After all the banter in the leadup i was feeling rather sceptical today was going to come to anything. I was feeling like this was gonna be a hiding to nothing. Only one wayto find out 
Arrive and Gags and Lindz are already parked. spot Hip rolling around circuit and the BR crwod are already there. dang! witnesses!!
We roll around, cant see Jaz. Maybe he perfected the hangover this week? Get to the start and He does indeed appear. Start and already the first lap is more serious than Dgrade but soon settles down. Im staying in the first 6ish and jumping on anything that tries to go. The plan going in was to not let any breakaways go for the first 30-40minutes and anything beyond that would be a bonus if i could assist Hippy after that.
1-2 man attacks keep going but nothing real serious for the first 10-15minutes. Lindz tries to jump which gets a few excited but again all together. The pace has upped tho and (i think?) its all fairly strungout.
I realise i still ahve 2 water bottles on me and decide to ditch one, near the BR crowd in the main straight. As we zoom by i sit up and lob it in their general direction but ralise too late it still half full and it travels further/higher than i expect, almost decapitating Brett (sorry ).
Next time round i ride on that side and apologise.
Im now on Jazz's wheel in approx 15th spot. The constant surges early on that i was on top of had taken their toll and i was now in the safety of the pack resting up, hoping to pitch in for Hip at the point end.
The 30-45min stretch i go thru serious thawts of pulling over but just concentrate on suckin-wheel and avoiding the elastic-affect comin ot of corners.
We get to (form memory) 48min(?) and pass the line and vaguley hear '3laps to go' !!! I overhear a few startled conversations in the pack...
"He musta meant D, surely?". Coming out of the 2nd corner obviously some had decided otherwise. Gags had been near the front for the last couple of laps (he aint hard to spot), Im pretty sure that Jaz was in front somewhere and Hip was just a few in front as we went down the back straight. There had been a strong headwind all day down here bu the pace was upped to high 40's. I was about 10-15th (i think), approaching the 3rd corner and relaising i was feeling remarkably OK and perhaps I could make something happen after all.
On a wheel as we enter the corner, he turns a bit earlier than i expect, I turn sharply and still pedalling into the bend.
I hit my left pedal HARD, but its OK, its just 'uprighted me'!
Oh no. Im still going to my right Im going down....
Well, that's about it. I vaguely remember being aware not to stick my arms out and trying to roll with it. My guess of what happened is my left pedal has basically stopped me on the spot and i pirouette on it as the rear of the bike goes right, Im going over the right of the bike (but in the same direction i had been travelling?) and vaguely recall a HUGE WHHAAACCCKKK!!! to the rear of my head. Vague memory of 2 feet in front of my face as a large number of wheels whizz past.
'Where/how is the bike?' im thinkin. try and sit up but stars are descendiing. Lie down fool!
After 30secs or so Im helped up, and wobble with 2 people helping me off to the side of road. There is nobody else on the tarmac which is a good sign. Lie down, back of head sore but remarkably OK.
Someone hands me my helmet which is split in half and missing the rear quarter! Lindz has checked my bike and says its basically OK
(Im later astounded how little damage it incurred).
BR lads are there already (HTF did they get there/know so quick?) and Im already starting to feel much better but Im guessin the shock is on its way.
So, after all that, many grazes (actually i have been bloody lucky considering what speed and how hard i hit!), sore neck and abs (yes, abs! go figure. didnt even know i had any???) and scratched bike.
Im philosophical tho. Cgrade was hard indeed, but not AS hard as i had built it up to myself in the head and I lasted longer/stronger than I thought i would! So apart from my own stupidity, It was a good step
Now, new helmet time. Hey Bleve, perhaps if we glue our together it would make one good one
PS where did everyone else finish up and who's race did i stuff up (sorry!)
Arrive and Gags and Lindz are already parked. spot Hip rolling around circuit and the BR crwod are already there. dang! witnesses!!
We roll around, cant see Jaz. Maybe he perfected the hangover this week?
Get to the start and He does indeed appear. Start and already the first lap is more serious than Dgrade but soon settles down. Im staying in the first 6ish and jumping on anything that tries to go. The plan going in was to not let any breakaways go for the first 30-40minutes and anything beyond that would be a bonus if i could assist Hippy after that.1-2 man attacks keep going but nothing real serious for the first 10-15minutes. Lindz tries to jump which gets a few excited but again all together. The pace has upped tho and (i think?) its all fairly strungout.
I realise i still ahve 2 water bottles on me and decide to ditch one, near the BR crowd in the main straight. As we zoom by i sit up and lob it in their general direction but ralise too late it still half full and it travels further/higher than i expect, almost decapitating Brett (sorry
).Next time round i ride on that side and apologise.
Im now on Jazz's wheel in approx 15th spot. The constant surges early on that i was on top of had taken their toll and i was now in the safety of the pack resting up, hoping to pitch in for Hip at the point end.
The 30-45min stretch i go thru serious thawts of pulling over but just concentrate on suckin-wheel and avoiding the elastic-affect comin ot of corners.
We get to (form memory) 48min(?) and pass the line and vaguley hear '3laps to go' !!! I overhear a few startled conversations in the pack...
"He musta meant D, surely?". Coming out of the 2nd corner obviously some had decided otherwise. Gags had been near the front for the last couple of laps (he aint hard to spot
), Im pretty sure that Jaz was in front somewhere and Hip was just a few in front as we went down the back straight. There had been a strong headwind all day down here bu the pace was upped to high 40's. I was about 10-15th (i think), approaching the 3rd corner and relaising i was feeling remarkably OK and perhaps I could make something happen after all. On a wheel as we enter the corner, he turns a bit earlier than i expect, I turn sharply and still pedalling into the bend.
I hit my left pedal HARD, but its OK, its just 'uprighted me'!
Oh no. Im still going to my right
Im going down....Well, that's about it. I vaguely remember being aware not to stick my arms out and trying to roll with it. My guess of what happened is my left pedal has basically stopped me on the spot and i pirouette on it as the rear of the bike goes right, Im going over the right of the bike (but in the same direction i had been travelling?) and vaguely recall a HUGE WHHAAACCCKKK!!! to the rear of my head. Vague memory of 2 feet in front of my face as a large number of wheels whizz past.
'Where/how is the bike?' im thinkin. try and sit up but stars are descendiing. Lie down fool!
After 30secs or so Im helped up, and wobble with 2 people helping me off to the side of road. There is nobody else on the tarmac which is a good sign. Lie down, back of head sore but remarkably OK.
Someone hands me my helmet which is split in half and missing the rear quarter! Lindz has checked my bike and says its basically OK
(Im later astounded how little damage it incurred).
BR lads are there already (HTF did they get there/know so quick?) and Im already starting to feel much better but Im guessin the shock is on its way.
So, after all that, many grazes (actually i have been bloody lucky considering what speed and how hard i hit!), sore neck and abs (yes, abs! go figure. didnt even know i had any???) and scratched bike.
Im philosophical tho. Cgrade was hard indeed, but not AS hard as i had built it up to myself in the head and I lasted longer/stronger than I thought i would! So apart from my own stupidity, It was a good step
Now, new helmet time. Hey Bleve, perhaps if we glue our together it would make one good one
PS where did everyone else finish up and who's race did i stuff up (sorry!)
