Phil Liggett CTC Challenge - Aug 8th

Trailerman

Just wondered if anyone else is up for 100 miles in the Peaks, including Holme Moss and Winnat's Pass.

Rode this last year and thought it was awesome. Not a true sportive - no timing chips or any of that nonsense - but one of the best routes you're likely to ride in the UK, planned by the great man himself, who also rides every year. Plus all funds go to a great cause - the CTC do fantastic work for cyclists and have for many years - as opposesd to commercial organisers' profits.

Last year's route was 2,800m of climbing (on the long loop), and this year is apparently going to be properly sign-posted/marshalled, as opposed to previous years being more find-your-own-way, Audax type affairs.

More info at the site below - I have no affiliation with the CTC (although I am a member) but just wanted to mention this largely unknown event.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3691

Jules

moolarb

I'm up for this, sounds like a great route. Might need to do some more hill training and practice Winnats again as I tried and failed that once before...

snaffledog

have put in for this one again , did the 150k back in 2008. wasnt much wind on that day, just pea-souper then rain.

Havent been up winnats this year (rough if there is a headwind), but been up pym's chair/macc forest(toot hill) a good few times. Plus did the Keswick sportive that went up both sides of the following passes, Whinlatter , Newlands and Honister (killer the 2nd time up).

Just reminded myself of the profile, constant ascent/descent for the entire route.

What I'd consider the main climbs :-

Bradfield
Strines (Thorpes Brow)
Holme Moss
Chunal
Chinley Head
Rushup Edge/Mam Nick
Winnats Pass
Monsal Head
Moscar (A57 drag)

Plus lots of the other smaller climbs and drags.

Phil himself wasnt there in 2008 coz he was covering the Tour Of Ireland, hope he 's there this year.

Doing this ride is a challenge in itself, but kind of using it as training for Cumberland Challenge and TOB Stoke sportive in September

Anybody any idea on entry numbers?

Trailerman

Don't worry about Winnat's - no shame in walking, as lots were last year, club riders included.

I think it's fair to say I have never suffered as much as the last 200 yards of Winnat's. Had I not had a guy on my wheel I would have bailed out half way up - no fun with Holme Moss and another 60 miles of mainly hills already in the legs, but hugely satisfying if you can hang on.

No idea on numbers I'm afraid, but they seem to be promoting it more than previously, so hopefully the turnout will be good. Fingers crossed for decent weather.

Jules

AndyRubio

I'm in! All 150 glorious km.

Anyone got a gpx of the route? Or is there a bikely / ridewithgps / etc linky?

mikeeye

AndyRubio wrote:

Anyone got a gpx of the route? Or is there a bikely / ridewithgps / etc linky?

I created this route on GPSies. I'm not sure how correct it'll be though - it's just from looking at the screenshots of the maps on the CTC site. Feel free to use it, but don't blame me if you get lost :-)

EDIT - obsolete route removed. See post below.

AndyRubio

Superb thanks! There should be arrows too just in case.

Cheers,
Andy

STORMSY

Entries at just over 250 across the two events as of today..... First start at 8:00 a.m.

rolf_f

snaffledog wrote:

Plus did the Keswick sportive that went up both sides of the following passes, Whinlatter , Newlands and Honister (killer the 2nd time up).

How did you find that compared to this one? I did the Keswick one and found it pretty straightforward and I'm up for more of that but less keen on 'whole different league'

snaffledog

hi Rolf H, which keswick one do you mean?

Honister Pass has 25% stretches on both sides.
And Newlands Pass with 20% stretches.

Keswick Sportive 105km route profile
http://www.anquet.co.uk/MARS-Route-Profile.aspx?RouteID=14909

Went up Winnats Pass yesterday for the first time since the Tour Of The Peak back in October. 34x27 from the word go, and kept it really slow all the way (seriously). Bit of a headwind, but not too bad, so was fairly 'comfortable'.

After about 2 months of very fragmented training, feel a bit more confident about Sunday's ride now even though we will hit Winnats after about 60miles, and not after 30 like yesterday.

P J L

Can someone help out a newbie with some details on this ride, as CTC have not been very forthcoming with information?

What refreshments are likely to be provided (the website says something about nutritional products supplied by Zipvit sport)? I'm trying to work out how many gels/mars bars/sandwiches to pack.

Plus, it's not entirely clear whether the start is at 8 or 9am.

Hoping for some nice weather on Sunday.

Cheers

snaffledog

Did this one in 2008

I think that the 150km starts earliest at 0800 or after and the 100km 0900 or after. Its not exact with this event.

