Central London CTC blog

The first rule of time trialling - remember your number and listen out for it when it is your time to start.  I was (a) convinced my number was something other than it actually was and (b) too busy chatting to Roger just as my number was being called.  Luckily he was paying attention and I got to the line, pulling on my gloves in the last few seconds.

George was going thirty seconds ahead of me.  He was already being held up by one of the starters.  Then he was gone.  In the next thirty seconds as my time counted I watched him disappear up towards the palace.

Five, four, three, two, one.

Now it was my turn and I was rolling away on a empty road with the early morning sun beginning to burn through the cold mist.  Up to the palace and then a right.  Ahead of me an open road with sheep grazing around a giant obelisk.  Then the road turned and plunged and climbed and plunged.  Later someone described the route as mini-version of Richmond Park and it did feel like that with sudden undulations. Unlike Richmond Park, though, they came quickly so it was harder to get into the rhythm.

It was suddenly a beautiful route, ducking and diving through Capability Brown’s handiwork.  One moment through dappled woodland and then out onto open fields.  Then coming around the front of Blenheim Palace and up the wide boulevard past the obelisk again.

There were one or two occasions when I did wonder why I had decided to do this.  These were mostly on the climbs.  Descending was great fun even though there were signs telling you to slow down.  I am sorry, I am not slowing now, I thought as I plunged through the woodland, hoping to keep my momentum going for the next climb.

Then there was the final run to the finish line.  My goal was to get below 40 minutes.  Unfortunately in my haste to be ready at the beginning I had forgotten to reset my computer so I had no idea whether I had been successful.  All I could do was dive for the line with my dying legs in a hope that I might do it.

In the event I did, with fifteen seconds to spare.