Today was the Goring Hairy Legs Challenge (cross-country duathlon). I
rode the bike leg as part of a team; I started well down the pack (in
the bottom third I think, our first runner had trouble with one hill)
and finished near the front, so I guess I did OK but I didn't have a
computer on my bike, a watch or a HRM so I don't know yet. Our second
runner kept the position I'd finished in, so our final position shuld
be respectable. Lat year we were fifth team home (one member changed
this year) and I was 12th fastest bike out of 150-odd. This year's
results should be up tomorrow at http://www.hairylegs.org.
Riding up to the ridgeway was a laugh: one guy in front of me was
obviously a frustrated triathlete as he decided to go for a swim in
one of the larger puddles, and I was seriously muddy by the top of the
hill. Going down, once again, I was fighting to hold on over the
ruts. Note to self: get a sus fork. Some taxing climbs, on and off
road, which is where I did most of my overtaking. MTBers /will/ honk
in high gears. Spin, guys, spin! My 80PSI Specialized Crossroads
tyres were again an asset on the road sections, making noticeably less
energy-sapping noises than the bikes I was passing.
Right at the bottom of the ridgeway there are some humps which you
don't notice riding up, but going down at speed I found at one point
that both wheels were off the ground; a friend who was not using
clipless apparently ended up bouncing around on his saddle with his
feet waving in thin air.
Lots of climbing, route length something under 25km, and I can safely
say that that's got racing out of my system for another year. I was
absolutely knackered at the end! The first beer was heaven, though.
Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
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