Cumberland Challenge Roll Call.

LardLover
LardLover Posts: 676
edited August 2009 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
636sean and myself (injuries permitting :shock: :wink: :roll: )

Anyone else?

Comments

  • snaffledog
    snaffledog Posts: 53
    yeah I'm in , last sportive I did was Dave Lloyd Midi (108 miles) back in june, looking forward it. I am from Carlisle originally, but moved down to Stockport back in 1998. So most of the Southern loop will be familiar, but the Northern loop will be totally new territory.

    Have any of you guys and gals done this one before, interested to know what the terrain is like on the Northern loop, the profile doesnt show a great deal of actual elevation, but lots of shorter climbs in succession.
  • brucey72
    brucey72 Posts: 1,086
    I have done it the last two years and am doing it again this year...............a cracking ride although on both occasions it has pi**ed it down so be prepared.

    In my opinion the second part of it, after Brampton is more difficult than the first part because of it continuous undulations. Although there are no "big" climbs you seem to climb, descend, climb back up again, descend again continuously which really drains the energy. Its a nice run to the finish after the final food stop though.

    I'm sure you will enjoy it.
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    It could be 3rd time lucky for you brucey :wink:
  • maddog 2
    maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    I signed up with the wife to do it but she's bailed out on me :( so I'm not sure what's happening now. Might do it alone, or try and get a mate along.
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    Come and do it alone, although you won't be alone will you, you'll be with hundreds of others :wink:

    She'd only slow you down anyhoo :shock: (says the guy who'll be struggling to keep a head of the cut off :oops: ).
  • 636sean
    636sean Posts: 24
    Im doing it....but only because you nagged and promised the organisers had laid on naked virgins for the finishers!
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    I thought it was you who mentioned it?
  • rhnb
    rhnb Posts: 324
    snaffledog wrote:
    Have any of you guys and gals done this one before, interested to know what the terrain is like on the Northern loop, the profile doesnt show a great deal of actual elevation, but lots of shorter climbs in succession.

    I did the first one in 2006 and for one reason or another haven't done it since. Must get round to doing it again.
    If it's any use, I wrote up our experiences of it here...
    http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/cumberl ... /index.htm

    Good luck to all riding it! and hope for once the weather is kind - yeah right ;-)
    Allan.
    ~~~
    http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk
    Cycle tour reports and the home of \'Cycling Before Lycra\'
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    Mmm, just read your experience rhnb, do you think it's too late to cram in some last minute hill training tomorrow??

    :shock:
  • nickwill
    nickwill Posts: 2,735
    I'm in again. I've ended up doing them all. It's a great event. All first timers should be warned not to take the second half lightly. It looks nothing on the profile, but is deceptively hard with constant ups and downs. It's worth holding back at the beginning.
    http://lakescyclist.wordpress.com/
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    I'm not familiar with the route north of Brampton, had been planning on doing a recce ride but never got round to it :(

    The bit I'm not looking forward to is the climb out of Garrigill. I've been down that road when doing the coast to coast and always thought myself "Hmmm, pleased I don't have to climb up this!". Well, turns out I will have to next weekend :(

    After that I think I'll be ready for the north end of the route, that climb will be my mental block, if I can get past it then the Challenge is mine!!!! (not in a race winning time sense you understand, purely in a personal challenge type way :roll: )
  • brucey72
    brucey72 Posts: 1,086
    Just a quick heads up. If there is any rain this week then the road from about two miles outside Brampton to Armathwaite will be extremely slippery. I have just done part of the route today in preparation for next week and that part of the road is caked in mud from tractors going in and out the filelds. Luckily it was dry today but any rain later in the week will make this stretch of road hazardous.
  • LardLover
    LardLover Posts: 676
    Cheers for the heads-up brucey72
  • andy_from_embsay
    andy_from_embsay Posts: 343
    I'll be there with 3 posh lads from Harrogate, in the Division II start slot between 8 and 8.30.

    Question (which I've emailed the organisers about but not got a reply as yet) to you guys who've done this before - what do they provide at the feedstops? I've decided I really prefer something other than energy bars and cake, so was wondering if there was likely to be anything of a more savoury nature, otherwise I'll be bringing a few examples of that staple cyclists' food suggested by James Cracknell, and already decided upon by the north yorkshire fat lads, of miniature pork pies!

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