08-01-2024, 10:00 AM
Well, the end of July signals the first two thirds of the season are now completed leaving just two months of racing to go.
As with every season you set yourself targets at the start and hope that you get close to or achieve at least one of them.
This season has been no different to date with a few reasonable results, reasonable for me that is, and of course some disappointing results.
As a veteran rider (any rider over the age of 40 years old is classed as a veteran) you are eligible to join the VTTA (Veterans Time Trial Association) where as a member it provides a number of competitions not least the standards competition which provide ‘personal targets for the upcoming season. The VTTA standard awards are effectively a handicap system based on a riders age and previous results [or first time results if it is your first season] and provide target results for each standard distance time trial.
So, the 2024 season so far;
Sunday 31st March - J8/2R tt 16.5 mile hilly TT (Crewe 16.5) Result 43:50 [slightly reduced course due to road flooding]
Sat 6th April – J4/20 10 mile tt – postponed
Sat 13th April – J4/8 25 mile tt – Result 01:06:44 – 22.6mph average
Sun 21st April – D33/15 – 15 mile tt – Result 39:17 [new course for me, a mix of A and B roads]
Sat 27th April – F2a/15 – 15 mile tt – Result 35:56 - 25.1mph average [ better course] [VTTA standard award]
Sun 5th May – F11/10 – 10 mile tt – Result 23:52 – 25.6mph average
Sat 18th May – L1015 – 10 mile tt – Result 22:51 – 26.3mph average – [VTTA standard award]
Sun 2nd June D25/6A – 25 mile tt – Result 01:01:04 – 24.5mph average
Sun 9th June D350/2 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:23:45 – 21mph average [very hilly course]
Thurs 13th June – J10/1 – 10 mile 11 – Result 25:51 – [very wet and windy evening, only a small amount of riders entered chose to ride due to the conditions]
Sat 15th June – J4/9 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:17:15
Sat 22nd June – F2a/50 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:03:50 [VTTA standard award]
Sat 29th June – F2a/50 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:04:24 [VTTA standard award]
Sun 14th July – L10010 { National RTTC event] – 100 mile tt – Result 04:34:36 – 7.00am event so left home 03:10am, not good prep. New course for me, rolling course with a long 1.5 mile drag to the turn. Just a note, John Archibald [HUUB wattshop] rode the event and posted new course record and national 100 mile record with a time of 03:15 an average of some 31 mph, he could have stopped for a coffee stop and still been faster than me.
Sat 20th July – F2a/25 – 25 mile tt – Result 58:36 – 25.7mph [VTTA standard award]
Sat 27th July – L1015 – 10 mile tt – Result 23:41
Some challenging courses this season but surprisingly managing to gain 5 x VTTA standards, I did target the West Cheshire 12 hour again this season as a potential VTTA Standards race but unfortunately, or perhaps Fortunately, it was cancelled due mainly to road works.
So, onward and upward for the remaining third of the season.
As with every season you set yourself targets at the start and hope that you get close to or achieve at least one of them.
This season has been no different to date with a few reasonable results, reasonable for me that is, and of course some disappointing results.
As a veteran rider (any rider over the age of 40 years old is classed as a veteran) you are eligible to join the VTTA (Veterans Time Trial Association) where as a member it provides a number of competitions not least the standards competition which provide ‘personal targets for the upcoming season. The VTTA standard awards are effectively a handicap system based on a riders age and previous results [or first time results if it is your first season] and provide target results for each standard distance time trial.
So, the 2024 season so far;
Sunday 31st March - J8/2R tt 16.5 mile hilly TT (Crewe 16.5) Result 43:50 [slightly reduced course due to road flooding]
Sat 6th April – J4/20 10 mile tt – postponed
Sat 13th April – J4/8 25 mile tt – Result 01:06:44 – 22.6mph average
Sun 21st April – D33/15 – 15 mile tt – Result 39:17 [new course for me, a mix of A and B roads]
Sat 27th April – F2a/15 – 15 mile tt – Result 35:56 - 25.1mph average [ better course] [VTTA standard award]
Sun 5th May – F11/10 – 10 mile tt – Result 23:52 – 25.6mph average
Sat 18th May – L1015 – 10 mile tt – Result 22:51 – 26.3mph average – [VTTA standard award]
Sun 2nd June D25/6A – 25 mile tt – Result 01:01:04 – 24.5mph average
Sun 9th June D350/2 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:23:45 – 21mph average [very hilly course]
Thurs 13th June – J10/1 – 10 mile 11 – Result 25:51 – [very wet and windy evening, only a small amount of riders entered chose to ride due to the conditions]
Sat 15th June – J4/9 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:17:15
Sat 22nd June – F2a/50 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:03:50 [VTTA standard award]
Sat 29th June – F2a/50 – 50 mile tt – Result 02:04:24 [VTTA standard award]
Sun 14th July – L10010 { National RTTC event] – 100 mile tt – Result 04:34:36 – 7.00am event so left home 03:10am, not good prep. New course for me, rolling course with a long 1.5 mile drag to the turn. Just a note, John Archibald [HUUB wattshop] rode the event and posted new course record and national 100 mile record with a time of 03:15 an average of some 31 mph, he could have stopped for a coffee stop and still been faster than me.
Sat 20th July – F2a/25 – 25 mile tt – Result 58:36 – 25.7mph [VTTA standard award]
Sat 27th July – L1015 – 10 mile tt – Result 23:41
Some challenging courses this season but surprisingly managing to gain 5 x VTTA standards, I did target the West Cheshire 12 hour again this season as a potential VTTA Standards race but unfortunately, or perhaps Fortunately, it was cancelled due mainly to road works.
So, onward and upward for the remaining third of the season.