My disasterous "Stinger"

johnbirkby46213

On Sunday I took part on the "Wyre Forest Stinger". Due to circumstances (some of which) were beyond my control, I was unable to get on my bike much in the previous 6 weeks. Not really prepared then.....
Still I stayed in a fabby BnB, and set off on Sunday from the Sports Centre full of, well more hope than expectation. By the time I had struggled up Clee Hill, I knew that the full stinger was not on and cycled back to Stourport having only completed 81 miles. Pretty much disgusted with myself for all sorts of reasons.
So duly shattered I put helmet and computer on roof of car whist I took off shoes in readiness for driving home.
Yep, you're ahead of me already.
It wasn't until I arrived back in flatshire that I discovered I am now minus my Met helmet (complete with ziptied Fenix light) and Spech computer.
So if by any chance any of you guys came across them, PLEASE can you mail at

spechrubaix AT googlemail DOT com

(or even pm me here)

Thanks

JB

cyclingvet

Thats really bad luck!

I thought this year's Stinger was a bastard! :evil: I managed Ankerdine and Clee Hill OK but the Stinger section seemed worse than last year (or so it seemd to me, as I had to walk up eveything over 15% and last year I only walked up one hill. May be I'm less fit than last year. I Didn't enjoy it much at all , despite the weather being better than last year as:-

1. Poor signage meant I missed the first feed station. :shock:

2. Got to my first feed at just before Clee Hill at 62 miles and they had no isotonic fluids(and I was almost out of High 5) :shock:

3. 10 minutes or so after Clee Hill I got a puncture, then found out my pump was knackered :evil: -- had to wait to borrow a fellow rider's pump.

4. 5 minutes after getting back on the road (after a stop of 15-20 minutes) got another puncture!. :evil: Similar wait until I was back on the road. Thanks to the guy who leant me his CO2 canister (but it ran out after only filling the tyre half full, so had to wait for someone else to stop and lend me a hand.)

I was hoping to better my time of last year which was marred also by one puncture and going on a detour (again due to poor signage). Once I realised I wasn't going to,( I was hoping to get a Silver at least) the rest of the ride felt like a total bind!


I'm seriously thinking of cancelling my entry for the Ryedale Rumble after yesterday's performance.