Polka Dot Challenge - "Spud" Riley Gran Fondo
Comments
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Also what was with the load of BC Sky+ Riders I saw riding around. They didn't look like professional road racers, and they didn't quite have the build to be track cyclists... Nice jerseys though."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 -
I remember the Gran Fondo Cymru and an Exmoor event having extremely wet conditions and at the time I did think 'wonder when I'll get my comeuppance on one of these rides'....I'd had very testing times on the DLMC and the Devil Ride last year with wet periods but as I say...only in spells......well needless to say the Spud Riley yesterday realised my worst fears on a truly unprecendented scale....
I'd seen the weather forecast and dressed suitably for the occasion...just aswell! ...the BBC weather forecast showed that scary green colour right over the Peak District...and that means real trouble!
The downpour which started at the 35-40mile mark is something I'll never forget...I was absolutely gutted for the organisers...how can such a weather system prevail on a June Sunday?....especially after the previous weeks blistering high pressure system...and as it held off until after the first feed many.,many riders decided to do the full distance in the hope of sustained good weather....
60miles through the worst conditions I've ever cycled....roads morphing into canals....driving rain which made it almost impossible to look up....sleet and Hail which near froze me half to death....winds....thunder...yip, the whole damn lot......the ride over the space of 1-2 hours disentegrated into a war of motivation and attricion....the emotions were plain to see on everyones faces...no matter the level of cyclist!....at least I had my waterproofs...I seen tons with gillets etc...and I did honestly reckon hypothermic related conditions could arise....uncontrollable shaking with some guys.....
The route was gorgeous and very very challenging with very little flat stuff....but under such conditions it was very difficult to appreciate the beauty....what a monumental tour of the Peak this owuld be in nice summer conditions....
My own personal trophies from the event:-
My left inner knee started to become painful at 40 miles onwards...I think my illotibial band has been truamatised...its now swelled to twice the size and I can hardly bend my knee...on both hands my Thumbs,Middle and Index fingers have no feelings at the tips...they were frozen solid up near the Cat & Fiddle....
On a positive note......I finished in a time of 7.40....I managed to get around 70 photos of the whole event for my write up....and Im very proud of myself for remaining positive and actually finishing the ride....yesterday tested the mental powers everybit as much as the physical powers and anyone who completed that yesterday deserves a bloody medal in my books!
Thanks to Dave/Pete and there brave team for yet another monumental memory....I love the Polkadot with there stamp card and fixed start times...very nostalgic!...and along with the FWC the true pioneer of UK sportives.0 -
I saw someone photographing a signpost going up a hill who then got back on and quickly overtook me - wonder if that was you RichyBoy. It was murder wasn't it? Glad I did it - feel so good today (well, stiff and sore but with an inner glow that comes from knowing I got round).0
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nolf wrote:Also what was with the load of BC Sky+ Riders I saw riding around. They didn't look like professional road racers, and they didn't quite have the build to be track cyclists... Nice jerseys though.
I got chatting to one of the Sky+ HD guys, they were actually employees of Sky, a majority were training for the etape and so Sky booked them into the Spud.0 -
popette wrote:I saw someone photographing a signpost going up a hill who then got back on and quickly overtook me - wonder if that was you RichyBoy. It was murder wasn't it? Glad I did it - feel so good today (well, stiff and sore but with an inner glow that comes from knowing I got round).
Yes...that was me...and I remember you saying a few words of what you thought of the weather as I passed...cannot repeat it here of course...but very big well done for completing that....and thanks for the comments regarding the baking at the feedstops...my wife put a hell of a lot of effort into baking all that....but it's for a great cause and its great to help out a fantastic charity event like this...0 -
Well the decent weather at the first feed stop didn't fool me one bit and I did the short route to avoid any bad weather. I even managed to get back without getting wet. The ride was marred though when my riding companion had a nasty crash when his stem snapped after he hit a cattle grid. He got picked up by a marshall within 10-15 minutes so top marks to the organizers for doing regular sweeps of the route.
Seemed like a good route though, and I'll definitely be back next year.0 -
Have to agree that the weather was some of the worst I have had to cycle in but even with the terrible weather there was still a good element of enjoyment and certainly a great sense of achievement at the end. Completed the 100 mile course with Captain Fagor in 6hrs 44mins which was approx 8 mins faster than last year surprisingly.
Well done to all that stuck out the weather as for approx 4 hrs the rain, hailstones, wind and cold were punishing to say the least.
