Polka Dot Challenge - "Spud" Riley Gran Fondo
Comments
-
pabloweaver wrote:wetsuit , diving helmet , waders and a vat of goose fat !
Its definately looking like knee warmers, overshoes, and a jacket!0 -
a_n_t wrote:pabloweaver wrote:wetsuit , diving helmet , waders and a vat of goose fat !
Its definately looking like knee warmers, overshoes, and a jacket!
Achh...dinny worry....if they say its gonna be rain 4 days before the date then that makes me happier...they ALWAYS get it wrong with regards to lower pressure systems.....I personally feel more worried when they say a Day is going to be dry and sunny but with a rain period the days before and after....a Sunny Friday and a Rainy weekend prediction usually always goes t*ts up...and you end up with it hammering down on the Friday and Saturday and then sunny on the Sunday?....or something like that...better to wait until the saturday...thats when a more accurate Idea is given....but a prediction the now is joke material...
Anyhow...I'm gonna ride it no matter what....and Im very much looking forward to it!0 -
see you there bigman, think you will enjoy this one,....as ever! you down the night before?0
-
ledburyloafer wrote:see you there bigman, think you will enjoy this one,....as ever! you down the night before?
Yeah Mark, Im staying at a cracking B & B at Alderley Edge...just 5 mins from the start...I'll be wanting off sharply...hopefully be on better form than I was on the Richmond 5 Dale....0 -
RICHYBOYcp wrote:Achh...dinny worry....
I'm not worried :0)
It's just alot nicer riding in the sunshine!0 -
you and me both! :shock:RICHYBOYcp wrote:ledburyloafer wrote:see you there bigman, think you will enjoy this one,....as ever! you down the night before?
Yeah Mark, Im staying at a cracking B & B at Alderley Edge...just 5 mins from the start...I'll be wanting off sharply...hopefully be on better form than I was on the Richmond 5 Dale....0 -
does anyone know about the feedstops? when are they and what's on 'em?
I was really looking forward to this ride but after doing the Bike Radar sportive last weekend, I'm a bit pooped now. i've had a very very light week so hoping to be up to it by Sunday.
A bit cooler than last weekend won't be too bad - just hope the rain isn't too heavy.
See you sunday.0 -
just printed off and laminated a copy of the route & profile...
I will be cycling down from south mcr (The Gateway pub aat parrs Wood) around 7.15-7.30 for anyone who cares to join me...
fingers crossed the weather holds as it is currently here...warm, a bit sunny and light winds.
0 -
its currently hammering it down here, thunder , black skies and apocalyptic doom and gloom all round !!!
deep joy ..........................
0 -
I'm hoping to get there for 7.30'ish, meeting a few people then away 8.30'ish.
Think I might even dig the bibtights out! Most annoying when i've just started peeling from getting toasted last weekend
0 -
Last weekend - bib shorts & jersey
This weekend - arm/leg warmers, gilet, waterproof jacket, proper gloves
At this point in time the weather forecast looks horrid, lets hope it all changes in the next 36 hours.
I will be there about 7.30 and will make a decision on whether to ride or not then. If I ride it will only be the short route. I did the south eastern loop yet again today and it would be good to ride some new roads.0 -
minging in the peak district today, not looking much better tomorrow!0
-
I'm going to see how I feel at the junction after crowdecote, if it's looking like rain all day I'll probably do the short route.0
-
was going to get the shiny carbon bike out but I think i'll stick to the old warhorse Spec.Allez considering its going to be rank .......concerned about downing the bike ....
.....and the carbon one melting in the rain ..... 0 -
back in one piece albeit half frozen fish finger and half boil in the bag fish....
I'd like to say that the course was excellent , well signed , off the main drags , regular sweeps from the marshals and a good gang at the start,finish and feeding stations .
well done to everyone who took part , 54 for me today but inspired to do the 100 next year .
great day out on the bike . 0 -
I bailed today. I was going to do the 100 if the weather was good. First off yesterday I decided that I wasn't going to bother. Then yesterday evening I thought I might as well do the 54. Got in the car this morning and set off for the start but decided halfway there not to bother as I've already done the short course a few times this year on nicer days.
So I turned round, rode from home and did a route that criss-crossed the Spud course a couple of times but made sure I was home before the rain started.
I'll go and do the 100 at some point over the summer.Higs0 -
I'd decided to do the 54 when i watched the weather forecast this morning, couldn't be arsed with getting cold and wet after last weekends heatwave.
Went round with a couple of clubmates till the feed then went our seperate ways.
3.26 on the garmin, didn't even get out of breath! 0 -
Decided to turn right after the feedstop....
Apart from the hail, 2 thunderstorms, torrential persistent rain, and some cattle in the road it was a lovely ride :shock:
Managed to get round in 7h 39....but the last 60 miles were more about survival and getting back asap than anything else....
Glad I did it though 0 -
Having checked the forecast , I was decked out in full-winter kit, but I still couldn't believe how cold it was. Did the full 100 route , I needed the training as am doing DLMC (Midi) in a fortnight's time.
Cant fault the organisation or the feed stops (scones and fruit cake were particularly nice). More than anything, the poor weather spoiled what would have been a very scenic ride.
Target was 8 hours if weather was ok, it wasn't , but came in at 8.14, mmmm
Well done to all, whichever distance you completed
Hands/feet have almost thawed out :?0 -
Husband is out getting the chinese. Roll on the apprentice. That was the hardest thing I've ever done - just the mental challenge of keeping on going when you are so cold and so wet and it's thundering and you're getting hailed on. So glad I did the 100 though - I feel that was a massive challenge and I managed to finish it. Time was crap - 8hrs 18m - but I'd given up on my target of 7.45 by about 40 miles. The miles just seemed to go so slowly. Can the weather on ventoux be any worse than we had today? I also did a wee in some bushes at the side of the road - hope the cows appreciated that. That was one advantage of the riders being very spread out.
awwwwwww. I think I forgot my polkadot bottle as well after all that. Bugger.
