www.dadswell.co.uk Mostly cycling records, mostly on three wheels
Record Breaking, or maybe not... ....Raef again, June 1992 Back to Rides in 1992
Hot on the heels of Chris Ball's sensational 10 record, the tricycles
were again dragged into action, in an attempt to keep the RTTC
Competitions Secretary busy.
For several years, we've been looking for opportunities to attack the 25
and 50 records. With Glenn
able to go for the individual records, Nev and I needed to be up to a
sufficient standard to beat the team times.
Previously, we (Glenn, Ralph & Tim) have tried the 50 records twice.
On both occasions, we were troubled by illness or blowing- up,
and managed to miss out.
This time, though, we were better prepared - in some ways.
The Finsbury Park 50 has a special event for 10 tricyclists, separated
from the “main” event for 110 bicyclists.
Nev was Number 1, Ralph No 6, and Glenn No 10.
I said we were better prepared, but this only really refers to training
& fitness. On the day, my
organisation was a shambles, and Nev had already started by the time
that I rode to the start.
When I saw Glenn, he was relieved that I'd arrived.
He said something to me.
Removing several carefully chosen 'emphatic' words, I quote:
"You're late. If you hadn't
turned up, you would have been dead."
Add the extra words in the most suitable places.
We had to beat 6-37-26, which meant 2-12-28 each.
I started, aiming for a 2-5, which would have been a personal
best. At the first turn, I
was about 1 minute up on Nev, but over 2 minutes down on Glenn.
At about 20 miles, Glenn caught me.
At that stage, I guessed that he could do a 1-55, and I would do
my 2-5. Shortly afterwards,
I was surprised to catch Nev, who was then seemingly on for a 2-12.
In the remaining 25 miles, Glenn went faster than expected, to clobber
Pitty's individual record with 1-53-13.
I came in with a 2-4-51, putting the pressure on Nev.
We waited (not bothering to hold our breaths) to see whether he
could beat 2-39-22.
Of course he did, although wilting a little in the heat.
His solid 2-17-39 was enough to ease 21-43 off the required
standard, which is now revised to 6-15-43.
Like a couple of old men, Glenn and Nev sat in garden chairs by the tea
tent, and accepted congratulations as all the big shots collected their
cups of tea. A typical
conversation might have been
"Well done Glenn", with a reply of "Not bad for an old 'un".
Actually, he said that to everyone.
A few days later, attention was focussed on the Polytechnic CC 25 at
Oxford. Nev was No 7, I was
No 17, and Glenn was No 21.
Dave Pitt, however, had somehow contrived to be placed at No 18 (also on
a trike).
The team record for 25 was 3-0-22, requiring 1-0-7 each.
Based on the previous Saturday, I guessed that the shape of our
rides would be 0-54-30, 1-00-00 and 1-05-30, although Nev had said that
he was much more suited to the 25 than the 50 - so we could expect a
more competitive ride from him this time.
On this occasion, it was Glenn's turn to cut timings finely.
When I started, he hadn't collected his number!
However, I had faith in him, and set off down the gift hill at
Cumnor.
Well, I say "gift hill". It
seemed like a climb, with the north- easterly headwind.
I managed the first two miles in 5 minutes.
Not promising, as this suggested a 1-2-30.
I looked behind, but Pitty was not in sight, yet.
After five miles, I was caught by Vic Haines, being caught by John
Pritchard. The sensation
was as if a jet was landing on my head, as the disk wheels roared by.
Still no sign of Pitt, but someone was 100 yards behind.
Without my 'proper' glasses on, and in the heat of battle, I
couldn't be sure whether the machine behind was a tricycle - but I
presumed the worst, and redoubled my efforts.
As it turned out, the apparition behind
was Dave.
He got to within 9 seconds of catching me, before cracking up.
He rapidly disappeared from the scene, ending up last with
1-9-43.
Meanwhile, as I left the 14 mile turn, I saw Glenn for the first time.
He had just been caught by Pete (on a bike), and was nearly three
minutes up on me. I needed
to cover the last 10 miles in 25-30 to beat the hour, but there was a
definite headwind.
After 17.5 miles, Pete came past - on his way to a 53-53.
At 20 miles Glenn caught me, and then we were into the last
knockings.
The wind didn't ease up, and even the descending finish wasn't enough
for me to ease under 60 minutes.
However, Glenn managed 55-40 to beat a second D Pitt time in five
days. My 1-0-40, when added
to Nev's classy 1-3-6, was sufficient to push the team record under 3
hours with 2-59-26.
(after the 25 record)
Everyone seemed generally agreed that the day was not producing many
exciting results. However,
that view was shot to pieces when Gethin came in with 47-57.
Prizes were handed out to anyone beating a competition record, and Chris
Ball also got one for his 51-57 - on the grounds that on a better day,
he would have beaten the junior record.
Strange logic, but I don't suppose it bothered Chris!
After all this excitement, we had to return to earth, and make the final
preparations for the 24 hour, which was happening over the next weekend.
The "24" (or should that be 6, 7, 12 or 14?)
As far as I could see, we were all ready for the big race.
On the day, there was a brisk north-easterly breeze, which meant
that the team record (1441 miles) looked rather tight.
We all started on time (Pete 30, Ralph 45, Mark 53, Glenn 60), and were
immediately in the teeth of a headwind.
Personally, I was slower than evens for the first 4 miles, and
was caught for a minute.
Impressive, eh?
After the 4 mile turn, there was a good opportunity to sit up and
twiddle 52x12 for a while, and I covered 10 miles in 27 mins.
Suddenly, Andy Wilkinson caught me for 5 minutes.
