>Custard

>It feels like I’m riding through custard at the moment – heavy legs, creaky joints and bad thoughts. There’s nothing wrong though – it’s just a tricky part of the season that needs to be got through.

Actually there is something wrong… You can buy Jens Voigt inspired Shut up  legs t-shirts.I briefly thought of designing a Shut up groin t-shirt before realising that it might be misconstrued. Saddle soreness is the bane of riding at the moment. After next week’s ‘100’ I’m going to stick to short events. I’m afraid the pencilled in 12 hour is out of the question.

On Saturday I rode the Charlotteville CC ’25’ on the Bentley course (H25/8). I’ve never gone faster than a 1:3:01 on this course, so the first target was to beat that. It was a hot breezy day with the wind in the ‘right direction’ (a headwind start). If anything, though, the breeze was a little too strong. I struggled to the first turn and struggled even more on the long headwind stretch. I finished up with a personal course record 1:01:32, but the nagging feeling that I should have pushed harder. The event was won in a course record 47:50 by Alex Dowsett – an incredible ride on that course. He was very fluid when he passed me after 11 miles. His winning margin was 4:50!

Race stats: Time: 1:01:32 (24.38mph). First 12.5 miles: 30:12, last 12.5 miles: 31:20. Top speed: 35.1mph. Slowest mile (15): 3:01 (19.89mph), fastest mile (9): 1:58 (30.51mph). Average HR: 165bpm, maximum HR: 174bpm. Average cadence: 75rpm. 42 of 86 finishers. Winner: Alex Dowsett (U23 Trek-Livestrong) 47:50

Sunday was a non-racing day, so I headed out on the Willesden CC club run for some long easy miles. I ended up doing 98 miles door to door, so I know I can finish the ‘100’ next week. As long as I freewheel the last two miles. And as long as I average 16mph. And as long as I stop at a cafe a couple of times for drink and food. It’ll be fine. It will be. Yes. All fine.