Coast to Coast in a day

cld531c
cld531c Posts: 517
edited August 2018 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Just signed up for this next year. Anyone done it? Thoughts, tips, comments welcome.
Would you recommend trying Hardknott before or just take it on on the day?
Thanks

Comments

  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    cld531c wrote:
    Just signed up for this next year. Anyone done it? Thoughts, tips, comments welcome.
    Would you recommend trying Hardknott before or just take it on on the day?
    Thanks

    Just take it as it comes, Hardknott is a big hill but afterwards theres miles of down hill and then a crap flat ending. Id say once youre over Hardknott there is some climbing but youre on the homeward stretch.
  • tonysj
    tonysj Posts: 391
    I'm doing the c2c next year and a friend did it this year. Depending on your fitness, as the Hardknott climb comes early, he decided he didn't want to kill himself so got off and pushed for the more severe part. He would rather complete it than have the broom wagon near then end of the ride.
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    Thanks
    Got a while to get my hill legs ready!
  • bigmul
    bigmul Posts: 208
    Not sure if this is a formal thing or not, but a mate and I did it a couple of weeks back albeit we didn't do Hardknott though as we were further North. We did Whitehaven to Tynemouth taking in Whinlatter, Hartside, Nenthead and Crawleyside Bank.

    Don't think I can suggest anything other than just getting out riding really - the climbs always make me hungry, so take a few bits and top up where you can...enjoy!
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    bigmul wrote:
    Not sure if this is a formal thing or not, but a mate and I did it a couple of weeks back albeit we didn't do Hardknott though as we were further North. We did Whitehaven to Tynemouth taking in Whinlatter, Hartside, Nenthead and Crawleyside Bank.

    Don't think I can suggest anything other than just getting out riding really - the climbs always make me hungry, so take a few bits and top up where you can...enjoy!

    Thanks! Yep its a formal thing, getting a bit lazy so needed something to keep me on my toes!
  • KINGGARY
    KINGGARY Posts: 89
    I did this 2017 with a mate.
    Great event very well organised with Hardknott closed to traffic, which made life a whole lot easier.
    I too had anxiety relating to the climb and watched several videos prior to riding it as research (probably wouldn't recommend that !)
    On the day the climb comes very early on and its a case of dig deep and suffer, we were determined to make it up without stopping and both did, the lack of traffic helping a great deal.
    Once Hardknott is out the way you can relax and enjoy the rest of the ride, the section coming off the top of the moors is a particular highlight of mine.
    Nothing really to replicate it where i live , although i did do Buschome Lane in the Cotswolds a week before as it too has brutal gradients.
    The only advice i can give is pace yourself, use the feed stations, it's a lumpy 150 miles, but well worth it.
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    KINGGARY wrote:
    I did this 2017 with a mate.
    Great event very well organised with Hardknott closed to traffic, which made life a whole lot easier.
    I too had anxiety relating to the climb and watched several videos prior to riding it as research (probably wouldn't recommend that !)
    On the day the climb comes very early on and its a case of dig deep and suffer, we were determined to make it up without stopping and both did, the lack of traffic helping a great deal.
    Once Hardknott is out the way you can relax and enjoy the rest of the ride, the section coming off the top of the moors is a particular highlight of mine.
    Nothing really to replicate it where i live , although i did do Buschome Lane in the Cotswolds a week before as it too has brutal gradients.
    The only advice i can give is pace yourself, use the feed stations, it's a lumpy 150 miles, but well worth it.

    Excellent advice! Thanks. Good news that Hardknott closed to traffic, only time Ive had to walk a steep hill (albeit not Hardknott!) was when I had to stop for a car coming down and it was impossible to get going. Will dig as deep as I can :-)

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