AUK national 400 2017

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Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    For some reason I felt really strong after Aberystwyth and joined a good group of 5 then... we flew to the next control in under 2 hours.

    The last section was a bit of a drag... when you get to within comfortable distance to the finish you lose motivation and every km seems to get longer.

    I thought the Elan valley and the climb to the arch and down to Devil's bridge were the highlights

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1052720147

    https://www.strava.com/activities/1052719804

    A 600??? Are you going for the full SR then... :shock:
    left the forum March 2023
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    A 600??? Are you going for the full SR then... :shock:

    Might aswell, yeah. :roll:

    :wink:

    Elan Valley was mega. Gorgeous scenery all the way to the coast.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Did you see this guy? I so much want one of these bikes... on the flat they're rockets 8)

    ... on the climbs less so :roll:

    velomobiel_zpsv0otytsd.jpg
    left the forum March 2023
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    Yeah, I had supper with him at Aberystwyth. he reckoned he hit 52mph on the descent into there.

    Lovely bit of kit, very well thought out inside. He did say that it got oppressively hot on long climbs with a tailwind. So, I can only imagine it turned into a bath tub of sweat on the way back!
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Peat wrote:
    Yeah, I had supper with him at Aberystwyth. he reckoned he hit 52mph on the descent into there.

    Lovely bit of kit, very well thought out inside. He did say that it got oppressively hot on long climbs with a tailwind. So, I can only imagine it turned into a bath tub of sweat on the way back!

    It is a thing of beauty, it resembles one of those racing cars of the 1950s. He told me he has done 70 mph downhill in the past.

    I bet he enjoyed the gentle downhill sections of the A 44 though... we went 35 mph, he probably went 55
    left the forum March 2023
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    Got the 600 done btw. Such was the strain, I predictably caught a cold that I am still suffering with.

    Anyway. Day1 did about 350km, had 4hrs kip at a Travelodge (too posh to sleep in a hedge...or so i thought) then headed onwards. It was very hot last weekend and I had a complete meltdown at about 520km. A mixture of the heat and exhaustion, I slept under a tree for about 2hrs then crawled to a pub for a decent meal. That got me back to something like normal and I was able to complete a few hours inside the limit.

    SR complete. Jaded.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Peat wrote:
    Got the 600 done btw. Such was the strain, I predictably caught a cold that I am still suffering with.

    Anyway. Day1 did about 350km, had 4hrs kip at a Travelodge (too posh to sleep in a hedge...or so i thought) then headed onwards. It was very hot last weekend and I had a complete meltdown at about 520km. A mixture of the heat and exhaustion, I slept under a tree for about 2hrs then crawled to a pub for a decent meal. That got me back to something like normal and I was able to complete a few hours inside the limit.

    SR complete. Jaded.

    Great stuff, which one did you do?

    I was thinking Bryan Chapman Memorial next year? I'm developing a soft spot for Wales... I like the fact that it is a TLC event and the photos I have seen look stunning...
    left the forum March 2023
  • peat
    peat Posts: 1,242
    Yeah, everyone i've met says the BC is the one! I did 'The Buzzard', and X-rated event (zero TLC, zero anything, just you and the road).
    Also had some mates do the Mille Pennine last weekend. That looks mental.

    Decided that it's time for a bikefit and some saddle science. I feel broken.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    Peat wrote:
    Yeah, everyone i've met says the BC is the one! I did 'The Buzzard', and X-rated event (zero TLC, zero anything, just you and the road).
    Also had some mates do the Mille Pennine last weekend. That looks mental.

    Decided that it's time for a bikefit and some saddle science. I feel broken.

    Saddle wise I use a beaten up Brooks, works a treat, most folks seem to do the same.

    Pendle 600 and Mille Pennines are one step too far for me... I think I would hate the all thing. BC is fairly hilly, but it doesn't have the steep gradients.
    I like TLC events as I have zero patience and can't be bothered to wait to be served in a cafe' and I end up eating less than I should, which is OK in a 200, but not OK for longer distances
    left the forum March 2023

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