Eric Drower and Dave Mann were the other two and they are considerably better at this kind of thing than me!
The course was 40Km out and back two lapper, in Gordonton. It's probably pretty well known to the Secondary Schools and they use this for the North Island champs. Unfortunately the road surface is not that great so is usually a slowish course.
On the plus side for once there was not that much wind.
We started out nice and steady at 45-50Km/h but neither myself or Sam could handle that. So every time we came onto the front the pace would drop. This was not by choice I say. There was a bit of a headwind on the way out and we slowed as we came to the turnaround. I was already running scared as the heart rate was way up over my current AT. It was starting to stay above it! Bugger. After the first turn we got going up towards 50Km/h again for a couple of big turns by both Dave and Eric. After coming off the front, then Sam I missed the pace being lifted and then Dave and Eric gaped the both of us. I stayed on Sams' wheel but he could not close the gap. I went past and then they waited for us. A bit of a stuff up by me there. The problem was that neither Sam or I could really hold the same kind of pace so they would lift it just as we were trying to get back on... not the best really...
Sam and I skipped a couple of turns and then Sam was gone.
I got my breath back (see the HR dip just before half way) and started to take a few turns again. Not that long mind you.
The start of the second lap I was not feeling too bad but controlled myself and skipped every second turn. The wind seemed a bit stronger this lap and we slowed down quite a bit. Eric had taken a couple of big laps and was not feeling to good. Dave was just being controlled.
At the third turn with the wind at our backs things really started to heat up! Eric lifted it up to over 50! and Dave upped it too. I came through and the pace dropped to 47. Bugger. anyhow Eric came through again and we got up to 53... I'm hanging on for dear life hoping that he does not go any faster!
The pace settled down towards a more realistic pace for me at around 48 and I was able to take a few more turns and hold the pace. It was not really until the last 5Km that I became confidant that I would stay in contact and not blow up :)
We crossed the line together in a time of 52:30. I was very pleased with this. Ave HR 170 max 177. This is very high for me. I guess because I have not been doing much the HR has gone higher than it might have normally. Ave speed 46Km/h Max 53Km/h.
