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The Cheshire Cat Sportive - 29th March 2009
![Forum Admin [Martin]](https://forum.ccashwell.co.uk/uploads/userpics/965/nPDJKRPRUHOC1.jpg)
Robbie and me are up for this. Any other people want to get something 'mildly taxing' in the diary to aim for?
http://www.kilotogo.com/cheshire%20cat.html
Note - it does clash with Bob's 100km Spring Ride in the calendar.
http://www.kilotogo.com/cheshire%20cat.html
Note - it does clash with Bob's 100km Spring Ride in the calendar.
Comments
Come on Skelders - we can take it in turns to hide behind Robbie, praying.
See you in Knutsford.
Pencil my name on the list if you will , preferably behind the biggest windbreak !!
Pete
Love cycling in this part of the world, so count me in.
Stuart
Stuart, Skelders, Pete - the best thing to do would be to enter yourselves online here;
http://www.kilotogo.com/enter.html
It's easy enough - takes just 5 mins.
If you don't like doing bank transactions over the internet though - let me know and I'll do it and you can give me the 28 quid later. I think the places are filling up quickish - so I'd be quick smart if I were you....
We can all be less quick smart on 29th March...
martin
ps. Tim, v poor excuse for getting out of it!
I'm fairly new to the club so hello to anyone who I havent met yet
I've signed up for this too so looking forward to seeing you all there
Cheers
Dave
Good and bad news.
The good is that yesterday I had the cartilage removed from my right knee so I am now in recovery, this should not have any lasting adverse effects on my cycling. An extreme measure to shed some weight I know but Hey its a lonely off the back !
The bad is that it will be early next year before I can start any structured training to get back to race fitness. I do not have enough time before the event.
For this reason I wish you all good luck, enjoy your ride.
Remember it' s the taking part that counts, untill you come second !!
Pete
Dave
Lets swop mb numbers so on the day we can find each sporting our new CCA kit in the masses of carbon and lycra. And I'll be driving up on the day very early (re: the hour changes!)
Martin's up the night before.
ROBBIE : 07973 211579
Aye - I'll be up north and will drive to the start in the morning. I know Daniel is doing similar. I think Stuart is going up from Ashwell on the day like Robbie. VLD? We can all rendezvous somewhere beforehand.
Martin: 07977 652 247
By the way - for anyone else thinking of joining in - sadly it's sold out - 1,600 riders!
Dave : 07779306508
What time shall we meet, and where?
Mobile is 07738 348676.
My mobile is 07799133281
Daniel
Cheshire catters - I'll look to get to the HQ at 8.00am then. We'll hook up somewhere easily enough I'm sure.
Dave is going to try and register us all on Saturday - if they'll let us.
Looks like we might get away with nice weather up north - just a bit cold. Doesn't always rain y'know!
Let's av it!
Martin 07977 652 247
Good luck with the ride up Dave!
Robbie 07973 211579
A very quick first 50 miles (2 hours 45mins) riding in a 'CCA run' group of around 15-20 riders doing 5 mins on the front. Fantastic fun and great to meet new folk on the ride.
The next 50 comprised mainly of steep hills (I'm not much of a hill man and I thought these were monsters). The first major climb was Mow Cop where if you managed to get to the top without putting your foot down, you got a medal...so 5 medals for CCA as we all made it up there!
We regrouped at the final feed station. I arrived last and about 20 mins after Robbie who had filled his waiting time catching up on a lot of eating I think :)
Then the final 25 mile odd blast to the finish. Even though it had been great weather all day I managed to find a patch of ice in this section and slip on it during a climb (trust me). Not sure on everyone elses times but I came in 7 hours 47 mins and some change (shows how slow the last 50 miles were!)
Thanks to everyone for towing me round when I slowed and nice to meet those I hadnt met before.
A fantastic day out...looking forward to the next one!
Cheers
Very tired Dave
Trahern and Carmelo would be proud of how we got a bunch of strangers to rotate every 5 mins at the front, this really helped to keep us fresh for the second half.
I noted down times for myself, Robbie and Daniel
- Robbie: 7hrs 34mins 53sec
- Daniel: 7hrs 35mins 1sec
- Me: 7hrs 34mins 43secs
Respect to all the CCA climbers, especially Robbie and Dan who went up the final, cobbled street, climb. I took one look and decided not to bother, it would have finished me off!