Normally, if someone had done that to me, I would have just
grinned to myself, and waited for him to crack up.
However, having seem Andy in the Anfield 100, I had a feeling
that he could 'last'.
At 50 miles, Pete was about 2 mins ahead of my 2-20.
Glenn was about 6 or 7 mins up, and Mark was fractionally ahead
as well. Wilkinson was
leading by a couple of mins.
By 100 miles, Glenn had caught me for 15 mins, but didn't seem to be
getting away. I think,
also, that I was a couple of minutes up on Pete.
I now know that this was start of Glenn's problems.
It seems that he was mixing his drinks.
We all know that you shouldn't follow a Guinness with a
Pan-Galactic GargleBlaster, and then expect a swig of creosote to stay
down.
As I approached the 120 mile turn at Downham Market, I was surprised to
see an Antelope sloping along the road, wearing a waterproof top (in the
sunshine). As I caught up,
the rider stopped, unclipped, laid his bike down, and fell into the
grass. Imagine my horror,
to see that it was Glenn. I
asked (rather unnecessarily) whether he was alright.... he replied "No".
Knowing that his helpers were just behind I continued, in a bewildered
state. As I returned from
the turn, he was riding again, but things didn't look good as there were
18 hours to go.
I stomped on to the next turn at about 140 miles.
Imagine my surprise then, to find that Pete was only 3 minutes up
the road. As I was down on my schedule, I immediately realised that he
must have been in trouble as well - that is to say, it wasn't a case of
me going too fast.
When I caught up with Pete, he didn't look as if his heart was in the
race. I did what I could to
convince him that we should continue for the team awards.
However, my spiel didn't sound very good to me, so it must have
seemed hopeless to him.
I set off for the Newmarket turn, wondering what to do.
At the turn I saw Dave Pitt, Derek Panks and Chris Lacey.
Pitt shouted "Where's the Antelope Racing Team?".
Good question.
As it became clear that the team had evaporated, I then considered the
possibility of an individual medal.
At 212 miles, I was about 10 minutes adrift of third place, but I
felt that I could close that kind of gap.
I covered 242 miles in 12 hours, at which time I'm told that Mark
abandoned ship. Shortly
afterwards, I was caught by Mick Gray (who was destined to claim the
silver medal), and then by Ian Gray (bronze medallist).
Whilst being caught didn't necessarily prove that they would beat me, it
did enhance the demoralization which I had been fighting against.
After 14.5 hours, I decided that the most sensible thing to do
was to get off, while I still had no injuries etc.
Something in the back of my head kept telling me that I should finish
the race, but I remembered advice received earlier, that I shouldn't try
to do an End-to-End and a 24 in one season.
This really clinched the decision to stop, as I don't want any
built-in problems for the "big ride".
Thus, my helpers (Mum, Dad, Tim, Est) were vaguely disappointed, but
they accepted my decision.
We tipped loads of drink away, and threw out loadsa sandwiches.
For those of you who live on the moon, the final result was a win for
Andy Wilkinson with 502.5 miles.
Reflections
I haven't spoken to Glenn since the race, as he's taken off for an
exotic Mediterranean holiday.
However, it seems that Maxim is the drink being hailed as the
villain of the piece - ie the drink that screwed him up.
Whilst it may be true that the presence of Maxim in his array of
drinks was a problem for him, I think that we shouldn't be too hasty in
condemning it outright.
Personally, the only drink which I used was Maxim.
I suffered no ill effects at all, and will quite happily use it
again in the End-to-End (as, if and when it happens).
I am not on commission from the manufacturers, but just don't
want anyone to dismiss something too hastily.
Maxim has no taste (but flavours can be added), is not sickly,
and was not giving me stomach-ache.
When I subsequently spoke to Pete, he informed me that he was recovering
from a cold, which had been affecting him in the 24. He seemed to say
that the 24 didn't feel like racing, and that the course was too boring.
My reaction to this is that tactics are as important in a 24 as they are
in a road-race. The main
thing to remember for the first 12 hours is that you must complete it
without really exerting yourself.
In the night, you need to be well insulated from the temperature
drop, and need to have lighting which can cope with racing (ie almost
certainly NOT Ever Ready Nightriders, unless they've improved immensely
since I gave up with them).
After the break of dawn, you can expect to speed up, as your body moves
away from the "I want to sleep" mode.
At this stage, you can think about racing - even if you don't do
25 mph, you can still rewrite the race order in the last few hours.
On the "boring" front, I would agree that there weren't many features to
the course. I will contend,
however, that after 18 hours, you'd be bloody glad not to suddenly hit
Poulner Hill.
Another try?
Obviously, anyone's reaction when being forced to abandon a 24, is
"never again". I would have
been surprised if Glenn or Pete would have taken any other view in the
heat of the moment.
However, it wasn't the "24" which made you stop, was it?
After all, you were still in theoretically familiar territory (ie
less than 12 hours riding).
No, it was either bad luck or an unfortunate mistake that caught you
out.
Next year, the Championship will be promoted by the Mersey Roads Club.
The course is just north of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire.
The countryside is more interesting than the Fens, without being
as hilly as the New Forest.
The course uses the roads of the Anfield BC 100, and so this is an
obvious race to do in preparation.
I rode the 100 this year, and am quite happy with the idea of
riding another 24 on the same roads.
The distance to the start of the Mersey 24 is not significantly further
than to Ely, and the race takes place later in the season. This fact
certainly appeals to me, as I find it quite a struggle to be fully fit
by June.
So, guys, what about riding the Anfield 100 and the Mersey 24.
Give it some thought, and decide "yes".
After all, we can succeed at this.
Having failed once, we don't want to be seen to give up.