The day started bright and chilly (1C) with frost on the car and roads. We made our way to the start in Knutsford and were soon queueing for the off. Loads of riders had beaten us to it and we didn't get going until around 8.45am. During the wait, a cloud of freezing fog seemed to descend onto Knutsford and ooooh, it was chilly - my fingers were going numb. I cuddled into Colin for a bit of warmth and I was pleased to see that his HR monitor started showing an increase in HR ;-)
After the short rider briefing we were allowed over the timing mats and on our merry way. I'd talked to Joe about the ride and he advised me to find a group, sit in at the back and take the benefit. I found a group doing around 18-20mph on the flat and I managed to coast along; maintaining an avg speed of over 17mph for the first 25miles with a nice low heart rate.
The first stop was a quick dash to take off a layer (it was getting warmer by now) and to look for a toilet. Unfortunately, there were none at the first stop so I continued on to the next. I enviously watched as guys peed in the hedgerows and it occurred to me that a penis would be a really useful piece of equipment on a long ride!
I couldn't find the group I'd been in and struggled for the next few miles. Plenty of fast groups passed and I made an attempt to keep up with them but just couldn't hang on. Then a huge morale boost - I saw the two red-jerseyed cyclists I'd been following for the first 25. I put on a bit of a spurt to catch up with them and introduced myself - it turned out that they were also being coached by Joe. A few other riders congregated around us and the 10 miles skirting around the base of Mow Cop and up to feed station 2 went by quite smoothly.
Stop 2 took a little longer - toilets were located and utilised, bottles had to be refilled. I was still relying mainly on my own supplies because I just didn't fancy the sweet stuff on offer at the stops. After scoffing a quick banana, I made off for the first major climb of the day - Mow Cop and the "Killer Mile".
The level crossing was down for a passing train so when I started, I was amongst quite a big pack of riders. The road starts ramps up steeply quite early on and I was soon passing a few walking cyclists. Not that I was going at any great speed - I was being overtaken by much faster riders as well - but I knew that if I was to stand any chance of getting over the top, I would need to keep something in reserve. I trundled up at a very sedate pace and was soon presented with the sight of a wall of road, dotted with cyclists walking and others weaving from side to side. I tried to keep calm and my bum on the seat until I got to the very steep, 25% section. From then on it was out of the saddle and climbing very SLOOOOOWLY. Turning the pedals was an enormous effort and having downloaded my ride data, I see that I was near to maximum HR. Some ladies were cheering at the side of the road and I found that so motivational. I just kept going and going and going, revolution by painful revolution until I got to the give way at the top and the marshal told me that I'd finished; I'd done the killer mile. I swore! (As the ride went on, I swore more and more.) Actually, that wasn't the end of climbing, the summit was a little further on but the gradients were a welcome relief compared to that section by the pub (apparently there is a pub - not that I saw it). My Garmin shows me that the gradient of that section was over 29%. Here's a picture of my gurning my way to the top of the cop
By now, I felt really good. I had been eating and drinking to plan and I'd climbed Mow Cop! Nothing held much fear for me after that. The next section of the ride seemed to be either up or down so there wasn't quite so much need to be in a group - I took both the ascents and descents at my own pace. I was a little caught out by the length of the climbs around the 70 to 80 mile mark - they were so long but with very manageable gradients. The scenery was beautiful - I seem to remember some cycling through woodland glades and dappled light (can this be right though? trees don't seem to have leaves yet - was I imagining that?) It was HOT too - my new black jacket did a great job of absorbing lots of heat. The problem with ups and downs is they seem to provide less opportunity for taking on food & drink and I think I suffered later on because of this. I need to pay attention to that on my next ride - I'm going to have to drink on the way up (I'm never going to let go of the handlebars on the way down). By 80 miles and stop 3, I was tiring. I was a little behind on my drinking and felt like I needed a gel. A sausage roll was on offer at food stop 3 but I just couldn't face it. I had a quick stop, refilled a bottle and was off on my way. I was delighted to receive a text from Colin, which said that he'd finished his 66 miler in 5 hours 3 minutes but that he was "broken".
I knew from my forum training ride that the climb at Macc Forest was pretty stiff so I took it easy right from the start, saving something in the legs for the final ramp at the end. Again, I managed to go up it, passing walking cyclists who cheered me on to the top. As far as I was concerned, the hard work was pretty much over. The climb to Nab End isn't too bad although cars trying to pass each other on a very narrow road did make it a little tricky. Next followed a fast descent to Bollington and then onto Adlington where we seemed to hit a headwind around Adlington and my energy levels dropped quite rapidly. I tried to get into a group to shelter but I just couldn't seem to hang on. I troughed a few bits of energy bar and slurped some more drink and got ready to tackle Swiss Hill.
Swiss hill is cobbled. The cobbles are uneven, with large muddy gaps, loose, mossy, jagged - just a nightmare. The climb isn't steep compared to what we'd already done, but the cobbles add a further level of difficulty. I saw a big group turn left up the hill and that settled it for me - I was going to give it a go. I was going fairly well until I got to the steepest section, where the cobbles are at their most irregular. Unfortunately, I lost traction, my rear wheel spinning and me just hanging. With a wail, I fell to the hard ground; my knee and hip bearing the brunt of the impact. I was still clipped in to my pedals and for a moment I just lay there until two gallant gents came to my rescue and moved my bike so that I was able to unclip. I got up gingerly and walked a short way to get some feeling back into my legs. I got back on again and with lots more industrial language, I got to the top. I didn't enjoy that at all.
By now, it was close to the 8 hour mark and I thought I had only a few miles to go. I knew the terrain was flattish so I tried to get a move on and make it back within my 8hr target time. 102 miles came and went and back within familiar territory, I knew that I still had a few more miles to go. Once 8 hours had passed, I slowed a little and just got back to the finish comfortably. My final time was 8 hours 12 minutes and some seconds.
I had a post ride massage; I wished I could have bought something to eat (come on, you have to provide some food at the end - I would have paid gladly for a bacon buttie or a plate of pasta) and met a chap called Alan, who lived local to me and offered to save me the 8 mile cycle home with a most appreciated lift (in a wonderful car with heated seats!).
Chinese was ordered and duly scoffed - perhaps too quickly as I got indigestion and struggled to finish it.
All in all, a fantastic day - a great route, great weather and a good performance from me (even if I say so myself). I have gained great confidence from making it over Mow Cop and finishing 105 miles so early in the season - I think things are looking good for me finishing the Etape if I can keep this up.
