Tour of Fife - Stage 3 - Uphell Time Trial

I'll try to keep this brief, in keeping with the relative brevity of the stage.  1.4 miles up the road to the East Lomond car park, at an average gradient of 10%.

It's fair to say that I'd been bricking myself before, convinced I would lose time hand over fist.

The weather was pretty dreich, which spoiled what ought to have been some cracking views from the top, but there was not much that could be done to tip the balance either way as regards the pretty hateful nature of the slog up the hill.

Although the organisers and supporters did their utmost to create a festival atmosphere at the finish, with all manner of cowbells, whistles, pots, pans, and other assorted ironmongery complimenting the usual cheers and applause.  And very much appreciated it was too.

We had a warm up to the summit

As you'll be able to tell from the sequence of photos below (taken by young Ethan Lee), I was blowing myself inside out and utterly ruined by the time I got to the finish.

But I'm pleased to report that I did indeed manage to channel the spirit of Jens Voight, told my legs to "shut up!", and recorded a third consecutive 6th place finish (ooh er, should I be worried about such a satanic series of results when this stage is called "Uphell"?!).

Michael, Peter and Willie all also had good runs.  Peter extended his lead in the V50 category to 1:43, while Willie's lead in the V55 category is up to 3:41.  My own lead in the V40 category is now 2:54.

And on that note, I really must head off to bed, as tomorrow's race starts at 2pm - a bit like going from a back shift to an early...


Stage 3 Results:

1. Derek Rae (Anster Haddies RC): 10:13
2. Alastair Brockie (Corstorphine AAC): +0:02
3. Scott Cassidy (Fife AC): +0:.24
4. Tom Brian (Metro Aberdeen RC): +0:29
5. Ewan Gault (Unattached): +0:39
6: Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): +1:03
7. Sam Fernando (Fife AC): +1.11
8. Michael Geoghegan (Portobello RC): +1:21
9. Akira O'Connor (Leven Las Vegas RC) +1:36
10. Ian McNulty (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers): +1:46
13. Peter Buchanan (Portobello RC): +1:51
16. Willie Jarvie (Portobello RC): +2:02

 
Yellow Jersey (Overall Classification) - after Stage 3:

1. Derek Rae (Anster Haddies RC): 51:16
2. Scott Cassidy (Fife AC): +0:23
3. Alastair Brockie (Corstorphine AAC): +0:39
4. Ewan Gault (Unattached): +1:37
5. Tom Brian (Metro Aberdeen RC): +2:02
6: Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): +4:26
7. Michael Geoghegan (Portobello RC): +5:16
8. Keith Taylor (Fife AC): +5:44
9. Sam Fernando (Fife AC): +5:47
10. Peter Buchanan (Portobello RC): +5:57
21. Willie Jarvie (Portobello RC): +8:44
 
 
White Jersey (Best Old (V40) Rider Classification) - after Stage 3:

1. Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): 55:42
2. Steven King (Carnegie Harriers): +2:54
3. Scott Strachan (Kinross Road Runners): +6:04
4. Colin Thomson (Unattached): +8:07
5. Craig Love (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers): +9:14

 

FULL STAGE 3 RESULTS

 

AGGREGATE RESULTS AFTER 3 STAGES

Tour of Fife - Stage 2 - Hill of Tarvit Trail/Hill Race

And so on to Stage 2 at Hill of Tarvit.
 
I spent part of the morning looking at Facebook albums of photos from last night's race to try to put faces to the names and numbers of my rivals in the V40 category.  While I planned on continuing to attack, rather than defend, I figured it didn't hurt to be able to spot a breakaway as it was happening and therefore be in a position to "cover it".
 
As I was travelling solo, I arrived "in good time".  But no Peter, I wasn't there before the organisers!  I used that time to take a leisurely stroll around the grounds/course and grab a few snaps - the weather and scenery being conducive.
 
The course was shorter than for Stage 1 at 3.1 miles, but promised to be a little more undulating.  Michael's assessment was that there was a hill, but it wasn't a proper hill race.  But as he is a hill aficionado, all that could safely be read into that is that it wouldn't involve 1,000 metres of climb straight from the gun.

The course wasn't muddy enough for red wellies

Art

The first mile or so was pretty standard 5k fare - nice tarmac to begin with, and even a slight downhill.
 

