SHIMANO 24HR-04, sleepless in the saddle, 14/15 August 2004, Trentham Gardens.

TeamSITS.jpg

Double Dutch team - Martine, Brian, Richard, Gary & Guy

The race order was Guy, Gary, Richard, Martine and Brian.

Although a shorter route than last year it was much more technical and with no rest places, especially with so much mud, ensured that 100% concentration was required at all times.

After two laps we were placed 14th out of 115 mixed teams.

Conditions improved slightly until we went into the night, when the dew turned things into some of the worst conditons we have ridden in, let alone try and race!

If you couldn't ride mud with the consistency of porridge and as slippery as ice you were going to have bad time.

Anyway, we were obviously doing something right as we seemed to be steadly going up the field throughout night to end up in 6th by mid morning.

Martine and Richard sustained crash injuries, but were still doing good lap times.

Conditions gradually improved and we managed to finish with some fast laps and amazingly came in 5th out of 115 mixed teams and won £190!

Thinking that only the first 3 got a podium place it was only a matter of luck that Brian and Richard had gone to the prize giving so were there to pick up the prize!		 GarySITS04.jpg
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Lap Rider Time
1 1195, Guy Exley 00:53:14
2 1194, Gary Hill 00:44:36
3 1198, Richard Mann 00:48:44
4 1197, Martine Verwiej 00:50:20
5 1196, Brian Tear 00:51:44
6 1195, Guy Exley 00:47:05
7 1194, Gary Hill 00:45:22
8 1198, Richard Mann 00:51:05
9 1197, Martine Verwiej 00:56:14
10 1196, Brian Tear 00:53:43
11 1195, Guy Exley 00:52:51
12 1194, Gary Hill 00:52:57
13 1198, Richard Mann 00:58:29
14 1197, Martine Verwiej 00:58:51
15 1196, Brian Tear 00:56:51
16 1195, Guy Exley 00:58:09
17 1194, Gary Hill 00:52:43
18 1198, Richard Mann 01:00:30
19 1197, Martine Verwiej 00:56:26
20 1196, Brian Tear 00:52:44
21 1195, Guy Exley 00:52:04
22 1194, Gary Hill 00:48:23
23 1198, Richard Mann 00:58:54
24 1197, Martine Verwiej 00:54:57
25 1196, Brian Tear 00:53:33
26 1195, Guy Exley 00:50:45
27 1194, Gary Hill 00:45:33
28 1198, Richard Mann 00:54:29

Rider Laps Fastest Average Total
1194, Gary Hill 6 00:44:36 00:48:15 04:49:34
1195, Guy Exley 6 00:47:05 00:52:21 05:14:08
1198, Richard Mann 6 00:48:44 00:55:21 05:32:11
1197, Martine Verwiej 5 00:50:20 00:55:21 04:36:48
1196, Brian Tear 5 00:51:44 00:53:43 04:28:35

Total time: 24:41:16
Average time: 00:52:54

Position Laps Time Team
1 31 24:15:19 Evans Cycles R T
2 29 24:09:11 Panasonic Mobiles
3 29 24:13:12 Alf Jones Cycles
4 28 24:04:52 Haggis Neeps & Tottie
5 28 24:41:16 Double Dutch Pancake Bar
6 28 24:41:38 Cake Wont Help You Now
7 28 24:42:54 Stonefield Cycles Sportsage
8 28 24:59:55 Titus Cycles Uk
9 27 24:00:44 Cov Olympic
10 27 24:05:12 Wilfs Café Cowboys

Midlands XC Series, Round 5, 5 September 2004, Sherwood Pines Results

I thought I'd have a go at one of the Midlands Series XC races - they award National Points towards the British Cycling Federation ranking system - Liam Killeen and Oliver Beckingsale being ranked 1 & 2! There were riders from Scotland and the Lakes and I'm sure loads from down south. The ride was at Sherwood Pines, Nottinghamshire.

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Anyway, the race was 4, 10km laps (40km!!!) in the baking heat of a Sunday afternoon. The course was surprisingly flat and fast, which favours roadie types with big legs and ballistic straight line speed. Anyway, I set off with the Veterans and thought I'd take it easy on the first lap and came round in 10th place. The aim was to take it easy, as I was expecting the race to last 2 hours and have only raced in 1 hour events. I also thought I'd try and work my way up the field as the race progressed. There were 2 or 3 riders in front that I could have taken during lap 1, but held back. Anyway just starting lap 2 my saddle came off and jammed in my rear wheel. Not carrying any tools I walked back to the start finish area to borrow a tool. 5 minutes later I set off in pursuit of the field. I overtook 3 or 4 riders to come round 19 at the end of lap 2, 16 at the end of lap 3 and finished in 16th place.

Whilst a little disappointed with my finishing position I felt that it is worth having a go at the Midland/National races next year.

Results from http://www.shokwave-racing.co.uk/midlandseries.html

VETERANS - 4 LAPS Name Team/Club
1 523 1.40.08 Peter Harris Pearce Cycles
2 562 1.41.03 Ian Wright Pearce Cycles
3 510 1.41.31 John Galway Keswick MTB
4 536 1.41.53 Keith Sperry Welland Valley CC
5 519 1.42.58 Jack Peterson Numplumz.com
6 514 1.44.40 Bruce Rollinson Marie Curie
7 517 1.46.46 Phillip Roach Rugby Velo
8 566 1.46.47 Garry Houghton JT Cycles
9 555 1.46.57 Tim Grainger Stourport Super Cycles
10 533 1.50.44 Mark Robson
11 530 1.50.47 C.Holmes
12 565 1.52.10 Paul Asplin Boys from the Flatsstuff
13 567 1.52.27 Simon Bills Ashford Rent A Car
14 554 1.52.29 Rob Burns Wolverhampton Wheelers
15 563 1.53.54 Gary Hill Double Dutch
16 515 1.54.35 Kevin Jackson Macclesfield Wheelers
17 513 1.54.40 Peter Bromwich
18 545 1.56.10 Colin Murley
19 503 2.00.59 Trevor Sharp Middlestone
20 568 2.03.41 M.Adams Red Kite
21 531 2.04.56 Roger Soanes
22 534 2.07.12 Steve Collen Bike Factory
23 501 2.08.36 Leon Wormleighton Shokwave
24 526 2.10.20 Phil Langford
25 564 2.12.06 Rick Brooks
26 532 2.17.25 Rob Thompson
27 504 1 Lap Don Buffham Middlestone

Merida 100Km Ruthin, Event 5 (Sunday 19 September 2004)

The final round of the Merida 100km rides was at Ruthin. Sunday dawned wet with showers, but the weather appeared to clear by the minute. In the end the 80km ride was completed in a clear/bright day.
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Carrie, Gary & Michele (photos from http://www.mukshop.com/ruthin/)

I did manage a couple of km detour down a hill, which was a bit of a pain, but otherwise a good ride, no mechanicals.

Carrie and Michele received on the spot prizes - arm warmers (finishing 4th out of 10 and 19th out of 31 respectively for their classes). I finished just over 5 hours after starting, which meant I came in 11th out of the 98 veteran men taking part - not that its a race of course!
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