I'm not quite with it.0 -
I don't do cold and wet so I stayed in bed.
I can go and ride the route some other time when the weather is more suitable for me (hot and sunny) Guess I will have to wait to take part in my first sportive.
Maybe I should just move to Southern Europe.
Well done to everyone who finished, must have been a real challenge in that weather.0 -
does anyone have any contact details for the organisers? I can't see anything on the website.0
-
Hi Popette (I'm the woman who spoke to you at the start !)well done on your ride, weather must have been awful for you. We did the shorter route, still got soaked. I know some of the organisers and I'll get a bottle for you if you like, tell me what colour you want, I had a red on to match my bike ! Enjoy the Chinese (I've done nothing but eat since I got in)0
-
I too decided not to bother. I don't mind so much, at least my entry fee is going to charity.0
-
I too saw the forecast and was in two minds. In the end decided not to risk it and went for the shorter route and got home avoiding the rain. I've done 2 Polka and 2 Spuds before and a few other sportives and had never done the cop-out route. Glad I did though from what I see above.0
-
ermintrude wrote:Hi Popette (I'm the woman who spoke to you at the start !)well done on your ride, weather must have been awful for you. We did the shorter route, still got soaked. I know some of the organisers and I'll get a bottle for you if you like, tell me what colour you want, I had a red on to match my bike ! Enjoy the Chinese (I've done nothing but eat since I got in) Hi!
it's ok Cath, I've found it - it was hiding in my bag! I knew I'd lost my marbles a bit.
Please pass on to the organisers that it was a superbly run event. Whoever made the banana loaf cake at the second feedstop deserves a medal! It was gorgeous and really lifted my spirits. I think that was perhaps the best sign posting that I've seen on an event. There were a couple of moments when I hadn't seen anyone for a bit and I wondered if I was still on course but I thought it was excellent - really clear, particularly around the route split; it would have been very difficult to go wrong on that.
Chinese has gone now. I'm stuffed0 -
What time were you all out? I know I did the short route but between 8 and 11.30 it stayed completely dry.................... looks like I made the wise choice!
0 -
Did 100m route in just under 7hrs - brakes were a waste of time for last 20, had me foot down on the tarmac to slow down on the drop down to Lamaload?? resevoir!
Still, a good day out, especially now its over 0 -
few pics up now http://www.derekbphotography.co.uk/portfolio59035.html
me flying to the first feed .................. I could smell cake!
0 -
Did the 100 miler in a time of 6hrs 32mins (albeit under my friends name as he dropped out at the last minute due to weather concerns...). Was pleased with the time but not the conditions!
Was probably one of the worst days I've ever seen, ever. Me and my friends started very late due to setting off from York a bit late that morning. So off at 9:25 (start sheet said 9:08 :evil: ) and with the entire field to catch we head off, practically the last to leave.
Start was good, our 4 man team worked well and we kept a steady pace. First few climbs presented no major problems, apart from the occasional crazy rambling group blocking the road! Occasional friendly sprints for county signs breaking it up nicely.
Started catching people as we got closer to the 1st feed. Pulled in and got stamped, grabbed some of the nice goodies and filled bottles with energy drink. Thats when it started to rain. I had opted for shorts and ss jersey with arm warmers and leg warmers, with a gilet in a pocket in case it got cold. As it turned out that wouldn't be enough.
After the first feed we were very dissappointed by the directions, there was a 10 mile gap where we went back and forth a fair bit trying to find our way to the next marker, regularly needing to resort to our gps and route instructions. Stopping in the rain isn't fun, and hiding signs away isn't useful!!!
Anyway back on course with a few extra miles we carried on, keeping up a good tempo still. The rain really started to go for it now. Everything got soaked through, and the descents became nightmares as all of the water froze. We started hoping for climbs just to warm us up a bit.
2nd feed was good with great food, another thumbs up for banana flapjack, and quick filling of bottles. Nobody wanted to stand around in the rain!
Rolled off and headed away. Tailwind would have been welcome on most days, but meant that we weren't having to work hard. So we froze again.
More climbs and more overtaking meant we were going well. We managed to keep up some cheerful banter despite the ridiculously bad conditions and frezing cold. In just a gilet my arms were suffering and my fingers could no longer squeeze my water bottle. It all kind of fades into more warm climbs (god bless em!) and horrid descents. Cat and fiddle was memorable, really good climb and nowhere near as bad as I expected. Also the rain had starte to ease a tiny bit and that was another big plus.
On the way down the cat and fiddle one of my team mates had a crash going round a corner. Someone had dropped an old garmin gps system on the corner and my mates wheel hit it, sending him skidding off down the road. Nasty bruise but nothing damaged.
We restarted quickly to avoid dying of cold and as we were near the end.
Last climb wasn't so bad, but my mate who'd crashed was really hurting by this point so we slowed it down a fair bit, annoyingly people started to come past us, but we were happy riding together.
Those last 10 miles seemed to last forever, but we rolled into HQ, still as a complete 4 man squad. Freezing cold and fairly unhappy! Finished approx 3:30pm. Official ride time 6:32, but we make it closer to 6:10 (delays after they stamped us at the start).
If the weather had been good I think it would have been a fantastic ride, with great scenery, climbs, descents and feeds. As it was, looking back I feel it was an acheivement to finish in those conditions so I'm glad I did it. But at the time if I could have quit prematurely I would have."I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0
