It's very easy to sign up for the 'long' route when it's months away. Yeah Yeah, no problem mate. Then all of a sudden it dawns on you. Actually, 100 miles is quite a distance... that's further than going to see me Mum!!!
Anyway, Saturday 12 May at 0700, I cycled into Yarborough Sports Centre for registration and to meet up with Andy. Registration was quick and simple- the timing chips are a bit old fashioned compared to the throw-away ones used by Wiggle, but as long as they work eh!
Here's us, ready for the off and at 8am, we were! The weather was pretty spectacular considering how awful it had been over the last month or so. Today, it was sunny and we had a tailwind "We're gonna suffer for this tailwind on the way back" said Andy. Always the bringer of glad tidings!
As you can see above, we got going at a good pace in a bunch and motored along for the first 30 miles or so and at the first climb, as usual, I tailed off out the back. I'm a steady climber, just not fast. So that was me out of the bunch and away on my own. The first feed station was at Tetford and a very welcome 10 min rest out of the saddle: we'd turned back on ourselves at that point so some headwinds were slowing me down... not that it takes much!
Carrying on North and North-West, the next feed station was at Donnington on Bain and by now the day was warming up. A few more clouds but still a fabulous sunny day. It was at this point, or just after the stop, where the course splits for the long, medium and short routes and I was close to taking the shorter route but, and I'm glad, I didn't. We carried on up into the Wolds up toward Croxby and Nettleton. Someone had warned me about a nasty climb just out of Nettleton and they were not wrong. I climb a third of the distance and had to get off and walk. This was 70-ish miles in and this fat ol cyclist didn't need this hill though gravity helped me on the descent- always good fun!
Middle Rasen brought the last feed station and the final leg of the route... we were nearly home... literally.. when I got to Cold Hanworth I was SO tempted to swing a left into Welton but that would have been stupid. Having said that this last 10 miles were the hardest I've cycled. I was on my knees and by the time I reached Michaelgate, there was nothing else I could do other than walk it. I cycled over the finish line in 7hrs 41m after a total (including riding into town) 108miles. Andy finished about an hour in front of me (including a puncture) which is fine. For me it has always been about the enjoyment and participation. I know my limits and I'm happy trundling along. As Andy had said- I'd blown up in the first half...I did too much (for me) on the front of the bunch instead of taking more shelter but hey, there's always the next one!
Do I do another 100 miler or not? Dunno. Like I said, it's got to be enjoyable so maybe 'my' distance is 75 miles... we'll see. Roll on the Dragon Ride!
