Paul_L
Über Member
- Location
- Shipley, West Yorks
After my 1st 100km sportive a couple of weeks ago, i was keen to enter another. I've done shorter hilly rides before such as the short route (50miles) on the White Rose Challenge but i was a bit nervous about the length and the number of climbs on this route, especially given the potential for bad weather on top of the moors.
So i arrived at the athletics track very apprehensive. Register - Tick. Right time for the loo. That's the toilets at the start / finish as advertised for the event. But no. The building was locked and no toilets. Apparently the caretaker who was meant to open up at 7am hadn't turned up. Ok, a genuine mistake. Anyway an Oldham bush will do.
Set off just after 9 and took it steady. After the first small climb upto Denshaw i felt pretty good ticking off several riders, and after a fast 37mph descent where most of the riders i passed passed me back (i'm a pretty cautious descender!), i set about the 5 mile long ascent of Isle of Skye and again i felt good, getting into a nice rythmn keeping a good cadence and again picking up several places. I'd never thought i was any good at the steep stuff but maybe i was wrong!
A super fast descent into Meltham with a tail wind and i clock 44.1 mph !!!!!
Meltham becomes Marsden which becomes Slaithwaite and onto the super steep climb up Scape Goat Hill. I'm in the lowest gear possible and in places i'm doing 4mph, but there's a few walking up it and i aint walking. A few folk pass me, but i pass a few as well so things are still doing ok.
The length of the climb starts to take it's toll however and as we get to the long dragging section by Nont Sarah's my right quad is starting to cramp and i'm starting to feel hungry. By now i've had 2 bananas, 2 slices of malt loaf and an energy bar and nearly 500ml of energy drink. Like a daft bugger my gels are in he sodding car. Muppet!! The descent into Ripponden is just spent free wheeling and by now i'm very worried about my cramp and desparate for the feed stop, which i expect to be in Ripponden. But it isn't. All there is in Ripponden is the start of the last main climb up Black Stone Edge. The right quad is now spasming and it's agony. Every turn is painful and in the first half a mile of climbing i'm being passed regularly. Eventually i have to stop. Lots of stretches follow and a couple of minutes later i'm back pedalling and this is much better. Aaahhhh, the feed stop. At 44 miles into a 100km event, far too late IMO, but welcome nevertheless. Bottles filled. Gulp down 2 gels and a banana, bit more stretching and move on, not wanting to seize up.
And that's really it. Only 2 more miles of climbing before the long and steady drop back to Oldham with a few minor lumpy bits on the way. The only down side is i have to stop again with the quad cramps.
Cross the line in 4h23mins with an average of 13.6mph. Very pleased with that, and knowing that i've climbed better than i thought i would and but for the cramps, would have been several minutes quicker.
The event also came with a “post event meal”. This was a pie, which would have been very welcome but they only had meat pies which is not so great for those of us that don’t eat meat! So I was a bit disappointed with this.
The event was really well signed, but the facilities at the start and finish as well as the positioning of the feed station were poor. Overall, good event and enjoyed the ride, but i don’t feel I got value for money for the £25 entry fee.
So i arrived at the athletics track very apprehensive. Register - Tick. Right time for the loo. That's the toilets at the start / finish as advertised for the event. But no. The building was locked and no toilets. Apparently the caretaker who was meant to open up at 7am hadn't turned up. Ok, a genuine mistake. Anyway an Oldham bush will do.
Set off just after 9 and took it steady. After the first small climb upto Denshaw i felt pretty good ticking off several riders, and after a fast 37mph descent where most of the riders i passed passed me back (i'm a pretty cautious descender!), i set about the 5 mile long ascent of Isle of Skye and again i felt good, getting into a nice rythmn keeping a good cadence and again picking up several places. I'd never thought i was any good at the steep stuff but maybe i was wrong!
A super fast descent into Meltham with a tail wind and i clock 44.1 mph !!!!!
Meltham becomes Marsden which becomes Slaithwaite and onto the super steep climb up Scape Goat Hill. I'm in the lowest gear possible and in places i'm doing 4mph, but there's a few walking up it and i aint walking. A few folk pass me, but i pass a few as well so things are still doing ok.
The length of the climb starts to take it's toll however and as we get to the long dragging section by Nont Sarah's my right quad is starting to cramp and i'm starting to feel hungry. By now i've had 2 bananas, 2 slices of malt loaf and an energy bar and nearly 500ml of energy drink. Like a daft bugger my gels are in he sodding car. Muppet!! The descent into Ripponden is just spent free wheeling and by now i'm very worried about my cramp and desparate for the feed stop, which i expect to be in Ripponden. But it isn't. All there is in Ripponden is the start of the last main climb up Black Stone Edge. The right quad is now spasming and it's agony. Every turn is painful and in the first half a mile of climbing i'm being passed regularly. Eventually i have to stop. Lots of stretches follow and a couple of minutes later i'm back pedalling and this is much better. Aaahhhh, the feed stop. At 44 miles into a 100km event, far too late IMO, but welcome nevertheless. Bottles filled. Gulp down 2 gels and a banana, bit more stretching and move on, not wanting to seize up.
And that's really it. Only 2 more miles of climbing before the long and steady drop back to Oldham with a few minor lumpy bits on the way. The only down side is i have to stop again with the quad cramps.
Cross the line in 4h23mins with an average of 13.6mph. Very pleased with that, and knowing that i've climbed better than i thought i would and but for the cramps, would have been several minutes quicker.
The event also came with a “post event meal”. This was a pie, which would have been very welcome but they only had meat pies which is not so great for those of us that don’t eat meat! So I was a bit disappointed with this.
The event was really well signed, but the facilities at the start and finish as well as the positioning of the feed station were poor. Overall, good event and enjoyed the ride, but i don’t feel I got value for money for the £25 entry fee.
