Bath100 : Your write ups...
springtide9
Posts: 1,731
Did the Bath100 on Sunday. Meet a few people and it appears that a few post on here. I would find it useful and interesting hearing about other peoples experiences of the day... so I will go first... I had a great day on Sunday.
Simon - Red Planet X SL wearing a Camelpak
It was my first 100 miler. Also my first Sportive. 5th outing on a road bike (Chinese carbon PX) but not new to cycling (MTB). Had managed 30miles, 40 miles and 60 miles, so 100 miles was going to be more trying.
It was also Mothers Day. Early start. Single car family and the wife needed the car to get to her mums (Bristol to Westbury). There are also no trains that time in the morning. I needed to also do the commute, at least in one direction. So that's +12miles. Bath to Westbury was also possibly on the cards. I figured it could be a slow ride back, 18 miles, but doable. I hadn't figured on the cold or the rain. More on that later.
Planned an early night as had a 5:30am start... but beds->bed. Film. Faffing + Bed 11:15pm
Up at 5:30am. Breakfast. Faffing until it was light... set off 6:20am. Slow cycle to Bath, taking in the views of people walking back from clubbing...remember those days.
A420 from Bristol to Bath... Lansdown Hill. OK with 12 miles legs, but not so good after 100. Oh dear. Got there felling pretty good and got sorted for the event. Set off on the 100 mile route by around 7:30am.
Meet up with a few people on route - all very friendly. Lots of talk and chatting, which increased on the flats but decreased on the hills. Everyone in good spirits. Once we'd dropped down into Bath the sun was almost peaking through. Warmed up nicely in the morning and scenery was terrific.
First stop - quick bio break and off again. The route generally took you on all the backroads and what appeared to be up every hill available. Road surface was not the smoothest, which made for hard going in places. Also a little cautious on the decent, as lots of gravel , mud and potholes etc.
Meet up with a guy on a Focus from Chippenham (? Stephen ?) having a bit of chain trouble and we rode together chatting until the second 'lunch stop' at Westbury. Apologies, but I was very aware of the time - knowing that I had to get to the finish and try and work out a way back to Westbury - so stocked up on water, threw some food down my neck and jumped back on the bike.
Felt good. Cycled at a pace and seemed cover the ground OK. In the back of my mind I thought sub 7hr should be possible, so carried on.
Downpour. It started raining. Then raining really hard. Could hardly see anything for a while and then it eased. Got completely soaked, which was far from ideal as it wasn't exactly warm. But, effort creates heat.. so no worries.
Skipped stop 3 and carried on. The finish can't be far. Up down, up down... passed Lacock Abbey (must visit there). Had a few miles with a guy out on a Sunday ride. Thought originally he was riding the event. I passed him while he was dozing, but I think my Camelpack obviously stirred his pot. He passed me. I passed him on the next hill. He passed me again, so I sat behind him in the drops and had a few free miles. Wind, makes such a difference.
Eventually got to Doynton. Decending for a while which was obviously making sure we get to the bottom before the climb back up. The first part of the hill wasn't too bad, but Lansdown Hill was a bugger. Managed to get to the top without any stops, although it hurt. A little while later, crossed the finish in just under 7 hrs (6hr57min)
A bit of food and a call to the wife. It is now tipping with rain; soaked and cold. Very cold. The wife agrees to drive over and meet on-route. I set off. Cold. Very cold. I managed to miss the turning for the A46 (top road) and end up at the bottom on Lansdown Hill again. Have to do that climb for a third time that day on the A420 but at least it's keeping me warm, just. Really hard work... I have to put lots of effort in to keep warm, but don't really have much left to give. I reach the top and carry along the hilly A46.. it's raining hard, cars and lorries are speeding past and fighting with the draft. A few miles later, once I've dropped down again into Bath and off the A46, I see my car with the wife. At least, the day is over... well apart from driving home, talking to my mum on Skype as it's Mothers Day and putting the kids to bed. A great day. Hard yes, but it's less fun if it's easy.
