Fred Whitton Challenge 2016, the big thread

drlodge

London-Red wrote:

Only 3 weeks to go... Can't quite get my head around that - I'm sure it was closer to five weeks when I was supping those beers in the pub last night :shock:

I'm putting down 80 miles and 7,000ft of up on Sunday, taking in many of Surrey's finest, including Barhatch and Whitedown.

Then it's hill repeats and one final medium ride on the weekend before the event before rest.

Biggest concern by far at the mo is the bloody weather...

Just do Barhatch, and repeat until you can take no more!

ugo.santalucia

London-Red wrote:

Biggest concern by far at the mo is the bloody weather...

as per first post in this thread, I believe...

london-red

drlodge wrote:

London-Red wrote:

Only 3 weeks to go... Can't quite get my head around that - I'm sure it was closer to five weeks when I was supping those beers in the pub last night :shock:

I'm putting down 80 miles and 7,000ft of up on Sunday, taking in many of Surrey's finest, including Barhatch and Whitedown.

Then it's hill repeats and one final medium ride on the weekend before the event before rest.

Biggest concern by far at the mo is the bloody weather...

Just do Barhatch, and repeat until you can take no more!

I have considered it

london-red

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

Biggest concern by far at the mo is the bloody weather...

as per first post in this thread, I believe...

Well it is the Lakes - the main reason why I don't think I could ever move back there...

ugo.santalucia

yet statistics say rain is 50/50 in May and factoring in that they count as rainy day even 1 mm of rain... then we should be up for a treat...

I'll pack the suncream :-)

london-red

I'll be packing every last piece of gear I have, just in case

ugo.santalucia

London-Red wrote:

I'll be packing every last piece of gear I have, just in case

Wrong. You need your trusty rain/wind jacket, a pair of longs, a pair of shorts, a long sleeve jersey (just in case it's nice) and a base layer. Possibly a wind packable thing for option 2, or a copy of the daily mail if you are old school. Long finger gloves... that's about it

london-red

Bibs & knee warmers or 3/4's? Or, even, longs? Or, even, leggings and bibs (a combo I quite like)?
SS base layer, jersey, arm warmers & gilet; or LS base layer, jersey & gilet?
Rain jacket or wind jacket?
Toe covers?
Skull cap or cap?
Full finger or fingerless gloves?

Given the utter unpredictability of the weather, I think I'll chuck the whole lot in the boot of the car...

By the way, we should have a meet on the Saturday registration day to put faces to names of those on here!

ugo.santalucia

good idea

DeVlaeminck

On the bright side at least it isn't this weekend http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weat ... 1460678400

london-red

DeVlaeminck wrote:

On the bright side at least it isn't this weekend http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weat ... 1460678400

At least there's a bit of sunshine forecast... I'd probably take that and pack the hip flask 8)

ugo.santalucia

Brutal training today. The idea was to do 100 miles and 2.2 K of climbing in the Cotswolds. However... we set off at 9 from Warwick and it was coming down a mix of rain and slush, at 2-3 degrees... by the time we reached Edge Hill it was snowing and it was accumulating at the side of the road and on the roofs, a real winter scene. The 16% descent got us pretty cold... we manage to sprint to Shipston for a cup of tea and a piece of cake, just as a timid sun began to do its job. We then cut the Cotswolds bit short, basically only went up Ilmington the hard way, then down to Chiping Campden and back into Ilmington. As we got up 100 mt or so in elevation the temperature dropped like a stone, not helped by the northerly wind. We then went through Stratford, Wellesbourne and back to Warwick... 75 miles, half the climbing we had planned, but at least we got some miles under the belt, as the temptation was to cancel and just stay in bed... :roll:

Upwards and onwards, I guess... :?

