Lakeland Loop anyone?

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Comments

  • Once_In_A_Blue_Moon
    Once_In_A_Blue_Moon Posts: 269
    4:20 that's an excellent time, good effort! The woman by Wyrnose offered me Pringles, I kindly turned the offer down! Wine gums however would of been a different story! Most of the drivers on Hardknott were quite considerate, but I know one lad who got clipped by a car up there. Without wanting to start ranting, there were some pig ignorant bas***rds out there too, but only to be expected on an Easter Sunday.
  • mathi
    mathi Posts: 110
    Superb weather and good organised event just not to sure of this new time keeping method they are using . I was booked in for a 8 am start , as i was waiting for some freinds to arrive and get ready i didn't get to the start line till 8.50 . Was then told that my start time was 8 am and thats when the clock would start counting , i hadnt crossed the start line yet :evil:
    Spoke to some organiser at the end who said he would look into it , i have since found out i wasnt the only one :roll:
    Other wise a very good day out and will be back next year (learning from my mistakes)
  • Higs
    Higs Posts: 105
    Really enjoyed that apart from Hardknott. I had to walk the last few steep hairpins, despite having taken it quite easy all the way round just so I could have a pop at Hardknott.

    Was there any water (or other drink) at the end? I filled two bottles at the last stop but was empty by the top of Wrynose. I was v. thirsty at the finish. If any of the three blokes in the silver A3 (S3?) next to me in the black Saab sees this... thanks again for the water. Much appreciated.
    Higs
  • pinarellodude
    pinarellodude Posts: 102
    Any pictures on line seems loads out taking photos? :D
  • Higs
    Higs Posts: 105
    try here.... http://gallery126268.fotopic.net/c1681261.html
    Higs
  • r3 guy
    r3 guy Posts: 229
    Brilliant Day !!

    Couldn't ask for better weather. This was my first ever sportive, and my longest ride to date, finished in 5:43. Cramped up badly in both legs on hard knott, wrynose and that other hill after wrynose (that i wasnt expecting)

    Members of the public were brilliant, clapping and cheering us on. Feel sorry for those Sunday drivers that thought they would take a drive, must have taken them a good couple of hours to get over those two passes. I found all the drivers to very considerate.

    Well organized and great atmosphere....Roll on the Dragon Ride!
  • mathi
    mathi Posts: 110
    Results are up on epics site :?
  • howiejmidlands
    howiejmidlands Posts: 389
    Results are up if you are a racing mountain goat!!
    First hundred riders are published, could be a long wait for mine.
    Just a fat bloke on a bike
  • mathi
    mathi Posts: 110
    Personally i arent taking a lot of notice of the times simply because mine is a mile out , but it is bloody annoying after driving for 4 hrs to get to the event :evil:
  • howiejmidlands
    howiejmidlands Posts: 389
    8:51
    Officially dead last, but with 8 dnf's i wasnt last.
    Some of those times are a bit quick!
    Just a fat bloke on a bike
  • Yorkman
    Yorkman Posts: 290
    The 2008 ride was my first ever sportive, and I clocked 8:39.04

    A bit of training and came in at 6:32.00

    Quite happy about that improvement, thoroughly enjoyed the day, although the helpful woman at the bootom of Hardknott offered me peanuts, which baffled me a bit at the time!
  • Higs
    Higs Posts: 105
    Yorkman wrote:
    The 2008 ride was my first ever sportive, and I clocked 8:39.04

    A bit of training and came in at 6:32.00

    Impressive improvement.

    Yesterday was my first sportive and I did ~6:20. Does that mean I'll be just over four hours next year? I'd like to think so but I doubt it.
    Higs
  • pinarellodude
    pinarellodude Posts: 102
    Oh 70th and I was riding like a bag off Poo :?
  • pugwashcp
    pugwashcp Posts: 120
    Came in at just over seven hours but managed the full loop without having to get off and push. Although I have to admit to almost falling off on Hardknott I was going so slowly.

