Plomesgate 10 Open TT

Bike: Trek
Distance: 10 miles
Time: 25 minutes 28 seconds
Average speed: 23.560mph

Result: 11th out of 43.

Another pretty good placing - even if my time was pants (this is a slow course, and it was pretty windy today, but even so, I could've gone better).

In any case, I have excuses!

* I haven't been training much recently - I had done 90 miles in the 2 weeks leading up to this race, compared to 381 miles for the first two weeks of the month.

* a few things 'upset' me - I'd had to sharply brake in Ipswich on the 31-mile ride out to the event, this flat spotted my rear tyre right down to the thread. I noticed this a few minutes before I started the race and worried that the tyre would disintegrate ... also my number was only pinned on with three pins and the flapping put me off. And probably cost me hours.

* I'd also forgotten to buy any energy drink before the race, let alone consume it.

* I arrived at the start 20 minutes early and froze during the wait - I'd warmed up plenty coming out from Shotley with rucksack on my back, and didn't fancy burning off any more energy. However, this backfired and my shivering was noted by other riders.

* the course was evil!! It had a lovely section through the forest, but also had some dodgy surfaces and dodgier corners...

* .. a bloody learner driver at the turn... why WHY would you learn to drive on a roundabout being visibly used for a bike race? He went round at 5mph with a lot of expletives coming from directly behind him (where I was). I am ashamed of shouting, but was pretty hyped up. That probably DID cost me some time.

Nonetheless, good to shake off cobwebs, and I've now passed my target mileage for March two days early. Have been extremely demotivated this week, on various levels, and this was just what I needed. Now raring to go for the Haverhill 20, early tomorrow morning. Clocks forward!