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Audax: Yr Elenydd 305km Sat 14th April
Still time to enter the 305km / 190 mile audax starting in Shropshire and looping into Mid Wales. Robbie's IN, Shaun's IN, err... that's about it.
The Elenith lives on. New start & finish through Shropshire's 'blue remembered hills' (including a climb back over Long Mynd after 160 miles). Still all the classic bits including the infamous mountain road to Tregaron (with the Devil's Staircase, 25%) and the more benign but very remote mountain road to Rhayader. Route details for the curious: here.
Not sure Robbie's fully aware what he's signed up for yet... It's going to be a long day!
Shaun
The Elenith lives on. New start & finish through Shropshire's 'blue remembered hills' (including a climb back over Long Mynd after 160 miles). Still all the classic bits including the infamous mountain road to Tregaron (with the Devil's Staircase, 25%) and the more benign but very remote mountain road to Rhayader. Route details for the curious: here.
Not sure Robbie's fully aware what he's signed up for yet... It's going to be a long day!
Shaun
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After a fitful night's sleep in a ropey Travelodge, we drove the short distance to the start to find the place already alive with people preparing for a long day in the saddle. Most people were quiet and calm but the apprehension in the air was palpable. Before long we were off and riding away just as dawn was breaking on a damp and cold morning. Heavy overnight rain had left the lanes away from the start very wet and muddy with a lot of standing water. It soon started raining. So much for the last weather forecast I'd seen - sunny with the odd shower.
By Shobdon (66km), the first control point, we were truly soaked and dirty and I had just about lost the use of my fingers. We revived ourselves with toast and hot tea, put on an extra layer and headed back outside, both shivering uncontrollably. Only 240km to go... We were heading into the hills now and we were surprised to see some snow-covered. Soon we crossed over the border into Wales and made for Builth Wells (112km), the gateway to the day's real fun - two "mountain roads" in Mid Wales. Truly spectacular scenery awaited.
First up, the road from Beulah to Tregaron and the Devil's Staircase. I've been winding up Robbie for a long time about the Staircase and with a parting shot of "have you got your cleat covers ready" (he did bring some!) we attempted to tame the devil... We both made it up without walking, but stopped a couple of times to catch our breath. Several more leg breakers followed and then a long swooping, technical descent down to Tregaron (158km) for more welcome food.
After a few short miles of flat, the road reared up again at Pontrhydygroes and we were back in the mountains, this time riding from Cwmystwyth to Rhayader. Subtly different scenery along this stretch, but equally as stunning. We made our way, slowly, up the Elan Valley with a biting wind in our faces before a screamer of a descent back down to Rhayader (202km).
Although the mountain roads were over, the hills most definitely were not and with over 200km in the legs by this point and a bitter NE headwind to contend with, nothing was going to be easy from here on in and soon it would be dark! A punishing leg followed, characterised by long, slow climbs and quick, very cold descents. The penultimate control at Little Brampton (260km) was a life-saver, serving hot beef stew and apple crumble.
We sparked up our lights as we left the control. It was now dark and felt very cold. We rode along in our small bubble of light, inky blackness all around. Although in the dark you lose all sense of perspective of your surroundings, we could tell we were generally ascending and knew we were heading for our final test - a climb over Long Mynd. A little bit cruel of the organiser to lay this one on so late into the ride, but we got on with it and groaned our way to the summit. The hills were over, at last! A seemingly never ending descent, not easy in the dark, got us back to Upton Magna at 10:47pm. Job done.
307km. Totally epic.
Oh, and Robbie's now fully aware what he'd signed up for...
Well done guys, total and utter respect, but as Mick says above, u have successfully put me off ;-) ...
Think I'll stick to head-winded time trials thanks! They suddenly seem so much more appealing !
"We choose to do Yr Elenydd and other audax events, not because they are easy, but because they are hard".
Just totalling up my food consumption that day. My stomach did well too.
Muesli with milk, Orange Juice, Beetroot Juice, Yogurt, Tea, Three rounds of Toast and Jam, Tea, Beans on Toast, Lemon Cake, Tea x3, Jacket potato with cheese, Rice pudding, Tea, Apple pie and cream, Tea x2, Beef stew and potatoes, Apple crumble and custard, Tea, Leek and potato soup with cheese, Bread, Tea, Energy Bars x4, Energy gels x7, Energy drink x5, Recovery drink x2, Pasta, Bacon, Bread, Yogurt, Milk.
and it still wasn't enough...
Robbie; watch out for Delilah.
Daniel