I was looking forward to the hilly time trial at Elsdon given
the improvements I have made in my times on flat courses during the year. A
quick count puts my tally for the year at around 11 bikes races. The last time
I did a time trial at Elsdon it involved the 2 meaty climbs of Bilsmoor and the
Gibbet. Arriving in good time, I had brought my new tt bike and had ridden
though the course earlier in the week.
There was hardly a breath of wind and
the sun was up. As the punters (or should I say my fellow competitors) began to
gather I noticed they all had their road bikes. It looked like I was the only
one to bring my tt bike. Not put off, I signed in and pinned the number on my
shorts. I clarified the course details at race HQ and found out that there was
only the Gibbet to climb. It was a hill climb, rather than a time trial. That
would explain all the road bikes, then. Very little difference except the
length and topography. I warmed up and was soon at the line. I had no problem getting up the first of the
inclines which is probably the steepest section. I maintained a steady although
not blistering pace up the climb and finished in just over 10 minutes. I have never cracked the 10 minute barrier on this hill and didn’t
today. Riding back to race HQ I stopped some way down the hill and took in the
sight of the rest of the field ascending.
I finished well down
the field and got a good dose of reality on my hill climbing aspirations. Last
tt of the season is the Tour de Trossachs which starts in Aberfoyle and
includes the lung stripping climb of the Dukes Pass. I did this is 2017 and it was a testing but enjoyable rolling course. I am off at 11am so there
may be a case for driving up that morning, rather than staying at a
b&b…some of the hotel rates at the mo seem really steep, even at this off
season time. The campsite is charging
£15, so that’s a possibility. 
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