Short Training Route

After last week's epic Etape Cymru, went out on Saturday 15th Oct just for a short 20 mile ride out to Hope from Chester and back through Rossett and Doddleston. Map of route shown below:



After last weeks pretty slow time (albeit on an exceptionally hilly route) at least this was a bit more respectable at around 16.5 mph.

Planning to go out with the Chester Road Club on Sunday for 3 or 4 hours so just a short ride out today. Weather was great, blue sky, only slight wind, but a bit chilly.

Cymru Etape - Finished it !

So Sunday 9th October arrived - the day of the Cymru Etape. My first Sportive.

Arrived fairly early at 7 am or so and parked up. By the time I'd kitted up and got to the start/finish line it was around 0740. Unfortunately the start time was delayed slightly and I probably didn't cross the start timing point until around 0820. Slightly surprised there weren't any "incidents" in the first few miles since there were a lot of riders and some of the roads had mud on them.

I knew the first 25 miles were going to be tough - got up the Garth OK, and then World's End. Despite previously advising people to carry the bike over the ford, everyone seemed to be riding across it OK, so just stayed to the right and rode over it steadily and was OK. The field was starting to thin out quite a bit by the time I got to the top of World's End. On the descent towards Minera there was a hold up for 10 minutes or so (apparently someone didn't make the tight turn at the bottom).

I had thought that once over the Garth and World's End it would get easier. Unfortunately I didn't count on us riding into a strong headwind most of the way from the Moors Inn Pub down to Corwen.
Got to the first feed station at the Moors Inn Pub fairly early and got something to eat and refilled my water bottle. The stretch down to Corwen was a sequence of narrow roads, short sharp hills, all against a strong wind. I was with a group which went off course and I think we did an extra 2 or 3 miles (+ the group stopped a couple of times for about 5 mins each, I think to try and check where we were). We finally got on the route just by the 40 mile marker although my computer said we'd done 43 miles. The 2nd feed stop was at Carrog Village Hall and by the time I got there they had run out of water but fortunately still had quite a bit left and a spare lucozade sport in my back pocket. Quite a few people relying on filling up their water bottles were pretty upset. 

The climb over Carrog mountain was tough with a ferocious wind right at the top. Had a slight tumble when I went too fast into a corner, and ended up in the grass - no damage done apart from looking silly. However on the way down a guy about 100 m in front of me on a very fast straight descent caught the right hand grass and crashed spectactularly into a fence. Just managed to avoid him and by the time I'd stopped (to see if he was OK) I was a further 100 m down the road. Luckily a motorcycle marshall was just behind us and he stopped to help the guy out - hope he was OK.

By the time I got to the bottom of the Horseshoe Pass I was pretty much done in. Went up it pretty slowly on a 39/28 all the way - the wind was against us all the way up the climb until we got to the Horseshoe itself. At the feed station at the Ponderosa Cafe again there was no water but managed to get some food.

Coming off the Horseshoe Pass they diverted us away from the Shelf (which was the last climb we were supposed to do) and fortunately on the way back to Wrexham the wind was behind us, and it was mainly flat or downhill (apart from one last climb about 10 miles from the finish which no one was expecting).

Passed the finish line at around 4.20 pm, so more or less did 8 hours - not a great time, but the wind slowed me down quite a bit (+ if you count the time I was delayed or stopped at feed stops, my actual cycling time was probably 7 hrs 30 mins). The shortened route we did was probably 88-90 miles, so this makes my average speed (when cycling) around 12 miles an hour - I'm blaming this slow speed on the wind (that's my excuse anyhow) - at least I didn't get caught by the broom wagon :)

Congratulations to all those who finished the event - it's fair to say there were quite a few organisational teething problems, and towards the end it did not look like a closed road event, but for my first Sportive I quite enjoyed it (in a masochistic sort of way). Next one I enter is bound to be easier than this one. 

Very pleased to have finished - general consensus was that this was one tough event !! Not seen the final results yet but wouldn't be surprised if there were a lot of DNF's.

Couldn't believe how many punctures there were - pleased I had on my Armadillo All Condition 700 x 25C tyres - only had one puncture on these in 5 years, although they are probably not the fastest tyre you can get. Also in the last 20 miles I have never seen so many people on the side of the road stretching to try and sort out cramp in their legs.

