North Middx & Herts CA 100 - F1/100 13/7/08

I didn't receive the startsheet for this event, due to local mail problems, though I managed to get a copy emailed to me by a fellow competitor.  The night before  the event, I really didn't sleep at all well - this seems to me ever more frequent.  I kept on waking and looking at the clock, though I had no chance of over-sleeping, as I'd set the alarm. Eventually I got up at about 4am.

Carol and I got to the race HQ in plenty of time.  However, I felt pretty nervous, not helped by the sensation of my breakfast sitting heavily in my stomach.  This version of the course was one I don't think I had ridden before.  It starts very close to Tempsford.  After a brief warmup, I lined up - the pusher off was the North Bucks' own Tony Farmborough.  The start is very close to the northbound lane A1, and I was quickly up to speed.  The first 57 or so miles (see course description below) are usually quite quick, and so it proved for this event - I did the first 50 miles in 1:58:38, which is actually my fastest 50 of 2008.  By the time I left the A1 I was feeling pretty good.  As expected, the section to Shefford and beyond to the Norton RAB was a bit harder - at times the road surface is rough, there are frequent roundabouts, and it undulates quite severely.  To add insult, one RAB we had to cross four times had road works by my least favourite company, EDF, which was holding riders up (I must say, however, that the guy controlling the traffic seemed to be trying to get the racers through as quickly as possible).

My strategy for the race was to keep the gears a notch lower than I'd use in shorter events, and to keep the HR 5-10 bpm lower than for a 25 or a 50.  This worked well to begin with.

Unfortunately, and as so often happens to me on this course, I got quite severe leg cramps from about 75 miles, so the final hour of so were pretty unpleasant and my speed dropped a lot, and I had to stop on a couple of occasions.  Still, I made it to the finish in 4:17:37, which is a best for the last three seasons.  I was a little disappointed, as on the road I'd expected about 4:07.

FULL RESULTS 

No Rider Club Time 50 
1 Colin Parkinson  South Western Road Club   03:54:13  1.54.10 
2 Andy Stuart  V C St Raphael   03:54:48  1.53.37 
3 Trevor Mayne  Birdwell Wheelers CC   03:57:22  1.54.56 
4 David Johnson   High Wycombe CC   03:59:05  1.57.37 
5 James Struthers  Lindsey Roads CC   03:59:25  1.58.17 
6 Dave Kendall  Finsbury Park CC   03:59:45  1.55.34 
7 Paul Mace  High Wycombe CC   04:00:09  1.56.14 
8 Steve Clarke  Verulam CC   04:01:17  1.55.23 
9 Nick Calkin  High Wycombe CC   04:01:32  1.57.18 
10 Robert Gilmour  Hounslow & Dist Whs   04:04:17  1.58.18 
11 Rob Dulson  Hainault RC   04:06:41  2.00.13 
12 Karl Austin  Congleton CC   04:09:23  2.01.22 
13 Sam Hayes  Bedfordshire Road CC   04:09:28  1.59.43 
14 Chris Greig  High Wycombe CC   04:12:19  2.02.15 
15 Stewart Wilson  Nene Valley   04:13:53  2.02.18 
16 Ian Penrose  Leicestershire Road Club   04:15:46  2.03.30 
17 Robert Saunders  North Bucks RC   04:17:39  1.58.38 
18 Stan Maclak  Didcot Phoenix CC   04:20:57  2.06.29 
19 Mark Scanlan  Didcot Phoenix CC    04:21:09  2.03.42 
20 Ray Mason  Rutland CC   04:21:51  2.06.44 
21 Geoff Perry  Team Milton Keynes   04:22:00  2.05.01 
22 Peter Harridge  Icknield Road Club   04:23:03  2.05.31 
23 Barry Tooke  North Hampshire RC   04:23:23  2.06.26 
24 Paul Tunnell  Addiscombe CC   04:24:54   
25 Chris Tomkins  Hainault RC   04:25:21  2.09.58 
26 Alan Crane  Team Sanjan Design   04:26:17   
27 Marina Bloom  Rugby RCC   04:27:27  2.09.53 
28 Fiona Lawrence  ww.agiskoviner.com   04:31:41  2.13.15 
29 Richard Gray  Icknield RC   04:32:12  2.10.43 
30 Dave Solomon  Whitewebbs CC   04:32:55  2.11.24 
31 Marion Rickman  Bicester Miiennium CC   04:35:30  2.11.49 
32 Eric Angell  Redbridge CC   04:38:20  2.16.19 
33 Matt Chudley  Bedfordshire Road CC   04:40:16  2.13.50 
34 John Thompson  Severn RC TRIKE   04:40:35  2.14.52 
35 Trevor Parrish  A5 Rangers CC   04:42:02  2.15.13 
36 Barry Gilzean  Icknield RC   04:42:57  2.12.18 
37 Moira Goodway  Banbury Star CC   04:43:08  2.15.00 
38 Barry Page  Hertfordshire Whs   04:43:42  2.16.58 
39 Lyndon Lewis  Bedfordshire Road CC   04:45:13  2.15.10 
40 Murray Kirton  A5 Rangers CC   04:48:36  2.13.55 
41 Mick Fountain  Didcot Phoenix CC   04:49:54  2.14.17 
42 John Howells  Corinium CC   04:53:36  2.23.33 
43 Jurgen Stetter  Bedfordshire Road CC   04:55:13  2.25.19 
44 Keith Gelder  A5 Rangers CC   04:55:52  2.22.33 
45 Mike Bloom  Rugby RCC   04:58:57  2.21.19 
46 Sam Skuce  Verulam CC   04:59:27  2.14.54 
47 Brian Foster  Norwich ABC   05:00:22  2.26.08 
48 Richard Miller  North Bucks RC   05:00:22  2.27.19 
49 Geoff Fletcher  Shaftesbury CC   05:03:24  2.19.01 
50 Samantha Jenkins  Bedfordshire Road CC   05:08:45  2.30.01 
51 Clive Collins  Hitchin Nomads CC   05:14:27  2.31.41 
52 Cliff Tremaine  Kettering CC TRIKE   05:16:22  2.27.18 
53 John Dawson  Peterborough CC   05:17:54  2.29.54 

