After 2 weeks of cold/flu/lurgy and running the rego table (and having fun pinging sandbaggers
) I decided to bite bullet and just race, damnit.
Still coughing occasionally, but what the hell...
Dgrade. Usual drill. field of 25-30?.
Pace early on was a tad quicker than 'usual'. Spotted a Sandbagger who had already placed and Won in D. Had a 'chat' to which he added "I have won ONCE, ********". Gee. Must have missed that committee meeting where we decided 17 wins and a wheelie over the finishing line means you get bumped up
Didnt see him again after that. NFI if that was due to 'chat' or just not up to it this time...
Stayed in the first 5-6 for pretty much the whole thing.
My thinking going in was that today would be a 'flush the lurgy away' session so no ambitions of 'doing' anything.
Dean Roberts, a Dgrade regular who had almost made C last year then had a knee op and was getting back to near placings again, pulled up next to me. I suggested to him i didnt 'have enuff n me' today for the last chapter so did he want a domestique?
He grinned and proceeded to sit on my wheel.
Few laps later got '3 laps to go'.
Pace only slightly picking up (altho it had been uppish consistently anyway)
and concentrated on staying at the frontend and smooth for Dean.
GOing up that hill in the first few is a truckload easier than further back as you dont struggle to catch up every lap and get a much faster entry-exit on the hairpin.
Obviously staying at the front was having a decent effect on the field as the swamping i was expecting wasnt coming??
As we went round corner and up the hill I ask Dean what he wants (we could talk quite easily so pace wasnt that bad 'or_I'm_super_fit
)
"Just kep me near the first few and get me to the corner 3rd-4th. you got that in you?"
Surprisingly, i did. I hadnt counted on feeling that OK by this stage...
Sat at 3rd wheel down hill and really wound it up fast, but smooth, making sure nobody could fly past (<insert images of slow-version of Alajet's train here>
)
50m out form Hairpin i was wavering and decided it was up to Dean now.
Put hand behind back and said "GO!"
Dean got to corner 4th and nailed 3rd. Apparently went round corner in 2nd biggest gear accudentally so coulda been better
I waited for field to go by and a few minutes later rode up to finish line.
Young guy, Jeremy Palmer placed and (i think) another 'other-club' youngy.
Very satisfying
Just like on telly. This tactix stuff is a buzz
Strange thing was I felt so OK as we approached that last corner I really should have stayed on and seen just how far I could push it!?!?
Oh well, I was hoping to shake a cold at the start.
Next week, next week...