Officially I finished 31st/69 in a not particularly stellar time of 1:02:03 for 40.2km. But when I subtracted the three minutes it took for me to remove the spoke I broke after 8km (I stopped my clock at this point), it was a more respectable 59'00 which would have put me about 14th. I love virtual results.
The quickest was a junior, Douglas Dewey, who did 56'12, while our own Ben Anstie did a 56'23 for second place on the deceptively difficult course.
Although I would have liked to have done a proper time, I was quite happy with things in general. My bike position was finally spot on, and I even passed my two minute man at halfway, after I had wasted the three minutes trying to break off the spoke (the wheel was well out of true after my crash, so I'm not surprised it broke). Admittedly, my two minute man was about 95... But he had tri-bars!
From last week, I knew I was going to be quick at the start but then I was pleasantly surprised to get around the second 9km loop at 39km/h. This part contained all the vaguely technical bits and I thought my wheel might collapse so I took it very slowly around each corner. The last 14km home was all into a headwind and slightly uphill, as can be seen by the following splits:
12.1km: 15'30
21.2km: 29'30
26.4km: 36'30
40.2km: 59'00 ish.
My colleague Robin Coomber also had a shockah. He hadn't ridden it before and went off course at the turn to the first loop. I think he did the first loop OK but the second time got confused by the marshall who told him to do it again instead of going straight. He did that and then had to turn around again because he was right the first time! He ended with 1:01:58 for 29th, but definitely would have been under the hour had things gone OK.
The rest of the weekend was less painful and more enjoyable. Lucy and Pete came up for a visit and large amounts of beer and food were consumed. Restaurants: Rajpoot (good Indian), Aqua (looks posh but has well priced Italian food) and Same-Same (coffee as good as Fopp and noice sandwiches, open on Sundays and will do nicely as an alternative to the somewhat inconsistent Adventure Cafe).
On Saturday we walked up Bathwick Hill and admired all the neo-classical architecture with genuine Doric and Corinthian columns ... and the large amounts of cash that would be necessary to afford one of these piles. Then back down via Widcombe, saw the Simpsons movie (good stuff), down the river for a bit and up through Victoria Park to look at more neo-classical architecture and piles on the Lansdown side of Bath. Bloody hell it would cost a lot to buy Bath.
Sunday: a canal towpath walk, which was very very pleasant.
My legs zijn absolutely knackered.
A boat, spied from Cleveland Bridge© Jeff Jones
Pete does his fat raver impression for Lucy. Note Doric columns.© Jeff Jones
Corinthian columns in Sydney Park. Yes!© Jeff Jones
Neo-classical architecture and a canal© Jeff Jones
More from Sydney Park© Jeff Jones
Looking over Bath from Widcombe Hill. It's better first thing in the morning.© Jeff Jones
This band reminded me of the one out of Star Wars© Jeff Jones
1 comment:
Just to stress that I was doing an impression of a fat raver, rather than being fat raver ;-)
More pics on flickr.
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