P is for Power Pins and PB Party

Round 6 of my 2015 race schedule was a reprise of the 10 from two weeks ago, this time the “Tune-Up Tuesday” edition featuring four St Helens Tri teammates as well as Ben Sharratt and newbie Kevin Carroll for HMCC. In total 40 riders would pit themselves against the clock and this made for some quite interesting conversation in the car park with the St Helens/HMCC conglomerate. After a lap of the Bickerstaffe Road Race course to warm up I downed a mini flapjack, watered some leaves and made my way down to the ramp where the timekeepers were mightily interested in the “rear end” arrangement of a Cannondale Slice (in other words save up for that black-and-red Shiv Expert 2016, then we can do a team photo shoot). At 7:04 the countdown began and I was off down the starting ramp for a really good shot at the most important result of all, a new PB.

I didn’t quite reach last week’s heady heights of 33mph on the run to the roundabout but that was mainly due to the lighter winds. One day I’ll stay on the extensions through the chicane but today it was all about bombing the first roundabout and maintaining speed up to the M58. This I managed with relative ease, more so than my minute man on his Orbea Ora who was eaten up just as we reached the roundabout. At this point a lorry blocked my line of vision but at the last second I could just about see that the car was going round the roundabout rather than towards Switch Island so I could follow him round in the inside lane and set off southwards for tailwind heaven. We got a fair few fans cheering us on at the Wheatsheaf roundabout and together with another well-timed lorry this willed me on no end to the south island at Rainford itself, where a quick check of the running watch revealed I had around six and a half minutes to cover the remaining miles to the finish if I wanted a PB. Unlike at Market Drayton earlier this year, where it was simply a case of how much I could smash my target by, this would be an absolute nail-biter and for the most part I was thinking the same as the 80’s London Marathon runners; “you will NOT slow down”. I probably should have slowed a bit more at the last roundabout though as I dodged through a small gap where a car was coming from the right and well, let’s just say it was lucky he wasn’t in too much of a hurry or else we’d have had quite a serious problem. By now it was looking pretty good for a PB provided I somehow maintained 25mph+ into the headwind. I never manage anywhere near this when Howard or Darren rip it up across the moss on a Sunday ride but there’s a big difference between me on a Tarmac and a TT bike of any description, and I closed on my two-minute man having already passed the first starter a couple of miles earlier. Another 10 metres or so and I would have passed him, but it didn’t matter; I’d managed a triple-double, as in new 10k and new 10 mile TT PB three years in a row! My final time was 22:38, 9 seconds quicker than in 2014, which amazingly tied me with Michael Herbert, another St Helens racer who also PB’d, and it was great to see so many people setting new markers of their own on such a fast night.

After that it was off to the Bickerstaffe Bake-Off, as we enjoyed tea and cakes provided by people from both the host club and Liverpool Phoenix. One little comedy moment ensued though, as St Helens teammate Mark Derbyshire enlisted my help in removing his race number. By now the race organisers are probably taking bets on how many bullet holes I’ll put in a number given my preference for using race belts so it was no surprise that I dropped a pin here. All I was thinking was “don’t puncture those Veloflex Records” so of course I’d forgotten that I’d stored the cup of tea inside my helmet and promptly soaked kitty in Tetley’s finest! It was only on inspection when I got the helmet home to wash and dry it that I noticed just how old the straps look and how close they are to breaking. Looks like I’ll be off to that warehouse in Scarisbrick for a new kitty in my life then……….Overall a brilliant night’s racing, with credit to everyone who got new PB’s, and one last thought; what happens when Ben gets that TT bike he’s saving up for and asks Matt for a pair of running shoes as part of the deal? Best start training harder for next season’s Tuesday 10’s………….

Now for the results, brought to you by every clumsy triathlete’s favourite company, No Pinz:

Distance: the usual

Time: 22:38

PB Watch: Last year’s 22:47 minus 9 seconds (YIPPEE)

Final Position: =7^th with Michael Herbert (that’s him into the HMCC Race Group)

Lorries: 2

Safety Pin Goofs: 1 out of 4, enough to soak kitty

Post Race Nutrition: 10/10 (Tea and cakes at the venue followed by king prawn pasta, fruit jelly and a San Miguel at home)

REJECT OF THE RACE: Chinook’s Safety Pinning Technique

(Calling Matt, have I-Ride or Raleigh signed these guys up yet http://www.nopinz.com/)

Back to these digestion-destroying days of doubles tomorrow before what looks like a washout on Friday. It’ll feel easy under the influence of Spain’s finest beer; I learn from the best, I learn from Rick “the power” Taylor after all……….