Mike Anton writes…
With Messrs Blackmore and Rollason fancying their chances on the National 10 and Messrs Dennis, Hardisty and Acridicano on for a local outing on the Crawley Wheelers SPOCO 41, Anton and Boorman had entered the Hounslow and District 100 on the A31 Bentley course.
This was a rather foolhardy venture for me as I’ve frankly done no distance training this year, or indeed many events.
In fact this was my first 100in nearly two years and grand plans to at least get a 50 in before hand were thwarted with my inability to get my entry off in time.
Still, undeterred, I set of in the car, hitting torrential rain on the M25 but no obvious gale force winds. The dodgy weather obviously put off a number of people, with Ted being a DNS along with quite a few others.
The course was 5 laps of a twenty mile circuit between Farnham and Chawton. I rode a variation of this in 2005 and had distinctly unfond memories of big bits of it.
As it was, the wind had abated quite considerably and the first two hours of steady drizzle kept the temperature sensible. I was quite discouraged to be caught by my 3, 8 and 2 minute men within the first 25 miles but decided to stick to my spur of the moment idea of riding 1:05 25s.
This broadly went to plan bar the 3rd 25 where I dropped to 1:7:30. Still, having ridden what felt like 43 laps, I endeavoured to pull my finger out for the final stint.
That went by in 1:02 to give me a final time of 4:19:27. (In fact all four of these 25 times are faster than my only 25 of the year, which was the Brighton Mitre hilly 25 up Devils Dyke…..)
With the absence of Nik ‘I’ll have a 77 tooth chainset please’ Bowdler and Steve Golla a DNF, the event was won by Paul Dring of Echelon SpiUK with an excellent 3:48:34.
Somewhat surprisingly, my time looked to have been good enough for 5th, which is more an indication of the absence of good riders, rather than any ability on my part.
Roll on the next event!
