the road goes ever onward......

so last weekend we were back in 'the 'shire' (as in Herefordshire) for the second time in as many months. This time was for the Welsh Cycling Association 100mile TT Champs. My club, CC Topp is based in Ross-on-Wye and is registered as in South Wales district, plus i get to go see old friends again.

Departure from E'bo' was laaaaaate, so we rolled through roads which were getting quieter until we pulled over in a country backroad layby, and put out the newly installed bed in the van. Sleep came quickly.

After a holiday style breakfast (fresh french bread, with jam), we continued on to Hereford and then back to Ross and then down to Raglan, where we saw Simon and Terry riding a '10'. Simon was 2nd on his new bike, Terry was one of very few on a steel bike. We then went on down to Abergavenny so that Sarah could re-familiarise herself with the Hardwicke roundabout (a very odd double RAB), which we would have to negotiate a total of 5 times over the 100miles on sunday. We also took the opportunity to get some food and then drove off to Llanarth and pitched up in the HQ carpark. Here we gave bikes once over and mixed drinks to leave for Terry to hand up at Raglan. Drove down to Raglan, hid bottles in the hedge and returned to base to cook up dinner have a drink and hit the hay.
Sunday was a beautiful morning, and the car park was filling with cars, many full of people smoking - not your usual TTers! Turns out that there was a bird fair for aviarists (maybe a word, maybe not, but you get the idea), so one large village hall, 6am, 2 of the wierdest bunches of folk you can find!
Race itself went well, felt very good and controlled throughout, I absolutely knew i was on for a pb as i had been constantly thinking 4:15 all week. My minute man was 4 minutes up at about 30 miles, by 70miles he was actually behind me as i caught him on the way to Aber'. I caught Sarah for 15minutes before the last go through the tunnel at Monmouth, then had the only 'mishap' of the race - i dropped my final drinks bottle, i heard Terry shout to keep going and guessed he would leap aboard his trusty ZXR10 and hand me up at a lay by. He did. Although a little later than either one of us expected as he missed sarah when he was picking up my bottle, then his Kawasaki safety features tricked him. I did about 7miles 'sans' drink and in the final 7 i drank almost the entire 600ml.
Rolled up the road after finishing, turned around Sarah just finished so i rolled back up wth her, she asked what i'd done "no idea, no clock" she says she's done a 4:22, so i've done 4:06 at worst, turns out i'd done 4:04 (17.5minute pb) and her 4:22 was a 10 minute pb - Sa-weet.
A bit of chat, some sandwiches, then off to Symonds Yat for a dip in the Wye (very refreshing, helps immensly with minimising the muscle inflamation too) then (3hr) drive to mum'n'dads for some dinner, and drive home (including a stop to sleep as i was on my straps).
a bientot.