Time for a Comeback, James gets his TT legs out!
A day at the Time Trial,
After racing for many years at Time Trialling and Elite Road Racing, I hung up my wheels four years ago. Now I wasn’t the best the rider in the world nor even professional, but I won a lot of races in my local area everything from Road Racing to Time Trials.
I spent the last fours years having a great time running Primal in Europe, lots of travelling lots of shows led to the inevitable weight increase. The time comes though when you need to stop take a look at yourself and get yourself fit again. That time came about 9 months ago for me, it was time I got back into shape.
With a little help from some dieting and some fitness, the gym, riding, running and generally keeping fit, the time came to get a racing number on my back. Now I have lost around 26lbs but that is certainly not back to my race weight that may be beyond me at 44. I think another 6-7lbs and I will be a happy man but for now let’s talk about my little come back at the Plymouth Corinthians 13 Mile Hilly Time Trial, a local leg opener over the Devon Hills here in the U.K.
It woke up to an alarm on a cold wet Saturday in February, walked to the bathroom and grabbed a razor it was time to shave the legs, now this took some time! I don’t think I did it for any aero effect but rather just to get back into a routine.
I drove to the start of the event in the Primal Wagon, around a 30 minute drive through the lanes of Devon to the town of Modbury incidentally the first “plastic bag free Town in the U.K.” Not that this is important right now.
I arrived at the HQ to see lots of familiar faces, signing on was also very familiar except for one very important difference, this year you need to sign back in again on completion of the event or face disqualification. I needed to remember that.
Now I wasn’t on an Aero bike or even have an Aero Helmet let alone Tri Bars, but luckily there was a NON AERO category, perfect! So I was riding a Bianchi XTR1 in limited edition colours, now I have spent all winter riding a cross bike even attempting racing a few cross races ( I was terrible btw). So I have ridden this bike a total of three times.
It was time to hit the start, my friend Steve Toze was there to hold me up, the countdown started and off I went. Boy that was shock!
I am now pushing myself incredibly hard, the first few miles are all uphill before hitting a descent, as I am nearing the five minute mark I hear the unmistakeable whoosh and rumble of a disc wheel, my minute man has caught me and passed me like he was on a motorbike. Oh well, looks I am not going to win this one!
After 35 minutes of pain and a final climb, I finally reach the finish line. I also feel elated, I am certainly not going to be winning any races any time soon but I am at least fit enough to finish a TT, that’s an achievement don’t you think?
I came 9th in the end with a time of 35.05, the winner incredibly was seven minutes faster than me with a time of 28 minutes! However I did come second in the Non Aero category.
Pictured the Winner - Dexter Hurlock
It was great to be back riding and racing, and if you have never had a go you definitely should, everyone is friendly, there is no special kit required (apart from a bike and a helmet of course). A good day out and I got to eat cakes Winner!