ECCA 50

 E2/50c 1hr 54 mins 57 secs (Becomes a new PB).  Winner A Stapleton 1 hr 43 min 41 secs (WOW!!!)

  Well, that was a nice surprise.  My first 50 since (I think) 1996 and I got to within a couple of minutes of my 1990’s PB!  Okay, that was on the slightly more rolling course that used to run between Swaffham and Costessey on the A47, but still not bad!

  I have to confess that I was crapping myself before the start, convinced I was about to embark upon two hours of pain and discomfort but it all turned out alright in the end.  Only niggly thing was an annoying ache in both buttock muscles towards the end – just not used to being in that position for so long I suppose.

  As for the ride itself, well, it was slightly underpaced (again), the first half at least.  I set off with a target of 150 bpm for the first 25 miles and then assess how I felt after that.  I struggled to get into any sort of rhythm for a while but after about 30 mins I kicked into ‘diesel mode’ and got into it.

  I had a stream of people come past me during the first 20 miles but I stuck to the plan.  Just after the halfway mark a clubmate who started two mins behind me came past which was a surprise as we’d done identical times in the Wolsey 25 last weekend.  I watched him disappear up the road for a while then decided I could afford to go slightly harder and I had him pegged about 300 yards ahead for the next 30 mins or so.  During this time, most of the people that had come past me in the first 25 miles started to come back towards me as I ‘unlapped’ myself.  With 15 to go I still felt great so really opened up and quickly recaught and passed my clubmate (who, he later confessed, had blown up big style and thrown up on the last roundabout!).  I sent myself cross-eyed with effort for the last 5 miles and just sneaked under 1hr 55 mins.

  Was a bit p**sed off initially as this was clearly one of those once-in-a-blue-moon mega-quick dream days and I’d squandered the chance to go a minute or two quicker.  But I eventually realized it was probably the best outcome:

• I hadn’t suffered at all.  I won’t be scared of doing another one.
• If I’d overcooked it and blown up at 30 miles or been in major discomfort it would probably have damaged my motivation for a long, long time.
• Okay, so next time I can afford to go a much harder – lesson learned.
• Come on Andy!  A 1:54 at your first attempt?  Behave yourself!
• Massive boost to my confidence – the handful of ‘10s’ I’ve entered in the next few weeks will seem like sprints in comparison.
• Massive lift to my form – best training ride of the year if nothing else!

  Average HR was 154 in the end.

  To my great surprise, I felt pretty good this morning when I woke up.  Only ‘hangover’ from yesterday’s 50 was a slightly sensitive ‘gentleman’s area’ but I felt good apart from that.  I had a great two hour training ride with no ill effects which sort of proves I didn’t dig very deep at all.  In fact I went round my Beccles – Lowestoft loop quicker than ever before, despite going really steadily (AV HR just 116!)

  My first big target of the year is on weds evening.  My first 10 on a quick course – a warm and not-too-windy night should see a 21 min ride…..