Last Saturday saw a collection of Dynamos (a gaggle of…? A plethora of…? A bastard of…?) gather at Hillingdon for the annual club championships. The 1hr + 5 laps format caused some concern on the forum in the weeks prior to the race from non-racing members – was it a 1hr pootle followed by 5 laps? What happened if you started your sprint before the 1hr was up? Did the rider who had covered the most distance in the 1hr win, irrespective of the subsequent 5 laps? All very amusing for the regulars who knew that it would typically be a cagey 1hr and 5 laps of frenetic activity.
In fact, for we 3rd and 4th cat riders it was 10 minutes of frenetic activity at the start (“handicap, have to stay away, pant, gasp … ride harder, pant … get off the front, you’re slow … gasp … come through and do a turn you lazy slacker … pant, gasp …”) followed by 50 minutes of reasonably restrained bunch activity and then the 5 laps of free-for-all. Two riders, Mike and Cam, broke away (with about 7 laps to go I think) and stayed away, Mike just squeezing through for the hard-fought win. A great effort considering the rainshowers and the brutal headwind down the finishing straight. I finished in the bunch to round off my spectacularly unsuccessful racing season. Next year, next year…
Tea, cake, more cake was my fuel for the trip to Marlow after the race. I set off thinking I had plenty of time before nightfall. About 90 minutes and several wrong turns later I found myself tearing downhill on a narrow, potholed, tree-covered, totally dark descent somewhere around Hedsor heading towards Bourne End. Not the ideal way to end the day. So I didn't end the day that way - I ended it by drinking far too much wine!
Tuesday 19 October 2010
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