Banbury star 25

Yesterday Started with a recovery ride in the morning and I didn't feel good or bad just ok and with the normal digs on a few hill I still felt fine.  I rode out to the time trial and didn't feel like I wanted to do it but as my neck and shoulder pain had gone and ribs no longer hurt so I thought I best man up and get on with it.  As for a warm up I didn't do a lot but I got on the start line hit start on my garmin and was soon off I felt ok and didn't push too hard as it was early and down hill as I can never get the power out of my legs on a down hill bit.  I got to the first roundabout and feeling a bit nervous sat right up and tip toed round it and then sprinted to the next one and then tried not to crash on this one.  I got round and then it was time to focus and get back up the road to Warmington hill.  Down Warmington Jon Simpkins closed the gap on me a bit, Strava said I did 51 mph down there (but Garmin connect says 52 mph.  I'm not sure which is right), so I fear to think how fast he went down there...  Then as I could see someone ahead up the road and I hunted him down waiting for Jon to pass me and he did.

Then started the battle of trying to over take Jon and I did!  But then as the road went down hill I was soft taping and be just free wheeled past me and as the road was flat he pulled away but over the bridge he slowed a bit more than be but the other side just powered away again!  Then though Gaydon as the road kicked up he was quite far ahead but I pulled him back slightly but as the road flattened out again up to a round about he opened the gap again.  And the the next roundabout was the one I crashed at last week and as I made a big check over my shoulder, no cars behind I went round there quick and I could still see Jon ahead I was trying to get back to him but he had got to far ahead and was pulling out a bigger gap!

After I got round the roundabout where we turned my average speed was over 26 mph and I thought I could get a PB if I could keep this up.  So I Fought all the way back and Catching many people I dragged myself up the last hill and was Catching Justin Belcher and then we had a battle as I passed him and then he passed me then I passed him again and as we went though Warmington we even had a sprint for the finish!  And it turns out I did a 58:06 a new PB!!  I'm happy with that as I was not feeling too enthusiastic before the start.

Thanks for reading
Results are here