Tired so posting the email I just sent to the Cycling Plus gang!
Polka Dot Challenge – Polka Dot Torture. Hardest day on the bike, EVER. The weather was epic– strong headwind for the first 40 miles and then bitingly cold torrential rain, thunderstorms, flooded roads, skin-slicing hailstones. Despite all my waterproofing, I was sodden for about 5 hours. The route was great but the descents were very technical because of all the debris and water on the road. I was cycling through flooded roads and just didn’t care because I couldn’t possibly be any wetter. I didn’t bother with my footballers handkerchief manoeuvre – just let the snot run down my face. My HR was well under control – I was so cold and so slow that I barely made it into zone 2 in the second half of the ride. I gave up the idea of getting a good time quite early on and it was purely survival. The miles went so slowly and it was very tough mentally; I was singing the motivating little song that I sing to myself when things get bad and it helped to keep the negative thoughts at bay. I am definitely a hard bastard to have finished that ride. Oh, and I did a Paula Radcliffe at the side of the road because I just didn’t care any more – I needed a wee and I was bloody well going to have one. Thankfully, riders were so spread out that no one but the cows got a sneaky look.
100 miles, 8 hours 20 mins or thereabouts. A tough day on the bike but I think superb preparation for the Etape. If I can get through that 100 miles, I can definitely finish 100 in July in France.
Tonight, I’m having Chinese and watching the final of the apprentice. Tomorrow I’m having a massage at the Osteopaths. I’m a bit gone but so chuffed to have finished.
I would have posted the link to my ride in Garmin Connect but it appears that the file is corrupted. I'm busily searching through forums on how to get past this. The gradient data was a load of bollocks on the ride - I was out of the saddle going up what looked like 20% walls and it was telling me I was on -3% gradient. The file is visible in my Garmin but just won't download - can't see if when I look on garminconnect or training centre. I shall be making a phone call to the help line tomorrow. Not happy bunny.
Just had email from Joe Beer - he's proud of me and that makes me feel very happy! Plus, he says I'm officially Well Hard! Right, off to veg on the sofa - I deserve it, I tell you.
8 comments:
Congratulations on finishing.
You're tougher than me lasting for 5 hours out that. I would of been thinking about packing. I only got caught in the rain for 20mins on Sunday, yet I was drenched to the skin and very happy to get home and put the kettle on.
Superb Karen. Really well done. Battling weather can often feel like a bigger achievment than lots of hills or many miles. You did all three. You'll crush Ventoux.
Well Done, rides like this show how mentally strong you are. Which is needed for endurance stuff! You are really hardcore how!
Karen
Well done on finishing what was a truly horrendous ride. I have never been so cold, wet and miserable on a bike. Like you I foolishly decided to carry on and do the 100 (thinking the weatherman had got it wrong again they hadn't). You are right it was no more than surviving the descents got more dangerous as the day wore on and you were right no to worry about a time. On a good day this would be a fantastic ride. Once again well done for completing it.
Thanks all :-)
Rich, how did you get on? Can you believe the number of cattle grids we had to go over as well? Cattle grids, on hills, in the wet - a recipe for disaster! Some of them were really evil too with the first bar of the grid raised high above the road level. The cows and sheep on the roads made me nervous too - one cow was stood right next to the road just staring at the riders. I do wonder if animals think we're nuts. On one steep road, which had turned into a river, there were ducks at the side of the road too! I had to laugh at that.
Well done you too. How you feeling today?
Karen not sure exactly but it was well of 8 hours my computer showed 8hrs 11 but it stops when I do. You are right about the cattle grids and when I saw the condition of some of them I decided that I would stop and walk over them as I could not see the point of slipping and that also slowed me down but at least I stayed upright. I have never ridden through that much water and I hope never to again. I have only just about warmed up and I was starving all yesterday so kept eating. The only positive note was that I did not get cramp. Have you got any other major rides planned before July?
The grid at the top of Axe Edge! - what was that about? I got off for that one - it looked lethal.
I don't have any more sportives planned for June. I'm half thinking about the David Lloyd but I probably won't bother. I'm just looking forward to doing some normal training rides into the peaks - the short polka dot course will be a good one from here. Having done back to back century sportives, I feel the need to have a rest from them and hopefully, I'll be really up for the 3 counties challenge which is my next sportive. It's 15 days before Etape and is 125 miles long with about 3500metres climbing. A good maximum effort with hopefully enough time to recover and be fresh for the big day.
What about you? What you planning for next 5 and a bit weeks?
I looked at the Dave Lloyd but decided it was too far, long and hard for me and as it is fathers day and my daughter said I should be at home I wimped out.
I have not entered any more rides but just intend to ride 60/70's at the weekend and work on speed when I can during the week. I also got my number and was pleased that it was in the 3000's which should help.
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