ERC 2021 Midweek TT Series - Week 1 - We're Back
3 June 2021
We're back.
So is the wind
So is the pain
So is the bad luck
So is the spray on clothing
So is the meaningless pit of despair one falls down when you don't do the time you wanted and you wonder why you do it to yourself and why you let your partner put up with you prioritising shaving your legs over your face and that table tennis is a much cheaper sport to take up
Oh and so is the fun
31 riders signed up via LoveAdmin which is a fabulous start to 2021. With 27 riders taking to the startline on a sunshine laden evening. One day we'll hit the Holy Trinity of dry, sunny and low/no winds. But as ever with Tranent you usually get a Holy Duality, at best, and that's what we had yesterday.
Of the 31 that signed up we had 3 women, 4 under 18s and 10 different clubs represented. Nice. More of the same going forward please.
This week's startlist was done on those who are 'new' to 10M TTs setting off first and then those old haggard pros like myself going later, based on their PBs.
Simon Archer was the first to set off, somewhat surprisingly having not done a 10 mile TT before, certainly won't be setting off first next week. He flew round Tranent in a time of 21:05 and duly held the imaginary hot uncomfortable plastic garden chair your Aunt brings out for chair emergencies at Family BBQs until the end. Other early starters were the two Ronde ladies - Fiona McDonnell and Kelly Rhodes. Fiona took the title of Fastest Female at her first attempt with a time of 28:29 and Kelly came home with a 29:20.We also had Xander Graham, age 12, and Alasdair Easton, aged 13, do fabulous rides with times of 27:27 and 26:47 respectively - makes you think, doesn't it, 12 & 13 years old. 12 & 13. I have chest hairs older than those two.
Of the road bikers we had last night, Chris Banks of ERC topped the standings with a time of 24:39 with Colin Sills and Simon Russell (both of ERC) coming 2nd and 3rd with times of 24:57 and 25:03.
When we hit the 'business end' of things we had a tussle between Graham and I for the worst luck of the week. My Quarq power meter went kaput, so as I write this I have a TT bike without any cranks on. Which may prove difficult to ride in the coming weeks. Graham on the other hand had the luck of puncturing his disc wheel in the car park, and then his front wheel on the course! Hopefully for the both of us, that's our bad luck out of the way. Even on a deflating wheelset Graham did a very respectable 24:15.
Personally, because I can talk about me, hey I'm writing the damn thing, I might as well. The Tranent course suits me as well as Tom Hanks' hairstyle in the Da Vinci Code, but I managed to knock 45seconds off my best time and came home 8th in a time of 22:12. Yay. I was also very happy to beat Rhys Edwards, who finished 9th in a time of 22:22 - Rhys is literally half my age, no offence or anything Rhys but I have to find my little victories however they present themself.
The Top 5 was made up of Alan Dean in 5th with a 21:27, Alan maybe taking the approach of a silent assassin whereby he sends everyone into a false sense of security and smashes us all in the following weeks.
4th was John Waller, the fastest mouse clicker in the Lothians, the only person able to enter and pay for his TT entry on a system we were in the process of testing. I know who I'd want on my pinball team with reactions like that. John did a time of 21:20
3rd was Sandy Waller, no relation (I asked), in a time of 21:17. After talking to Sandy about all my power meter options and various axles, bottom brackets etc, I swear the inside of his Poc helmet is the equivalent of seeing some kind of cycling matrix. Not sure if he can dodge bullets but I am sure he can recommend you the right bottom bracket/axle/BCD combo. Oh and he can ride fast too.
2nd was Coach Rory Downie, Rory caught me and I did shout 'Oh fuck it' when he came past but it definately motivated me to keep up - so that's an indirect method of effective coaching for sure. Rory powered around in 21:09.
And as mentioned earlier Simon Archer of Team Andrew Allan Architecture was 1st with 21:05.
Special mention to Gerry McGuire in 17th with a time of 26:06 - you all know the gags, someone said it last night, my partner said it to me when she saw the startlist. So, Gerry, I'll give it a break this week but expect the very much expected going forward.
Big thanks to Chris Allen and Louis Moorehead for time keeping, Graeme Wyllie for the signs & marshalling and Ciaran McSherry & Ruari Black for utilising those precious teenage years by standing on a roundabout on the A199 marshalling riders & traffic.
Full results here - Week 1 Results
See you all next week
Keep well
Dan