For myself this was the first opportunity to pit myself against some of the best in the country at one of the BBAR distances, after the gruelling Anfield '100' only 5 days before I had a complete rest (although I may not have fully recovered)I went out on the morning of the race and could barely raise a gallop, until I realised my front brake was rubbing on my front wheel.

The race itself was fairly controlled, I went through the first 10 miles (out and home) at over 29mph or 20.40 which showed the speed of the day only a couple of seconds off my ride 3 weeks ago. I held a little back as I could not believe the return was going to be so easy but after a 'bumpy' dog leg at the turn I was trying to peg back the little I had given up, my dad always said "you never gain time in a time trial only loose it" and so it proved no matter how hard I tried (and my speed was above 30mph alot of the way) my average speed did not improve and then in the last 10 miles I began to suffer. I had held off my flying 4 minute man the 56 year old 'supervet' Ken Platts (Cambridge CC) until 40 miles when he passed me but I could not 'lift it', the finish is the usually the strongest part of my ride but not this time, he took 2 minutes out of me to the finish. I finished with 1.48.39 or 27.6mph

Who cannot be pleased with a 3 minute improvement and a Club Record 'to boot' the biggest improvement I have managed thus far in the '50' but there were some rides done that day, The winner Nik Bowler (Farnborough & Camb) recorded 1.39.03 the 4th fastest of all time a mere second off Graeme Obree's (Competition Record at the time), Ian Cammish (Planet X) who I felt had not done himself justice in terms of times over the last couple of seasons, sure we expect these guys to win events but he almost managed a personnel best(admittedly his P.B. was done without disc or tri bars!) just 26 seconds off 30mph, not bad for a 50 year old so there's something to aim at

Colin Parkinson