    I was aiming for something around six hours but I had a nightmare with punctures. By the time I hit Wrynose I had a slow puncture that was getting worse every time I topped up the pressure, no fresh tubes left and only half a canister of gas. Tried to make it home on a squidgey tyre but ended up running with my bike from the top of the Blea Tarn climb to the finish.

    Apart from that I have to say it was a fab day out in the hills. Blessed with the weather we had and some good company to help eat up the miles there can't be many nicer places to ride your bike than the Lakes.

    I'll be back next year for a sub six hour time on my summer bike.....with a pump and plenty of spare tubes!!

    Next up for me is the Gran Fondo Cymru.....Happy Days!! :D
    He who dies with the most toys wins!
  • simonahfrost
    simonahfrost Posts: 46
    What a cracking day out, cars on Hardknot excepted, managed both Hardnott and Wrynose for the first time on a compact, previously only ever on a triple.

    5:30 last year
    5:13 this
    Got to have been doing something right over the winter

    Thanks to the organisers and those in the feed stations, giving up a day like that is a notable donation and I appreciated it.

    Next stop - FWC - do I follow through with an attempt on a compact again?
    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.
    Oscar Wilde
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    simonahfrost wrote:
    What a cracking day out, cars on Hardknot excepted, managed both Hardnott and Wrynose for the first time on a compact, previously only ever on a triple.

    5:30 last year
    5:13 this
    Got to have been doing something right over the winter

    Thanks to the organisers and those in the feed stations, giving up a day like that is a notable donation and I appreciated it.

    Next stop - FWC - do I follow through with an attempt on a compact again?

    I've did Hardknott & Wrynose etc after around 60 steep insane miles in the Lakes....and although it was 'as always' bonkers hard it was nowhere near as tough as it was after 100miles on the FWC....I think the distance really takes its toll....

    The FWC is an altogether different animal than the LL....Kirkstone,Honister,Newlands and the rest of the extra stuff really up the stakes.....I admire the fact you managed it on a Compact but if your ultimate goal on the FWC is not walking then the Triple obviously offers best chance of success.....For me personally I reckon Hardknott on the FWC is the toughest thing I've ever did in cycling...and I barely scrape home on a triple 30 x 27...good luck on whatever you choose.
  • simonahfrost
    simonahfrost Posts: 46
    Richyboy, thanks for your encouragement, I did the FWC and DLMC both last year and thought I might bump into you on one or the both, given that we both come from North of the border, and our times are not that dissimilar, never happened, but I was on the lookout for a large (tall) tattooed man on an Orbea?

    I did the FWC in 8:33 last year, using a triple, and bonked badly in the last 10 - 15 miles, as predicted with 90+ insane miles in my legs, due to inadequate fluid intake, the run to the first feed is long and I ran out before getting there, that started the rot!

    I'm 56, my biological clock of athletic achievement is ticking, having only started cycling in earnest 3-4 yrs ago, yet I have an appetite to challenge myself still, and have convinced myself that if I have lower gears I bail out earlier than I need to. As posted earlier in this thread, life is ever a balance between ambition and ability, I think I will try with ambition, I have built a lovely Cervelo R3 over the winter, compact chainset, my first 'Carbon' bike, it feels (and was) a million dollars(almost) to ride, I have to try it this year - there, I've said it, I'm going for it and will have a great day out whatever happens, its the FWC after all.

    PS, I may try the same thing on the DLMC as well, hmmm, ambition sneaking ahead of ability maybe?
    The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.
    Oscar Wilde
  • LittleB0b
    LittleB0b Posts: 416
    Once_In_A_Blue_Moon wrote:
    4Without wanting to start ranting, there were some pig ignorant bas***rds out there too, but only to be expected on an Easter Sunday.

    In general I agree - although organising an event on *THE* busiest day of the year in the lakes, seems a bit odd to me, because it's obviosuly gonna be rammed. Although maybe it all worked out OK.
    blog: bellevedere
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    simonahfrost wrote:
    Richyboy, thanks for your encouragement, I did the FWC and DLMC both last year and thought I might bump into you on one or the both, given that we both come from North of the border, and our times are not that dissimilar, never happened, but I was on the lookout for a large (tall) tattooed man on an Orbea?