 

F1/100 (2007 revision)

START    On slip road west of A1 and south of Tempsford flyover leading onto A1 northbound; at LP3.  (GR162523 ) Proceed towards A1, care at  T junction 60 yds after start; northwards on A1, and continue over Black Cat RAB to
TURN    (10.24 mls) at Buckden RAB. Retrace on A1 southbound, straight on at black Cat Rab and Sandy RAB to
TURN    ( 25.18 mls) at Warden Lane RAB. Retrace on A1 northbound, straight on at Sandy Rab and Black Cat Rab to
TURN    (40.19  mls) at Buckden Rab. Retrace on A1 southbound, straight on at Balck Cat Rab and Sandy Rab to
TURN    (55.13 mls) at Warden Lane RAB. Retrace on A1 northbound to
BEAR LEFT  (57.85 mls) at Beeston, signed A603, then in 200 yds sharp left at Bidlake Cnr, to join B658, proceed south over all junctions to Shefford, right at mini r/bout to Shefford North RAB, left along A600 over next 2 RAB’s to
S/O     (67.51mls) at Shefford Sth RAB, proceed eastwards along
    A507, s/o at next 3 RAB’s to
TURN     (72.37 mls) at Norton RAB, retrace A507 westwards to Shefford Sth RAB where  S/O over next 2 RABs to
TURN        (79.60 mls) at Shefford Nth RAB retrace A600, becomes A507 over next 2 Rab’s to
S/O    (81.95) at Shefford Sth RAB, proceed eastwards along A507, s/o at next 3 Rab’s to to
TURN        (86.82 mls) at Norton RAB, retrace A507 westwards to Shefford Sth Rab where S/O over next 2 RABs to Shefford Nth RAB (94.05), turn right to Shefford, left @ Shefford Mini-rab onto B658, proceed north to
FINISH    (100 mls) about 1 ml north of G&M RAB , 176 yds south of Sugarloaf Cottage, 43yds south of the 1st telegraph pole in field which is 86 yds north of wooden footpath sign (northill.3/4 ml).,  GR164468