Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club

I asked Gavin Atkins to put a few words down about his record beating ride in the Lea valley CC 25m time trial and this what he said.

"The early season had been promising and on the drive to Cambridge I was looking forward to getting going on some fast courses after the early sporting versions (which I like just as much!) and seeing how much faster I would be over last year after some significant changes. As it was a nice day warm, with a cross wind both ways (which I like) and the form was good I knew I had a chance to make big inroads into my 25mile TT PB. There are only 2-3 opportunities a year on courses like the E2/25 and you have to take them when they come. So, I was healthily nervous.

After my last visit to the E2 where I was really late and was ready 5 seconds before my start with no warm up, I left early and of course got there way too early. Always dangerous! I found a spot in the shade and waited. Never one for a long warmup, I put on my kit and set off with about 40mins before my start. 5mins into my warmup I got a puncture in my front race wheel. As it was a HED H3 Tubular, no chance of repairing it before the start so I had to swap it out for my Rolf training wheel. Not a good start. With most of my warmup time now gone I proceeded to the start, and could tell the legs where there. Which made me even more nervous. I had managed 20mins at 345W the evening before without too much effort so in my new lower and narrower position so had that in mind as my target for the race. I wasn’t sure if I could hold the new position for the 25miles, but with the good conditions and good legs I planned to lay it on the line and hope for the best. As my start time approached I felt calm and ready, a man with a plan. Zero’d the SRM, adjusted my helmet and took to the start. Three, Two, One, go – I rolled off and looked down at my SRM – watts blank! AAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!

So rethink the plan. No power to rely on. I’ll have to rely on perceived exertion! The risk was starting too hard, and blowing early. The trouble was I was moving fast. Very fast. Which meant the PB was on. The wind was an easterly which meant a good chance that the return would be harder than the outward leg. When you are holding 50kph it is difficult to back off! I erred ever so slightly on the side of caution making sure I got some recovery on the downslopes (The E2 is a succession of long shallow drags, which also really suits me). After 15mins I could start to feel the effort in my legs and was worried I’d over cooked it. No data to base this on so I had to push on and risk it. Come the turn I was under 25mins which wasn’t surprised given the speed I was holding on the way out, but it could just mean I would turn around and be hit by a wall of wind and a long grovel back to the finish. The E2 is remarkably symmetrical and its start and finish points are on slip roads of opposing sides of the same entry point to the dual carriageway. So even though this was my first time on the course (I had done the E2/10 before which shares the bottom section and turn of the 25 course) I knew what to expect.

As I rolled down the exit slip road from the turn, the wind didn’t seem as bad as I had feared. So I had to make this count. This is going to hurt.

The first few drags weren’t too bad but still had me down to 40kph, so I knew the return would be a bit slower than the outward leg. How much slower?  By now I was fully committed and hurting. The area near the finish of the 10 course is very exposed I got the full force of the easterly breeze and all of a sudden the traffic dies down which did start to slow me down. I was on the limit and starting to parkup... However I crested the highest part of the course, and my legs started to improve. As I joined the A14 the traffic picked up and the trees to the side of the eastern carriageway gave some shelter and speed was increasing – I had a real chance to smash my PB. The last few miles I was maxed out, breathing raggedly and able to give no more. The finish slip road appeared sooner than I thought – its amazing how my perception of distance has been confused by the increased speed of my new setup, something I noticed at the Icknield RC TT. I emptied it all out in the final mile and finished in a state but my SRM screen said a long 50 – dare I believe it? The car was parked a few hundred metes from the finish and I rolled up to it I nearly fell off as I tried to dismount as my glutes and hip flexors had completely locked up due to the effort of the first flat 25 of the year. Ouch! I dropped my glove as I towelled down and couldn’t bend down to pick it up! Getting into the car to return to the HQ, was a major challenge. Ooooooow! Still all was worth it as the finish board confirmed a 50:47, a slight improvement on my previous 25m PB of 56:15, and more importantly a club record! I almost feel bad relieving JD of his record (set on a road bike in 1982!), as without the advances of technology it would not have been possible for me to do this – JD is a far better athlete than I but time waits for no man! I feel very proud to put my name on Hemel Hempstead CC’s list of club records and this day will stay with me for the rest of my life."

Gavin during his record ride (photo courtesy of Davey Jones)