RACE 36 - THE BIG ADVENTURE STORE SUMMER DUATHLON - 17 July

Sorry for the delay in posting, but still not received photos purchased and emails remain unanswered. Well the title doesn't tell you much except it is a duathlon on 17 July, sponsored by the Big Adventure Store and presumably it was meant to be summer.


From Wikipedia (where else?) a bit of the history of the track. The Castle Combe airfield opened in May 1941. The land which the airfield occupied belonged to the Castle Combe estate, which was owned by the Gorst family. The RAF Castle Combeairfield functioned for seven years before being decommissioned in 1948. Castle Combe Circuit opened in 1950, and the first meeting was staged on July 8 by the Bristol Motorcycle & Light Car Club. Over the next few years, the circuit attracted star names such as Stirling Moss, Mike Hawthorn, Roy Salvadori and John Surtees.

Castle Combe has staged many different motorsport disciplines over the years. In 1997, Nigel Greensall established a new lap record. His Tyrrell 022 lapped the circuit at 130.93 mph (210.71 km/h). However, this was the last year that the circuit would remain unaltered. A tragic accident involving the death of a spectator forced the owners into installing two new chicanes in order to slow the cars down. The new layout was slightly longer at 1.85 miles (2.98 km), and was completed over the winter of 1998-1999.

Formula Three returned to Castle Combe in 2001. However, it would not stay long. In 2005, the circuit was issued with a noise nuisance order, which meant that the circuit had to reduce its noise level. The British Formula Three Championship and the British GT Championship were both louder than permitted, and so were prevented from returning. The local championships dedicated to Saloon Cars, GTs and Formula Ford are instead still active, with packed grids and exciting races. Since 2001 Rallyday, an annual demonstration event for rally cars, has been held at the circuit.

Being in Wiltshire it was an ideal opportunity to go home to the folks in sommerst (parents - one of each, Sharon, sister and Charlotte, niece) for some R+R and some TLC. The weather forcast wasn't particularly positive, basically rain and high winds. Getting up and off at 7 am, it was certainly drizzling and pretty blowy. Another very pleasant drive via Shepton Mallet, Trowbridge, Melksham, around Chippenham and through Tiddlywink. I kid you not, there is actually a place called Tiddlywink (or it can be spelt Tiddleywink). From the Wiltshere Council website  http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getfaq.php?id=101 they answered a query whether there was such a place with the following answer. "There is an area in Yatton Keynell with this name, which it seems to have had since the 1870s. It does not appear on the 1871 census but on the 1881 census there are some houses on the Chippenham Road that are grouped under this area name. It is believed that the name comes from an unlicensed beer house that used to sell beer to passing cattle drovers. The name does not appear on the Ordnance Survey 1st edition 6 inch to 1 mile map of 1887 but it is on the 1:10,000 sheet of 1981. The National Grid Reference is ST 872758. The name can be spelt as either Tiddleywink or Tiddlywink. The hamlet has eight houses and made the national news in February 2003 when Wiltshire County Council put up 'Tiddleywink' road signs to encourage motorists to slow down when passing through the hamlet." So there you are! 

By this time the rain was coming down like stair-rods so a quick phone home to recommend that Dad didn't come over to support. And yes there was a brief moment when I considered a DNS (did not start) category but having come all the way over and the opportunity to use the new wheels on a race track swung it for me.

Arrived expecting something like the horse racing courses I've raced at with a grandstand and so on. It wasn't. Most of the buildings were single storey, rough cast and only the main commentators building was above two. One thing - see if you agree, you know the ridiculously oversized bit of metal work that is being erected as 'sculpture' as  part of the Olympics? Well I wonder if they'd just scaled up the starter's gantry here? 


Anyway, it was time to get out of the car register and sort out my kit for the race. Normally having got their in good time there's a change to chill out, drink in the atmosphere and leisurly get ready. This time it was more a question of finding somewhere to shelter and work out how long you could leave it before laying your kit out in transition as it would just get soaked. One thing trying to find shelter noticed that pretty much everything was done out in black and white tiles - the chequered flag. Another thing I while numbering up my bike etc, was that my race number was personalised ~ it had my name on. A little detail but a thoughtful one and I'll certainly be keeping that number (I could show you on the photos but they haven't arrived yet ~ moan, moan...) 

At the race briefing the normal gallows humour in these situations and he even mentioned that there were some entries on the day and asked retorically "who'd on waking early on a Sunday morning with the rain lashing down would think - I know I'll go and do a duathlon?" Who indeed?

As we made our way onto the track for the start the rain actually lessened and we set off in just drizzle. We ran anti-clockwaise for 1km around a cone and back to the start where we were then to do a single lap of the circuit making 5km in total. The pace was pretty fast and being a track you could see everyone in front of you. Transitioning I was not at my most slick as the shoes were soaked and I had to attempt to dry my glasses so I could actually see out of them (getting my excuses in early!)


Then it was off on the bike. This was what I was really looking forward to - smooth asphalt, no traffic, fast corners - a chance to see what the bike could do. It could shift! I was passed by one guy but that was it. (Found later from the results splits that I was 6th on the bike overall with the 8th fastest lap averaging just over 36km/hr - 23mph. So in summary the wheels really do their stuff!) 

It was hardwork going into the wind and there was quite a lot of standing water which of course not having mudguards meant you got really soaked. Its taken two days to dry out the cycle shoes! However with the wind, which by happy accident went past the start /finish and the few hardy supporters, meant you put it in top gear and really went for it. I also loved doing the chicanes which if you got the line right you could just flick the bike from side to side.


It was seven laps of this out and out racing - I can't think of where I'd enjoyed it more as Dunsfold was a lot of bumpy concrete and the corners at Dorney (the two other traffic free courses) didn't have the racing lines and chicanes. Even the rain stopped and a hazy sun (I assume that was what it was) made a brief appearance. Also because of the weather there was a little bit of banter out on the course with one guy claiming I was a 'wuss' as I didn't take one of the corners down on my tri-bars - he passed me and showed me how it was done, while I passed him going into the wind as physically I was a little more "aerodynamic" than he was. The only downside to this out and out racing was I've now been suffering a bit from a stiff neck and it didn't leave much in the tank for the run.


The transition went well and then it was off around the service track and spectator path around the perimeter. All I can say was that it was a "bit hard going" - really a case a putting your head down and concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. Overtaken a few times and didn't catch anyone, so slid down the finishing positions a bit. However still managed to 'clock' the views over the valley at the southern end of the course, the realisation that the whole place was on a bit of a slope as couldn't see any of the buildings and that there were still a fair few people still on their bikes including some hardy souls on mountain bikes struggling into the wind.


Nearing the finish, I was cheered to hear my name being called encouraging me on. Rachel (cousin) who lived in nearby Chippenham had come along to support and more importantly ~ go for Sunday lunch. She's a cyclist (both road and MTB) so was suitably complimentary about my bike and new wheels! Rachel also does some pretty high mileage cycle sportives and the like, something I've not really done yet. Couldn't do them on the TT bike and the commuter bike while OK for shorter journeys probably needs upgrading before tackling longer rides. I sense an excuse for a new bike though quite where I would put it .....?  Lunch (proceeded by coffee and cake just to recover the sugar levels of course) was at a nearby farm shop - so all fresh food and west country portions! Great way to finish the morning. Thanks to Rachel for braving the conditions and providing a great way to wind down. 



RESULT: 21st out of 79 in a time of 1:13:46