I had missed the first event in this series due to trapping a nerve in my neck the day before, so was really looking forward to this one. My training had been going well and I’d just started a weekly open water swim at a lake not far from the circuit. As I was in the vicinity of both venues, I decided on a quasi brick session, combining the open water swim with the 10 mile TT.

The swim went well, out of the water and into the changing rooms to get changed for the TT. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t as perfect as the previous month, but I’d come prepared. New bib tights fresh out of the bag, club cycling top over thermal layer.

I arrived at the circuit, parked the car and walked to registration. I was 10th on the grid, plenty of time to set up the turbo and do the race warm up. I got my bike, turbo and front wheel-block out of the car only to realise I hadn’t brought a turbo skewer. Turbo and wheel block went back into the car as I had decided to do the warm up on the track.

I put my helmet and shoes on and cycled to the track entrance. I completed the warm up over 4 laps, which was really good. While it was difficult to maintain the low power reps, the quick legs, high power reps were awesome. The tyres gripped the track and the power take off was phenomenal. There was a tailwind down the home straight and a head wind up the back straight which also features a small incline and I was understandably cautious with my optimism for a PB.

I left the track for some hydration and a final energy bar before returning to the starting grid. In no time at all the first rider was away, and 4’30” later so was I.

The time trial is five laps of the circuit and my strategy was to complete the first lap in around 4’30”. Unfortunately in addition to the headwind going up the back straight there was also an unfavourable crosswind on the Jim Clarke Esses Straight which pushed my first lap time out to just over 5 minutes. The remaining four laps were fairly equal, however, it was difficult, with the blustery conditions to claw back time. I pushed hard on the final lap finishing strong into the pit lane and over the finish line.

A decent enough performance in windy conditions, equaling a PB on one Strava section and missing out by just one second on another.

Hopefully the weather for next months TT time trial will be more conducive for a faster time.

Bryan Harding

Croft 10 mile Time Trial, 21 May 2026

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