My 20 minute Cragg Vale hill climb challenge

[ColinJ]

Hmm, that on the saturday? I'll be up at the top of Holme Moss

No - Saturday is the Leeds-Harrogate stage.

York ... Cragg Vale ... Holme Moss ... Sheffield is on Sunday. 6th July.

 

[ColinJ]

Not sure which day. I will probably be at Holme Moss too. About a 3rd of the way up looks like the best place to watch from.

It will be absolutely heaving! Aim to get there hours early to get a vantage point.

I went to watch the Kellogs Tour go up there once and even for that, in the pre-new-UK-cycling-boom days, I couldn't get onto the main climb. I had to stand at the side of the road in Holme village. I had just got to the roadside about 10 seconds before Robert Millar went past!

 

[ColinJ]

The record was set in July with favourable conditions.

I'm probably thinking event course record. The one I looked up was done in poor conditions and was considered a superb ride in the circumstances.

The record shown on the CTT website is wrong. They have Matt Clinton in 16 m 39.1 s which is definitely wrong because James Gullen did it in 16 m 18.4 s just a couple of weeks ago!

 

[totallyfixed]

I'm probably thinking event course record. The one I looked up was done in poor conditions and was considered a superb ride in the circumstances.

The record shown on the CTT website is wrong. They have Matt Clinton in 16 m 39.1 s which is definitely wrong because James Gullen did it in 16 m 18.4 s just a couple of weeks ago!

You are obviously a beginner when it comes to looking at the CTT website, not exactly the quickest on the draw when it comes to updating records, and as I have said before, try finding the women's records.

There was another event, not sure if it was a 'club' or 'open' event though.

That was an open Rob, unusual to get them in July but it does mean you get fast times, even though on that day there were no top hill climbers riding, but then again, you didn't need to be.

 

[ColinJ]

You are obviously a beginner when it comes to looking at the CTT website, not exactly the quickest on the draw when it comes to updating records, and as I have said before, try finding the women's records.

Well, I don't think I will be a frequent visitor!

 

[Rob3rt]

I'm probably thinking event course record. The one I looked up was done in poor conditions and was considered a superb ride in the circumstances.

The record shown on the CTT website is wrong. They have Matt Clinton in 16 m 39.1 s which is definitely wrong because James Gullen did it in 16 m 18.4 s just a couple of weeks ago!

The CTT website is crap.

James Gullen was a minute outside of the current course record the other week. The record definitely went in July, obviously with a short 15 minute ride, this is stated on the results sheet published on the CTT website for the event the other week.

 

[ColinJ]

The record definitely went in July, obviously with a short 15 minute ride, this is stated on the results sheet published on the CTT website for the event the other week.

Ah, I've found it - Alistair Wareham on 10th July in 15 m 15.8 s!

Oh - he isn't a tiny climber either - that's encouraging! He is 1.90 m / 6' 3" tall and weighs 12 st 4 lns / 78 kg, which just happens to be about my target weight.

(Mind you, I wouldn't have said that Cragg Vale suits smaller riders as much as bigger, more powerful ones.)

 

[Rob3rt]

Ah, I've found it - Alistair Wareham on 10th July in 15 m 15.8 s!

Oh - he isn't a tiny climber either - that's encouraging! He is 1.90 m / 6' 3" tall and weighs 12 st 4 lns / 78 kg, which just happens to be about my target weight.

Yeah but he is a very good tester, which is the sort of rider this climb suits

He is the same height and similar weight to me. A tiny bit lighter in fact.

 

[ColinJ]

Yeah but he is a very good tester, which is the sort of rider this climb suits

I was just editing my post to agree with your incoming one!

 

[ColinJ]

Before I knew that it was incoming!

 

[ColinJ]

Does your warfarin give you an unfair advantage over those without Colin ??

No, but it does give my body the chance to deal with my clots and take away some of my disadvantage!

I'll give a fuller explanation in my GWS thread later, but recent signs of reclotting have been reversed by a 10% increase in my Warfarin dose. A blood test last Thursday confirmed that I am now less 'clotty', but I already knew that because my breathing had been improving.

Update on my Cragg Vale HC times:

• 19/05/13: 39:15 [Finished first Warfarin treatment regime but already reclotting!]
• 25/10/13: 35:15 [8-10 kph cross/headwind]
• 04/11/13: 34:26 [ ditto ]
• 10/11/13: 32:19 [ ditto ]

If you look at the times for the most recent 3 ascents, including this afternoon, you can see that I am making rapid progress. The wind conditions were about the same each time and I haven't lost significant weight over that short time period. The change is almost entirely down to my lungs starting to function better as the clots in them are broken down.

My legs have more to give if my lungs can get enough oxygen into my blood. At the moment, I am limited by clots rather than lack of fitness.

 

[ColinJ]

At the moment, I am limited by clots rather than lack of fitness.

Actually, if fitness is defined as a measure of the ability to carry out a task then I suppose that illness is another form of unfitness.

Whatever ... the less ill I am, the more I will be able to push myself, and the fitter I will get. I have a long way to go, but I am progressing at a good rate so I am content with that for now!

 

[DiddlyDodds]

My current best is 31mins up Cragg Vale, but quite often I will be going up and get to the farm with the dog kennel outside and turn left off into Sykes Gate , off round the lanes and back out past the Old Blue Bell pub, and then back over the edge, all of which ruins my time up the Cragg , but a much better ride than fighting the cross/head winds that have their home up there.

 

[ColinJ]

My current best is 31mins up Cragg Vale, but quite often I will be going up and get to the farm with the dog kennel outside and turn left off into Sykes Gate , off round the lanes and back out past the Old Blue Bell pub, and then back over the edge, all of which ruins my time up the Cragg , but a much better ride than fighting the cross/head winds that have their home up there.

Blimey, that's not a bad time for that route! It makes sense for you, wanting to end up back in Littleborough.

I do the top section the other way round (anticlockwise), dropping down to the former Blue B-A-ll pub and then either emerging back at the farm and descending through Cragg Vale, or taking the more direct route to Mytholmroyd down Scout Road. The latter route is currently closed to traffic, but you can manhandle your bike round/over the concrete blocks blocking the way. It's a bit sketchy on that descent now - without motor vehicles using it, it has become covered by wet, rotting leaves.

 

[albion]

Sounds near identical like an elongated Crawleyside Bank.

I don't time myself on any section but next time I do it I'll see how it goes.
30 minutes for me, just maybe.