After a few last minute checks that I had got everything that I would need, Bike, helmet, gels, energy drinks, waterproofs, directions etc. I set off up to the well out in the wilds village/small town of Barnoldswick. I think even the sat nav went "You want to go where???". So packed ready and still a bit bleary eyed I set off on the one hour drive that would be the second shortest distance I would travel all day.
After much motorway that eventually turned into A roads up near Nelson, then B roads, then even smaller minor roads, all the time with me looking at my sat nav thinking I wonder how accurate that thing actually is and where are you actually taking me? it seemed that all of a sudden I stumbled across civilisation in the form of this little town nestled in the hills. It certainly seemed quite nice and thankfully the town is quite well geared for that many cyclists descending into it to take part in what would prove to be one of the more iconic (and emotional) sportives of the year. I was a bit worried that I was going to have to park miles from the start point but thankfully at 6.30 in the morning there are only the lunatics (like me) that are going to be going out on the 160km (100 mile) ride that arrived early. I parked up got out of my car and had a look around at the other riders. It seemed that every cycling club in the area had turned up with team vans, team jerseys, very expensive looking race bikes and all wearing what I can only describe as the top kit. As the day went on though some of these riders would yet again prove that even with the best kit in the world sometimes you just haven't got it!
I went and registered, got my rider number and timing chip came back to the car and put my bike together. After I finally got myself sorted out I thought I would wander on over with my bike to see when everything was starting. Little did I know I would end up on the start line already and it wasn't even 7am yet!!
Sir Bradley Wiggins even came out to say "Hello" in a not very articulate fashion and see us all off on the first wave of the 100 mile ride. I couldn't believe that totally off by chance I had got myself on the first wave and would be setting off already..
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| All ready to go at the start! |
Everyone made the same mistake and went out at break neck speed, I think in an attempt to go for the man test in the first couple of miles. Certainly it warmed the legs up a bit and got the heart and lungs firing. The chap that rudely commented on my bike (Yes I did hear you say that I shouldn't be allowed to ride in a sportive with an old looking bike and not wearing proper team looking kit too) was passed by me in a cloud of my dust and in all honesty I never saw him for the rest of the day! Not a bad thing really as bike snobs like that annoy the hell out of me.
It was 13 miles in and then came the first big killer hill.It was as you ride north west out Waddington on the B6478. Unimaginatively it was simply called the B6478 climb (in Strava land) but what they should of really called it was "The first of many". This 3 mile long hill only had an average grade of 6% but it would really sort the men from the boys as people were already starting to question themselves by the time they got to the top. I certainly saw when it came to the route split later on a few riders go left down the 100k route instead of right up the 160 k route.
After that the roller coaster ride began! I am sure if this was Lord of the rings I would have had Orks on my tail and a black mountain ahead of me. Not with the Eye of whatever it was called on top but more the face of Bradley watching everyone occasionally commenting on the mortals trying to ride in a Gods Tyre tracks. It certainly was going to be challenging. The wind was picking up. The skies getting darker and as we headed over the plains up the hill from Newton in Bowland through Slaidburn then eventually turning West towards Wray I couldn't help but to stop and take a picture of the magnificent scene before me.
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| Heading towards Wray |
The first feed station was in the Village of Wray so that will be a little over 35 miles already done before the first stop. It certainly was a welcome break as I know that lots of riders needed the toilet (probably from taking on too much liquid before the start) plus a good point to get some cake and gels down top up the energy drinks (thanks to High5) and get back on it ready for some more hills! As all sportives of this distance everyone was happy and smiling at the first feed station. We would see what happens later on at other feed stations.
Up and over yet more hills my legs burning with increasing intensity with each one. Thankfully on the flats and downhills I recovered fast and felt ready for the next hill as they came. We turned south then towards Caton and Quernmore facing more ups and downs. I saw one poor chap (at about the 58 mile point) had totaled it on a very steep downhill and had the obvious signs of a collar bone fracture/break. Some riders didn't even stop to see if the poor chap was alright, so much for camaraderie! We tried to call for help only to find none of the 5 or 6 guys that stopped to help had reception so we had to just push on and either find a marshal or the next feed station to call for help. I set off with a group of chaps and we did eventually find a marshal who was on the phone to the paramedics that had just picked the chap up. Phew! unlucky for him but it was a costly racing speed type effort for us. One I feel would really hurt me later on.
