Anfield open 100 Monday May 30th 2011

102 entrants and only 60 finishers! Sounds like a battle and it was. Me agaist the elements.

My Alarm went off at 3.45am and I looked optimistically out of the window for a rain update, it might clear up I thought! I Showered and quickly had a bit of breakfast then loaded up the car and set off in the rain to Shawbury which is a drive of about an hour and a half.

I arrived at HQ at 6.00am for a 6.45am start. Most riders were huddled in the lobby of the village hall deciding whether to venture out. I was confident. I'd done a hundred in the rain before. Little was I to know it was going to be as cold as this one. The weather gosip was that the wind had died down but I think this was only in comparison to the recent blustery winds over the last few weeks and it was far from still. I put my rain jacket on and off I went up the road three miles to the start. In hindsight keeping the rain jacket on for the race may have paid dividends but it's always a gamble, you could easily be too hot. What to wear is always a dilema, I know one rider who wore a gillet under their skinsuit which looking back was a great idea.

At the start it was still lashing it down. I discarded my jacket reluctantly to the pusher off, checked my light and off I went. Initially I felt good, up to Ternhill and round Prees island passing a few early starters and wondering if I'm going out too hard or not hard enough. Will I get passed? Inevitably between Espley and Shawbury Andy Wilko gave me a shout as he passed. Andy jacked it in later suffering in the cold wet conditions, in his own words he was struggling to control the bike. I remembered to eat and drink but my fingers were having an 'out of body experience' they ceased to function properly in the cold and getting my bottle in and out of the cage was a challenge. After the first lap whilst climbing over the hill at Cruddington my legs began to feel cold and my warm up balm was well washed away. I Could no longer see my time on the computer and my glasses were useless, wet and misted up but I couldn't remove them because the rain was stinging my eyes. Instead I started to peer over and beneath them. I got passed by number 63 (I was 45) must remember to check who it was, as it turned out he packed in as well. If I'd known so many would jack I may have gone for an early cup of tea too but I was only tempted once or twice on the 3rd or 4th lap, at that stage I was losing it and going slower than I'd have liked. It was so cold I was Struggling to change gear with my fingers and had to use palm of my hand!

On top of the weather my bike started emitting a clicking sound "Oh S***" a mechanical! After a quick stop to check it out I couldn't find anything wrong and carried on. It was still clicking so I stopped again. I know I'm losing loads of time but a mechanical in this weather needs to be investigated. I still couldn't find the cause so set off again and the clicking stopped. I found out later it was merely the valve hole sticker coming loose and eventually flying away. If only I'd known it was that trivial!!! I also had to slow down to collect my bottles from the volunteers who help. They do a great job and it can't have been nice hanging around in the rain but I was hoping they could hand me my bottles on the road instead of having to pull into the lay-bye and almost stop.

Sinking to a new low I see the five mile to go sign but I know it's not for me. I still have another lap, the three mile and one mile signs just rub it in and add to the agony. This is when I really think hard about packing in but I have gone too far now and soldier on. I know my time is crap but in miserable weather I will have at least finished the Anfield 100. I think of Majorca, sun on my legs, San Miguel in my hand then wake up and down a gel. It's now a struggle just to keep moving. I'm out of the saddle and my legs are crying, really wet, really cold, but I see the 5 mile to go sign. I know this time it's for me and give myself a kick up the arse. "C'mon the Phoenix" I hear from Bob Williams at the Espley Island and Another "go get him" from John Williams as I close in on another rider on the finishing straight. I managed to push my speed up from slow to medium as I reach the three and then the one mile sign but no sprint finish today!!

Finally the hell was over. I've strained my calf and knee but otherwise survived.

As for the result I'm gutted 4hr 27mins. Seventeen minutes slower than last year but after hearing the stories in the hall, just finishing was an achievement. As we shivered in HQ, cups and saucers rattling away in our hands the stories of the day unfolded. Andy Bason won in 3hrs 41mins which made a mockery of the conditions and our woeful tales. Did he not even slow down a bit more at the roundabouts? One rider broke his collar bone but still finished which took some explaining to A & E as to where he was and what he was doing?! I Spotted Andy Wilco giving his missus a hug and joined in, I needed one as well (hope he didn't mind!!). As usual the rain stopped and the sun came out just as I got in the car to drive home, typical bloody weather!

I didn't ride the ten on Tuesday this week unlike last year when the day after after the 100 I did a PB on a 25 but in these conditions understandable in my book. One of my more memorable birthdays.

AW