Ipswich BC Open 10

Bike: Cervelo
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 26 minutes 11 seconds
Average speed: 22.915 mph 

Position: 17th out of 33

Third time in a row on this course, and by far the best conditions of late.

Hm, two seconds quicker than when I did this event two years ago, and I probably could have snuck in a long 25 if I hadn't been slowed by a juggernaut winding its way around the country lanes.Got a bit frustrated with a slower rider who was holding the lorry (and ergo me) up, and I don't know if this was really justified or not, so feel a bit bad now.

Maureen cycled out with me to watch this one, and took some pictures, on quite a pleasant morning in Suffolk:


26:11 may not sound very quick, but the winning time was 22:59, which shows what hard work this course is!

ICA Round 7 Crowfield

Bike: Condor
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 28 minutes 36 seconds
Average speed: 20.979 mph 

Position: 7th out of 12

Hang on... a 10 mile time trial in 28+ minutes? A time trial on the Condor Agio, my trusty commuter/training bike, which has the aerodynamics of a bus compared to the Cervelo?? And I'm pleased?!?

The weather was pretty poor all afternoon, and the forecast was atrocious, so I chose to ride the Condor rather than mess up the Cervelo. I figured if I could average above 20mph, that would be good going, given the bike and the conditions. It was also nice to ride a TT on the Condor - it is nearing 10,000 miles of use since I acquired it in January 2008, and I'd not previously raced it.

Rode out to the start in relatively dry conditions, with a favourable tailwind. Not many starters showed up  - maybe twelve? - and, as I overtook two riders, I'm surely guaranteed my first top ten finish of 2013! Moreover, I wasn't far off my time on this course two weeks ago on the Cervelo... (27:39) Remember - this is not a fast course, it has some sharp climbs and nasty descents, and is very 'sporting'. My personal record round here is 25:05 back in the day, so today - given the poor conditions and lack of aero caboodle - must rate as a good ride.

It was fun riding a TT in the old-fashioned drop-handlebar position, althought I went out (into the headwind) too hard, and kept blowing up on the hills. As the rain began to set in, my computer stopped working for a bit, and I picked up a stitch for a couple of miles. One of my legs also started cramping (I'd had the same problem with the same leg swimming last night). I also had one or two hairy moments on the slick surface, but didn't have any real Wiggins moments (earlier this week he described his Giro descending as 'like a girl' - perhaps female riders, when descending chaotically or gingerly, should say that they are descending 'like a Wiggins'). Overall: an epic ride, and I was suitably mud-spattered at the end.

The IBC Open 10 is on this course on Sunday - am hoping for dry conditions so I can try and beat the 25:05...

damp

I was down to ride the Lea Valley CC 10 today on the E2/10, but the weather forecast (rain with extra rain and gusting winds) did not fill me with any great desire to ride a bike up and down a dual carriageway, and I decided to not to make the trip out Newmarket way. Instead, I went to Crown Pools and swam 40 lengths in my unique 'head never goes beneath the water' style.

ICA Round 6 Crowfield

Bike: Cervelo 
Distance: 9.7ish miles (course shortened owing to roadworks)
Time: 25 minutes 41 seconds 
Average speed: 22.6ish mph

Position 13th out of 32 (the club detail is wrong)

I think that's five time trials in 10 days - not bad going!

If the course had been the full length, I would have likely gone over a minute quicker than last week. Much nicer conditions, though, sunny and still-ish, and I took a few more 'risks' round the corners. My climbing was OK on most of the hills, but I blew it on one of them. Next week I will aim for a sub-26 for the full 10 miles.

Best bit, though, (beyond catching up with some familiar faces from the Ipswich cycling scene) was a barn owl flying next to - and then in front of - me as I cycled home. That's the second time this year, after an earlier winter encounter with an owl when I was out on a training ride on the Shotley peninsula.

VC Baracchi 10

Bike: Cervelo 
Distance: 10 miles 
Time: 24 minutes 11 seconds 
Average speed: 24.810 mph

Only 11 seconds off a 25mph average speed... and 42 seconds slower than last time I did this course. On the other hand, I was 19 seconds quicker than on Saturday, on arguably a harder day. The B10/43 is a quite tricky course to gauge - no real flat sections, either gentle uphill drag or downhill. I went for it harder than on Saturday and was hurting quite a lot at the end, but this is a good marker. I'm on the E2/10 next week, so will be looking for a 22 if conditions are right.

Today was a welcome return for my epic 'commutes' to get to races: up at 5am to cycle 35 miles to Wortwell. This did give me a chance to see some pretty bits of Suffolk (Debenham and Eye in particular) as well as various woodland creatures frolicking dangerously close to the road (a fox, a muntjac deer, infinite rabbits). I then cycled back after the race, making it an 80 mile round trip in all.

King's Lynn CC 10

Bike: Cervelo
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 24 minutes 30 seconds
Average speed: 24.489 mph

Position: 30th out of 63

Picture here - note the condition of the road! The heavens opened about 25 minutes before my start time, but the conditions for the actual race weren't bad.

Interesting ... only 22 seconds off last time I did this course.

ICA Round 5 Crowfield

Bike: Cervelo 
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 27 minutes 39 seconds 
Average speed: 21.699 mph

Position: 18th out of 42


Great fun - this is not a fast 10 course (best I've done in the past is a 25.05 back in 2008) but it does contain some tough climbs and challenging descents/curves. Not a bad evening, though a bit chilly and a nasty headwind in places. Again, good training - and I'm telling myself that I should at least make significant improvements as the season goes on. I have two 10s this weekend, and am hoping to get down to a 25 on at least one of them...