Richyboy- Apologies for not getting more time to chat with you at the start but we were on a mission to beat last years time and I thoughtyou and the group were still behind me.
I also found a helmet in the car park which was handed in to the organisers if anyone has arrived home missing a vital bit of Kit. Think it was a Met Stradivarious in grey.0 -
bigal. wrote:Richyboy- Apologies for not getting more time to chat with you at the start but we were on a mission to beat last years time and I thoughtyou and the group were still behind me.
quote]
I was behind you....way behind you!....no worries mate...really nice meeting you and captain at the start...small world eh?....captain explained to me that you lads finished within the top 20 the last 2 years running...that was enough for me to say adios to you 2
Stomping great time you lads got there...well done...and I agree...that climatic experience gives a greater sense of acheivement....but I'll wait until my knee calms down and my fingertips resume feeling before allowing the experience to meander into a 'warmer' place in my mind....0 -
daz1974 wrote:Well the decent weather at the first feed stop didn't fool me one bit and I did the short route to avoid any bad weather. I even managed to get back without getting wet.
And just to rub it in it looks quite warm and sunny today
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a_n_t wrote:And just to rub it in it looks quite warm and sunny today
Well that's the British weather for you I guess. The only time I've seen such extreme swings in conditions which we've had in the last week was in the Alps last year where in the space of 3 days I was almost hypothermic going over the Joux Plane to getting sunstroke on the Columbiere. And Britain doesn't even have the excuse of being at an altitude of 2000m!0 -
Did anyone else's Garmin go nuts? The gradients on mine were total rubbish - going up some steep old hills, out of the saddle and toiling only to see that Garmin was telling me it was -3%. What did you get as your total ascent?
I can't see any photos of me or my husband on the site yet. I know I was snapped at least twice though so guess they will all come on over the next few days.0 -
Just one more to say thank you to the organisers for good road signage all the way round, there were a couple of moments where due to the field being so spread out you did wonder if you were still on the route...also for the food at the feedstops - superb!
Karen - forgot to post yesterday, but thank you very much for the lift home....
..and the weather today does look ideal for a bike round too
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one other thing - does anyone know if the guy who came off appraoching the road before Blaze Farm was ok..??
.the driver of a car coming the other way said he had somersaulted over the bars having caught the verge...
I came passed and stopped about a minute after he came off and his face was covered in blood...an ambulance was called and it passed us as we were coming through Pott Shrigley..
Due to the weather the descent from Lamaload (a known hazardous drop) was very dicey and the route taking a sharp right on the approach to Bollington made Blaze Hill awkward, although I was taking it easy having just seen that crash scene0 -
popette wrote:Did anyone else's Garmin go nuts? The gradients on mine were total rubbish - going up some steep old hills, out of the saddle and toiling only to see that Garmin was telling me it was -3%. What did you get as your total ascent?
Yup mine gave up working after about 1700m of climbing and by the end it said i'd done about 1970m. Guess it doent work in monsoons0 -
popette wrote:Did anyone else's Garmin go nuts?
mine was ok as I stayed dry
actually saying that the mount broke yesterday so I couldn't descend with my usual gusto!
If you turn the unit over you'll see 2 "four holed circles" one of these is the altitude sensor and if rain blocks it it can send them haywire! Give it a wipe now and again on the bike and it should be ok.0 -
Glad I turned left after the feed stop and took the short route home!![didnt even get wet!!]
Really pleased to hear that the guy who snapped his stem was ok...he fell 50 yards behind me [ i stopped and went to help.. it looked like a bad fall ].... U needed to really slow down for that cattle grid .
Better weather needed next year!
guppy0 -
RICHYBOYcp wrote:I was behind you....way behind you!....no worries mate...really nice meeting you and captain at the start...small world eh?....captain explained to me that you lads finished within the top 20 the last 2 years running...that was enough for me to say adios to you 2
Stomping great time you lads got there...well done...and I agree...that climatic experience gives a greater sense of acheivement....but I'll wait until my knee calms down and my fingertips resume feeling before allowing the experience to meander into a 'warmer' place in my mind....
Yeah Richy, I'd re-iterate Bigal's words - apologies for the short confab at the start - we were keen to press on. It was nice to meet you though! Very happy with the time considering the conditions. I don't recall ever being so cold and wet on a bike in June!! Your time of 7hrs 40mins is pretty good given the biblical weather, and your photography diversions - surely a sign of your dedication to recording hills / sportive rides. Even if the Dallas Cowboys' cheerleaders were on the roadside, I wouldn't have stopped in the rain to take a photo.
