Phoenix Cycling Club
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Drum Manor :- 12 laps of 5.5miles
It just rained, rained, rained and rained (I'm being polite) and with
the rain came Vlow temperatures, freakin cold temperatures and strong
winds.
The thirds and juniors started off together don't know what the handicap
was but it didn't matter they weren't cohesive at all, despite my subtle
words of motivation. But I blasted away with a couple of guys who I'd
recognised and the legs were holding up, but they felt a bit strange,
not sure how much the cold/rain/TON had to do with it. I seemed to
be able to work hard, but the cold was making it's mark.
After a few laps of trying to get the group to ride through, the legs
where still OK, I was strong enough to create gaps on the hills, but
there were others in the group stronger than me. I looked over my shoulder
about the third or fourth lap and was really surprised how our group
had shrunk, I don't think it was tooo hard (we'd had harder races)
but the weather was severe, I was also surprised that scratch hadn't
caught
us by now.
A couple of laps later up comes Soup and Big Jim McC, now I can feel
my legs, our group was easy, Soup and Jim have just reminded me, as
they jump so I go with them, Jim goes up the road and I'm waiting on
Soup
to follow him. Every time he went he hurt me, at one stage it was Soup
and I working through, my legs were grinding, they weren't smooth.
As I came up for air after one of Soups mega drives 53x14 hard on for
about
3 minutes, I actually couldn't breath, probably more like breathing
out my Ar$e. I thought there was something physically wrong with me.
I was
OK when I realised that half of my face was frozen and with gunge and
all, my backside was the only clear route for air.
We are about half way through the race Soup has just left our group
going forward, big Jim is soloing off the front, I'm looking for a
GP at the
back, whats left of scratch comes up, there's hardly anyone left judging
by the cars following and the bikes in the carpark. I'm only begining
to realise that due to the wet conditions and the cold I have'nt been
taking on my Carb drink, it's not exactually inviting, but for a 66mile
race it's a must, I pass the start finish in the main group (about
15 riders), the marshall shouts 6 laps. Something in my brain clicks,
I
move to the left hand side of the road wait till all the cars pass
me then I ride back to my car. If he hadn't have said 6 laps I'd probably
have done a couple more. We were in the headwind part of the circuit
I was ok holding the wheel, I just decided it was too cold, too wet
and
I'd had enough.
I managed to prise myself off the bike and hobble to the car, I can't
get the keys out of my pocket and I'm now seriously shaking, after
eventually prising the keys out I manage to get the ignition going
and the heat
in the car is more or less instant, i.e. compared to outside. I am
actually physically shaking as I try to remove clothing from the numbed
parts
of my body, at least I can breath now.
The guys told me it was 3 degs outside, I'm sure it was minus in the
headwind. I'm almost certain I scared a few juniors cause only one
of the little sh1ts would ride through, fair play to him though he
lasted
longer than I did. Otherwise not a great day, not a great ride although
that circuit is a good one.
I think I'm gonna skip Castlereagh, cause I couldn't go through that
again this weekend, I also think more recovery won't do me any harm,
club race on Tues then I think theres a bit of a lull in the racing,
I'll have to get the calender and the maps out.
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