Stats:
The Event:
Distance: 99.0 mi
Elevation: + 6619 ft
Max Grade: 22.5 % ; Avg. Grade: 1 %
Total Duration: 06:57:06 ; Moving Time: 06:22:31 ; Stopped Time: 00:30:45
Average Speed: 15.3 mph
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/207895/embed
My Day:
Distance: 124.3 mi
Elevation: + 9012 ft
Max Grade: 21.8 % ; Avg. Grade: 0.6 %
Total Duration: 09:42:24 ; Moving Time: 08:15:26 ; Stopped Time: 00:49:22
Max Speed: 47.2 mph ; Average Speed: 14.0 mph
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/207893/embed
Not sure why the elevation's don't seem to match what was posted by the organisers, but I checked it with both Garmin Connect and Ride with GPS..?? Data is also from two GPS's, The Day is from my 310XT while the event is from my 705. Yes, I don't travel light very well!
A few lessons learnt. The main one as that I will not be carrying fluids in the Camelpak again. Too much of a faff to fill as well as you have no idea how much you have left. I ran out of fluids twice, but it was a non issue. It would be useful however as a small sack. Would have been better off stuffing it with a waterproof for an extra layer)
Thanks for reading (I'd be amazed if you've got this far!). My first event so have nothing to compare it too. Have no idea if this was hard or easy. For me, it was hard
Anyone else ride the event and want to share....?? [or comments]
Simon - Red Planet X SL wearing a Camelpak
It was my first 100 miler. Also my first Sportive. 5th outing on a road bike (Chinese carbon PX) but not new to cycling (MTB). Had managed 30miles, 40 miles and 60 miles, so 100 miles was going to be more trying.
It was also Mothers Day. Early start. Single car family and the wife needed the car to get to her mums (Bristol to Westbury). There are also no trains that time in the morning. I needed to also do the commute, at least in one direction. So that's +12miles. Bath to Westbury was also possibly on the cards. I figured it could be a slow ride back, 18 miles, but doable. I hadn't figured on the cold or the rain. More on that later.
Planned an early night as had a 5:30am start... but beds->bed. Film. Faffing + Bed 11:15pm
Up at 5:30am. Breakfast. Faffing until it was light... set off 6:20am. Slow cycle to Bath, taking in the views of people walking back from clubbing...remember those days.
A420 from Bristol to Bath... Lansdown Hill. OK with 12 miles legs, but not so good after 100. Oh dear. Got there felling pretty good and got sorted for the event. Set off on the 100 mile route by around 7:30am.
Meet up with a few people on route - all very friendly. Lots of talk and chatting, which increased on the flats but decreased on the hills. Everyone in good spirits. Once we'd dropped down into Bath the sun was almost peaking through. Warmed up nicely in the morning and scenery was terrific.
First stop - quick bio break and off again. The route generally took you on all the backroads and what appeared to be up every hill available. Road surface was not the smoothest, which made for hard going in places. Also a little cautious on the decent, as lots of gravel , mud and potholes etc.
Meet up with a guy on a Focus from Chippenham (? Stephen ?) having a bit of chain trouble and we rode together chatting until the second 'lunch stop' at Westbury. Apologies, but I was very aware of the time - knowing that I had to get to the finish and try and work out a way back to Westbury - so stocked up on water, threw some food down my neck and jumped back on the bike.
Felt good. Cycled at a pace and seemed cover the ground OK. In the back of my mind I thought sub 7hr should be possible, so carried on.
Downpour. It started raining. Then raining really hard. Could hardly see anything for a while and then it eased. Got completely soaked, which was far from ideal as it wasn't exactly warm. But, effort creates heat.. so no worries.
Skipped stop 3 and carried on. The finish can't be far. Up down, up down... passed Lacock Abbey (must visit there). Had a few miles with a guy out on a Sunday ride. Thought originally he was riding the event. I passed him while he was dozing, but I think my Camelpack obviously stirred his pot. He passed me. I passed him on the next hill. He passed me again, so I sat behind him in the drops and had a few free miles. Wind, makes such a difference.
