After seven months training culminating in completing the National '24 Hour', I then rode the ESCA 100 (to complete the ESCA BAR competition), about as grueling an event as I can remember, I wanted to stop after two miles and suffered all the way round. After the 100 I intended to do a few low key time trials (slow and short) to finish the season. Mick Burgess had other ideas, he twisted my arm to ride the Sussex C.A. 12 Hour. I must admit when I realised that there was a National Long Distance BAR Competition (100 miles, 12 hour & 24 hour) I decided to give it a go. I never picked up my training properly after the 24 hour, therefore I was uncertain of my form and stamina. Needing an extra incentive I looked at the Club Records for the 12 Hour (Matthew Rabbetts 259.152 miles in 1991), from this I worked out the speedo average I would need to achieve to break 260 miles and decided to go for it. The morning of the race started badly as I woke at 4.00 am with chronic sciatica down my right leg. I took one of my prescribed anti-inflammatory pills, but was still in trouble at 5.30 am when I met up with Bob Comben who was going to look after me for the first 6 hours.

I started at 6.10 (No 10) and after about half an hour I knew I could not ride with the pain. Bob gave me another pill (this is the first time I have ever taken two in the same day) amazingly the pain subsided and I could get on with my ride. I was riding using my tried and tested but very boring diet of High-5 drink, Power Bars and bananas. I got through 9 bananas and 6 Power Bars and sipped on my High-5 all day. After less than an hour I had passed the early starters and was running at the front of the field. Some of the marshalls seemed a bit surprised to see me, on one roundabout they did not notice me until I was heading away from them, it was lucky for me that I had the complete course in my head. On the 24 Hour I had hardly any traffic problems, today though was awful, I seemed to get stopped at ever set of lights, carved up and slowed at roundabouts and as for the four trips through Henfield, the only printable thing I can come up with is 'nightmare!' Despite these vexations I was keeping to my planned schedule, but in doing so I was working very hard and by my standards it was hurting. Tony Gale took over the feeding duties from Bob at half distance and that side of things continued to run smoothly and efficiently. Without being able to rely on the excellent help and support that I have had on these long distance events this year, I could never have completed them. After 7 hours the conditions were beginning to take their toll, The stiff wind was making it very hard to keep to my planned average. I have learnt a lot this season about my cycling abilities and my limits and one of my greatest weaknesses is my lack of pure strength. Riding into head winds really frustrates me because I just do not have the power to deal with them. Once my average speed dropped below the requirement I began to loose interest and motivation, I had been out on my own at the front of the field for nearly 8 hours. I was also having trouble with the right arm rest on my tri-bars, it had worked loose and the retaining pin kept coming out, I kept pushing it back in. At about 8 1/2 hours Dave Shepherd (who went on to win with 272.838 miles) passed me. At this stage I was trying to re-motivate and decided to go for 252 miles an average of 21 mph. To achieve this in the deteriorating conditions I knew that I would have to push hard to the end. Two and a half-hours to go and I arrive on the finishing circuit very déjà vu (seven weeks ago I did nearly six laps to finish the 24). I need four and a half laps today. I keep pushing, it rains very hard and I just pass my revised target with 253.750 miles (a 13.839 miles improvement on my PB). My two teammates both completed the event with Horry Hemsley covering 209.131 miles and Peter Baker 221.477 miles. Peter was not at all well at the end and had to dig very deep to complete the event. The three of us had the extra bonus of winning the team prize. I finished third overall and was fastest vet. I was second on vets standard and was also very pleased that Andy Payne who finished second did not catch me (he started 20 minutes behind me), he completed 6.358 miles more than me. I also set a new Club Record on Vets Standard of +30.438 miles (One for Ron Rogers to have a go at next year?). I have now completed the Club; ESCA & Sussex CA BAR competitions, the BBAR and am the first Wanderer to complete the National Long Distance BAR. To cap it all I've got my name in The Daily Telegraph (for the first time). Details: 50 miles in 2h13m; 100 miles in 4h28m 150 miles in 6h53m; Start of the finishing circuit (200.230 miles) in 9h22m50s. In completing my last three time trials I have covered 791.923 miles and spent 40 hours 30 minutes and 59 seconds in the saddle! A lot of which I enjoyed! A big thanks to Mick Burgess for twisting my arm. Click for my National 24 Hour Report

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