I would agree that info on feeds isnt the best (nothing on map or route details) , think its ad-hoc cafe stops plus one stop near Edale (definite for water). Best take enough scran for the full day.

Very much a CTC/Audax style type event really (i am a member of CTC), though cracking route with classic (tough) climbs.

The upsurge in popularity of sportives has kind of forced the organisers to provide route marking and feed stops this year..

Event organisers ... give us some sportive-esque info on feed facilities please.. ta

Trailerman

From my experience last year, you start when you want. Just show up at the HQ, register and set off when you're ready. So basically any time after 8am.

I agree that more information on feedstops would be helpful. Last year there were no organised feed stops at all, but there was a campsite with shop selling tea and sandwiches where most stopped, in Edale (around the half-way mark). Some also stopped at other cafes later on.

[EDIT: I just received my application confirmation in the post, and full route details, along with details of refreshment stops, are included. If you have them, I suggest you check them out, although fundamentally the arrangements are the same as last year - no dedicated feedstops, but various cafe-stops are listed.]

My suspicion is that this year will be similar, so I'd advise taking enough food/drink to get you to the half-way mark, and then a few top-up gels/bars for the second half.

Good luck everyone, and thanks for the support on this thread. Give me a wave (or a push!) if you see a tired forty-something on a white Felt with a red helmet.

Jules

P J L

Thanks for the responses guys.

So it seems you have to enter the 150km to get the full details. I put down for 100km, thinking maybe I'll do the extra 50 if I'm feeling like it.

Any chance you could post the list of cafe-stops on here?

Cheers

mikeeye

P J L wrote:

So it seems you have to enter the 150km to get the full details.

I registered for the 150km the other day. All I have is an emailed registration confirmation - no details about the route or cafe stops.

Looking forward to it now! Slighly nervous about all those hills :-)

The Sportiver

There are feedstops - see http://www.cyclosport.org/forum/reply.aspx?fid=26&tid=3090

mikeeye

MikeEye wrote:

I registered for the 150km the other day. All I have is an emailed registration confirmation - no details about the route or cafe stops.

I got home today to find that CTC had very kindly sent me a route sheet in the post.

Based on that, I've created a new route on GPSies. Feel free to use it, though I have to warn you that it comes out as 91.99 miles instead of the claimed 93 miles, so it may be wrong!

I did mark the three refreshments stops at

Corner House Café in Holmfirth;
Green Acres Caravan and Camping (1.3 miles after Edale); and
The Outside Café in Calver

Good luck everyone!

AndyRubio

MikeEye wrote:

Based on that, I've created a new route on GPSies. Feel free to use it, though I have to warn you that it comes out as 91.99 miles instead of the claimed 93 miles, so it may be wrong!

Thanks so much for the GPX, it was very useful!

Andy

mikeeye

AndyRubio wrote:

Thanks so much for the GPX, it was very useful!

Andy

You're very welcome :-)

Great ride wasn't it!

rolf_f

MikeEye wrote:

Based on that, I've created a new route on GPSies. Feel free to use it, though I have to warn you that it comes out as 91.99 miles instead of the claimed 93 miles, so it may be wrong!

Phil actually said it was 90. According to Bikely 91.6 so I reckon anything between 91.5 and 92 is probably fair enough

I loved it - I've done the first leg to Holmfirth before on a ride from Sheffield to Leeds but the rest was all new to me for cycling. Never been up Holme Moss even in a car so that was interesting first time I saw it. Winnats was probably harder than I thought, Monsal fairly straightforward.

Best thing probably the finish - high speed blat across the moor tops followed by a sharp right turn and you are home. I was expecting a couple more miles!

mikeeye

Rolf F wrote:

MikeEye wrote:

Based on that, I've created a new route on GPSies. Feel free to use it, though I have to warn you that it comes out as 91.99 miles instead of the claimed 93 miles, so it may be wrong!

Phil actually said it was 90. According to Bikely 91.6 so I reckon anything between 91.5 and 92 is probably fair enough

<snip>

Best thing probably the finish - high speed blat across the moor tops followed by a sharp right turn and you are home. I was expecting a couple more miles!

The route on GPSies turned out to be pretty close - I just had one discrepancy in Cressbrook on the descent into the valley before Monsal Head.

Planned:

Actual:

According to my GPS, it was 92.19 miles (148.36 km) in all. That last blast towards the finish was indeed great! I really wanted to come in at under 7 hrs so that downhill stretch helped, but in the end it wasn't quite to be. Ho hum.

rolf_f

Oh yes - I missed that bit out - I can add an extra 0.6 miles 8) - surprised I missed it - that was quite a scary descent.

