Time trial Virgin!

[Justinslow]

Well ?

Ha ha yes, ok,
27 riders, about normal they tell me, no problems getting a start, everyone really friendly.
Rode the 4 miles or so to the event and then another 4 or so as a bit of a warm up after signing on and to kill a bit of time them back to the meeting point for my start number which was "12". I thought I'd be one of the first to go being a noob thinking the fast boys/girls would be starting later so everyone gets back in good time. Anyway, started 12 with all manner of pukka TT bikes around me (and some "standard" roadies aswell) and thought I was going to get passed frequently!
Waiting for the countdown wasn't really sure what to expect and then we were off! Probably started a bit too quick (for me) but like others have said it's so hard to pace yourself from a standing start when you've been hanging around for 10 minutes or so them suddenly you're into it.
Got about a mile into it and was thinking "what the hell am I doing" blowing hard. But started to relax after that and it got less tortuous!
Half way still nobody had come past and I hadn't looked behind. Rounding the roundabout which marked half way you're then facing the riders behind you, so you can see how close they are. Two were pretty close and it was only two that came past the whole way. The return trip was into a headwind - not too bad but bad enough when you're flagging, pushed on as hard as I could and made it back!
My throat was sore, nose running, eyes watering, almost felt like my throat was bleeding, legs not too bad, just exhausted.
Overall pretty pleased with my time strava saying 28.35 which beats my September practice time by a couple of minutes and a similar time to my mates, but there were some proper quick people there, they just come past and disappear!
At the time I wasn't sure if I enjoyed it or not as it hurt.......a lot, but looking back now, sat at home, yes definitely enjoyed it. It's a weird feeling, it's bloody horrible but it's also bloody brilliant!
Oh and the Argos Ventura didn't let me down and held it's head high yet again, will post my official time and where I came out of 27 when they are on the club site.
https://www.strava.com/activities/286691220

 

[Justinslow]

Sorry, like writing an essay, and kids to put to bed, wife to argue with etc etc.........

 

[Cuchilo]

 

[Justinslow]

My official time 28.42
I was 19th out of 27.
And the fastest time was 23.03

 

[Jerry Atrik]

Get on , well done !

 

[Justinslow]

My welcome home from the kids, they came to the course which runs not far from our house to give me some cheery waves when I went past!

And the bike as raced.

Not exactly time trial equipment!

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Well done.

 

[Sittingduck]

Nice one

 

[Freds Dad]

That's a great achievement. Not something I fancy doing but I do see a lot of races round where I live and like you say they pass you and they're gone into the distance.

 

[totallyfixed]

Very well done, as others have said, it can get addictive but it doesn't matter how experienced you are everyone I know still suffers from nerves before the start. Dr_pink is beginning her 8th year of tt'ing and is a bag of nerves beforehand, she did her first of the season last week, a 9.8 mile hilly, you would have thought it was for a gold medal! Anyway she did 24.10 which was a 7 second pb and that was the first competitive outing of the year so it bodes well.
Sometimes when you are feeling rubbish before the event you do your best time, so unless you are really unwell give it a crack, you never know.

 

[Justinslow]

Thanks for all the encouragement!
It really is great that you can turn up with what you've got in a kind of "run what you brung" way.
Obviously I joined my local club which runs the TT's back in the winter, and paid my £45 for the seasons TT's, that's one every Thursday until late August (not sure I'm going to make it to every one though). And like I said, everybody I spoke to were very friendly and offering advice and tales of their first (slow) TT.
I now have a problem, I feel the need to spend money on decent kit!
Must not spend
Must not spend
Must not spend

 

[Citius]

Spend the money on a coaching plan..

 

[ChrisEyles]

Nice one!

 

[palinurus]

Probably started a bit too quick

Everyone does that for the first few, it's almost impossible not to.

 

[palinurus]

it's bloody horrible but it's also bloody brilliant!

Uh huh. Yup.