Saturday morning saw me and the faithful singlespeed 'cross set about the South Downs Way, 73 miles off-road riding from Winchester to sunny Brighton through the green rolling hills of the newest National Park. Ok not the full SDW distance (it stretches to Eastbourne) but far enough to allow an evening train back to the smoke.
A clean new pair of Cinder X tyres, 38x18, were quickly caked in the bog that was the first hill out of town after 3 days of rain. In the mist ahead I could see 3 or 4guys walking - "I can't believe they're walking, its the first hill...eh? oh hang on". These were the worst conditions ever, the mud switched from the treacle-type that sucked the tyres into the thinly-spread-clay-type that acted like ice.
The first part of the downs is largely rolling, but with roots and rocks that meant I had to concentrate to avoid being flicked into a hedge. 3 hours in slipping sliding and lobbing handfuls of clay about and we reached the first and only cafe to contemplate mud and life over cakes. The SDW is a mean ride as there is almost no bailing out point unless you have some local knowledge, although this was the populated south east, no trains or taxis were on hand for miles. It was Brighton or bust. Or sleep in a bush.
Next 30k slipped by a bit easier as the trail moved into the chalk seam that makes up the white cliffs and so provided a bit more drainage. Less mud but the rocky trail is pretty tough (everyone else had suspension) - it's not quite Roubaix tough but the pounding is unrelenting all the same and there's no tarmac sections to recover.
In places there was no option but to porter, hoiked the bike across the shoulder and walk. By now, 60-70km my brakes were pretty worn and I started to have to descend on the drops just to get enough on the levers to keep me under 30kph and moderately in control as I bounced along the steeper sections towards the end. I was starting to be too tired to be too scared by this point and as the food started to run down we wanted gave it some on the descents to recover some average speed.
Then I had the biggest bonk at around 105km. The final 8km were the hardest I have ever experienced on a bike, overwhelmed by a need to sleep and nausea this was suddenly suffering of an epic scale. 9 hours in and I was shot through, absolutley no reserves, nothing. The final climb around 400m, maybe 15% is something I won't forget. At the crest of the hill all that was left was to drop on to the main road into Brighton fuel up on sugar at the first petrol station we saw and dodge the teenagers drinking Strongbow. Truly a hard ride.
[cheers Simon, however there is a apparently a certain cross race up north and the application opens tomorrow...keep ss'ing if that's the correct verb. CG.]
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Monday, 27 June 2011
Ride to live
General guff from me in the current edition (August) of Cycling Active on sale now.......
And then a write up on the Ronde van Oost Lancashire in the next month's mag.
And then a write up on the Ronde van Oost Lancashire in the next month's mag.
Saturday, 25 June 2011
Monday, 6 June 2011
Summer Cross Rounds 3 and 4
Round 3 - Colne Valley
Well, having hardly ridden my bike since Round 1, and just getting back from a weeks holiday in Italy, where much pizza, pasta and gelato were eaten, and much wine and Aperol Spritz were drank, I lined up with fellow Belgians Crossjunkie, Dave, Mark and Nick, feeling less than on tip top form. This worrying lack of form manifested itself in a 55min hellish wheeze around the rather heavy going in places course. However, I did have a good tussle with a rider throughout the race, and finally came in in 76th place.
Round 4 – Duncombe Park
Four days later and Belgians Ben, Nick, Rich, and I are back at it again – this time at Duncombe Park, Helmsley. The course was marked out on a shallowly sloping area of country parkland, and split into two distinct sections, linked by longish slogs across grass in one direction, and a concrete road in the other. The first section was the more interesting, as it wound its way through a small area of woodland, and included 3No. log jumps. The second section simply comprised a series of turns, in and out of each other, on grass land. Again, I had a good race with the people around me and came 63rd. This success, I thought, merited the large bottle of Belgian beer I had stowed in the boot of the car. The beer was shared out amongst the Belgians and made a fitting 
end to a great day.
Well, having hardly ridden my bike since Round 1, and just getting back from a weeks holiday in Italy, where much pizza, pasta and gelato were eaten, and much wine and Aperol Spritz were drank, I lined up with fellow Belgians Crossjunkie, Dave, Mark and Nick, feeling less than on tip top form. This worrying lack of form manifested itself in a 55min hellish wheeze around the rather heavy going in places course. However, I did have a good tussle with a rider throughout the race, and finally came in in 76th place.
Round 4 – Duncombe Park
Four days later and Belgians Ben, Nick, Rich, and I are back at it again – this time at Duncombe Park, Helmsley. The course was marked out on a shallowly sloping area of country parkland, and split into two distinct sections, linked by longish slogs across grass in one direction, and a concrete road in the other. The first section was the more interesting, as it wound its way through a small area of woodland, and included 3No. log jumps. The second section simply comprised a series of turns, in and out of each other, on grass land. Again, I had a good race with the people around me and came 63rd. This success, I thought, merited the large bottle of Belgian beer I had stowed in the boot of the car. The beer was shared out amongst the Belgians and made a fitting 
end to a great day.
Thursday, 2 June 2011
I can resist anything bar temptation!
My program at the moment (if you can call it a program) is steady rides building base level fitness with the occasional fun off road session thrown in, no racing.
So when Crossjunkie says "fancy going over to race a summer cross in Yorkshire" I obviously say yes!!
The guys had managed to make the best of the area with some nice off camber sections and a couple of short sharp climbs, no running or carrying required and only a couple of patches of mud.
Was good to see more HCtB strips on the start line.
I am struggling at the moment with my breathing which is a result of hay fever, so riding through the long grass may not have helped matters, my legs felt strong but each time I pushed my lungs tightened up forcing me to ease back (a trip to the docs I think is needed) however I threw caution to the wind on the last lap and passed 4 or 5 riders. The issue with breathing is getting frustrating so I need to sort it out as my legs felt fine.
Al's lad Jack and my lad Matt enjoyed their race though the long jump pit seemed to give them more pleasure, just wish they could have kept their bikes out of it!!!
Anyway feet up today ready for tomorrow nights 100 mile Rapha ride!!!!!!
So when Crossjunkie says "fancy going over to race a summer cross in Yorkshire" I obviously say yes!!
The guys had managed to make the best of the area with some nice off camber sections and a couple of short sharp climbs, no running or carrying required and only a couple of patches of mud.
Was good to see more HCtB strips on the start line.
I am struggling at the moment with my breathing which is a result of hay fever, so riding through the long grass may not have helped matters, my legs felt strong but each time I pushed my lungs tightened up forcing me to ease back (a trip to the docs I think is needed) however I threw caution to the wind on the last lap and passed 4 or 5 riders. The issue with breathing is getting frustrating so I need to sort it out as my legs felt fine.
Al's lad Jack and my lad Matt enjoyed their race though the long jump pit seemed to give them more pleasure, just wish they could have kept their bikes out of it!!!
Anyway feet up today ready for tomorrow nights 100 mile Rapha ride!!!!!!
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