"An absolutely fabulous TT - the Beacon Little Mountain"

Pross

Huge thanks to Ruth and all the Beacon RCC marshalls, tea ladies and other helpers. Really felt sorry for the marshalls who were out there longer than us. Definately the toughest conditions I've ever raced in and one of the 3 toughest rides I've ever done. Got a time of 2.23.12 which I'm quite happy with considering the conditions and having seen the results board. Fastest time when I left was a 1.45!!

I drove over Ankerdine on my way to HQ and it made me worry about Stanford as the event info makes it sound like that.is the longer and steeper climb. In the end I managed both climbs OK and even had a gear to spare on Stanford.The wind was horrendous though, the last 5 miles took me 22 minutes even though they were mainly downhill! By the finosh I was borderline hypothermic and didn't stop shivering for over half an hour. Was good to meet Markos and Ruth, sorry I didn't say goodbye but I desperately needed to get in my car with the heating on full.

3Pears, looking forward to seeing the photos (I was no. 123) and thanks for the shouts of encouragement which were needed! Got my eyes set on next year and the improvers award

davep7

Pross wrote:

Got my eyes set on next year and the improvers award

Well I was 24 minutes down on my pb today so if the weather is even half decent next year you have a great chance!

Thanks to all the marshals and helpers, I was last man on the road for quite a while, sorry I kept you all waiting!

markos1963

Yes indeed, many many thanks to Ruth and her team. One of the best events I've ever been to despite the weather. Poor Ruth had the Devils job today with a decision as the run the race or not, damned if she did and damned if she didn't. I for one was very happy we raced. I wasn't very quick, 2hrs 46m 12 s i just wanted to get around and set a time to beat next year. I reckon I lost a lot more than 20 mins due to the weather, I was unable to take advantage on the descents which is my strong point. I thought 40mph was enough coming down to Stamford Bridge with virtually no brakes :shock: I was so cold and tired by the time I got to Ankerdine I just couldn't find the legs to climb all of it and had to walk a bit(next year I'll bring a 11/28 cassette)
Good to meet you Pross and don't worry about not saying goodbye I was a wreck and just wanted to get warm as well.
Bring it on next year ( but can we have it in August Ruth?)

BeaconRuth

Thanks to Pross, Dave and Markos for their comments but also for coming and riding today. I think the conditions really brought out the true spirit of those who enter the event and also all my Beacon clubmates. Considering what everyone put themselves through (and I include all the marshals and helpers who were out in that weather it too) it is a real testament to the passion and affection everyone has for the event that absolutely everyone was not just resigned, but cheerful and extremely good-humoured from start to finish. Whether it was the riders who were looking at the pouring rain before dashing outside just before their start time or the checkers out on the course who re-wrote their sodden lists of times when they got back to the HQ, to the photographer who went home to dry his lenses with a hair-dryer before going back out to take more photos............. I'm deeply impressed.

So, Pross, Dave and Markos were BikeRadar finishers along with SBezza and GBY73. Anyone else we've missed? Johnpsanderson called it a day after the first loop - no shame in that I feel.

Great to meet you, Pross and Markos. I can only apologise for barely saying more than "hello". I always drive home from the LMTT and go through in my head all the people I would have liked to talk to properly but didn't get the chance..

So, who's up for next year's event?!

Ruth

markos1963

Me for sure Ruth, will even save holiday leave just in case it falls bad for me(I don't want to do a NapD and have to sit it out!)

3Pears

I realise there was a proper photographer present but here are a few from Ankerdine taken with a point and shoot cheap camera. Some turned out not so good but you may have one in there of yourself that will be a reminder of one special character building you once did late April

https://picasaweb.google.com/1113659278 ... onHillyTT#

PS Pross, if you were in your Abergavenny kit, your photo lookin good

SBezza

Massive thanks must go out to the marshals, timekeepers and helpers that must have got soaking wet through as well as the riders, they are real stars ( I did try and say thanks to all on the course whilst riding. Well done Ruth it was a brave decision to go ahead, like I said, I have trained in worse conditions, and the rain was no worse than an early season TT I did down here. Funnily enough it wasn't the rain that was a problem, the gusts caused me a few issues, but I have had those on other TT's as well where there are cross winds. The biggest issue for me was the cold, there is no way it should be 4-5 degrees at the end of April, it just isn't right LOL.

Not really sure I enjoyed it this year, grovelling up Ankerdine with too big a gear is never enjoyable, and the headwind once at the top all the way back to the finish was just a bit soul destroying to say the least.