Anyone who finished the 100 miles has certainly got grit. I'm looking forward to seeing the numbers of finishers versus the 600 applicants. I'd also be interested to see the name of the girl who arrived at the 2nd feedstation when we were there. Only eight riders were through at that point, and she absolutely motored by us about five minutes later! :shock:0 -
Captain Fagor wrote:RICHYBOYcp wrote:I was behind you....way behind you!....no worries mate...really nice meeting you and captain at the start...small world eh?....captain explained to me that you lads finished within the top 20 the last 2 years running...that was enough for me to say adios to you 2
Stomping great time you lads got there...well done...and I agree...that climatic experience gives a greater sense of acheivement....but I'll wait until my knee calms down and my fingertips resume feeling before allowing the experience to meander into a 'warmer' place in my mind....
Yeah Richy, I'd re-iterate Bigal's words - apologies for the short confab at the start - we were keen to press on. It was nice to meet you though! Very happy with the time considering the conditions. I don't recall ever being so cold and wet on a bike in June!! Your time of 7hrs 40mins is pretty good given the biblical weather, and your photography diversions - surely a sign of your dedication to recording hills / sportive rides. Even if the Dallas Cowboys' cheerleaders were on the roadside, I wouldn't have stopped in the rain to take a photo.
Anyone who finished the 100 miles has certainly got grit. I'm looking forward to seeing the numbers of finishers versus the 600 applicants. I'd also be interested to see the name of the girl who arrived at the 2nd feedstation when we were there. Only eight riders were through at that point, and she absolutely motored by us about five minutes later! :shock:
You oughta see some of the photos Ive got...on one of them it looks like a photo of a canal....and its the road....and others show the rain bouncing 5 inch of the ground!....and the photo I took of the Cat & Fiddle near the end tells a story :shock: testing times for everyone!
Its very sobering seeing someone pass you by like your standing still....as you lads are much better cyclists than me it must happen less often...but its just levels aint it?....this lassie must be pure quality...but I'm so used to chaps flying passed that I just marvel at the ability...
Should have a wee write up done and dusted over the next week or so...I'll pop a wee link up here for anyone who wishes to revisit the killing fields!0 -
it was a lot of 'fun'...!0
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AGuppy wrote:Really pleased to hear that the guy who snapped his stem was ok...he fell 50 yards behind me [ i stopped and went to help.. it looked like a bad fall ].... U needed to really slow down for that cattle grid .
guppy
That was me :-(
First time I have ever had an issue with a cattle grid - the stem just snapped - leaving me sitting there wondering how I was going to stop for the road in 100m, then the handlebars helped by using the spokes as a braking surface :-(:-(
I went flying , but apart from some cuts bruises and the like I was ok :-), unlike the forks or the wheels or the brakes or the .... :-(:-(:-(
I'm not sure about the stem, a lbs suggested contacting giant and going from there as it looks like a structural/manufacturing failure, but I'm not sure what joy I'll get with a 2yr old bike.
On the plus side, nothing broken & I missed the rain.
P.0 -
"On the plus side........................ I missed the rain. "
you really need to come and give some of my staff a lecture on positive thinking !
glad your ok , i would still be sat there crying over my bike ! 0 -
The times are now upon the website. Not many finishers considering they had 600+ entries!0
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cacbyname wrote:The times are now upon the website. Not many finishers considering they had 600+ entries!
not sure if the lists are correct , ive just checked and i know four people including myself who do not feature on the listings ....and i can assure you we started, finished and got our tickets stamped :?0 -
wow, I came 2nd in the 54 according to that. Wish I'd actually tried now! Sub 3 hours was easily do-able.0
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Very busy with studying at work at the moment and wont get a write up of the event done until next week at the earliest...however I've just put some of the photos up of the event...if you want a re-trauma the have a look here...
http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... page=1#6150 -
it was a lot of 'fun'...!
elastigirl72- I assume that it was you who flew passed us after the last feed stop. It was very funny watching 5 or 6 riders trying to catch your wheel. Just out of curiosity are you training for something special or are you just super fit.
I also saw another girl at the end who came in and was chatting to some blokes saying that she had fallen off. She then proceeded to display some quite nasty road rash on the side of her thigh and commented that it had been a good ride. Top class.0 -
Better late than never I suppose...just got the write-up done for this...if you fancy revisiting the truama then please feel free:-
http://www.sportivecentral.com/index.ph ... 352&page=10
