England : Warwickshire Cotswold Challenge, 17th May

[ColinJ]

I have got my housesitter organised and so will be setting off for a mid-May week of cycling spread between here and the Midlands.

I will be in Coventry on the 17th May, so I thought I would enter the Cotswold Challenge 100 mile audax which starts from nearby Meriden. I rode the event in 2009 and enjoyed the route.

I just received my routesheet and a GPX file for my GPS. The route has a couple of small changes from the one I rode in 2009, and includes the extra mile needed to get a full 100 miles in! It avoids a rather surprising cyclocross-style woodland trail descent which probably caught out a lot of riders in 2009, and maybe other years too!

There are a few stiff hills in the Cotswold part of the route but nothing too frightening unless you are a total hill-phobe who faints at the thought of a few hundred yards at 10-17% here and there! It is mainly on quiet roads.

If any of you fancy joining me, get your entries in quick because the closing date for entries is May 2nd or 3rd. You can enter online and pay by PayPal.

I will be riding at a steady pace. I don't expect that I would do it much quicker than 7 hours (though I would be willing to give it a go if everybody else riding with me is capable of it) and I don't think it would take me longer than 8 hours. That's including stops.

Post below if you are riding the event and fancy joining me, or even just saying hello at the start and then doing your own thing.

 

[ColinJ]

Final reminder - If you fancy doing this ride, you really need to get your online entry in by May 3rd.

 

[robgul]

And to add a bit more to this - as well as the 160 Audax there's a 100 too - Warwickshire Wanderer ... as it's all part of the CTC Heart of England Meriden Rally - being a special year remembering WW1 there are additional events over the weekend as well as the usual Sunday service at the cycling memorial on Meriden Green

The highlight is Saturday evening when we have a film show (with fish and chips and a drink) - showing Alan Bennett's film A Day Out and some other cycling movies.

All details, Audax entries and Film Show tickets at www.ctc-heartofengland.org.uk with secure online payment

(And if you enter the Audax please tip the car park attendant generously . that'll be me!)

Rob

 

[ColinJ]

Sounds good, but I have a busy schedule of visits to family and friends that weekend so I will just do the event then ride back to my sister's house in Coventry.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I'm in, just signed up

 

[ColinJ]

I'm in, just signed up

Great - I'll aim to get to the start 20-30 minutes early (allowing extra time in case of a puncture on the way there!) and will look out for you. I'll be the rider who looks like 3/4 of the ColinJ you met before!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Great - I'll aim to get to the start 20-30 minutes early (allowing extra time in case of a puncture on the way there!) and will look out for you. I'll be the rider who looks like 3/4 of the ColinJ you met before!

Two centuries in six days, should be interesting, normally I'm lucky to get in one a year, I'm going to drive over and use my geared bike, white Verenti.

 

[Donger]

Two centuries in six days, should be interesting, normally I'm lucky to get in one a year, I'm going to drive over and use my geared bike, white Verenti.

Blimey! You're really going for it, Dave. Respect!
I thought about doing that one, but I'm still not ready for my first 100 miler, and I'd certainly not do it in under 9 hours. Anyway. I'm committed to doing the BHF Cotswold bike ride the next day (a hilly 40 miler that 'm doing with a mate from Brum and treating as a very slow paced social ride) .

I've just downloaded the info for the Silk Run 100km audax on 31 May that crosses some of the bits you will be doing. Also quite fancy doing one or more of the following audaxes in the same general area (Haven't decided which one(s) yet):

• The Hoarwithy 100 on 14 June (100km),
• The Midweek Tour of the Cotswolds Weds 16 July (probably the 60km one, as I'll have just done London to Brighton overnight) or
• The 3 Counties 2 Leaf Clover on 3 August (110km)

This is with a mind to getting myself ready to take on Bealach Na Ba in September. You never know, one day our paths might cross. If you don't mind a day in the slow lane (10-11mph start-to-finish average including rest stops) I'd be pleased to have company. two navigators are better than one!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Have you been on the 100 mile fixed gear thread? Some cracking photo's of an epic day, in my case 105 miles in the car and 108 miles on the bike.

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/100-mile-fixed-gear-ride-spring-2014.136598/page-12

 

[ColinJ]

Good job I just checked the start time ... I got it in my head that the Cotswold Challenge starts at 09:00 but that is the sister event, the Warwickshire Wanderer - it is 08:00 for the Challenge!

 

[ColinJ]

I will give it a good go tomorrow but I am nervous! I am still a bit tired and saddle sore from the last couple of days of riding ...

 

[Deleted member 1258]

103 lumpy miles on the bike computer at the end of the Audax, spent yesterday afternoon cleaning and fettling the bike, and studying the route, up at six and out by seven this morning, beautiful sunny day, a bit fresh first thing but warmed up nicely as the day wore on, a lumpy route through pretty Cotswold villages, I've seen loads of thatched cottages today, I did part of the route as part of a group, part with ColinJ and part on my own, felt strong till about 10 miles to go when the legs started to fade, by five miles to go I was running on empty, another good day on the bike and my second century ride in six days, I'm sunburnt and knackered now, but happy.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, the Cotswold Challenge was a great day out on the bike. It was nice to see Dave again and ride with him for a while. I wasn't really quick enough to keep up so I decided to back off, relax, and enjoy a long sunny ride by myself while he went on with a few others. I will do a more detailed write-up tomorrow in 'Your Ride Today' but for now, I will just say that I was really happy to do a 117 mile ride (including riding from Coventry to HQ in Meriden and back again afterwards) and get home nicely tired rather than shattered.