Will I be back next year, well more than likely LOL. I did say to Mr Povey I think I need to be put away in a padded cell for my own safety LOL. It certainly was character building this year, and at least when I am suffering in 50's, 100's and 12 hour TT's this season I can look back and say it can't be any worse than the LMTT

3Pears, some good photos, I was shocked when 111 went back past me on Ankerdine, that was a real struggle for me.

Pross

3Pears wrote:

I realise there was a proper photographer present but here are a few from Ankerdine taken with a point and shoot cheap camera. Some turned out not so good but you may have one in there of yourself that will be a reminder of one special character building you once did late April

https://picasaweb.google.com/1113659278 ... onHillyTT#

PS Pross, if you were in your Abergavenny kit, your photo lookin good

That's me thanks. I'm really pleased with that, it's the first photo of me on a road bike in close on 20 ywars so will replace my avatar and Facebook profile pic if that's OK? Certainly look slimmer than I did on an MTB photo last year I sat down for the one photographer in an attempt to look casual lol

3Pears

Pross, you carry on and do whatever with your photo I was feeling sorry for myself for not racing the Birmingham Crits in that weather and walked out to snap a few photos of you 'hardcore' folks :P

BeaconRuth

The full results can be seen here.

Ruth

Pross

Don't think I've ever finished that high in an open TT with full field of entrants before My climbing times are a bit poor, I think I held too much back on the course in general but especially on Stanford Bank. I didn't have a clue how far I was around the course until the 30 mile point due to breaking the wheel magnet for my computer. The hardest climb for me was the one just after the Hundred House Hotel which I assumed at first was the start of Stanford. Also the section of road from Hallow to HQ was bad, I thought my brakes had got stuck on as I had been expecting a cross-tailwind thinking the road was running east-west!

Anyone know where the official photographs can be found? Once again thanks to Ruth and Beacon RCC

GBY73

Firstly many thanks to Ruth and the HQ helpers but especially to all the marshalls and officials out on the course for the duration of the race. Without the support of club members like this events of this nature could never go ahead. In spite of the weather, or perhaps because of it, the atmosphere at the HQ and throughout the race was superb. This was my first time round the course and I had a couple of scary moments when nothing happened for some time after applying the brakes when approaching a couple of downhill bends. After that I took it very easy on the descents and subsequently lost a lot of time. But, as others have mentioned, the rain alone was not the problem, it was the cold that got to me. Afterwards, I wore a thermal top, 2 thick wooly jumpers, a jacket and I was still shivering. It was the correct decision, however, to continue with the race, it's then down to the individual to decide how they ride.

So, would I drive 120 miles again to ride in the cold wind and rain. Strangely enough, I think I would. I think next year's race may see quite a few PB improvements!

Gawain.

RoadMeridaBen

Pross wrote:

Don't think I've ever finished that high in an open TT with full field of entrants before My climbing times are a bit poor, I think I held too much back on the course in general but especially on Stanford Bank. I didn't have a clue how far I was around the course until the 30 mile point due to breaking the wheel magnet for my computer. The hardest climb for me was the one just after the Hundred House Hotel which I assumed at first was the start of Stanford. Also the section of road from Hallow to HQ was bad, I thought my brakes had got stuck on as I had been expecting a cross-tailwind thinking the road was running east-west!

Anyone know where the official photographs can be found? Once again thanks to Ruth and Beacon RCC

Dont think you can count that as a full field when only 54 finished :P
Fair play to you for riding though as the conditions must have been bad to warrant all the dns's lol

markos1963

^ He did state 'entrants' and not 'starters'

RoadMeridaBen

Hehe, fair enough :P

Pross

Very much tongue in cheek, I've always been a poor tester. Even of the 54 finishers 35% were below me which must be a record!

But on the important stuff for my vanity, anyone know the site for the official photos if there was one? Saw loads on photographers and one got a nice one as I rode through a brown, muddy river near the end. I hear Jens Voigt was down to ride but rang to cancel as it was too tough

BeaconRuth

Pross, I don't think there were any official professional photographers out on the course - at least none of which I'm aware. However, a couple of amateur photographers in the club were taking the best photos they could, given the conditions, and if we have a reasonable one of each rider then they will receive that with their official results. One of those photographer's photos are here but they only start in the middle of the women because Paul had to put all the course signs out on the first loop before he could move on to photography duties. They do capture the atmosphere of the start area fantastically well though.

One of my clubmates who is a top-class professional photographer was also out on the course but he was doing 'arty' stuff for his own purposes. He has however posted links to a couple of amazing shots, one of which is here and the other one you can on my club's forum here.

Ruth