So last night was the Smithfield Nocture, and I was out racing the penny. I was well down on prep an was down with a cold a few weeks back, so hadn’t even been doing many commute miles recently.

This year we where riding in the opposite direction this year, which made for an interesting downhill hairpin into Snow Hill. The race started with a processional lap and then a rolling start, so I had the chance to get a few lower speed attempts to get the idea of the line. But I knew that I was going to waste a lot of effort slowing down as I approached the corner. Then it was into the wind and back up the hill to the start / finish line.

So how was it, once we got started the pace was high, I was hanging on to the back of the second group on the road about 11 places back, but with in 4 laps they had split off into 2 groups and I was getting dropped. But that still left 16 riders behind me..
All I could do is dig deep and just keep pushing myself and hope that I could hold off everyone who was behind me.
The race was 20 minutes and then 3 laps, which is a very long time to push yourself at maximum effort.

I know that I was over taken by 2 more people during the race, but I was doing everything that I could to keep them in sight but they were sitting about 200 yards ahead of me. When I had the chance I would glance back but couldn’t see anyone following me, so I was out in the no man’s land between groups. Which is one of the hardest places to maintain your pace, as you have no one to slipstream.

With two laps to go, I was lapped by the leading group of 4, which is when I really started to lose count as to my placing. I know that I overtook 9 other riders, but it was very hard to tell if they were back markers or people dropping back from the leading group.
In the final lap I was aware that someone was behind me, and in the last 100 yards he pushed past, and even at maximum sprint I couldn’t keep up.

The crowd seemed a bit down this year on previous, but they still produced a huge wall of noise, which made for a great atmosphere, and a great race.

I think I was about 12th, the official placings say 17th. Which strikes me as a little low, but I didn’t crash and had fun, so I was a good night out.
If I am going to do better I will have to do more training and get a bigger wheel. To that end I had a ride on one of the new racing machines made by Unicycles.com and I was amazed at how much more power it felt like I had on the bigger wheel.

While I was getting the feel of the machine I recognised a chap walking up towards the race circuit. He shouted a hello and asked a question about the bike. He was Michael Hutchinson ex pro rider and time trial rider.
After expressing an interest in the penny I was riding, I naturally offered him a go. So I can now claim that I have given someone truly famous from the world of cycling an holder of multiple time national champion his first lesson in how to ride a penny farthing.
He is currently writing a book about the history of cycling and bicycles so wonder if I will get a mention.
Achievement unlocked.

Race stats:
Distance: 6.5 Miles
Average speed: 14.5 MPH
Top speed: 19.5 MPH (which is down on my best ever top speed of about 22 MPH).