Having wimped out of last years event due to lack of training and forecast bad weather, this year I thought stuff it, I'll do it anyway, despite lack of training and the forecast of bad weather,
Training on the bike has been none existent this year, which is a shame as it helps keeps things interesting and is a change from running (I don't like running so much in heat - definitely a bad weather runner and a fair weather cyclist). Weather was great last Sunday - despite predictions of rain, it turned out to be quite sunny - got the sun burn to prove it, I was a little gusty though.
Quick registration, and set off en route just after 7:30. My plan was to get round and not worry about the time (I only used the garmin for the half the ride, mainly to plot where I was and to check the heart rate), and to eat as much food as I could on the way round.
Spent the first third of the race tagged on to the end of a group of riders who were slow and consistent (bit like me). The first section was mainly flat before taking a few hills which strung out the group somewhat. As the start time was staggered, most the ride was spend being overtaken by pro-wannabes in their replica Sky jerseys, club cyclist and pretty much everyone else. Still I was only here for the food!
First stop in Clanfield, filled my face with flapjack and jaffa cakes. Switched the Garmin on at this point - the battery helpfully lasted for the next 50 miles.
Hadn't paid too much attention to the route before I set off, all I remembered was that the route was different to last time I did this route, skipping out lots of my favourite hills. Still the hill out of Clanfield? is now on my hit list.
Feedstation 2 was more of the same - yum. Took a High5 Protein bar for later too. The evil bit of the Northington Feedstation is that it is at the bottom of the hill, so stuffed with food and feeling a little stiff, you have to drag your sorry ass up a steep hill.
MIcheldever, Wonston, Bullington, etc. all passed by easily enough, although a few riders did seem to ignore the road signs and carry on up the road when they should have turned off - perhaps they need to burn off a few extra flapjack calories.
Feed Station 3 was another village hall filled with flapjack and jaffa cakes. You can tell food was important on this ride. Filled my face again, and took off for the last section. Knowing the end was nigh, I took it fairly steady (bit like the rest of the ride)
So after finishing, I find out that my time was just outside the Silver standard (poop), if only I had pushed a little harder, or maybe spend less time in the feed stations eating food...
Still I enjoyed the food, and now have 100+ miles in the legs to show for it. Maybe I'll try to start training early next year and go for Gold, either that or try some of the fruit cake next year...
Check out the organiser at: HHH
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