I managed about 5:54 cycling time and 6:28 overall (exactly 30 minutes stop at Edale!)

Not too many bonkers fast people - they were probably put off by the lack of official timing. I was barely overtaken by anyone until Millers Dale when a small group blasted past me on the descent. I managed to hold on to the diminishing group until the end!

Incidentally, we had to virtually stop on the last downhill to pass a horse at exactly the point where we met the one oncoming car we saw on that bit!

moolarb

Fantastic event, hard as nails, but enjoyed it nonetheless

Managed to get up all the hills without too much bother but I was struggling towards the end, especially that last drag up the main road towards Sheffield. I stopped briefly at Edale, just for a quick snack, stretch and to prepare myself for Winnats. Got frustrated by the drivers all desparately trying to overtake just before the summit and then blocking the road at the cattle grid forcing me to unclip :evil:

My only gripe was too many main roads, though I suppose that's unavoidable when you're designing a big loop which takes in all the main climbs in the area. Usually when I ride the peaks I stay off all A roads. I was pleased though to find some quiet back roads that I'd not ridden before.

Finished in 6:21, and even managed to overtake Phil twice, once near the start and again just before the finish. Had a good chat to him and he's seems like a nice fella.

jfw

my longest ever ride (72 being my previous best)!

managed 7:03 - so pretty pleased - rode everything no stopping on hills. met phil at the end - think i said something about a roads to him :oops: even though i know they're unavoidable - why didn't i mention the stunning reservoir near the beginning which i rode past on my own while eating a go bar?

paced my self really slow for the first half as didn't know what to expect. so had quite a lot of beans for the second half - but really sore knees (due to hill running in the week when i thought i was only going to do the 100k one). :?

snaffledog

Weather was an improvement from when i did it in 2008 (fog or rain), so it was nice to 'enjoy' some of the scenery that just wasnt visible last time, especially Monsal Dale (lots of walkers though)

No sleep the night before, so that for me means the legs were heavy. Everything after Winnats was a real grind, the lack of training miles in the last couple of months really showed. Just sheer fatigue, felt like I was going backwards over the last 30 miles.

That drag up the A57 to Moscar was murder, even though its only probably about 5%.

The last few miles down into stannington were very scenic, nice part of the world.

7hrs 2 mins rolling time and 7.15 actual time, quite pleased with really, given how much I was struggling towards the end.

Cumberland Challenge next and TOB Stoke sportive, probably fair to say that this one was harder than those 2 will be (?)

rolf_f

moolarb wrote:

Fantastic event, hard as nails, but enjoyed it nonetheless

Managed to get up all the hills without too much bother but I was struggling towards the end, especially that last drag up the main road towards Sheffield. I stopped briefly at Edale, just for a quick snack, stretch and to prepare myself for Winnats. Got frustrated by the drivers all desparately trying to overtake just before the summit and then blocking the road at the cattle grid forcing me to unclip :evil:

My only gripe was too many main roads, though I suppose that's unavoidable when you're designing a big loop which takes in all the main climbs in the area. Usually when I ride the peaks I stay off all A roads. I was pleased though to find some quiet back roads that I'd not ridden before.

TBH, I found that last climb pretty straightforward - I'd thought it might be steeper so the alpine sort of gradient was a welcome relief!

Agreed on the A roads but that is a problem anywhere in hilly country. There just aren't many roads of any sort so the ones that are there, tend to be A roads. The little single lane road from the left turn after the descent from Winnats was lovely!

jfw wrote:

managed 7:03 - so pretty pleased - rode everything no stopping on hills. met phil at the end - think i said something about a roads to him :oops: even though i know they're unavoidable - why didn't i mention the stunning reservoir near the beginning which i rode past on my own while eating a go bar?

The one you ride across the dam wall? Langsett - when I crossed it earlier this year it was full and reflecting the clear blue sky. It was the loveliest shade of deep blue you could imagine!

jfw

Rolf F wrote:

The one you ride across the dam wall?

That's the one

snaffledog

anybody know the eventual number of starters (100 and 150k)?

STORMSY

I heard there were about 400 in all, just about half in each ride.

Trailerman

Distance came in at pretty much bang on 150km according to my Polar.

150km and 6 hours 30 of fairly unrelenting pain in my case! Great ride though.

Jules

Stedman

This is the sixth time that I have entered this event. After a rough ride last year, yesterday I had my best ride ever by just under 7 hours ride time for the 150 and I also returned just before 4 pm.

I put this change in fortune at 55 to changing down from a triple to a compact chain-set, and I still got up Winnats Pass!