Eventually got to Doynton. Decending for a while which was obviously making sure we get to the bottom before the climb back up. The first part of the hill wasn't too bad, but Lansdown Hill was a bugger. Managed to get to the top without any stops, although it hurt. A little while later, crossed the finish in just under 7 hrs (6hr57min)
A bit of food and a call to the wife. It is now tipping with rain; soaked and cold. Very cold. The wife agrees to drive over and meet on-route. I set off. Cold. Very cold. I managed to miss the turning for the A46 (top road) and end up at the bottom on Lansdown Hill again. Have to do that climb for a third time that day on the A420 but at least it's keeping me warm, just. Really hard work... I have to put lots of effort in to keep warm, but don't really have much left to give. I reach the top and carry along the hilly A46.. it's raining hard, cars and lorries are speeding past and fighting with the draft. A few miles later, once I've dropped down again into Bath and off the A46, I see my car with the wife. At least, the day is over... well apart from driving home, talking to my mum on Skype as it's Mothers Day and putting the kids to bed. A great day. Hard yes, but it's less fun if it's easy.
Stats:
The Event:
Distance: 99.0 mi
Elevation: + 6619 ft
Max Grade: 22.5 % ; Avg. Grade: 1 %
Total Duration: 06:57:06 ; Moving Time: 06:22:31 ; Stopped Time: 00:30:45
Average Speed: 15.3 mph
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/207895/embed
My Day:
Distance: 124.3 mi
Elevation: + 9012 ft
Max Grade: 21.8 % ; Avg. Grade: 0.6 %
Total Duration: 09:42:24 ; Moving Time: 08:15:26 ; Stopped Time: 00:49:22
Max Speed: 47.2 mph ; Average Speed: 14.0 mph
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/207893/embed
Not sure why the elevation's don't seem to match what was posted by the organisers, but I checked it with both Garmin Connect and Ride with GPS..?? Data is also from two GPS's, The Day is from my 310XT while the event is from my 705. Yes, I don't travel light very well!
A few lessons learnt. The main one as that I will not be carrying fluids in the Camelpak again. Too much of a faff to fill as well as you have no idea how much you have left. I ran out of fluids twice, but it was a non issue. It would be useful however as a small sack. Would have been better off stuffing it with a waterproof for an extra layer)
Thanks for reading (I'd be amazed if you've got this far!). My first event so have nothing to compare it too. Have no idea if this was hard or easy. For me, it was hard
Anyone else ride the event and want to share....?? [or comments]
Simon
0
Comments
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Simon,
Didn't do the Bath 100 but was interested in your experience of first 100. I am doing the Peterborough 100 this Sunday (10th April) and this will also be my first attempt at the distance. Was originally doing it with a friend (it was his idea) but he informed me last night that he is no longer doing it due to a rib injury. I wasn't too keen on doing it solo but have told that many people about the ride I feel obliged to ride it just to keep face ! So hopefully people will be friendly on the day to make it more enjoyable.
I do have some worries about making the distance - my last few weeks training rides have been 52,57,62 and 59 miles in various weather conditions. I am hoping that the extra mileage to make the 100 will be manageable on the day.
So hopefully come next Monday I can share my experience on the Peterborough 100.
BTW - Well done on first 100 miles.0 -
@rando : I don't think 100 miles is that much of a step up from 60 miles, as long as you pace yourself. But saying that, if the weather is bad (or gets bad), then you loose warmth if slacking off on the effort. I would also make sure you have lots of warm clothes when you return (and change pretty much straight away). I know this is stating the obvious, but my temperature dropped like a stone once I'd stopped.
I aimed for a slower first half of the event (in terms of perceived effort) so that I knew that I had reserve for the second 50miles. Definitely noticed fatigue with the second 50 miles, so actual speed was probably the same, just perceived effort felt more.
Good luck with the Peterborough 100. Enjoy!Simon0
