Slowly

In some particular order, but perhaps not the most logical one:

The tendon/calf thingy is on the mend, although it's a few weeks off being 100%. MRI scan today said 'it's inflamed', which I could have determined without traipsing up to Cheltenham and paying a couple of hundred quid for the privilege. But I will get the full report in a few days, which should tell me more. It is definitely not as sore as it was a week ago, so that's a good thing.

I still managed to lose a little bit of fitness over the last two weeks, as I found out in the Ba'ath hilly on Sunday (it's 24 miles not 25.7). Chris Birch turned the tables and convincingly beat me by 41 seconds. My average power was 5-6W down on what it was at the Chippenham hilly, which doesn't sound much but it's ~25 seconds over an hour long event. Not enough to make the difference though. I would have needed to be at my 2008 summer level to win.

Nevertheless, I was pretty happy with my ride. My pacing wasn't bad, although it was hard to judge because I didn't really know how hard to go. I got over the hills OK but my heart rate was often in the mid-180s, which normally doesn't happen. I kept just enough in the tank for the final 6.5km drag (a 1% false flat) to the finish. It was a head/crosswind at that point and I somehow held 335W for the next 10 minutes. I hit 188 bpm and cramped in both thighs at the top. Perfect, really.

With 58'29 I snuck under the old course record, but by then Chris had already clocked 57'48. C'est la vie. In fact, five people went under the hour and it would have been six had Dave Kiddell not been held up by cows! Prior to Sunday, the course had been used just twice for this event, and only two people had beaten the hour on it. So the competition wasn't bad.

I also beat everyone who was beating me at this time last year and I got another 120 hardrider points 'cos Chris Birch isn't registered in the series. We won the team prize which meant I won two cakes, one of which I have not yet consumed.

Next race: WTTA hilly in a couple of weeks. I hope it doesn't snow like last year. I will avoid eating dodgy curries too. Saturday was better.