Sea-to-Sea NA Days 49 & 50 5..4..3..2..1..Go! I was pushed out of the starting ‘gate’ and away I went on my first time trial ride in too many years. The sun was now high enough to have warmed things up a little including me. It was still very cool when I started out at 7 AM to get to the race starting point, some 45 km away, before 9. Racing against the clock means that every second is important so a fast start is too. My left calf started to tighten up soon after since I usually start at a slower pace. I eased up a little to let it relax. Yesterday nothing had bothered me all day. We had started earlier than usual and many of us were nicely settled into a café on the US side by 9. As has happened many times now when we descend on such an establishment the waitresses are run off their feet. We crossed the boarder on a ferry and arrived in Canada to a rousing welcome and tables laden with all kinds of food. The pictures will save me a lot of writing but in short it was great. From here we rode the 52 km to Chatham in one go. I was leading and Anne was behind. We were passing all sorts of people and eventually came up to Marty who decided to join us. We made great time despite the wind coming onto our shoulder averaging 31.1 kph. The entry ride into Chatham also had people along the street here and there with signs welcoming us or sometimes just a particular rider. At the civic park were we camped there was more food and liquid refreshment, along with shuttles to various places, pools, laundry, bike store and any other places people wanted to go. The cramp is gone now and I’ve been waved through the first stop sign. Entering a small town Brent, the corner marshal there, signals the all clear and I take all 4 lanes to make a wide right corner without slowing down. A left turn in the same town requires a little more manoeuvring but I successfully complete the turn, cross a railway track and that is it for the hazardous stuff from here on it is a straight road. The wind is ever present on my right shoulder. A slight change in the terrain or the wind intensity affects my speed by several kph. I cannot relax my concentration on making my pedals go round. I try my next higher gear when I’m at 35 kph but it is too difficult and drop back down to the gear I was using before. I have prepared a water bottle with honey and have it upside down in my holder. Grabbing the bottle I manage to squeeze some out onto my tongue trying all the time not to loose speed. I swallow the honey but the effort has left me a little short of breath. A shot of water a little later does the same. I decide no more of either till the finish. The 30km marker passes and I try to force myself to go a little faster. It works for a while and then another uphill, or slight slope would be a better way to describe it and my speed drops again. Hills have always been my downfall. The 3 km to go marker comes into view a few minutes latter. I can’t see anyone ahead nor can I see anyone in my mirror and don’t want to turn around for a better view. I just might make this without anyone passing me. I was the third to start (determined by a draw) and passed one rider early on but am disappointed that I’ve not caught the second rider. The 1km marker passes. Now I should really push to make the end. Then it happens, first Kyle comes by me and a few seconds later Nick (on Andrew’s triathlon bike) cruses by me. I don’t give chase, the finish line is in view and at best it will save me a few seconds. These boys have ridden well, their first time trial and at the finish they are excited about how well their bodies have performed. Now they know a little more about themselves and that is what this is about. The other riders come across fairly quickly now. Reuben wins, with John matching him for speed in the last half of the race and placing second. Nick gets third. The winning average speed is 38.6. Mine is 34.2; which placed me 10th of the 26 participants. That is a good speed for me and is pretty much what I expected under these conditions. All the young people are excited after this test; they have experienced something new. At camp many other people ask how it went. At Pelaton I hand out the prizes, cinnamon rolls, a cereal bar and some old cookies, and we all have a few laughs. I must mention the great lunch we had in Mount Bridges. They pulled out all the stops; roast beef, chilli, all sorts of fresh salads and fruits in season. After the lunch Rita, Anne and I rode the rest of the trip to London together. Rita pulled a lot of the way and set a good pace. She has become a lot more confident in her riding and ability. She too knows herself better.