The next feed station was at 65 miles and was a welcome sight indeed!
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| Feed Station 2 Just North of Chipping |
It was a slightly longer stop than I had planned for but I wasn't going to be wining any races today! My legs were starting to hurt and I think my bike was hurting too. She was really creaking and I could feel the chain starting to drag too! One of the main difficulties I was having though was my gearing! I had clearly not anticipated the hills. I don't know why as it was obvious that this was going to have some killer steep ones. Unlike most of the riders who had really big ring rear cassettes on the back to give them a nice big ratio to ride up the hills with, something like 34 or 36 teeth, I still had the same one I have always stuck with with a maximum of 24 teeth as the big ring. This made uphills really hard work and I knew that the hardest ones were still ahead! My legs were holding up OK even under this sort of punishment. Even my breathing was fairly controlled and I was feeling stronger at this point than I did when I was riding the Cheshire Cat a few months before (see my earlier blog for that one).
So Out the south side of Chipping and turning up a rather steep and long piece of tarmac called Jeffers! This rather painful segment has an average 9.9% gradient with I am fairly sure they actually just put the decimal place in by mistake as it was practically vertical. It was this point that I had my first "Man test" FAIL!! I actually had to get off an push for a bit as I just didn't have the strength to push the pedals in such a crap low gear. I was happily in good company though as I wasn't the only one that came to the same conclusion! Come the first bend though it was a good telling off to myself and back on the bike, even if it was still quite steep!
It was a run over eastwards (finally) into Billington as we approached the third and final feed station. I was ready to give my bike a little bit of Halfords TLC by this point as my chain was complaining that it had no lubricant left on it and was dragging like nobody's business.
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| Feed Station 3 With TLC |
I really should get my bike properly serviced at some point soon. The Final feed station at Billington was at a school (obviously not open) but it was a quick stop then off again. This time after spraying some Halfords WD40 (GT85) to get me through the final 20 (ish) miles to the finish.
The dark Lord Wiggins had other plans as he looked on though!
Unsurprisingly his Dark Knightship was wanting to ensure that all before him paid the price for wanting to ride in his sportive so put 3 more big climbs in the way between us and the finish. Frodo would have never stood for this and would have told Gandalf to stick his ring where the sun should never shine from (but in Gandalfs case you could never tell!!!). Us riders on the other hand have choice and certainly no magic carpet to whisk us up the hills. Pendleton Road Climb was the first of the final 3, 1.2 miles of painful uphill with legs on fire and 265 feet of climbing. I was only hoping that this was the last and by this point had no idea how far I had to go either (I never keep track as I just don't want to know). Then it was the Nick O Pendle hill out of the north side of Pendleton 1.3 miles and 496 feet gain. by this time I wasn't laughing and in pain. But I just had to press on regardless! Finally the Barley lane climb which even though is only 1 mile and 7% it felt more like 10 miles at 20%. Then just a few more little lumps and bumps with a gently descent back into Barnoldswick. I have nver had a park look so welcoming in all my life. The finishing straight had crowds of people cheering at the barriers which did give me a boost so I made a last ditch effort to sprint in to the finish! Possible the slowest sprint ever seen on a road bike but it felt good to me!
So after 7 hours and 49 minutes on my bike I had finally finished. I headed over to get some food and my finishers pack then just chilled out for a bit. My Dad and my brother (Nick) came to the event together with Ella (Nicks daughter). They all seemed very impressed with the event that was going on and obviously had been having great fun taking part in loads of things. Ella even got her face painted!!!
So 101 miles down the line and I was tired, I have sore legs and my bike was feeling the pain too!
Lessons to take away are defiantly think about getting a new rear cassette for my bike. Probably get it serviced before the next event too!
That next event being the Manchester 100!
For now though I was just happy with the work I did for one day and this week I am riding too and from work everyday. In all (including Sunday) I will have cycled close to 200 miles in 6 days by Friday. Not bad going really!
Looking forward to it already!
Happy riding :)
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