Hi Guys, here's your first report from the coal face fo Squadra Chrono this year. A depleted Squadra took part in the 1st round of the South Wales District Spoco Event, The Bynea 30 at Llandovery. A tough course, a little rain, early season, and an even earlier start time meant that this year only 3 of the squadra entered, Stuart Evans, Chris Allen and your truly.
As this was the club handicap event, using the fastest 25s as a basis for the handicap, it was Stuart at scratch Chris at 4:52 and myself at 5:02.
Due to hurricane force winds, Rain, hail, snow, more rain, a dash of fog and just a hint of "my chest is still baaad" at Llangynwyd, Stuart failed to meet the time keeper, As a result, it was down to Chris Allen and myself to battle it out for the club handicap 30.
From the start at Llanwrda the course headed straight into the wind towards Llandeilo, left at the mini roundabout to Llangadog was a little interesting as this is the first time I have felt the effect of a tri-spoke and disk in a cross wind mmmmmmmm. Out of Llangadog and the road seems to climb in a series of steps up the roughest piece of tarmac this side of Flanders....
Thankfully, the tail wind made for a fast back road loop but by the time I got off the back road at llandovery, my arms were numb...... Left at the west end Cafe and once again back into the headwind to Llanwrda.... Sweet.
To make up the thirty miles you do two complete circuits and then continue to finish after going through Llangadog for the third time. I was pretty chuffed with my time recording a 1:17:23 on what was a tough old day that was windy, wet and cold for the first lap and windy, wet and warm for the next lap. Chris recorded a 1:21:38
The event was won by Kieron Davies of Bynea who recorded a Wait for it ........... a1:7:48 (he took 4 minutes out of Darren Carpenter and 5 minutes out of Colin Wallace) and we believe that breaks John Pritchard's course record but that is still to be confirmed.
Lyn Jones was 2nd in 1:9:41
So for those good at maths, I've got a Pot This year..... Yippee.......
Next week is another trip to llandovery for a nice and flat 25.......See ya, I'll let you know how we all get on...