Spartacus1981

Good effort Ugo. Sounds nasty. I just did a week in Mallorca so hopefully that helped. Still bricking it for this one. BTW, anyone selling a Cannondale one piece Spidering 50/34. WANTED asap.

defride

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Brutal training today. The idea was to do 100 miles and 2.2 K of climbing in the Cotswolds. However... we set off at 9 from Warwick and it was coming down a mix of rain and slush, at 2-3 degrees... by the time we reached Edge Hill it was snowing and it was accumulating at the side of the road and on the roofs, a real winter scene. The 16% descent got us pretty cold... we manage to sprint to Shipston for a cup of tea and a piece of cake, just as a timid sun began to do its job. We then cut the Cotswolds bit short, basically only went up Ilmington the hard way, then down to Chiping Campden and back into Ilmington. As we got up 100 mt or so in elevation the temperature dropped like a stone, not helped by the northerly wind. We then went through Stratford, Wellesbourne and back to Warwick... 75 miles, half the climbing we had planned, but at least we got some miles under the belt, as the temptation was to cancel and just stay in bed... :roll:

Upwards and onwards, I guess... :?

Good effort, saw some pics of the Cotswolds on Sat afternoon and it didn't look like riding weather! Not road bikes anyways. Was JR out with you? Saw he set off from Warwick that sort of time and the route sounds like the one you describe.

Going okay myself, not sure on the distance as only managing 80 and 90's, today's 80 was pretty comfortable albeit a club ride with plenty of stops.

Aiming for give or take 7hrs, anyone suggest a good time to start that'll maximize the chance of getting into a group at this sort of pace? From what I've heard it's usually pretty spread out and pot luck whether you hitch a group or not?

ugo.santalucia

defride wrote:

Was JR out with you? Saw he set off from Warwick that sort of time and the route sounds like the one you describe.

He certainly was...

the afternoon was OK, but before 11 AM was pretty brutal

EarlofBarnet

Just finished a ride today that included my first attempt of Hardknott and Wrynose. Hardknott's a good one isn't it?? Should be interesting after 90 miles! With the 34/32 set-up I got up without stopping, but it's definitely the toughest pass. Wrynose wasn't too bad at all (would be worse climbing it from the opposite direction). Both descents were taken carefully, could see them being a handful in the wet.

So I've just Kirkstone to tick off now. Hopefully try and do that before the event.

I was feeling confident that I'd get round ok, however today's ride was a wake up call that it'll be a tough day!

homers_double

Of all the climbs Kirkstone was possibly the most enjoyable, maybe because it was first...

lakesluddite

Yeah, Kirkstone pass is nothing to worry about, even though it's the highest of the passes. It has a few little steep kicks, but it's far shallower than Hardknott, Wrynose and Honister (which are the real ba***rds). And yes Wrynose from the east is longer and far tougher than the way the Fred tackles it, as you don't loose all the height from Hardknott - they are connected by a plateau. The descent is real squeaky-bum time though!
I'm glad Ugo pointed out that the chance of rain is 50/50 - the past few years have been wet, so by the law of averages we are due a nice dry one, surely? :roll:

src1

Did a short loop from Keswick, over Honnister to Buttermere and back to Keswick via Newlands pass yesterday evening.

I was on my 12kg CdF with 35mm tyres, so not the bike I'd choose for the Fred, but the 34/32, fat tyres and disc brakes actually turned out to be ideal. Not so much the weight.

Honnister isn't as bad as I remembered, with quite a few points you can recover and Newlands is OK too. Both descents are fun, but it's easy to get carried away and sheep and drivers are a hazard!

Hoping to get another ride in this week that takes in Honnister, Hardnott, Wrynose and Kirkstone.

london-red

I've got my first ever appointment with a physio tomorrow - I've been feeling some tightness in my right quad and hamstring for some time (notably since my Fred training intensified) and I want to get it diagnosed. Hopefully I'll get told to man up and shown a couple of exercises and stretches..

london-red

SRC1 wrote:

Did a short loop from Keswick, over Honnister to Buttermere and back to Keswick via Newlands pass yesterday evening.

I was on my 12kg CdF with 35mm tyres, so not the bike I'd choose for the Fred, but the 34/32, fat tyres and disc brakes actually turned out to be ideal. Not so much the weight.

Honnister isn't as bad as I remembered, with quite a few points you can recover and Newlands is OK too. Both descents are fun, but it's easy to get carried away and sheep and drivers are a hazard!

Hoping to get another ride in this week that takes in Honnister, Hardnott, Wrynose and Kirkstone.

