I have had to miss a few over the Christmas season and shockingly we are now already on race 7 of 12. It could have been an April evening rather than an early January afternoon. The sunshine brought a large field out today. Temperature was 12ºC though with a stiff north westerly breeze which gave a cross wind over most of the course. (Nothing as bad as the wind on Waterloo Bridge
It seemed fast this week, interspersed with some very slow periods, but this perception may be because I have not been on a proper bike for 3 weeks. There was an attempt to go straight off the start by 2, they did not seem to have their heart in it and were quickly reeled in with most of the work done by the lady Wycombe rider. Two thirds of the way through the race 5 or 6 made a good effort to get free but there were enough fast riders in the bunch to bridge that gap stringing us out and in the process sending me gasping to (but thankfully not off) the back.
Thereafter things seemed to get more and more twitchy. Shouts were going up chiding other riders and there were a few wobbles and near misses. Then trouble started. First at the tight bend, I was taking the inside when alongside me on the outside several riders went down. Shortly afterwards at the turn before the clubhouse, there was trouble on the inside of the bend when I was on the outside. 7 casualties in total though I understand none severe (at least not to bodies, bikes may be a different matter). The sprint as usual left me behind.
Stats: 1h 04m at an average of 25.0 mph. Max 31.8.