 

(photo: Vicki Charlton)

At this point I was pleased to be well in touch.  Studying those around me, I recognised the front 5 from Stage 1, plus of course Peter and Michael.  But there was a new Hawk lurking, and I was concerned that it could be Craig Love, one of my V40 rivals.  Best to keep tabs on that one and see how it develops Nick.
 
Ducking into the trees off the road, I fell into line in about 7th, just behind Peter.  This section through the woods was very nice indeed, with lovely light coming through the leaves.

 
I managed to edge past Peter on this stretch, and into 6th, at around the end of the first mile.
 

Oh shit - we don't have to go up there, do we?!

 
A run past the second hole of the adjacent golf course (titled "Stand Sure" apparently) brought us back to the start straight, and the end of the first, shorter, more benign, loop.  So far, so 5k, but the much tougher terrain of the second loop was still to come.
 

Sleep running
(photo: Ethan Lee)

 
There were a couple of short manageable inclines, followed by flatter bits, still going through the main part of the Estate.  But then, at around the two mile mark, things started to get a bit trickier.  The stile below might look like some kind of stairway to heaven, but it was far from it.  It led to a hill that we had to traverse up diagonally (i.e. with the ground falling away from us left to right) and through long grass with no defined trampled down line.
 

Another al fresco bathing opportunity

Reaching a bit of a false summit, we were taken round a sort of a lap of the plateau below the peak, which afforded some marvellous views of the surrounding countryside.
 

 

An expression to scare the sheep
(photo: Peter Bracegirdle)

I was still sitting in 6th at this point, but more walking than was decent meant that the gap to those behind was tumbling.  And then Michael passed me on the last wee kicker up to the folly and the trig point.  I was more than a little relieved to see him instead of someone older though!
 

I can see tomorrow's stage from here!

 
I followed Michael down through the trees, and then found a longer stride to get back past him on this slope that funnelled us towards our second stile crossing. 
 

From there it was a relatively short distance through the trees to the car park...

  
...negotiating a tight little switchback...

...before a dash across the lawn, past the marquee, and on to the finish.  Michael and Peter were right behind me in 7th and 8th respectively.

(photo: Vicki Charlton)

I am very happy to have maintained my 6th place overall, and to have extended my lead in the V40 category.  Great for Michael and Peter to both make significant upward movements in the overall standings, and for Peter to convert last night's 10 second deficit into more than a minute's aggregate lead in the V50 category.
 
The acid test comes tomorrow though in the shape of the Up-Hell Time Trial - 1.4 miles straight up East Lomond.  Wish me luck!


Stage 2 Results:

1. Scott Cassidy (Fife AC): 18:24
2. Derek Rae (Anster Haddies RC): +0:01
3. Alastair Brockie (Corstorphine AAC): +0:23
4. Tom Brian (Metro Aberdeen RC): +0:34
5. Ewan Gault (Unattached): +0:42
6: Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): +1:45
7. Michael Geoghegan (Portobello RC): +1:48
8. Peter Buchanan (Portobello RC): +1:54
9. Keith Taylor (Fife AC): +1:59
10. Sam Fernando (Fife AC): +2:01
 
 
Yellow Jersey (Overall Classification) - after Stage 2:

1. Scott Cassidy (Fife AC): 41:02
2. Derek Rae (Anster Haddies RC): +0:01
3. Alastair Brockie (Corstorphine AAC): +0:38
4. Ewan Gault (Unattached): +0:59
5. Tom Brian (Metro Aberdeen RC): +1:34
6: Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): +3:24
7. Michael Geoghegan (Portobello RC): +3:56
8. Keith Taylor (Fife AC): +3:56
9. Peter Buchanan (Portobello RC): +4:07
10. Ian McNulty (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers): +4:33
 
 
White Jersey (Best Old (V40) Rider Classification) - after Stage 2:

1. Nick Williamson (Dunbar RC): 44:26
2. Steven King (Carnegie Harriers): +2:00
3. Scott Strachan (Kinross Road Runners): +4:13
4. Colin Thomson (Unattached): +5:34
5. Craig Love (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers): +8:22

 

FULL RESULTS - STAGE 2

 

AGGREGATE RESULTS - AFTER STAGE 2