Oh, and by the way - nice post... It's about time someone said something positive about some of these climbs

ugo.santalucia

London-Red wrote:

I've got my first ever appointment with a physio tomorrow - I've been feeling some tightness in my right quad and hamstring for some time (notably since my Fred training intensified) and I want to get it diagnosed. Hopefully I'll get told to man up and shown a couple of exercises and stretches..

Swimming pool, very good for losening your muscles

london-red

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

I've got my first ever appointment with a physio tomorrow - I've been feeling some tightness in my right quad and hamstring for some time (notably since my Fred training intensified) and I want to get it diagnosed. Hopefully I'll get told to man up and shown a couple of exercises and stretches..

Swimming pool, very good for losening your muscles

Good idea. But I also want the go ahead to continue training from a pro. Otherwise, it feels like I might need to rest it ahead of the event, which ain't ideal.

ugo.santalucia

London-Red wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

I've got my first ever appointment with a physio tomorrow - I've been feeling some tightness in my right quad and hamstring for some time (notably since my Fred training intensified) and I want to get it diagnosed. Hopefully I'll get told to man up and shown a couple of exercises and stretches..

Swimming pool, very good for losening your muscles

Good idea. But I also want the go ahead to continue training from a pro. Otherwise, it feels like I might need to rest it ahead of the event, which ain't ideal.

It's just tight muscles... stretching and swimming pool should do. Typically happens when you try to be clever and go up a hill with the 16 sprocket or ride all the way from Esher to Kingston with a 53 x 13

london-red

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

London-Red wrote:

I've got my first ever appointment with a physio tomorrow - I've been feeling some tightness in my right quad and hamstring for some time (notably since my Fred training intensified) and I want to get it diagnosed. Hopefully I'll get told to man up and shown a couple of exercises and stretches..

Swimming pool, very good for losening your muscles

Good idea. But I also want the go ahead to continue training from a pro. Otherwise, it feels like I might need to rest it ahead of the event, which ain't ideal.

It's just tight muscles... stretching and swimming pool should do. Typically happens when you try to be clever and go up a hill with the 16 sprocket or ride all the way from Esher to Kingston with a 53 x 13

Let's hope you're right.

mamil314

Well, now what. I spent two weeks in bed with feverish flu and was just offered a reserve place in FW. Have been wanting to try this, but feel weak at the moment and never climbed more than 2k in a day. Damn.

london-red

mamil314 wrote:

Well, now what. I spent two weeks in bed with feverish flu and was just offered a reserve place in FW. Have been wanting to try this, but feel weak at the moment and never climbed more than 2k in a day. Damn.

Well if it helps, I think you should go for it. There are bailout routes at 33 & 54 miles. And it's only a bike ride - if you have to get off and walk, so be it. And if you get swept up, well, never mind...

Zen, and the art of bike riding.

In other news, my rider pack arrived tonight. Getting close 8)

ugo.santalucia

I think that is the right attitude... it is a bicycle ride after all, that we somehow want to make into some kind of "Verne-sque" epic journey in the unknown

Spartacus1981

London-Red wrote:

mamil314 wrote:

Well, now what. I spent two weeks in bed with feverish flu and was just offered a reserve place in FW. Have been wanting to try this, but feel weak at the moment and never climbed more than 2k in a day. Damn.

Well if it helps, I think you should go for it. There are bailout routes at 33 & 54 miles. And it's only a bike ride - if you have to get off and walk, so be it. And if you get swept up, well, never mind...

Zen, and the art of bike riding.

In other news, my rider pack arrived tonight. Getting close 8)

Exactly. I started taking this attitude too. If I'm crap I'm crap haha. I'm under no illusions it's going to be easy and it's going to hurt like heck but just going to try and enjoy it now. Problem with me is that I just love my food. Fortunately I don't put loads of weight on and generally weigh in around 74/75kg at 5 '11 so not obese by any stretch of the imagination. But I know I'm no racing snake either that hovers around at 60 odd kg's. Dieting and me don't get on but I might give it a bash sometime in the future.

Spartacus1981

Good training ride done today. 100 miler with 2000 meters ish (that's only half !!) at about 16.5mph average and not battering ourselves on the climbs. Nice day for it. Anyone else get a decent one in ?