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 hairylegs.orghairylegs.orgOpen ↗.
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.
chapmancentral.co.ukchapmancentral.co.ukOpen ↗
88% of helmet statistics are made up, 65% of them at Washington University