    I did the FWC in 8:33 last year, using a triple, and bonked badly in the last 10 - 15 miles, as predicted with 90+ insane miles in my legs, due to inadequate fluid intake, the run to the first feed is long and I ran out before getting there, that started the rot!

    I'm 56, my biological clock of athletic achievement is ticking, having only started cycling in earnest 3-4 yrs ago, yet I have an appetite to challenge myself still, and have convinced myself that if I have lower gears I bail out earlier than I need to. As posted earlier in this thread, life is ever a balance between ambition and ability, I think I will try with ambition, I have built a lovely Cervelo R3 over the winter, compact chainset, my first 'Carbon' bike, it feels (and was) a million dollars(almost) to ride, I have to try it this year - there, I've said it, I'm going for it and will have a great day out whatever happens, its the FWC after all.

    PS, I may try the same thing on the DLMC as well, hmmm, ambition sneaking ahead of ability maybe?

    Well if you've built yourself a bike of that standard then ambition rules....I simply could not do Hardknott on a Compact with a 10 min TT warm up....christ its bad enough with the 30 x 27 for me.....and if you can manage the FWC on that then I cannot see why you could not do the DLMC aswell?....there's nothing tougher than Hardknott....but Dave Lloyd has entered its only UK competitor IMO...Blwch Y Groes from Dinas...another horrid experience but I reckon theres more chance of getting up the Bwlch with bigger gears than you would Hardknott....and if your gonna be on your saddle for around 9-11 hours then why not be it on the best equipped steed?....good luck!
  • biker_ben
    biker_ben Posts: 22
    this was my second sportive and i loved it, fantastic weather, fantastic route taking me through and area of the lake district i'd never been through and also fantastic riders who were easy to talk with
    Only one negative point however was that i managed to get myself lost in Keswick (dont ask how) which meant i lost around 5 minutes :cry: manged to come 4th though in 4:06 and without the hiccup in keswick would've been a comfortable 2nd :lol:
    the winner stormed past me going up hardknott (i have never seen anything as steep as hardknott, i was in awe of it) and i only managed to stick with him till the decent
    Quite happy with my overall ride though considering im only 17 and been riding since october, bring on the Brian Robinson challenge and the Etape du Dales, fingers crossed for a win in the Brian Robinson as its very close to where i live!!!

    Congrats to everyone who took party, it really was an enjoyable day
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    biker_ben wrote:
    this was my second sportive and i loved it, fantastic weather, fantastic route taking me through and area of the lake district i'd never been through and also fantastic riders who were easy to talk with
    Only one negative point however was that i managed to get myself lost in Keswick (dont ask how) which meant i lost around 5 minutes :cry: manged to come 4th though in 4:06 and without the hiccup in keswick would've been a comfortable 2nd :lol:
    the winner stormed past me going up hardknott (i have never seen anything as steep as hardknott, i was in awe of it) and i only managed to stick with him till the decent
    Quite happy with my overall ride though considering im only 17 and been riding since october, bring on the Brian Robinson challenge and the Etape du Dales, fingers crossed for a win in the Brian Robinson as its very close to where i live!!!

    Congrats to everyone who took party, it really was an enjoyable day

    I see great placings ahead for you young man :shock:
  • Rich K47
    Rich K47 Posts: 62
    They seem to have updated the results for the Loop now if anyone is interested. Certainly the time and placing I was originally given was wrong and now seems to have been corrected along with numerous others. It's 'only' a sportive but it's nice that they've got it right!
  • gavinrae
    gavinrae Posts: 9
    only kelso wheeler to do the run ex. ride and day if only hardknott was car free i may have got up alway's next time brother in law got up mountain biker and only 11anhalf stone thank you to lady with nut's& pringles nearly crashed out on decents will learn from that got under my 6hrs so can't complain bring on the northern rock.

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