During the ride home from work it was apparent that the wind had strengthened during the day. Despite this, it was a pretty warm evening with all the signs that Spring had finally arrived. I made a mad dash up to Astwood on the time trial bike, without really paying attention to the choice of front wheel - I was riding front and rear trispokes, as usual.I could feel the wind tugging strongly on my front wheel, particularly when I rode past gaps in the hedgerows. Nevertheless I pressed on, as I have rarely been unable to race due to strong wind. I made it to the start line in time to see the first riders lining up to start. Grabbing a number and signing on, I awaited my start. I was the last rider off, and I suspect the wind had been continuing to rise while I waited. I was frustrated to have to stop for a line of cars before I could join the main road, shortly after the start. Once on the main road, I found the wind was a real problem on my front wheel, and I was unable to hold a decent straight line. I was worried about being blown into traffic, but in the end I decided to call it a day after nearly being blown off the bike twice in quick succession. I felt that discretion was most certainly the better part of valour.Riding home wasn't a great deal of fun - though I did see most of the guys powering along as though there was no wind at all! Maybe had I been riding a different front wheel... perhaps I was unfortunate in encountering a particularly strong gust on an exposed part of the course.

As I've whined about lately, this season has not got off to an excellent start. This event was only the second event I've started and the first I've finished in 2013. This has been due to a severe bout of back pain that has only abated in the last day or two, and which has sidelined me from training and indeed riding bikes for the best part of a month.  The last event I attempted was something of a disaster. Meanwhile, I've kept eating  as if I was actively training and racing with the consequent impact on body weight.Riders for this event were greeted by overcast skies and a chilly breeze. It was with some apprehension that I rode down to the event. I really don't feel fit at the moment, and I was concerned that my bad back would flare up again. We had quite a good turnout of 11 riders - I was off number 2.Heading out, I immediately found myself struggling to keep a decent pace - partly of course, this was due to the headwind (gentle though it was), but also I found it difficult to get comfortable in the aero position on the tri-bars. I'm not too worried about that, because early season events are always like that for me. I gingerly negotiated the first roundabout, successfully avoiding the potholes, and pressed on through the second roundabout and on to join the dual carriageway section. Once up there, the head wind was rather nagging and I had difficulty keeping the effort up. But after the turn  I found the return leg quite a bit quicker and more confortable. I eventually finished in 24:41. Not a particularly good performance, but somewhat better than I'd expected in the circumstances. More importantly, I finished without a recurrence of back pain. It can only get better from here, I hope.Results at the NBRC website.

Well, it's unfortunate, but my season has begun with a whimper rather than a bang.I've been suffering from the latest bout of lower back pain, but I'd promised Tony I'd show up for this, the first in the NBRC series of time trial events. Notionally a medium gear event, riders usually pitch up with their regular time trial bikes. I cycled over, 18 miles in cold and wet conditions, and by the time I arrived, I seriously doubted I'd make any kind of impression. Other than a bad one.To be honest, the opening mile or so were reasonably OK, and crouching over the tribars wasn't in itself particularly uncomfortable. But when I had been through Beachampton, I found I was unable to race uphill to Nash, and indeed, by the time I passed through Nash I'd had enough and down-geared to offer a degree of pedalling comfort.Accordingly I cruised back down the hill, mostly suffering an acute sense of embarrassment because of passing club runs (which seemed to be going faster than me). I finished with a less than impressive 33:33 for last place. Results over at the NBRC website.