Imperial Winter Series Hillingdon Race 8 Saturday 16th January

Lucy Collins's photos

Well the big freeze which had caused the cancellation of Race 7 has finally given way to a very wet thaw.  I sat in the front passenger seat of my clubmate's car until 20 minutes before the off, watching the rain lashing down.  I was not, I think, the only one on the start line who had not been on the bike at all for two weeks.  Furthermore, I do not possess a turbo trainer and do not think I would ever use one.  Accordingly the only exercise for me had been the odd trudge through the snow to the station and raising a glass to my lips perhaps slightly too frequently at last night's Thames Velo Club Dinner.  The field was predictably enough, given the weather, a relatively small one (come on you fair weather cyclists Lucy needs your entry fees for her prize fund).
This week I was much too busy moving my glasses from the bridge of my nose to the end or somewhere in between, so that I could see something, to think about remaining near the front.  The pace for most of the race was fairly conversational with the odd acceleration when someone way up at the front was presumably being chased back but I was far too misted up to be able to relay any detail.
After about 30 minutes the 3rds caught us - the relatively small fields in both races helped them to go by without too much trouble.  Then we slowed right down on the command of a cold wet sprinter who didn't want to go 'round and round' for longer than strictly necessary.  Sure enough there was soon sufficient gap between the two races for the 5 to go lap board to be put out and the pace quickened and I found myself at the back again.   After the bell there was a surge down the back straight which left me struggling to remain in contact.  I only succeeded in keeping up with a wheel ahead that was itself struggling to remain in contact.  So I came in a few seconds after the bunch today, but hopefully this time before Doug turned the camera off.
Average Speed 23.0mph