Wednesday 18th April 2012:
Drove to the start to arrive in good time 6pm for a 7pm start to be welcomed by a howling wind and driving rain. Not ideal conditions. The venue was a pub with a large field at the rear which housed some caravans and was used as an overflow car park.
The Bike was unloaded, kit was on and I was raring to go, ah hang on I better sign on and pay. Signature down, warm up time - ah hang on I need my race number. It was a 2 up TT I would be riding solo but some riders had not yet signed on. After about 15-20 mins of milling around not quite sure what to do I came to the conclusion that whilst standing in the middle of a grassy field in what felt like a tornado; cycle kit does not offer the best protection in terms of warmth/water repellency. My car which was about 10 metres away would have given me a modicum of protecion, however I was too fired up to listen to my own logic.
Pinned with the start number 8 I was told I would have been off at 7.08pm - ah hang on make that 7.04 as it is a two up. Potential disaster avoided I made way to the warm up lane near the start at approximately 6.45-6.50pm. The rain had stopped!
An extremely brief warm up completed I was at the start at 6.59pm ready to go. I did not recall dipping my legs in treacle and covering them in jelly during my warm up routine but I was so excited to start that I just accepted the feeling.
30 seconds, 10 seconds, the first two were off and eventually it was my go. Clipped in I listened intently to the starter explaining, where the course went, the pot holes, the warning flags, the position of the marshals and then 10 seconds. Damn thats me 5,4,3,2,1 go I was off settled back in the saddle calming down a little I was pondering where the hell did the guys in front of me go.
I saw a brief flash of Orange disappearing round the corner. I chased them down and overtook, settling back down I waited for my lungs to catch up wondering had I gone off too quick but I had no real time to worry as I was now closing on another two and feeling quite warm. The sun had actually come out and I was now riding on more or less dry roads. So it went on to the turn around which was a right 500 yeards then left, left again and left again Up out of the saddle and straight into a headwind from hell. Must get my speed up ouch what in the hell was that. My right calf had completely cramped, I slowed to a crawl. I would ride it out. I stopped although I was still able to offer my long learned dictionary of profanities to myself. Furiously rubbing my calf and not wanting to walk circa 4 or 5 miles to the end I had to get back on the bike. I was in pain and I got overtook by 11 and 12. Eventually it eased and I got back into the rythm. I recognise that corner I am right near the start again. Oh no I wasn't. That corner must be, no this must be the corner erm no. When will this torture and agony end what the helll was I thinking doing this to myself! There is a guy sitting there in a luminous green jacket what is that all about.....it was the end.........thank goodness.
Back at the start I was aked did I enjoy it. I answered well it was nice when it was over, then the endorphins really kicked in and I had a glimpse at what chasing the dragon may be all about.
Fast forward to now and my leg still hurts, I overtook six groups of two, did not catch up with one and got overtook by only one group of two. The wind was viscious, I stopped half way round due to cramp I had no idea of the route, I spent most of the previous three months off the bike due to injury, Historically I ride slow and steady with the CTC and I posted a time of 31:58. My personal best, well it would be it was my first TT. I have learn't a lot from it.
Would I do it all again. Hell yeah just try and stop me. Is there a TT's anonymous group I think I may already be beyond help......
Drove to the start to arrive in good time 6pm for a 7pm start to be welcomed by a howling wind and driving rain. Not ideal conditions. The venue was a pub with a large field at the rear which housed some caravans and was used as an overflow car park.
The Bike was unloaded, kit was on and I was raring to go, ah hang on I better sign on and pay. Signature down, warm up time - ah hang on I need my race number. It was a 2 up TT I would be riding solo but some riders had not yet signed on. After about 15-20 mins of milling around not quite sure what to do I came to the conclusion that whilst standing in the middle of a grassy field in what felt like a tornado; cycle kit does not offer the best protection in terms of warmth/water repellency. My car which was about 10 metres away would have given me a modicum of protecion, however I was too fired up to listen to my own logic.
Pinned with the start number 8 I was told I would have been off at 7.08pm - ah hang on make that 7.04 as it is a two up. Potential disaster avoided I made way to the warm up lane near the start at approximately 6.45-6.50pm. The rain had stopped!
An extremely brief warm up completed I was at the start at 6.59pm ready to go. I did not recall dipping my legs in treacle and covering them in jelly during my warm up routine but I was so excited to start that I just accepted the feeling.
30 seconds, 10 seconds, the first two were off and eventually it was my go. Clipped in I listened intently to the starter explaining, where the course went, the pot holes, the warning flags, the position of the marshals and then 10 seconds. Damn thats me 5,4,3,2,1 go I was off settled back in the saddle calming down a little I was pondering where the hell did the guys in front of me go.
I saw a brief flash of Orange disappearing round the corner. I chased them down and overtook, settling back down I waited for my lungs to catch up wondering had I gone off too quick but I had no real time to worry as I was now closing on another two and feeling quite warm. The sun had actually come out and I was now riding on more or less dry roads. So it went on to the turn around which was a right 500 yeards then left, left again and left again Up out of the saddle and straight into a headwind from hell. Must get my speed up ouch what in the hell was that. My right calf had completely cramped, I slowed to a crawl. I would ride it out. I stopped although I was still able to offer my long learned dictionary of profanities to myself. Furiously rubbing my calf and not wanting to walk circa 4 or 5 miles to the end I had to get back on the bike. I was in pain and I got overtook by 11 and 12. Eventually it eased and I got back into the rythm. I recognise that corner I am right near the start again. Oh no I wasn't. That corner must be, no this must be the corner erm no. When will this torture and agony end what the helll was I thinking doing this to myself! There is a guy sitting there in a luminous green jacket what is that all about.....it was the end.........thank goodness.
Back at the start I was aked did I enjoy it. I answered well it was nice when it was over, then the endorphins really kicked in and I had a glimpse at what chasing the dragon may be all about.
Fast forward to now and my leg still hurts, I overtook six groups of two, did not catch up with one and got overtook by only one group of two. The wind was viscious, I stopped half way round due to cramp I had no idea of the route, I spent most of the previous three months off the bike due to injury, Historically I ride slow and steady with the CTC and I posted a time of 31:58. My personal best, well it would be it was my first TT. I have learn't a lot from it.
Would I do it all again. Hell yeah just try and stop me. Is there a TT's anonymous group I think I may already be beyond help......
) . I got 13:29 which I thought was quite good in my first TT on a normal road bike without tri bars/ aero helmet and on £93 wheels. Before the start he went for another couple of laps but I decided to go to the start, to calm down take a gel, it was a good job I did the timekeeper's watch was about 5 minutes fast, when I got there it was 'Number 2, 20seconds to the start' 
I don't know if that almost instant start actually helped me though.