One week to go !

Didn't go out Saturday as usual due to travelling back from Istanbul.

However set off early on Sunday (0730) and went from Chester to Llangollen (via Minera) over the Horseshoe Pass and then towards Ruthin and back over the Shelf to Llandegla, and then back to Chester on the A5104.
It was a nice day, no rain, and quite warm. There seemed to be a hill climb about to start at the Horseshoe Pass and there were a lot of cyclists there. I timed myself between the two Tweeks signs and managed 26 mins 55 secs, which is approx 3 mins faster than the last time I did it (about 3 weeks ago) - but on that occasion it was quite wet and windy, with a headwind going up the hill.

Total length of ride was 69.4 miles, which I did in 4 hours 58 mins, so hoping to do a 14 mpg average next week in the Cymru Etape.

Getting faster

Nice day today - not too windy, no rain, dry roads.

Went out from Chester on my usual route, up to Minera, and skirted round to Acre Fair and down towards Llangollen, and went up the Garth and onto Panorama Walk (which seems to have been recently resurfaced) and then on to World's End. Got off the bike to carry it over the ford, then cycled over the rest of World's End on my lowest gear (39-28). Might be tricky to go up this climb if the roads are wet as you could get wheelspin.

Anyhow, very pleased to be able to cycle all the way up World's End for the first time.

Total distance ridden 55.9 miles, total time taken was 4 hours 2 minutes, which I was pleased with (considering the two big climbs of the Garth and World's End + some smaller climbs up to Minera).

Looking in reasonably good shape now for the Cymru Etape.

Feeling Fitter

Went out today, even though it was wet and windy, and cycled over the Horseshoe Pass and the Shelf.

Total length of ride was approx 68 miles, and I managed it in 5 hours, which I was reasonably pleased with.
Also timed myself up the Horseshoe Pass, and managed 29 mins 45 seconds, which isn't great, but is about a minute faster than last time I went up, and on this occasion there was also a headwind to contend with.

The descent from the Horseshoe Pass and then down towards Ruthin was good. The Shelf was easier than I expected. Now that I've done all the climbs which will be in the Cymru Etape, I would definitely rate World's End as the hardest - partly because getting off and carrying the bike across the ford breaks up your rhythm, but also because just after the ford there are parts of the climb which are between 15 and 20% gradient.

I'm targeting a time of 7.5 hours for the Cymru Etape, so if I ride like I did today, there's a good chance I can do that. Will take tomorrow off, and maybe Monday too, with a gym session Tuesday and possibly a short bike ride Thursday. Next saturday may try to go over the Garth and World's End again. Will update you on that if I do it.

Map of today's ride is below, together with the height profile.

Back on the bike

Arrived back safely from Japan, despite staying one extra day due to Typhoon Talas.
Leg not completely back to normal following training crash three weeks ago, but managed 12 miles on my mountain bike (down the Chester cycle path) on Monday 5th Sept, then had a gym session on Tuesday (rowing, cycling & cross trainer).
Did a quick 20 mile round trip to Frodsham and back on Wednesday, which included quite a steep hill.
Another gym session on Friday, then on Saturday did a 5 hour ride down to Llangollen, over the Garth and World's End and back to Chester.

This time I did actually go up the Garth - quite a steep climb but ok to ride up (at least now I have a bottom gear of 39-28).

When I got to the Ford at World's End, I carried the bike over, but found the section just after the Ford too steep to ride up so had to walk :(

Mapped the ride on mapmyride,com, and the route is shown below:

The elevation profile is shown below:

It looked like the bit I struggled on had a gradient of between 15 and 20% !

Managed a pretty lousy time of 4 hours 23 mins for the 53.5 miles - however it was quite windy and wet. I'm thinking of changing my tyres for some with better grip since if the roads are wet on 9th October, there is a chance the wheels will spin on some of the steep hills we're going up. Also felt a bit knackered before the start of the ride - should have eaten more and drank more before I set off.

Hoping to go over the Horseshoe Pass and the Shelf on Tuesday - from what I've seen so far, I think World's End will be the toughest climb on the Etape Cymru.