Race report for Brill Hilly, 11^th March 2007

Could it be only a year ago that I had persuaded Peter Larbalestier to do a crazy hilly time trial in the peak district where we both got snowed on and were the two slowest finishers? Well this time the weather was orders of magnitude better: Brill was gloriously sunny, just a bit cold and windy at the top! So altogether a much more pleasant experience, and whether we were the slowest two again we won’t know until Oxonian publish the results!

Peter was no.12 and I was no.15. At the start I wished him luck and he joked that I mustn’t overtake him. That would have been like a red rag to a bull if I thought that it was at all likely. Some passers by were amused enough to comment that I ought to give it a shot since (apparently!) no.15 was a “fast number”. Must have been a lucky omen! I chatted to no.14 who had a very funky looking bike with no seat tube (a softride?). He said that the chain was slipping and he was hoping to make it round on his big cog! Then as I got onto the start I was glad that I did have a seatpost because apparently they had to just grab his arse!

Away and down the hill, going as fast as I dared with the steep, winding descent and the blustery cross-wind. Back up over Muswell Hill and I was grateful for Steve Avery’s warning that it comes in two stages. Over the top and an even scarier descent to the main B-road. I try not to think how much time I’m loosing on the downhills. At the junction no.14 is wheeling his back towards me, poor guy! Out onto the main road and I’m straight down onto the drops (no tri-bars today!) as it’s a real struggle into the headwind. I try to drive my legs as hard as possible even thought they are really sore from running the day before. Then I see a fluorescent jacket ahead! Surely that can’t be Peter, if it is something has gone badly wrong, and I worry that he is OK. A bit closer and I realise from the billowy-ness of his jacket that it’s a random punter. Soon I am overtaken by no.17 and I wonder if I am that slow then where on earth no.16 is. Through Oakley and I mentally prepare myself for the first climb into Brill. I drove up this way on my way to the start and I know when the steep part begins. Luckily up the hill the wind is in our favour and I reach the steep part quicker than I anticipated, although the hard work is making me regret my choice of long sleeves under my racing jersey! A combination of standing and sitting gets my rather hot self up the hill and I see Steve out with his camera and I try not to be distracted. Turning right in Brill and down the next hill its into the wind again and I although it means I have to pedal downhill I remember that this gives me an advantage (not being a good descender), and I should be grateful not to be going into the wind up the hills. Back out onto the B-road and memories are not strong from this part of the race (nos. 18 and 20 pass me at some point). I keep pushing hard knowing that other people might be losing concentration now, and there is only one small hill to go! I can see Brill at various points and I know that when we finally turn left it will be a long drag uphill, then a left turn with a short, sharp ending! All of a sudden, after not seeing anyone in front of me the whole time there are 2 people ahead, and one of them is fluorescent yellow: is it Peter, I wonder? The other was another random cyclist, and as I drew closer I began to believe that it was him after all! I knew I would be annoyed if I didn’t catch him and I felt strong enough to give it my all, and so I did, passing him just before the hill really started to steepen into Brill. I then began to think that I wouldn’t actually have to strength to make it to the top of the hill and I may well have been right, but luckily that blessed chequerboard was nowhere near the top!