 past it - pah, then how come 8 of the first ten placed individuals in the Outlaw were AG 40-44?

[TRIumphant]

Chapeau