My first 25 mile Time Trial.
Oof! I have just completed my first 25 mile cycling time trial. An absolutely British affair. Sign on at Thunbridge Town Hall from 7am and start racing at 8am by riding South down the A10, dual carriageway, to a roundabout signalled well by marshals in high vis. And back up the A10, North, to another roundabout signalled again well by marshals, and then return to the start/finish line.
Tunbridge town hall is very similar to every town hall I have ever been to in this country. Clearly underused, cold, and a wee bit drab. But, staffed by lovely people who do it for the fun of getting up early on a Sunday morning 20 times a year. The F10/25 Time Trial, hosted by Norlond Time Trial Combine (Eastern / Hertfordshire) put on what can only be described as a feast for when you finish. By the time we had got back after an hour of solo riding, at around 9am, the town hall was complete with a spread of triangular white bread sandwiches, cakes, mini sausage rolls, grapes (unexpected), and tea and coffee.
Around 30 riders competing today, all having paid £8 online via cyclingtimetrials.co.uk or CTT to those in the know. All hopefuls in varying degrees of pro, slippery, wind-cheating kit, representing local clubs from around North and East London. Some independents with no club allegiance. But in the main, the tell-tale garish colours of local club colours brightened up the grey morning.
The time to be aware of for your first 25mile TT is ‘over’ or ‘under’. Over, or under, an hour. Sixty minutes. Sixty minutes of riding on your own up and down a road with only your own thoughts to keep you going. In new money this equates to travelling at an average of plus or minus 40 kilometers per hour, as 25 miles is exactly 40 kilometers. Giving you the magic tipping point. I was, with a GPS device, able to measure duration of riding, speed, average speed, and distance travelled. What I was not able to measure was Heart Rate, Power, or Cadence. With the tools I had, I aimed firmly for a target of ‘under’ knowing that by around half way I needed to have an average of 40kmph and some change, and then hope that I hadn’t burned too many candles of power to be able to continue at that rate. As the distance travelled increases, the feeling of having achieved something increases, but crucially the average speed becomes harder and harder to move in a positive direction. If, after 5km the average is 35, moving it to say, 37, is quite doable by simply riding for a kilometre or two at 39 or 40. But after travelling for 20km, moving from say, 38km to 40.1kmph average is much, much harder.
To cut a long story short. I managed it, completing the course in under an hour. Bosh!
And to the finish. The scene in the town hall was cut short by another peculiarly British scene. Radios chattering in with news from marshals on the course of ‘a rider down’. Followed by ‘rider hit by lorry’. Followed, amazingly, by a guy arriving with ripped kit, cuts and bruises, and a pretty dazed look in his eyes. How the authorities think it is ok to let us ride on a dual carraigeway amongst HGVs and vehicles travelling up to and over 112kmph is bat shit crazy. Bat shit crazy.
Massive thanks to Sam, who drove me and him up from London to the start. And congratulations go to him for his PB today.
Words & Pics by Ewan Crallan
www.6amcycling.co.uk 