Cheers
Very tired too Stuart
We were an excellent advert for CCA. Leading where others behind were cowering. Pah!
Climbing Mow Cop Killer Mile has to be the single most toughest thing I've done. Anything for a synthetic gold medal. One in three! That's 3 times steeper than Croydon Hill. The cramp afterwards was something else. Still kept going though.
Had to get off twice - on the icy patch on top of the Macclesfield Forest Climb [any excuse!] and on the first half Swiss Hill cobbles. They were impossible to climb sitting down as advised. I did the second half standing up - much easier.
I clocked 7hrs 47mins. 105 miles at just over 15mph on the bike computer.
Thanks to the group for waiting at the final feedstation - their times would have been even better if they didn't wait so long. And thanks to Richard Maynard Bike Repairs for sorting my gears and rear brake out the week before - I'd have been up the creek otherwise.
Might not be able to make the pub meeting for the war stories. Will catch up on a ride soon.
We had to hang around for seemingly ages until we could roll over the timing mat and get on our way.
It really was bitter; but the damp mist soon gave way to the bright sunshine and fingers could be felt once more.
Progress to the first feed was a bit tense with lots of traffic; two wheeled and four wheeled. The tractors are very wide in Cheshire!
The first feed stop was a wash with isotonic drink and topless tarts. Refreshed we pushed on. As Stuart says in his report it was the boys from CCA who were organising and driving the peloton on; others did their turn mind. Indeed we did Carmelo and Traherns training proud.
Approaching the 2nd feed I was feeling a bit tired; it was 50 miles into a ride on a Sunday morning and the feeling I had was all too familiar. Would I be okay? The feed stop provided delicious doughnuts, coated with caster sugar. Bottles recharged and bellies filled with sweet bread the infamous five set off once more (but where was Timmy?)
The pace was now deliberately slow, consciously or otherwise we were tying to psyche some adrenalin to get us up the infamous Mow Cop. The tension mounted still further as we were stopped by the level crossing right at the bottom. One train, then another. When the gates finally lifted we were like greyhounds released from their gates chasing a hare, or rather, cyclists chasing a doughnut.
The climb started like many other steep climbs. A bloke in the car park had described the climb so I knew the tough bit was coming later on. I held back, conserving my doughnut power. The road bends to reveal a straight assault of the hill. Sure enough there was a menacingly steep section, seemingly above my head. Was one doughnut enough? Crowds had gathered at the steepest point; superficially to cheer us on, but I suspect hoping someone would crack and fall off. I reached the steep part and turned on the style. (By style I mean I dug deep, hit maximum heart rate and drew breath like never before. I didnt stop though). Being so steep this killer section gave a false summit; there was more. Nothing was as bad as the middle section. This really was a stunt climb, very dramatic but not all that long; Im sure the hype helped us all up.
The next section was lovely. Green fields, sheep, stone walls and glorious sunshine. The roads were delightful and threw surprises in the form of gradients, up and down. Of note was a very steep hairpin just after a valley bottom. Unfortunately for the guy in front of me he had changed gear too late and his chain was no long continuous. Its disunited ends hung pathetically touching the road.
We regrouped at feed stop three. No doughnuts this time, but I think we all ate more than one sausage roll.
The final push meant taking on the hill out of Macclesfield Forest. This was long and steep. The family Lawless had cheered us on at the bottom, which was most heartening.
The hills kept on coming and then abated. I almost missed the turn up to the next signature climb. The cobbled ascent at Alderley Edge. The turn had been so fast I was barley in the right gear. The uneven surface and the relentless gradient made progress hard. I wanted to stop. However ahead of me I saw the blue of a CCA jersey. It was Robbie, and he was walking. I felt like a greyhound and Robbie was looking more like a doughnut as I inched towards him. I gasped to him as I passed him and he replied with something succinct you would not want to repeat to your granny. I pushed on. By the top a familiar voice said hello. It was Robbie he had climbed back on his bike and made it. I brushed something from my shoulder; was it caster sugar?
The remaining miles were a simple slog back to the HQ. Robbie and I helped each other as best as my legs would allow. We reflected on a fine day out, fine scenery, a great route and splendid spring sunshine.
Thanks to my fellow riders of the day. Thanks too to the Nasty Ride this winter for patently helping me the form I have; its not been easy, but it seems to be working.
Cheers
Sore arse Daniel.